Apartment or Hotel in Paris

given the current crackdown on illegal apartments (most of them) and the short 5 night trip, I'd get a hotel. There are also aparthotels which have kitchenettes which are a possibility. Depending on your budget there are hundreds of hotel options.

An apartment will usually give you more space; often you will have a washing machine (not likely a dryer). If you're traveling in summer, the (common though not universal) lack of air conditioning would be a deal-breaker for me.

A significant disadvantage of apartments is the usual need to meet up with the key holder at a specific time, as opposed to just wandering up to the hotel as the spirit moves you. Having done it, I can tell you that getting the key can be awkward if you do not have a usable cell phone.

In addition, with an apartment you will often not be able to drop off your luggage before check-in time (where would they store it?), or leave it there after check-out until you're ready to move on later in the day.

A lot of apartments come with deposits and non-refundable cleaning fees, so be sure you know what the total cost is.

Although many apartment owners put together useful packages of local information that you can consult before heading out (more information than you'll find in most hotel rooms), that's not the same thing as having a hotel staff person available to answer your questions in person--though it must be admitted that some are better at that than others, and English-speaking skills vary.

Acraven: your list is valid but to the one point of meeting up with a keyholder.
The times I can recall using a rental apartment since the explosion of Airbnb ; each time I was emailed as to where the key was hidden usually some type of combination lock box, met a doorman who had us on a list or an entry door had a passcode.
Meeting up with the actual renter I don't think is common anymore, those making money from their rental properties have better things to be doing with their time. If renting through a rental agency meeting up to get a key and usually signing something then still is common from what I have experienced.

As others mentioned to answer the OP's question is not easy given the current state of affairs with Paris apartment rentals
While I plan on renting an apartment for a stay in Paris in 2018 I am waiting at this point in time a couple of months before booking anything.
The previous apartment I rented and liked is available for our 2018 dates but am fairly certain it is one of those illegal yet to be found out places and wary of risking it.

The reason I often do look into apartments as well as hotels before making a decision in any location is we travel with our young daughter. With 3 or more an apartment can be a major savings over a required suite or similar booking at a hotel to accommodate 3 people.

I always prefer an apartment for space, the kitchen, and a washing machine. The kitchen, which we really use, makes it a much cheaper option for us. But the legality of apartments in Paris is hard to verify. Rightly or wrongly, we favor company managed apartments who take credit cards. Ordinarily I prefer owner managed, but in Paris the agency's public office plus their willingness to accept a cancellable method of payment suggests legality.

Thanks, mreynolds. It's good to know that in most cases the key hand-off is not an issue. My experience with apartments is limited, but I'm batting about 3-for-6 in terms of significant problems. In fairness, all my apartments were through booking.com rather than airbnb, and I've had occasional issues with check-in at small hotels/B&Bs also (though it was a much smaller percentage of those lodgings). If you know you're going to have a usable phone, this is probably a pretty minor detail, but experience has made me stressed as I approach a small budget lodging for the first time.

Edited to add: It occurs to me that one difference may be that my apartment rentals were in smaller cities where lodging costs don't approach those in places like Paris and London. The people I was renting from probably couldn't afford to pay anyone to serve as a key-drop, and there was certainly no doorman in evidence!

The question asked by the OP about hotel vs apartment was "Is one more efficient than the other?" Unless the OP tells us what is considered efficient in this context, the question is unanswerable. Is it efficient to be able to make your own breakfast or is it more efficient to nip down to the nearest cafe for a quick coffee and almond croissant? Is it efficient to spend 5 minutes making your own bed or is it more efficient to have it done by the hotel housekeeping person (formerly know as chamber maid) and have the extra 5 minutes in the shower? I would welcome the OP's further input.

How many people? And where else are you going?

5 nights , a hotel is far easier .

With an apartment - Arrive at 9 am , can't check in till 3-4 with most apartments so no where to leave luggage ( yeah yeah you can rent a locker at train station =hassle )

You are only there five days , you don't need a washing machine for goodness sake .

An aparthotel is a good alternative if you wish to reheat some take out , but with only 5 days I'd eat out happily .

I've done both ( hotle and apartments ) multiple times .

