On booking we advised the agent that we would be landing in France at 10:20. Our booking was duly confirmed but were advised access would not normally be granted before 16:00 unless informed otherwise.
This meant a rather lengthy wait for our party with its entire luggage; we traipsed about waiting for an update before we messaged Ewa (our contact) at 15:36. She replied that she had been ready to let us in earlier and said that someone else had sent us a message about this being a possibility but with bustling Parisian roads and pavements it must have been missed. A follow up message to ask if we were on our way would have helped if this was the case. A new access time was given as 18:30. (However Ewa made good time and we actually were let in at 17:30).
I feel that the onus is on the host to keep guests fully updated and to confirm any schedule changes. All our other hosts have kept us updated with times and cleaners leaving etc.
Arrival/first impressions; the accommodation is spacious large, modern, reasonably clean, tidy and in a good location.
Ewa stayed to show us around and made sure we could get on the Wi-Fi, use the TV etc.
After she left we wanted to use the toilet, this is a windowless unit and the light did not work. My husband who is in his 70’s had to stand on a wobbly stool to take a bulb from somewhere else to replace it.
Kitchen appliances, utensils and basics – Dishwasher, freezer and washing machine in good order along with a supply of wash capsules. We then wanted to make tea and toast but the kettle switch was a real fiddle to get it to stay on long enough to boil and the only saucepan; handle was broken off, the toaster had 4 slots but only 2 slots were working but then only toasted on one side.
Cooking basics– Consisted of the broken saucepan with the handle broken off, an extremely large pot and a wok. There wasn’t even a grain of salt, pepper nor oil in the cupboards. There were a few reused soft drink bottles under the sink with various thin indeterminate contents with no indication of which held what for all we know we may have used floor cleaner to wash up with.
We informed Ewa of the above issues.
It was two days before our departure that a polite gent arrived with a brand new kettle and saucepan but no bulb, in the meantime we had had to buy a kettle and then get into our suitcase!
The sofa is missing a support to the front and the cushions (and us) kept sliding off. The dining table is quite high it has bar stools to sit on and as the couch divan seats three anyone extra has to perch on these.
The bedroom without the shower; every night until at least 5am, my sister and her daughter couldn’t sleep due to a noisy neighbour. My sister decided to leave before us and stay at her daughters small flat.
The accommodation may be on one level, but there are a lot of small steps which need getting used to.
The kitchen has a large steel cabinet; its base corner is at head height. The garden area in the photograph is a walk through for other residents and where the recycle bins are stored not somewhere you can sit.
To unlock and lock up was sometimes quite difficult. It got better when warm but was a pain when the day was cool.
There are signs of wear and tear but apart from the metal blinds in the living room nothing too obvious.
We have for many years enjoyed using self-catering accommodation but have been a bit disappointed here.