I need to make a clear distinction between the apartment itself and the host (the company "La Conciergerie"). The apartment is very nice, newly refurbished, just as it appears in the pictures. I have no complaints about it. What was disgraceful was the company in charge of it.
It will be long to read but, for total transparency, I think it’s the only way for anyone to get an idea of what they could go through if they book this apartment.
Premise: I am an opera singer and I had to travel to Paris amid the pandemic to sing at the Paris Opera House. We started rehearsals on 1/1/2021 without knowing if we would have been able to perform, because French government would have ruled about Theaters reopening on jan 7th.
The whole period of my engagement would have been jan 1 till 29, but there was the possibility that we would have been sent home on the 21, if they had to cancel the shows.
Knowing that, I wrote to the host to explain the situation: we agreed that I would have booked the whole period (jan 1/29) and, after the French Government decision, I would have let them know (on jan. 10 at the latest) if I would have had to leave on the 21 and, in case, they would have reimbursed me the days I wouldn't have used. ("nous pourrions envisager un remboursement pour 10 jours que vous n'utiliserais pas")
Unfortunately the Government decision was indeed to keep Theaters closed and on jan 10 the Opera House announced us that we would have been dismissed on Jan 21.
I immediately wrote La Conciergerie on Jan. 10 evening, to inform them about that and that I would have left the apt on Jan 21st. I had no answer whatsoever for two days, so I solicited on jan 12. asking if they had seen my message and if it was still ok for them.
On jan the 13 their answer was simply "bonjour, nous accusons reception de votre message" ("Hello, we confirm we got your message") without any further explanation. I answered them back asking confirmation about how to check out and how the reimburse would have been made. Again no answer, so the following day (jan 14) I solicited again, in order to arrange my departure. On Jan 15 they finally answered "we noted the day of your departure. The reimburse will be done through Airbnb upon verification of the apartment". Fair enough.
On Jan 21 morning I left the apartment, wrote them that I had left the keys where they told me and I was waiting for any news about the reimburse.
On jan 26, having had no news from them nor the money back, I wrote them to ask for any update, but got NO answer.
On jan 29 I wrote them again, and still NO answer.
On feb 2 I wrote them again and only then they finally answered, asking for "documents about the cancelled performances". Even though we had never talked about something like that, it was no problem for me and I gladly forwarded them the official emails (dated Jan 10) with whom the Opera House announced us the cancellation (with email address and personal phone numbers of the Theater’s Office, if ever they wanted to further verify).
On feb 5 I wrote them again, asking why I hadn't got any answer nor my money back. They answered that "my application was being verified, we will get back to you after study".
Today (Feb 12), 22 days after my check out and 9 days from when I submitted them the documentation they asked, they still have not issued a reimburse and all I am left to do is open a dispute through AirBnb.
I’ve been using AirBnb for years now and I only had positive experiences with hosts (you can easily check that by looking at the reviews I left and have been left). Unfortunately this marks a first.
I let everyone of you taking the conclusion if you want to take the chance by booking the apartment which, again, is very nice but unfortunately is run by people not as nice as it.