If you do not see a 13-digit registration number on any website you consult, it is an illegal apartment. That's all you need to know, including AirBnB.

Google Maps will direct you to a "laverie" which will take only about 1h20 to do your clothes.
An apartment washer will take 3.5 hours, and will not dry your clothes.

If you do not speak any French, you should be in a hotel, or an apart'hotel, such as Citadines, which has a kitchen. Richard Lenoir is a nice Citadines, steps from the Bastille market - with air conditioning if you need it.

Full service staff, English spoken.
If you are talking about "efficiency" - I'd take the apart'hotel, which has everything you need.

There is also an apart'hotel in the 6th arrondissement, which has a kitchen:
http://www.residencehenri4.com/en/

If you do not give a budget, in EUROS, for your stay, we do not know what your budget is.
Or the time of year you plan to visit Paris.

There are people who mail keys half-way around the world from New Jersey.
There are also people who like to keep the keys in a lockbox - and most likely, the code has been changed.
There are gardiennes who keep the keys, but can't keep to the hours you need.

It is a hassle to arrive in Paris in the morning and have to haul your baggage around with you, in sequence from cafe to cafe...

5 nights and we'd go with an apartment, 3 nights is our break point going either way depending on the situation. Aparthotel a good option but tends to be pricey when and where I've looked. Our experience has been almost 100% with individuals having to meet for the key, services about 50/50 meeting or lockbox.

For 5 nights, I would never stay at a hotel. For the last 25 years of our yearly France trips, it's mostly been houses or apartments by the week, and a hotel for a night (or occasionally 2) to fill in at the beginning or end.

thanks for your replies Paris is the end of a 2 week trip so a washer and dryer will be helpful. Where are you finding apartments?
and what area do you look for. Want to do the major things in Paris but also would like to get to Versailles so how far in the train station?

Good discussion above re pros and cons of apartments and hotels. I wouldn't let the washing machine issue drive your choice because, as chexbres notes, laundromats are plentiful and convenient -- just take a café break while your clothes are washing and then (second glass of wine) drying.

The RER "C" line is the easiest way to get to Versailles. You want the C5 train, labeled "Versailles -- Rive Gauche." It runs basically along the left (south) bank of the Seine. So a hotel in the 5th, 6th, or 7th arrondissement, near a Metro station, will be convenient enough. Ideally your hotel is close to a station where two or more Metro lines intersect, like Odeon or Invalides or LaMotte Picquet or St-Michel or Jussieu or Sevres-Babylone. But any station will do, including those on the right bank.

There are hundreds of good hotels across a wide price range, and on this forum you'll find many threads with suggestions and discussions. Use booking.com, which has useful filters and reviews by people who actually stayed there, to search further. In general, closer to the river means it costs more. Use a hotel's own website to make the actual booking, which can help in case of any later problems. The "street view" feature on Google Earth lets you "explore" any hotel's immediate surroundings.

Any suggestions for hotel or apartment? is one more efficient then the
other

Efficient? What constitutes efficiency for you? My husband and I always stay at a hotel or inn. My brothers and their families prefer airBNB because they each have children and prefer apartments.

Paris is the end of a 2 week trip so a washer and dryer will be
helpful.

You have plenty of options. You can have the hotel/inn wash the major pieces while you do the undergarments or any other items in the sink. You can drop off your clothes at a laundromat and pick them up later or see if they deliver to your lodging. You can go to a laundromat and do the laundry yourselves. In Paris, you have choices depending upon what is most 'efficient' for you!

Whatever you do, have a wonderful time!

Cheryl not kidding about the laundry machines , they have three hour cycles and they do what most of would consider a half load only !

Repeat the advice that you should be in a Citadines or Adagio apart'hotel.
The washers in residential apartments do a small load, just like a pair of towels - and do not dry.

Beware of "migrating apartments", which fill out most of www.booking.com's inventory.
If you do not see a 24-hour desk staff, it is not legal.

Look on Google Maps for a "laverie" or do your laundry at Citadines.

