First timers and new to Airbnb

Hi there! Given what you're seeking and how you describe yourselves, we are in a similar demographic. I'd suggest the north east part of the city -- anything from the Marais up/over. Neighborhood names to look for -- Marais (parts of which can still be a little spendy), Bastille, Nation, Belleville, Menilmontant, Oberkampf, Republlique. Basically the 3rd, 10th, 11th, 19th, 20th arron. These are really fun, dynamic areas that can skew slightly younger and have lots of new and interesting shops, restaurants and bars. The prices there will be much friendlier, too. And a tip is to check for (or ask owners about) proximity to bus service. Some of the bus routes in those areas are convenient to tourist attractions in other areas, and it can be faster than metro when you factor in transfers, etc.

It has been reported on this forum that Paris is cracking down on Airbnb rentals that violate local laws restricting the number of days a non-commercial property can be rented in any given year. To avoid the risk of having your chosen apartment taken off the rental market at the last minute (leaving you to scramble for something else), make sure you are dealing with a legally registered apartment.

While you'll find that most people on this forum will suggest that you be within walking distance of the major sites, I go with Michelle who suggested that with your longer stay you try some farther out arrondissements that are fully in bloom with your age group. The suggestions for areas are also good.

The caveat is that with the new requirements for registering apartments, it's difficult to tell what will be available next June. You can look at the Airbnb etc offerings to get an idea of what's available and read Airbnb's reports on the areas mentioned to get an idea of where you might stay, keeping in mind that the situation now does not reflect what the situation might be next June. Airbnb's descriptions of the areas are pretty fair and might help you decide your area of choice.

Good luck in your search

Hi Janelle
Be careful with airbnb, make sure they have a registration number, big crackdown on illegal rentals after december 1st this year. we rented thru tripadvisor in the 7th district. Don't want you surprised that no place before you get there with restrictions. Our place was a two bedroom one bathroom, small elevator, great balcony, kitchen, washer/dryer. June is a busy month and the weather can be hot, air conditioning is a must! Not far from eiffel tower, grocery store, shops, restaurants, cafes, taxi stands. you may want to stay in another district that suits you. do your research and see what your wants and needs thats important to you. read fine print if cash euro deposit on arrival, city tax paid at check out, Now with the issues with airbnb restriction, costs are higher. Are you staying the whole time in paris? if you stay on outskirts, how far and what is cost of transportation getting back and forth, if you want to relax before night time activities. A lot to consider. Don't want to burst your bubble, Paris is a great city with lots to do and it's fun. Make sure you book important things way ahead of time with waiting and crowd issues. Put your alerts out there. Check out other places to see, we took a train to reims for champagne fun. did a 2cv tour of some vineyards with tasting. went to montemarte, a tourist attraction, which was great. went to angelina's that had the best hot chocolate on rue rivoli along with their breakfast/brunch. I know it's a touristy thing but we are tourists Happy travels
Aloha Princess Pupule

I just returned from 3 weeks in Paris.I used the airbnb "Center of the Marais" rented by Emmanuel. It is a lovely apartment just as pictured in listing. Only problem for next 6 months is that it will be covered by scaffolding. My friend and I are in 70's so if we found it convenient most everyone would. I have had no problems using airbnb so encourage you to do so.

Most residential apartments do not have air-conditioning. If you are used to living with a/c, you will need it, in June.
As was mentioned, AirBnB is a risky prospect at the moment, as are other agencies, like VRBO or HomeAway. There is a crackdown at the moment, by the Mayor's office.
You will have to do a lot of work to find the right apartment, and it's not always worth it. There are not many balconies in Paris to enjoy your breakfast on.
If you do not see a registration number on the website, it's illegal.

I would look for a hotel with air-conditioning.

Here's a hotel with a/c in the Marais - ask for a room in the back, which will be quiet:
/www.carondebeaumarchais.com/english/the-rooms-2.html
Or, there are balcony rooms in the front of the hotel:
/www.carondebeaumarchais.com/english/the-rooms.html

Last June we stayed in the Esmeralda apartment from Paris Best Lodge. They are a company with excellent reviews and the apartment was wonderful and very affordable. There was an unexpected heat wave while we were there and the air conditioning saved our trip. Highly recommend Paris Best Lodge!

Paris Best Lodge, AirBnb, Vacation In Paris and other rental apartments have their dedicated following...
How many of them did have central or portable air-conditioning in the Summer?

