Afifa's apartment is a terrific place to stay for a single person or couple. I spent a week there very happily. Here are few things to know:
Location: the apartment is very close to La Republique -- 2 minutes from Oberkampf on metro line 5, or 10 minutes from the station at Republique (lines 5 and 9, I think?). 4 stops from Bastille on line 5. Very easy to get anywhere from here, including the airport on RER B (change at Gare du Nord). The neighborhood has everything you need in easy walking distance -- several good bistros, a great boulangerie on the corner, several supermakets, a couple of hip bars. Not far from decent Thai food and excellent noodles. Steps away from an open air market during the week on Blvd. Richard Lenoir. The apartment is on a quiet street, but there is a fair amount of street noise (mainly during the day) from Blvd. Voltaire.
The apartment: Afifa's place is cozy and comfortable, a completely refurbished apartment in a genuinely old Parisian building. The layout is a little unusual, but I found it very functional. Essentially, they carved a little bedroom out of a studio apartment, so that the bed is separate from the living space/ kitchen. This is great -- you can close the door, and shut out all the street noise -- but visitors should now that the the "bedroom" has windows that open onto the living room -- so there isn't much privacy. As I say, perfect for a couple (or solo). Kitchen is small but has what you need. With all the good bistros nearby, I only ate breakfast in. Bathroom is small, but a good shower and a heated towel rack. Also: the apartment was spotlessly clean. A real treat.
Finally, Aififa is terrific host! There's a self check-in, so you may not meet her. But she happened to be there when I arrived, and she was friendly and very helpful with local tips, answered all my questions, etc. I would gladly stay in one of Afifa's apartments again.