Please sign in to post.

Any recommendation for an apartment in Paris?

We will be going to Paris for 6-7 nights this November. My husband is hoping to stay in an apartment that either has an elevator or only 1 or 2 flights of stairs. Any recommendations? Thank you.

Posted by
1362 posts

You can try Cobblestone Paris Rentals, www.cobblestoneparis.com, they are not as large of a company as Air BnB, but you may find what your are looking for. I stayed 8 nights at their apartment on Ile. St. Louis just. Two flights of stairs, American 3rd floor, their 2nd floor. They offer places throughout Paris.
Enjoy.

Posted by
565 posts

I just stayed in an AirBnb in the 9th, near Rue des Martyrs, on the first floor (one flight up). I loved it and the host. PM me for the link, if you'd like.

Posted by
479 posts

We have had very good experiences renting through Vacation In Paris www.vacationinparis.com.
They are friendly, helpful and first-hand knowledgable about the apartments they rent. You can look for any combination of features that you want, including an elevator or only 1 or 2 flights of stairs.

Posted by
75 posts

I recently stayed in a great VRBO apartment in the 1st arrondissement and I'm happy to share the info with you if you PM me.

Posted by
1654 posts

I'm in an apartment now with my daughter that I'm very pleased with. It's an Airbnb, very close to the Pompidou, in a great area for restaurants, shops, etc. It's on the first floor and has an elevator. I will also share if you PM me.

Posted by
42 posts

I just booked an apartment via homeaway.com but I did an extensive search on Airbnb, vrbo, parisperfect, cobblestonerentals, tripadvisor.com etc... most apartments are very tiny and don't have air conditioning...I am ok with small but needed A/C but luckily that is a filter under amenities that you can check mark..make sure you book via the website not bank wire transfer!

Posted by
248 posts

Another vote for Vacation in Paris. Many options in location and price. They're based in New Jersey and send you the keys before you leave.

Posted by
7981 posts

We really like the agency Perfectly Paris; they actively manage the apartments and are very responsive. We have rented for a month or two several times with them and they are always quick to deal with any issues that arise. Vacation in Paris also has a good reputation and our friends and relatives have used them; I don't know about responsiveness on the ground as they are run from the US and send you the key ahead. Another agency with excellent reputation is Paris best lodge.

One thing if you need an elevator, be sure to not book above the French second floor (US third floor) because it is fairly common for elevators to go out of service in old Paris buildings and it can take a few days to get them fixed. If you absolutely cannot climb 5 flights of stairs don't book on the 5th floor. The ground floor in France is 0 or rez du chaussee and the first floor is the US second floor. The floor number will be the number of flights to walk. So you can go to the second floor and have 2 flights.

Posted by
2466 posts

Citadines and Adagio are two apart'hotel chains which have dependable elevators, as well as the features you want in an apartment - kitchen, laundry facilities and more space - and front desk staff to help you with whatever else you might need. There are locations all over Paris, you just have to choose your budget.

It can take days for an elevator to be fixed in residential apartment buildings - ours has been out for 10 days while waiting for a part - but hotels and apart'hotels have staff ready to deal with such emergencies.

Posted by
17639 posts

chexbres, so you were saying in the other topic that all of these AirBnb's are illegal? That cant be right. I know I read it too, but I think some one is exaggerating something, somehow, someway..

Posted by
2466 posts

JamesE - most apartment listings have gotten wise and migrated to the AirBnB site - these are the same illegal apartments that are advertised on the usual vacation apartment websites. In addition, it is illegal for tenants holding a yearly lease to sublet their apartments. If you look at the calendars and examine the photos, it is easy to see if someone actually lives in the apartment for 8 months out of the year or is going to sleep on a friend's couch and making extra cash while his landlord isn't looking.
No exaggeration.

Posted by
479 posts

In response to janettravels44, www.vacationinparis.com does send you the key before you leave the U.S. but also has several managers who live in Paris if you need assistance once there. Having the key with you eliminates any missed connections with a local manager who has to meet you to let you in to the apartment. We blew a fuse once (using the toaster) and the local manager came right over to fix it and make sure we were totally happy. She was delightful and gave us several tips for local things to see and do.

Posted by
7981 posts

good to know about VIP. One of the things we always we do when we rent from VRBO or other sites without local management is to ascertain if there is a designated person to contact if there are issues.

And yes -- virtually all of the apartments listed on AirBNB and other sites are illegal.

Posted by
17639 posts

And yes -- virtually all of the apartments listed on AirBNB and other sites are illegal.

Suggested correction: "And yes -- virtually all of the Paris apartments listed on AirBNB and other sites are illegal." Or is this a universal problem?

Posted by
2047 posts

Thank you all for the apartment advice and thought! Becky