I use Cobblestone Paris Rentals, http://cobblestoneparis.com. They have about 20 apartments/studios to choose from, here is one with a wrap around balcony in the Marais (Le Charme du Marais): http://cobblestoneparis.com/La-Charme-Du-Marais.html

Enjoy your trip.

This apartment does not have air-conditioning, and it is very small and will be noisy, since it's on a corner with a lot of traffic.

If you are worried about your b&b not being there when June comes, one plan is to book a hotel with an option to cancel. Then you can confirm your b&b the week before, and cancel the hotel reservation. Most hotels charge a higher rate for a refundable reservation, but at least you'll know you have somewhere to stay and can rest a little easier.

I find that unethical. The hotel takes a loss on your room if it can't re-book in such a short time period.

Janelle, get a good guidebook, read the info on Paris on this site, and read past posts in this forum. Narrow down where you'd like to stay. Then look for hotels in those areas. Narrow it down further, then book.

Really, you should stay in a hotel for this first visit. The concierge can help you with bus lines, reservations, calling a cab, etc. We all want an apartment in Paris or we probably wouldn't be obsessively reading about travel there. But a hotel would be best. They are not that expensive. Well, they can be, but I find hotels there to generally be cheaper than major cities in the US.

I keep a running research document, and when someone in this forum mentions a hotel, I'll briefly look at. If I like what I see and the rates are in my budget, I'll paste it in. Later I can narrow those down. I have sections for several places on my wish list.

You don't have to find the best place to stay. You just have to find a good one. It is overwhelming, but take some pressure off of yourself.

Here's one. I've stayed there twice. There's plenty to do nearby. A good mix of action and quiet areas. Nearby buses and Metro. It's a great place for first time visits. Turenne le Marais

"This apartment does not have air-conditioning, and it is very small and will be noisy, since it's on a corner with a lot of traffic."

At 45 square meters, which is 484.376 square feet, looking at the floor plan we can assign the following approximate room sizes for a relative idea of "very small": Let's say the entry hall is 3.5' x 10', the living area/kitchen is 14' x 18', bedroom 12' x12', and bath 3' x 7'. That gives us only 452 square feet, and this tells me that this is a fairly roomy apartment, in particular for two people.

It also has a nice balcony and lots of windows. Second floor-3rd American, with elevator. No air conditioning though. Looks great.

From the listing: This refined apartment combines classical French architectural highlights with modern colors and design. It is large 45 sq meters, in an historic "Haussmannian" building featuring crown molding and wrought-iron wrap-around balconies. The large floor to ceiling windows will bring in the light and fresh air.

Oh yes, that sounds perfectly dreadful ;-)

484 sq. ft. is about the size of a US efficiency apartment somewhere other than Manhattan (where they can be much smaller), so I agree that it's enough room for 2 people. No a/c would be a deal-breaker for me, but it's a roll of the dice; one might get lucky and not need it in Paris. It's not Seville or Palermo.

Oh, yes: I agree about preferring a hotel on a first trip. The savings would have to be quite significant for me to forego the advantages of being able to stop on my way out and ask for info on Metro, buses, the most scenic walking path to my destination, the best local bakery...

Do you have the exact measurements?

There is a lot of unusable space in rental apartments.

There is the "loi Carrez" which takes note of all unusable space.
You won't be able to open the closet or bathroom door, at any rate - and I do not see any photos of the toilet, so you had better ask about the toilet. This apartment looks much bigger than it is.

At any rate, it will be noisy and full of traffic - being in the area around rue Turbigo and rue Reamur.

I like the Hotel Turenne, but it doesn't have a balcony - but does have air-conditioning.
Being first-timers to Paris, you will need a friendly desk staff to help you with anything you will need.

I would not use AirBnB or another website for the first time in Paris.

I'd focus on the area first. Walking distance to Notre Dame is ideal (most other sights are close to that). If you are traveling in summer, AC is a very good thing - sometimes a necessary one. If you travel outside of summer, AC isn't really an issue.

For me, the best area is the Marais. Latin district would be a close second. Both areas have plenty of cafes, bars, shops and are charming IMO. A balcony will significantly increase the budget. Private outdoor space isn't a common feature in Paris.

