We couldn't have been more pleased with our stay. This was our first Air BnB experience - I work in the hotel industry so I've never needed to find an alternative, but when my husband and I were planning this trip we really wanted to experience a more 'local' feel than what one of my hotels could provide.
First - the apartment. Spotless. Comfortable and plenty of room for the two of us. The bedrooms are small by American standards, but comfortable. We used one room as the 'dressing room' where our luggage etc stayed. Marie left us a plethora of local info as well as a bottle of wine, which was a nice touch.
Location? Spot on. As a New Yorker the neighborhood is very much like Soho. Great restaurants, bakeries, florists, shopping (both high end and local) as well as bars and night clubs are minutes away. On weekends it is incredibly busy, but as other reviews indicate, the apartment is extremely quiet despite the volume outside on the street below.
You can walk to several different sites from the apartment, or if you prefer, the metro is close and there are no lack of cabs.
One afternoon we returned to discover an elderly lady playing her violin across from the apartment - we threw open the windows, enjoyed a glass of Sancerre and completely loved the apartment we selected.
We typically shy away from being in touristy areas...as New Yorkers we avoid Times Square like the plague, so the last thing we want to do is stay in the equivalent when we travel. This neighborhood definitely has its fair share of tourists, but it felt very much like a place we would live should we ever move to Paris.
Cherline met us and was more than gracious when we ended up missing our train from London and showed up 7 hours late. When my phone plan restricted me from contacting her, Air BnB stepped in and called me immediately to ensure all was ok.
This was a great first trip to Paris and we would definitely choose to stay at this apartment again.