Gwen's apartment is an absolutely perfect spot for solo travel (or a couple, but I was solo). I felt immediately at home, largely due to Gwen's hospitality. She met me at the apartment and showed me how to work everything and recommended a SUPER helpful app for getting around the city (CityMapper).
The apartment itself has everything you'd need: full kitchen with small range, convection oven, nespresso machine, coffee maker, electric kettle, even a washing machine for laundry (there is no microwave or dishwasher). The couch opens out into a bed which I found quite comfortable. There's a clever spot in the armoire to stash the comforter and pillows during the day. She's decorated the apartment beautifully with whimsical touches, and I'm obsessed with the gorgeous forest green tile in the shower. The WiFi is great. And there is a lot of natural light with windows that open out onto a relatively quiet street. I loved drinking coffee in bed each morning with fresh air flowing into the room. Great blackout curtains block any light at night.
The neighborhood is excellent. Three métro stops are very close by serving 3 different lines so it's really easy to get around the city. There's a great park very close by, and the Canal St. Martin is a short walk. So are the shops of le Marais. There's a wonderful boulangerie right across the street, lots of restaurants, and a very convenient small grocery store.
The five flights of stairs are no joke, and I was winded by the 3rd floor every time which gave me good reason to laugh at myself. But they absolutely would not stop me from staying here again. I can't think of staying anywhere else!