I just rented an Airbnb close to Jussieu metro for three nights. It was one bedroom, decent size bathroom and a small living/dining/kitchen room. Better than a hotel at $73 (not sure exact cost in euros) per night. It was just a little out of the range of where I'd like to be. This one is also on the 6th floor (7th for U.S.) with no elevator. Overall nice place and plenty of room but with the stairs and distance to center, I wouldn't recommend it. I pack light and stay fit, so the climb was manageable for me. Others might hate it. My French girlfriend didn't think it was a good value, she thought you could get less stairs in a similar area for the same price.

All of you nice people are working so hard to be helpful . . .and no additional comments from OP . . . hmmmm

Of course everyone has to be aware of their own sense of adventure and abilities, but we stayed in an apartment on our first trip to Europe together over 35 years ago; we had to use a catalogue to find one. We have rented ever since. Paris is an easy easy town to visit, travel around in, and secure food and supplies for an apartment. For a two week trip an apartment is appropriate. I know that personally I could not eat in restaurants 3 meals a day for two weeks; in addition to the expense, for me at least I would be sick eating that way. With all the lovely bakeries, markets etc it is a joy to cook in in Paris and when you don't feel like it or like eating out there are always there lovely roast chickens to bring home.

Yes, make sure the apartment has a registration number. AirBNB is a much dicier proposition than businesses that manage apartments full time in our experience. The level of cleanliness and repair that an AirBNB owner finds appropriate varies by owner, a lot. We have never had an unclean or very poorly equipped apartment except when using AirBNB and we have rented dozens of times in the US and internationally. Be sure it is registered and be sure it has lots of reviews and then look for hints in those reviews of problems. Look for mentions of noise, of lack of cleanliness, or disrepair and take them seriously.

For two weeks, I might venture further from the center -- the 14th east of Montparnasse station or Montmartre near Lamarck Caulaincourt metro are both attractive areas but a little bit out of the tourist center (especially Montparnasse) but the Latin Quarter, Marais or St. Germain are all fine and very convenient for a first visit.

If you want the space and kitchen of an apartment with the reliability of a hotel, Accor also has a lot of Adagio Aparthotels through the Paris area. Just read reviews carefully since individual property management standards vary, and there are both quite good and mediocre options.

https://www.adagio-city.com/gb/home/index.shtml

I suggest you also take a look at Alcove and Agapes

Someone here recommended them and we did some research. We found a charming accommodation in Montparnasse on the Left Bank. The hosts sound charming. After reviewing the options on their web site, you fill out an information form that tells a little bit about your interests, etc. This is forwarded to the host and they decide whether to accept your offer. Once accepted, you book and pay a fee to Alcove and Agapes. You are sent detailed information, including the phone number and email address of the hosts. The balance is due on arrival, in cash.

We have shared emails with our hosts, giving them specifics regarding our arrival time, etc. Their English is much better than our French (the listings lists languages spoken).

We leave for London on Friday. We'll be in Paris Thursday week. I'll be sure to share our experience.

"Do you have the exact measurements?"

No. However as you have noted, the usable floor area is included in the summary as required. There is a floor plan on the agency's site.

"You won't be able to open the closet or bathroom door, at any rate.... This apartment looks much bigger than it is."

And you know this how? It sounds as though you have been in this apartment from your assertions, is that the case?

"There is a lot of unusable space in rental apartments."

Where is the unusable space in this apartment, please?

"There is the "loi Carrez" which takes note of all unusable space.

Loi Carrez (Carrez Act)

This obligates the vendor of accommodation in a jointly-owned property to indicate in the agreement to sell the exact surface area of the property to the nearest 5%. The surface area taken into consideration is the floor area after deducting the areas occupied by external walls, partitions, stairs and stairwell, ducts, doorways and windows. The floors of the parts of the accommodation with a below-ceiling height of less than 1.80m as well as cellars, lofts, garages or parking spaces are excluded from the calculation.

http://www.frenchlawuk.co.uk/french-law-library/french-legal-terms-glossary

These are all SO helpful!! Our budget is around $100 US dollars a night.. and we are thinking close to Norte Dam. You are all SO helpful!!

For those of you who have booked Airbnb how far in advance is recommended?

