This was a tough one, because the location is unbeatable and with some work this place could easily be 5 stars.
First off, there is no 'James'. This property is managed by a company but the owner appears to live in the building.
Pros:
- Location is right next to the Eiffel Tower, shopping, transit, and everything you'd want out Paris within a short walking distance.
- Two bedrooms, each with a comfy double bed.
- There were several universal power converters in the unit and a list of solid restaurant recommendations
- The owner gave a 15% discount due to the grievances below....
Cons:
- The place was FILTHY. There was a layer of dust on everything. The kitchen was unusable due to water damage and a cabinet filled with TOXIC MOLD and bugs. There was so much mold, you could smell it from the living room with the cabinet door open. My father and I are allergic to dust and mold; so not very fun. Had my wife or mother been there, we would not have stayed the full duration. After discussing it with the company, we got a discount, but no one ever came to clean as we asked.
- Several pieces of hardware were in need of attention / replacement. The dishwasher was seriously beat up. Every door handle was loose. A key was broken off in the top lock. Lamps were broken and hanging on by wires.
- No toilet paper or bath tissue.
- The owner came in unannounced twice to survey the mold & water damage. Worse than that he said he KNEW about it, and was waiting for it to dry. That's simply not safe or sanitary.
- There was street construction just below the unit, and the unit above us was being remodeled. So by 7am there was a symphony of power tools and banging. I know that's no one's fault, but a warning would have been nice.
- The windows are old single pane and allow ALL the street noise to come through. So you can clearly hear all the house parties and loud drunks until 4am on the weekends. BRING EARPLUGS.
All in all we were disappointed with the unit but loved our time in Paris. The location was amazing, but I really wish the place was better maintained.