My husband and I just finished a 6 day stay at Pauline’s place. We can confirm that the pictures on Airbnb are accurate. Overall, we found the place to be clean and beautiful and would definitely book again. As a host, we found Pauline was clear in her communication and business-like in how frequently she messaged us. It was an instant booking, so it was great to know we had the place straight away without needing the host to confirm. We never did meet Pauline in person, but she did check-in with us via Airbnb message to make sure that we had made it to her place safely.

Now for more practicalities: the building was easily accessible through a keypad at the front door, and then there was an inner court yard that several apartments and a business shared. Our apartment had its own separate entrance with a very secure looking key and lock system. We never had to meet anyone to check-in. Pauline’s instructions were very clear on how to get into the apartment and her check-in and out times listed on the site were accurate.

The location was superb. It was close to the Metro, had lots of shopping opportunities, easy walking distance to many landmarks, could see Notre Dome (while under construction) from the courtyard door, and the taxi had no problem finding the place.

While it was on a busy street we could not hear much outside the building; the only thing we ever heard was the occasional sirens driving by. It felt very safe and secure. We could occasionally hear neighbors or others passing through the courtyard (being a ground floor unit), but the busy life of Paris could not be heard within the apartment. The apartment itself had an old wood aroma, lots of creaky hardwood floors and felt like a lived in home, which definitely added to the appeal for us. And the high ceilings made it feel very spacious to stretch and relax!

The apartment came equipped with a full kitchen (fridge, freezer, sink, oven, electric range, dishwasher, microwave, electric kettle, coffee maker, cleaning supplies, etc.) with all of the necessary dishes and cooking utensils. We had to hunt a little for the dishes because they were in a cabinet near the main door, but everything someone would need was present. We didn’t cook, but it was nice to know we had the option. It was clear that the apartment had hard water, which did leave a residue on some items in the kitchen, but having lived with that before, I knew it was actually clean and it didn't bother us.

There were two small bathrooms. We really only used one to shower while there, but the water pressure was strong and the on-demand water heater provided convenient constant hot water when needed. The main bathroom had a tub with a hand-held shower head, and the second bathroom had a shower stall. A hair dryer was provided in the main bathroom, and it did have a cord long enough to stretch outside the bathroom to the nearest outlet, but if you bring any other bathroom appliances, know that you might need an extension cord. We can also confirm there was a washer\dryer combo, iron and ironing board available in a storage closet.

The loft parts of the apartment were where the beds were so you must be able to climb stairs. The stairs were wide and made from very stable steel with hand rails, but still steep as can be expected. We chose the bed that seemed the largest (large queen?) and most private in the front room with light darkening curtains. The bed was firm and the pillows soft, so it suited out tastes just fine. The second bed was in the loft above the living room that had a large skylight above it. Which although helped it feel bright in the day, did not feel very private for sleeping.

To reiterate, we loved this place! Not every review I read before deciding on this place filled me with confidence, but it looked worth taking a chance on and my husband and I were not disappointed. To have an apartment this large in one of the best Parisian neighborhoods of MARAIS and for it to be on the ground floor, so we didn’t have any further hiking to do after exploring Paris, this place was so worth it. We felt like locals on our very first visit. Highly recommened.