Cheryl, we recently returned from a stay at the Citadines St. Germain. They frequently have offers of "festive rates", offered through Ascott, the parent company. Join the Ascott Online Advantage club - it is free and gives you the discount rate. Our 11 day stay for three people in a 1 bedroom apt. was 1900 euros plus 97 euro city tax on arrival, or 61 euros pp/night. They have a free coffee/hot chocolate/espresso/hot or cold milk machine in the lobby which is convenient. It is a 7-10 minute walk to St. Michel metro, line 4, and RER B and C. We washed clothes there once. It cost 5E to wash, 4 E to dry. It took about an hour to wash, 30 minutes to dry. We did that one evening after we had come in for the day. The apt. was very clean and everyone associated with the hotel was friendly and helpful. It was a slight cost savings for us to have a kitchenette for breakfasts and small meals to cook although we didn't cook every night. I would happily stay there again. There are quite a few Citadines located around Paris so you might look to see if one of the other locations is more ideal for you. Wherever you choose to stay, always look at a metro map to make sure your hotel/apt. isn't a long walk away. That is is a big downer when returning home at the end of a long day.

Also, regarding the washers and dryers - they can be long depending on what cycle you choose. If you punch through the different settings a digital timer often displays the length of the cycle so you can choose a shorter one. I usually wash on cold.

Happy travels!

If you are arriving in the Summer months, Citadines Richard Lenoir has a kitchen, laundry and air-conditioning.
Just Google Citadines - all the information is here:
www.citadines.com/en/find-residence/destination.html

Hi! If you're staying 5 nights there, you could rent an apartment for a week. It isn't as common as it used to be, but it still is... my fiancé and I rented a flat in Paris through that company, they work mostly with foreign (as in, non-French) clients, and trust me, it helps going through French bureaucracy sometimes!

If it doesn't have a 13-digit registration number, provided by the property owner, and on the website, it is an illegal apartment.
These apartments far exceed the legal limit provided by the City for rent control...

If there is a dryer, and there may not be one, it takes about 90 minutes to dry - say jeans.
The dryers are not connected to any pipes, so you have to empty the tray. Most of the trays are disgusting, and the filters are not cleaned thoroughly. I put hydrogen peroxide in the tray so it stays clean - but I don't recommend that anyone else do this.

You may have had a modern washing machine, which will take 15 to 30 minutes to wash.
If you attempt to manipulate the washer or dryer in any way, you may ruin the machine.

I'd go with the "laverie".

Anything over three night's I would rent an apartment. I have always met the host when I rent an apartment, I think more than anything they want to meet me and make sure that if I said two people there are only two people. They will usually give me a lay of the land, demonstrate how XYZ works and usually give me a "guide book" on the apartment and how to reach them. I know well ahead of time what time the check in is and plan my travel accordingly, just like I would a hotel. There have been times when my Hotel room is not ready and we have to stash our luggage and go do something, I have never experienced this with an apartment.

When choosing lodging my top priority is location. I need to be able to walk to reasonably priced restaurants, close to public transportation, grocery store and sites. For our first trip to Paris we stayed in the 6th and I am so happy we did. We walked to major sites, had really close metro access and close to a RER station with an added bonus of being really close to the river. We used Paris Best Lodge to rent our studio, booking about 10 months ahead of our trip because their apartments go fast.

This last visit we stayed in a Hotel by Luxembourg Gardens and we really enjoyed that area as well.

There are many, many Metro stations which will take you to restaurants and cafes.
All you have to do is look for them.
It's not necessary to rent an apartment for that.

Just wondering around there are plenty places to eat! We take the Metro all the time, just not to go look for food. Its a criteria for Hotels too, we like to be able to step out and get a bite to eat. That's just our travel style!

Your hotel will stash your luggage.

Your apartment will not be likely to offer this service, unless you book the room the day before.

And you might not meet the actual owner - because he/she might be on business, or not living full-time in his/her apartment - but some greeter, who is usually late.

Apartment with AirBnb! We have had very good luck with every booking and with kids (teens or younger), you can't beat it. You have washing facilities usually, a kitchen, and plenty of room for lounging around - plus, you get the feeling of actually living in Paris instead of being in a hotel. Once you try it, you won't want anything else.

