Alexis had advised me that she would be overseas when I arrived in Paris, but had arranged for a friend to meet me to give me the keys. Her lovely friend Pamela took me upstairs to the apartment and showed me around and made sure that I had everything I needed before leaving. She even helped me with my luggage, which was much appreciated after 30 hours travelling!
Now for the apartment...the moment I stepped through the door, I fell in love with it. It was everything, and more, than what the description and pictures showed. Adorable doesn't even begin to describe it, it was PERFECT! It was flooded with light, and the bedroom and living room windows opened out onto a large courtyard. It was extremely quiet, surprisingly so for a location in a busy area, and I slept with all the windows open and never heard a sound. The bed was very comfortable, the bathroom was a good size with a great shower. I have stayed in expensive hotels where the hot water was tepid, and the water pressure wasn't half as good as here. Much appreciated after long hours of walking around Paris. The lining/dining room was lovely, and decorated with a lot of thought and care and I enjoyed spending time there in the evenings. The kitchen had everything I needed - a large fridge, modern electric stove and a great washing machine. Alexis had provided many basic pantry items as well, oil, vinegar, salt, sugar, rubbish bags, detergent for the washing machine etc and it was much appreciated not to have to go and buy these things when I only needed a tiny bit.
I was so happy and comfortable there that at the end of the week when it was time to go I was sad to leave. The location was perfect, the Rue du Commerce has everything you need, and more. It is full of lovely shops - as well as butchers, wine & cheese shops, bakeries etc - a real foodie heaven. On Sunday and Wednesday I walked to the open air markets at the end of the street and indulged myself even more! It was also a minute's walk to the Metro which made it easy to go everwhere in Paris and I was on the go all the time.
Alexis kept in touch by email, and even though no problems arose, I knew that if they did she would have taken care of them. My flight details changed between the time I booked with Alexis and my actual departure, and she kindly allowed me to check-in 8 hours earlier than the time listed. That's something that is priceless.
Honestly, I know this sounds like a "gushy" review but I can't rate this listing high enough. If you are hesitating between several listings that have taken your fancy, stop right now and choose this apartment. Everything is perfect, and the location couldn't be better. Best Airbnb experience EVER!