Hi janelle
Be very careful with airbnb. Make sure they have a registration number if you reserve. Crack down on apartment rentals, we booked thru trip advisor vacation rentals. Had some friends get last minute cancellations, and now what do we do. You are traveling at a busy time of year, supply and demand. with what's out there. You can try booking.com, put in filters you need or want. Another site is cross-pollinate. Read up what area you want to stay, what floor with stairs to climb with baggage (if elevator (lift), washer/dryer. air conditioning (summer months are hot), metro or taxis available, lots to consider. I don't want to burst your bubble, paris is a fabulous city and you will have fun and enjoy it. Book your tours or places of interests early, you don't want to be waisting time waiting in lines, do a seine river cruise, go to montemarte, check out bakeries, markets, I love you wall, anything outside of city, eiffel tower and its blinking every hour after 9pm. we took the train to reims, champagne region, and did a tour of the region. It was fun. Are you spending all 2 weeks in Paris or want to see another town or village? Happy Travels
Aloha Princess Pupule

From October through December 2017, property owners have to apply for a registration number or they cannot be listed on the internet.
If you do not see the registration number, it is illegal.

Dave - I have been in this apartment, checking it out for friends, who asked me to look at it. It is smaller than it looks. You're preaching to the choir about the loi Carrez. And it is a very noisy apartment.

I would not send funds to AirBnB until at least February or March, because it might well disappear from their listings.

Unless you plan to cook, for this first trip I recommend a B&B where you can get some help. Hotels worth staying in will not be within your price range or will not be convenient. DougMac recommended Alcove & Agapes and I will second that. We had a delightful stay in one of the properties last year including access to the lounge so we did not have to sit in our room, and a terrace (for breakfast!) with an Eiffel Tower view, easy access to the Metro, and walkable to many places in the 7th.

Not preaching, just noting that it seeks to define usable space, in this case listed at 45 square meters; not sure how you call that very small, but whatever. On the other hand, if it is simply not possible to open the closet or the bathroom door, then it should probably be avoided ;-), though it looks from the exterior of the building that window sash on the 3rd European floor are not original, and perhaps have been replaced with dual or triple glazed sash. This would be a good thing to ask Cobblestone since as you say, it's a busy corner.

In fact, all 3 of those bedroom windows have not been replaced with double-glazing.
That's why I did not recommend it to my friends. It makes no sense to replace the windows on the other side. It will be noisy.

Usable space is not considered as a closet, shelves, or anything that is not usable for human beings to stand up in, such as a sleeping loft of certain dimensions.

Hey thanks chex, good to know, I'll scratch it off my list! In the unit we rented from Thierry at Parisbestlodge the typical, tall sash had been converted to dual pane, and even though it was on a busy street it was quite tolerable-and it had one of those portable AC units.

http://www.parisbestlodge.com/

"Usable space is not considered as a closet, shelves, or anything that is not usable for human beings to stand up in, such as a sleeping loft of certain dimensions."

That's correct, and should not be listed as such when denoting area. With lofts I imagine the ceiling height minimum requirement would come into play.

If you rent a lot you learn to read photos. The place ALWAYS looks bigger than it is, so learn how to estimate by looking. If the closet door is next to the bed as it is in this apartment, how will you use that closet? If you have to climb into a bed in a small space, how will you make that bed? If you don't see a picture of something it will be dire. e.g. why aren't they showing the bathroom/toilet? If they mention a terrace but don't show it, then it will overlook the dumpster and a brick wall and be filled with broken patio furniture. If it is an asset, the landlord shows it in the ad. I can estimate the size of a bed using various clues from a picture; the one time I relied on the description and not my own two eyes, I had to sleep on the couch because the bed was too small for me and my husband to sleep in. Wide angle lenses make places look larger than they are; camera angles disguise problems. If you can't read photos well then have someone with more experience take a look. Often there is an object in the picture that can be used as a measurement tool to estimate spaces.

To the OP: assess your risk level

I would guess you won't find an apartment that is "legal" in a nice area nor a nice hotel in the $100 per night range.
You I would guess will find Airb2b apartments in nice areas around that price range that if they have good reviews will be nice but are not renting to you legally based on the Paris rules which Airb2b to this point has a blind eye towards.

If you ask the owner about it or request a license # ; they may get scared and not rent the place or even respond to you so you either roll the dice that what you rent won't get cracked down on between now and then or you pay more and stay in an official licensed apartment or stay in a hotel.
Personally I would consider renting such a place but I would go into it understanding what could happen and willing to take that risk.