I'm a hotel person. I like the service. I like the always available information and help at reception. I like the maid service. I like someone knowing I am alive and well...when traveling solo. I don't want to cook on vacation. I don't want to clean up. I thoroughly dislike apartments for a European 'vacation'. I'll/We'll lounge in a cafe, park, etc. so we can watch people, not in a living room. But, again, as in all travel, to each their own...and the OP needs to decide which side of the fence she's on. For hotels, I'm usually at 2 or 3 star hotels...so when I say service, I don't mean room service, etc.

As far as easier for a family, I liked the closeness travel provided sharing rooms that did not necessarily happen when at home in different rooms and running around, etc.

The OP did not ever specify what "efficient" is...
If you want maid service, that's "efficient".
If you want to clean up after yourself and have to shop in supermarkets to find out that the thing you want is not available, that's not too "efficient".

Stay in a hotel.

Traveling solo, I would never stay in an apartment. I double everything Wray has said.

The more I travel, the more I tend to go for the extended stay hotels/aparthotels in the name of having both a kitchen and a little room to spread out and a professional hotel staff with easy check in, payment, and check out. To me, the Citadines, Adagios, Staybridge Suites, Residence Inns and the like are the best of both worlds and make for a more relaxed and pleasant trip.

What time of year are you travelling?
If you are dithering around, you might not get a reservation.

We are traveling in April and gave up on the washer/dryer but like the idea of staying in room with small kitchen or an
apartment any suggestions

Citadines or Adagio - will fit the bill.
The Citadines at Richard Lenoir is especially nice, and is steps from the Bastille open-air market.

The Citadines Saint-Germain is a wonderful choice. Has a kitchen.

www.citadines.com/en/france/paris/citadines-saint-germain-des-pres-paris/index.html

Also, these 2 apart'hotels, both have kitchens:

Le Roi de Sicile - /www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-roi-de-sicile.en-gb.html

Hotel Residence Henri IV - http://www.residencehenri4.com/en/rooms/

You didn't say which time of the year you are travelling, but I'd book something soon...

I am confused regarding the necessity (not to mention, possibility) of renting an apt with the 13 digit license number. The vast majority of tourists who want an apt will not be able to rent one with the license number. I saw a list of the Paris licensed apts and it totals 125! Paris has 2.2 million residents and 15.6 million tourists annually. I read a Nov 2017 article that said airbnb apartments in 1-4 arrondiesments will now be capped at 120 days a year, with a ticker on the website citing how many available days remain. http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/airbnb-paris-rules-new-rental-limit-bookings-stay-nights-latest-a8054771.html. What is the the down-side of renting without the number? Would the renter be committing a crime or misdemeanor? What real advantage is provided to the renter by the license number? I guess I don't have such great faith in the government providing me with protection in this regard.

A renter would not face any consequences, unless the property owner has not applied for a 13-digit registration number yet, which is tied to his financial information to prevent money-laundering. It is the owner's problem, not yours.

In fact, the property owner's rental will be wiped clean very soon from any websites that do not have the registration number. So I would beware of that.

There are circumstances where a manager gets excited and double-books the room, or there is a "plumbing emergency", and you might not have a bed, though.

And there is also a downside - you may not drop your luggage without renting the previous night's room. No fun, when you have to drag your luggage from cafe to cafe for about 4 hours.

I would not concentrate on the 125 apartments that are for rent, and instead look for the 13-digit registration numbers.

Or, you could stay in an apart'hotel, such as Citadines, Le Roi de Sicile or Residence Henri IV.
All have kitchens, some may have laundry facilities. And an apart'hotel will keep your luggage until you leave.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next several years. Clearly there is a demand for apartments. Will some hotels retrofit to apart'hotels? Will there be a boom of Citadines opening? Tune in next time...

The one big risk / downside to the renter who rents an apartment that does not have the registration number is the owner calling you a week before you arrive to tell you they got caught in the crackdown and you can not stay in their place .

Last minute searching for another apartment or hotel can be a nightmare , most especially during high season (April thru mid October )

This is especially true of the arrondissements 1 through 4.
The property owner is supposed to apply for the registration number, but few have done so.

I would stick to the websites which do have the registration numbers, so you do not get a last-minute cancellation on the owner's part.

There is currently a serious demand for residents in the City of Paris.

Tourists belong in hotels - sorry to burst your bubble.

We have stayed in this apartment in the Marais several times and highly recommend it. It is just north of Place des Vosges.

It has a registration number!