Has anyone used airbnb in Paris?

" I'd be curious as to whether it's worth extra $$ to stay in the quatiers that poeple on this forum seem to favor -- like the 4th, 5th or 6th?"

Whether it's worth the money is up to you. Those are central locations so you don't have to spend time and money to commute to where you want to be. There are different price points in those areas. Not everywhere is expensive. As for airbnb, I'm looking to use them in some places for my upcoming trip. I can't imagine that airbnb would work any differently in Paris than it does elsewhere. I have used VRBO in Paris twice and found another apartment on VRBO that I'm in the process of booking now.

My niece and her significant other have used airbnb in Paris many times and have always had great experiences! They are extremely picky and have a very healthy budget so if they can be pleased, I'm sure you'll be too.
Honestly, my opinion is that you don't need to be in one of the lower numbered arrondisements to experience Paris. We have stayed in the 16th and in a couple of the suburbs and it was fine! The metro/RER system is so good that you can really stay anywhere within reason and access everywhere easily.

My son and I used Airbnb last May in Paris and everything went off smoothly. Of course there are a large variance of accommodations on the site and I'm sure each individual owner would be slightly different to deal with, but we used it in both France and England and the experiences were pretty similar. As to cost, I would think that in October you should expect cheaper rates, no matter where you stay, compared to what we payed in May, but we stayed in the 10th less than a five minute walk from Gare du Nord train station and two minutes to the closest Metro and it was fine. Definitely more of a working class area , but none the less cool ( this is Paris after all). We had no trouble getting to where we wanted to go and overall the experience was a pleasant one. Bon Voyage!

Stan

" I'd be curious as to whether it's worth extra $$ to stay in the quatiers that poeple on this forum seem to favor -- like the 4th, 5th or 6th?"

It is to me, but everyone has different criteria. I like being able to look out the window and see the area I love most. I like being able to walk out my hotel or apartment and already be where I want to be most. I've stayed in lots of areas not in the 4th, 5th and 6th and learned over time what I like best. But I'd be happy almost anywhere in Paris.

First week or two in October can still be busy.. hotel occupancy is high( which means more apartments will be rented ) as its still the tail end of trade show and fashion season in Paris.. Last two weeks quieter.
I would book sooner then later.

I would not stay in the "suburbs" of Paris.. as it is not " a few minutes to get into Paris" from them.. perhaps we have different ideas of what one considers the suburbs of Paris.

I also like and prefer the 4th, 5th , and 6th,, but would also suggest you can consider the 7th, 14th, 1st and ,9th and 11th and 13th. and parts of 18th . in that rough order.. but really ,, for a first timer I do think its so much simpler to stay very central.. there ARE quiet areas and streets within each arrondissment so you don't need to be in center of a busy area /street if you don't want to.. but it is nice to walk out your door and be able to walk to many sites within 5-20 minutes.. walking is the best way to see some wonderful hidden gems..
I would never advise anyone to stay out of the ring road.. the commute time and price goes up alot. If you are staying for a few months perhaps.. but not for anyone staying less then a month. My relatives live in a small place outside Paris.. I have always stayed in Paris and then spent a few days seperately with them.. never commuted back and forth!

We used Airbnb for two stays in Paris last fall (one week at the beginning of our trip and 3 days at the end). Both locations were spectacular and we felt they were well worth the money. Both hosts were very helpful, the accommodations were comfortable and had incredible views - well worth the price. The first was a studio apartment on Ile de la Cite (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/251574) and the second was a peniche (barge) on the Seine near the Eiffel Tower. (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/278815). We highly recommend both of these. They were highlights of our five week holiday in France.

We stayed in an Airbnb apartment in Paris right behind the Pantheon in the fall of 2012 and it was a good experience. We had a little difficulty with check in (the host waited inside the apartment, we waited outside), but once that was resolved it was all very good. We are returning in a few weeks and have rented an apartment near St. Germain about a half block from the Seine that I am looking forward to. In 2012 we also used Airbnb in Florence and Pisa and were very happy with the apartments.