The apartment is well decorated and is located by several subway stops. Amélie is responsive and her sister next door is nice and has a cute kitten.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t provided a real pillow (was two very flat, square throw pillows made for a chair). So I gave up after two days of feeling uncomfortable and paid 40 euro for a moka (see below) and a pillow at Monoprix. I also have never not had a comforter at an airbnb. I have had maybe over 20+ airbnb’s (many in Paris and France) and host myself. Strangely I think there is one in the photos.. so I guess it was put away. Unfortunately, I was left with a flat sheet and fleece throw blanket. I actually provide my airbnb guests with the same down feather comforter and pillows with linen duvet, and I pay for a cleaner before and after to wash everything. I didn’t want to have to buy an entire bedset for a short stay so I just slept sadly with a flat sheet for two weeks.
It is actually the first time I had an airbnb that didn’t have a cone/moka/Instant coffee/tea available for the guests. Again, strangely there is a machine in the photographs.. Usually guests are exhausted with travel so I think offering tea/coffee is more hospitable and customary. I provide my airbnb guests with nespresso pods, tea, and.. soda stream actually. There also wasn’t hand soap in the bathroom and kitchen. Just a little dilute soap in a dispenser and a used bar.
Most notably, I had the most stressful time checking out. For some reason I really thought the apartment was an elevator building because of the price and usually there is a warning from hosts about accessibility for walk ups but maybe I missed it. I will never forget this experience and will triple check and ask next time! By NYC standards it is a 5th floor walk up (floor 0 is 1 in US). I travelled to France to paint Bretagne so I had art supplies to transport. When the realization hit I was immediately worried about the check out. I always arrived to the front door completely out of breathe everyday carrying my stuff. Perhaps it is my COVID lack of exercise though and other guests are more athletic! At the end I had to separate my belongings into bags and bring them down separately, up and down, and awkwardly packed in the lobby (bras and belongings exposed) because I couldn’t carry my luggage myself. Her sister had helped me during check in but I could not guarantee her availability at check out. She actually caught me looking exasperated at the end. I felt bad I could barely respond to her bc I was so out of it. My herbes de provence also exploded in the process of packing downstairs, and I smelled like pommes de terre on the TGV. So since the exhausting project took so long to coordinate I missed my train one of two to Belle-Ile )0: I had to wait in a 1.5 hour queue and pay $150 for another ticket. I arrived late at night because I missed my boat as well. I was happy to arrive to my more modest place on Belle-Ile that provided me with organic coffee, tea, plenty of soap, a wonderfully soft comforter, and two real pillows! I had the best sleep in a long time. I’m also on the first floor (aka floor 0) and was SO relieved. I realized I just need the basics.
If you are looking for a place that is instagrammable, has a beautiful facade, and you don’t mind a 5th floor walk-up, this is place is great and central. Generally, I like the northeast of Paris a lot which kind of reminds me of parts of Brooklyn. All the above things could be addressed for subsequent guests and at least you can use my pillow and moka, which I obviously left behind!