If you are ok with a few flights of stairs and no AC you will have more apartment options than if that is not OK

Was in Paris this past March for 10 days (and in France, Spain and Portugal for 6 weeks total) - and found that hotels are often a better value than Airbnb - hotels are easier to find (generally on a main street with a sign on the front, not in a residential area), most include breakfast and there is someone on the premises if something needs fixing. And the front desk people are generally friendly and helpful. In Paris, check the Hotel Niel in the 17th - very nice, convenient and a fun neighborhood.

We have used this studio for the past 15 years -give or take a year. Good location to Metro and bus line. Nice bathroom, full kitchen, decent sized refrigerator, wifi (look in greetings book and use long login), TV, phone you can call 120 countries for free, queen sized bed with adjustable head and foot. Table fo 4. No AC. Keep door and window closed when you leave for the day. It will stay cool. A fan is also available.

Nadine Giblin
Studio 30 sqm Paris 9e near Montmartre
E-mail : locationparis9@cogib.fr
Website : http://locationparis9.canalblog.com

I'm starting to think maybe a hotel might be better after reading all of everyone's helpful posts. Any you recommend in the Latin quarter? Or ones that are close to main attractions?

Hotel Saint Andre-des-Arts is in the 6th arrondissement and is convenient to transportation and cafes, restaurants, etc. Friendly English-speaking staff.
Fits your budget, and there is free breakfast, too:
http://www.hotel-saintandredesarts.fr/en/

Here's another one in the 11th arrondissement: The "soft room" has a small balcony.
http://blcdesign-hotel-paris.com
Convenient to Metro and bus.

janelle, I have stayed at the apartment recommended by John, above, and it is super. Don't dismiss the idea before having a good look at the website given by John. It is like a granny flat of a large private house, where the owner lives. It is a short walk to rue des Martyrs where restaurants and cafes abound.

Or, if your budget can be increased a bit, I'd go to the Marais :
http://www.lestournelles.com/en/
This hotel was renovated a year ago, friendly-English speaking staff and a patisserie on the corner, and it's air-conditioned.
Very good Metro and bus connections, too.

Are there any rental property companies more reliable than Airbnb? I love the personal recommendations and hearing your personal experiences with places. . It is really helping us figure out ideas and expenses

Agencies can list any properties they want, and are not breaking the law.

The property owner may be fined, though, for operating an illegal apartment.

Beginning in October through December, property owners must apply for a registration number which is tied to their financial information. If you do not see the registration number on the website, it is an illegal apartment.

Here are two more options, both are legal apart'hotels:
http://www.residencehenri4.com/en/ - this is in the 6th arrondissement on a quiet street and has a kitchen.
http://leroidesicile-paris.com/eng/ - this is in the 4th arrondissement and also has a kitchen.
You can look at all the reviews on both these websites.

Staying in someone else's apartment might or might not be too great. You probably won't see them again, since they will have to go to work, and probably sleep on someone else's couch. Many of the reviews are not genuine, and have been written by the owners.

It is, of course, a well known fact that if you rent an apartment in Paris, you will probably sleep on someone else's couch.

Dave, I think you misunderstood the part about "and sleep on someone else's couch". I believe Chexbres meant that the AirBnB host would have to sleep on someone else's couch while renting out the apartment.

I disagree, Norma. It's a constant stream of 'Paris apartment = bad', and not just about information helpful to travelers, as it should be. Seems that it's not enough to finally have a common sense law in place and about to truly take hold, it's an agenda to discourage/limit/eliminate persons renting apartments in Paris, imho.

Dave, it was only that one phrase that I considered you had misunderstood. I agree with you that the agenda of that contributor is pretty obvious. It seems to be an all consuming passion, for whatever reason.

No, I got it. Ostensibly, it's about illuminating the dysfunction that rentals cause in residents' lives, but the desired take-away is 'Paris apartment = bad', imho, and that's a net negative for the Forum....imho.

It is actually a service to the Forum to point that out, and in multiple threads as it is obvious that many folk do not check the relevant history.

This is a very fluid time for Paris apartments and I would hate for a reader here to be stood outside an apartment just removed from the market after paying a substantial deposit and having nowhere to lay their head.

Good on him, I say.

As days go by, I'm seeing more and more registration numbers posted in apt. ads . . . .so by looking carefully a prospective renter can select an "'officially" legal apt. This should help quite a bit.

I'm starting to think maybe a hotel might be better after reading all of everyone's helpful posts. Any you recommend in the Latin quarter? Or ones that are close to main attractions?

