Nathalie was a fantastic and generous host. She responded very quickly to any queries and maintained a 'light touch' of regular contact - especially for our arrival and departure.

The apartment is very comfortable for 4 people with the loft double bed and the bedroom with 2 single beds. Nathalie is upfront about the 4 flights of stairs (87 in total from my count) - so it is wise to follow her advice and keep luggage as small as possible. Security at the entrance is good. Once aloft, the view out the windows is a classic example of internal Parisian apartment blocks. It really makes you feel part of the city. The kitchen has everything you need. The shower is hot. The apartment is warm in winter with good heating. There are 2 TVs... but we never turned them on TBH.

The apartment is in an awesome location on the main street of the Ile St Louis - down the Ile de la Cite end of the island. You can walk to Notre Dame in less than 5 minutes. I have spent a few months in Paris over the years and this is the best location I have ever experienced. On the Rue, there is a good small supermarket/store (go west towards Notre Dame for 1 minute), a good patisserie (go east for 2 minutes and cross the traffic lights) and a pharmacy around the corner (east). The island has lots of gift shops and bars/restaurants. You pay the slightly higher price that you would expect in a 5 star location. It's worth it IMO. Actually, I went to M&S on Boul St Michel a couple of times for some fancy stuff (approx 10-15 minutes walk).

The access to Paris is outstanding - especially if you love walking. You can walk straight into the Marais going north across the middle bridge. You can get straight into the 5th across the bridge going south. For readers, Shakespeare and Gibert are 10 minute walk (max). We walked to both the Louvre (Tuileries, Concorde) and d'Orsay straight along the river. This is a classic walk of 30-45 minutes duration past the book sellers etc.

The apartment is also very good for transport connectivity because the Metro/RER at Notre Dame St Michel is a main station. We were able to travel/transfer in all directions quickly - Eiffel Tower, Catacombs, Arc de Triomphe, Musee Des Artes etc. We were even able to catch the RER to CDG airport from this station (40 minutes). My only warning on the airport train is that getting to the platform involves a lot of stairs and some navigation skills. The train is also quite full at peak hours with primitive baggage areas. Go up to the front carriages as they are quietest.

In summary, I hope this review reflects our enthusiasm for Nathalie, her apartment, its location and Paris. We had a great week and would make Nathalie's apartment our first choice every time.