We chose Carolyn’s apartment for its location in the 11th Arr. - I had stayed in the area before and loved that the population here is in their 20s-30s and the bars and restaurants are innovative and a foodie’s dream. It is perfect for the visitor who wants to immerse themselves and avoid other tourists. We were a group of two couples in their early 30s who came to Paris to EAT!
Carolyn’s apartment looked even cuter than the pictures in person. Every nook and cranny has a cute or quirky detail that makes it a fun place to sit and recharge between Parisian adventures. It was clean but also had personal touches that are rare for most Airbnbs today-probably because she really lives there! There is no TV. Instead we spent our downtime listening to music on the Bluetooth speaker, playing cards, and enjoying each other’s company. Solid WIFI for streaming on your own device if you like.
The metro, supermarket, multiple bakeries and even a hip cafe are all within a block. 1.5 blocks to a pharmacy where we could get our covid tests for re-entry to the US (make sure you leave a few hours for that process by the way!) close walking distance to amazing, less stuffy restaurants and bars full of young professionals or younger.
The two bedrooms are on opposite sides of the apartment. One was in the street side and had more natural light in the morning and a little more street noise. We travel with eyemasks so the light wasn’t an issue. Carolyn thoughtfully provided earplugs for that room. The other was darker, quieter but also off the bathroom so a little less airflow.
As is typical in Europe, the toilet is in a separate room than the rest of the bathroom. There’s a separate sink by the toilet powder room. Having multiple sinks and the separate toilet were helpful for our group of 4. The kitchen had all the basics you need. We never used the stove but we did use the oven, french press, dishwasher and laundry machine and all worked well. Recommend leaving the laundry machine door open after use to let it dry!
Overall, Carolyn’s place was perfect for us. It wasn’t super luxurious with linens, but the decor, personal touches, and location more than made up for that. She was communicative and worked with us to make a plan that worked for us. We would definitely stay here again and recommend it for folks who are excited about the 11th.