Not a hotel, but as I mentioned above Alcove & Agapes has some well-priced B&Bs in great locations. We had one with a terrace and a view of the Eiffel Tower, great hostess, breakfast. You can search by area.

One Paris apartment story as a word of warning. We are in a cute place right now, about Euro 140/night, near Opera. Quiet, comfortable, spacious for Paris. Good agency, legal apartment. One drawback (and you could not tell this from the online posting) is the toilet is in such a narrow space we can barely fit on it! Anyone weighing much over 200 lbs might be out-of-luck using it! As JaneTravels said, you have to look carefully. I did but the bathroom was so cleverly represented. And I am an old hand at renting apartments in Europe.

OP and anyone else, don't let the unique odd situation with Paris make you less hesitant to use Airbnb elsewhere.
There is no doubt Airbnb and similar services affect the pockets of hotel owners in every town in the world, in Paris those hoteliers have convinced the government that it is bad for the city and use the angle of lack of access to lower cost housing since the thriving Airbnb rental market keeps housing costs higher AND/OR local residents are sick and tired of their neighboring units being rented by loud tourists all of the time when they bought a residential apartment and so many have complained the government is listening.
I think they are both factors.

Elsewhere it is a great service especially if you travel with more than 2 in your party or want your own kitchen.
In Paris, it can be as well just adds an element of risk.

I often prefer hotels but have had only positive experiences using Airbnb many times in the US and in Europe. They have a good review system for properties so with a little research if renting a place with a history you should know in advance what you are getting.

No one, including me, is suggesting for a moment that facts regarding the rental situation shouldn't be made plain, it is the consistent exaggeration and shading towards a hotel outcome that I object to.

Not hotel business, a hotel outcome. As in, no apartment rented is the goal.

Some people prefer hotels, others like apartments. There is no "shading" towards hotel business.

This will all be sorted out by the time January 2018 rolls around and the property owners will have applied for their registration numbers.

Anyone who wishes to go on vacation will have to register, as well.
Tenants who have a one-year lease can only sub-let if the owner agrees in writing.

The numbers cannot be faked, because there is only enough space for them on the form. They are tied to the Taxe d'Habitation as well as the Taxe Fonciere.

I am already seeing properties for sale which include furniture.
I don't know what the agencies will do about this. They can legally list property, but only if there is a registration number.

Janet gives really good advice above about how to "read" a property listing. That posting should be starred and pinned at the top of a "lodging" forum!

It isn't only Paris now. There was a story on the BBC local London news tonight that New York is helping the boroughs of London, Westminster among them to tighten up. Huge numbers of flats now listed with services like Airbnb are cutting into the already extremely tight housing market in parts of London and there is a considerable backlash now.

It is worth being careful that you are with a legal landlord anywhere.

Barcelona, San Francisco, New Orleans, New York...the list goes on and on.
I'd be cautious about renting.

Everyone keeps saying to be cautious.. but I'm curious what I need to be cautious about? Could I personally get in some type of trouble if I rent with someone who isn't registered? It doesn't seem like a safety issue.

No not a safety issue. If the apartment is not legal, and is discovered by the authorities, it can be pulled off the market in a second's notice leaving you bedless for your stay. Paris has many park benches but they're not the ultimate in comfort.

Nothing involving "safety", just convenience. As said above, it is the concern that you may rent an illegal place and find it pulled out from under your chair. Or getting an email a day or so before saying that they are cancelling.

The caution is for your peace of mind and the health of your pocketbook.

Worst case with a late apartment cancellation, there's an Ibis near pretty much any Paris metro stop a tourist would find themselves. They're pretty basic- more IKEA than the cute little Elle Decor flat of your dreams- but will generally be acceptably clean, modestly priced, and have a 24 hour front desk staffed to get you into a room when you need one. (and as I mentioned above, their sibling Adagio Aparthotel brand can be an alternative to privately owned apartments in the city)

After 1 January, 2018, if you see a 13-digit registration number on a website, it is legal.
If you do not see a 13-digit registration number on a website, it is illegal.
That's all you really need to know.

Double-booking does occur with rental apartments, and excuses will range from "plumbing problems" to a myriad of other causes. So you might keep in touch with the property owner, to avoid a last-minute cancellation.

As far as safety issues go, no apartment will measure up to hotel standards. So, I would look long and hard at the photos to see if you think you will have a way out in case of fire.

I would not feel comfortable sending funds until around the end of February, to give the property owner time to get his affairs in order and get the registration number on his website.