We are confused by all the great reviews because unfortunately we had a rather uncomfortable experience.
Tried to chalk it up to generational, age, and cultural differences, but after all the great Airbnb's we've been in I can definitely say this was one of the worst experiences.
We called her when we arrived at her building since it was late (flight landed in Orly @9pm), we were lost for a bit, and it was dark and hoped she can assist us. From the second we stepped into her home, the tone was already negatively set. she demanded to know why we called-- wasn't it all in the manual? She lectured us for 15 minutes demanding an answer for why we called when all we wanted to do was drop our things and grab a bite before the restaurants closed and relax after the long commute. She did not stop demanding answers until we apologized (even though in retrospect we're not sure why) and suddenly she became friendly, but not without asking intrusive questions like whether we were getting married after knowing us not even 20 minutes (again, we tried to chalk it up to old fashioned-ness).
The next morning she was surprised that we weren't going to shower, judgmental of our cleanliness (making the stink face and all -- which would have been funny if she made a better intro). We were only there for a 2 nights, and compounded by the lack of privacy as the tiny shower was in the common area, didn't see anything wrong with waiting till we returned home.
The same morning she had a piano lesson to teach. Before the lesson, she came into our room (privacy?) and told us to open the windows because of the smell (again while clasping her nose), which was again super rude. As her student arrived she couldn't open her front door and was frantic. She stormed into our room without knocking and grabbed the keys annoyedly. We ended up helping her open the front door and as soon as it was open, she shushed us, literally shoved us into our room, and slammed the door -- as if to hide us (wow!). We realized that the previous night she kept telling us about the piano lesson not because she was giving us a heads up of disturbing us, but because she was hinting that we should leave the apartment before then. WE had no problem that she was teaching while we were there, but realized it made no sense that we were hiding and feeling as if we were inconveniencing her for a space that we had paid for, this wasn't some friends and family's flat place we were crashing.
She was clearly in our room while we were gone, which was not indicated as a given beforehand. It was clear that she had no respect for us.
Adding this all up, we did not feel comfortable or welcome at all, and this shouldn't be the case as a paying customer. We were so ready to leave by the end and dreaded interacting with her.
Not to mention, the room was just okay, it was cute and close to bars and bus/metro; as a paying customer and dealing with her total lack of respect for us (which we aren't sure was subconsciously racially motivated -- we're interracial couple) it felt old and cramped in an old closet. The bunk bed over top of us was cluttered with unsightly dusty luggage, the bed sheets where uncomfortably pilled and nubby.
Again, the whole experience was a bit bizarre and just unacceptable. I don't understand how the reviews and our experience could have been so different.
Consider this before booking, especially if you are a person of color or an interracial couple.