This was my second visit to Paris, and after staying farther out last time I knew I wanted to be in the 1st arrondissement this time.
The key to our stay was LOCATION! This Airbnb delivered an affordable place within walking distance of amazing Paris attractions. We especially appreciated walking less than 5 minutes to the spot between Tuileries and the Louvre where people sit on the lawns or wall to watch the sunset and see the Eiffel Tower sparkle. It is so close! Don’t miss relaxing around the ponds in Tuileries. The Tuileries Metro station is a block away, but the only time we used it was to travel to Sacre Coeur. We did laundry around the corner and down a block and enjoyed a Saturday farmers’ market at Vendôme. There are plenty of places to eat in the surrounding blocks. We found a pizza place very close that does take away pizza, breakfast at another nearby place. We also purchased food out and heated it up and ate in for an evening. There is a store across the street with instant coffee, canned ravioli, breakfast bars, yogurt, etc. LOCATION!
This is an OLD building in OLD Paris. It looks old. It smells a bit old. It feels like it has a history. The lift is a great asset and worked well every time. The extra steps to the left after the lift are circular and worn (again, history!), but wide and easy to maneuver. Noise from neighbors was limited to minimal footsteps on the stairs.
The bed is elevated and accessed with a step stool, which I had no trouble with, but my older travel buddy could not have dealt with that and chose the fold/pull out couch. We were honestly so exhausted after being out and about in Paris for 8-10 hours each day that we slept well despite a firmness to the beds we were not used to. We felt very safe in the apartment, and that is important. The courtyard can be locked, but it was usually open except for on Saturday. It is very quiet, even with windows open.
The updated kitchen has a decent sized mini fridge, a cooktop, and a sink. An electric teapot allowed us to grab a hot cup of instant coffee before heading out. There are enough kitchen utensils to warm up a dish or two. The modern bathroom is really well done. Don't let the window in the shower throw you off, as it did us at first. It steams up really fast, so even if it mattered to you and even if there was someone in eyesight, it wouldn't matter. After all the nude statues and paintings we had just seen at the Louvre, we laughed that we really didn't care. The rainfall shower was really, really nice! The towel warmer is a great addition, and the small sink really worked in the space. Nice shelf with room to set toiletries, while hand soap and body wash were available. The toilet flushed well.
There is a closet with a few hangers, iron, and some supplies. The remote that works the heater was on the bookshelf and easy to operate, responding pretty quickly to increases or decreases we programmed. The windows allow for fresh air. We figured out the TV, but with most programs in French we opted for Netflix on an iPad instead.
Bottom line, I would stay here again to visit Central Paris.