My traveling companion and I arrived early morning as per our schedule and, as promised, communication with Eleonore (Regis's assistant) was very good. As we approached the apartment building, Eleonore saw us and greeted us. There was no confusing "...are we at the correct address..." nor "...where is our host...". Of course, we had been in communication with Eleonore via one or two emails days prior and a quick phone call as we left the airport and headed for the apartment. My point is: the logistics of finding the apartment and meeting Eleonore went quite well.
After showing us around the apartment, Eleonore handed us the keys and was off. That made me very happy. What I mean is that I and my traveling companion are sort of low maintenance guys so just having the key and being inside the apartment meant we were going to be just fine...and we were.
And before I go into detail about some other things regarding the apartment, the departure was just as easy. Regis texted us via airbnb the day before our scheduled departure with stress free instructions to just leave the key on the table, which we did.
Here, my fellow airbnb-ers are my honest assessments of the apartment:
1. The deck is VERY cute. Now, the weather was very pleasant (unseasonably pleasant from what I understand) so if the weather is not so nice perhaps the deck would not be as pleasant. But it was very cute! In the USA, we have a cliche where real estate agents try to oversell a home by saying, "...the deck would be a wonderful place to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the evening..." But at Regis's apartment it isn't just cliche...it is fact. So very pleasant.
2. I am not a big user of jetted tubs but I did use the jetted tub in Regis's apartment. I may not be your typical Parisian vacationer but I walk ALOT throughout Paris. So one night I tried the jetted (whirlpool) tub. I know understand! Sitting in that whirlpool was very nice and my feet and legs enjoyed it.
3. The location is really excellent. For those of you reading this you may already understand that Le Marais is a pretty cool/trendy/popular place to stay in Paris. That is true. But Regis's apartment while being practically right next to the Pompidou is EXTREMELY quiet. I believe it is due to two things: a) the apartment just happens to be situated in such a way that it is insulated from any loud noises and b) I believe the windows to be triple paned making them practically sound proof when closed.
4. The windows are very cool and not cheap. There are two ways to open them: a) hinges on the vertical allow you to open the windows similar to how one would open a door and b) hinges on the bottom horizontal so the very same windows can be opened differently so the biggest part of the opening is a the top of the window--I hope my explanation makes sense. I don't exactly know why but I found the windows very neat; they are high-end windows.
5. The washer worked great and it allowed us to not have to pack 10 sets of clothes but to wear the outfits more than once while in Paris. This allows one to pack lighter.
6. Now it could be that in Paris, there is an expectation to formally greet shopkeepers when one enters their shop. But I found that 99% of the people we met while entering/exiting the elevator, hallway, etc. of the apartment were quite friendly and exchanged very friendly, Bonjours and Bonsoirs. So be a good guest and make sure you do the same--it makes it good for both airbnb-ers and the residents of the building.
That is my assessment. I look forward to my next trip to Paris and would consider staying at Regis's very much.
Thank you, Regis and thank you, Eleonore!