I spent 10 very comfortable nights here. Yankel was quick to respond to my messages prior to my arrival. I never needed anything while I was there, but I fully expect he would have been just as communicative. The location was convenient to several metro stations as well as shops and restaurants. I used the Strasbourg-St. Denis station the most, which was only a 5 minute walk away. The little grocery store next door was so convenient, and there’s a slightly larger one a block away. The bed was comfortable and the room bright and airy and clean. I loved opening the windows. There’s a tv, but I was never there long enough to use it, and the only thing I used in the kitchen was the microwave. Everyone I crossed paths with in the building politely greeted me and one nice gentleman even helped me carry my suitcase up the stairs.
A few things to note: The building is on a narrow street, not a wide boulevard. It’s relatively quiet during the day, as there is not a lot of traffic. The shops close pretty early, between 6 and 8 pm (except the grocery store next door, which stays open until 9 and the larger one down the block stays open until 11 or 11:30), so it gets really quiet and practically abandoned at night. The quiet was great (slept like a baby) but, as a solo female traveler, walking from the metro to the apartment late at night was a little weird feeling; however, I never had any problems. The bathroom is pretty small, with a small sink and one small shelf, but you can hang the towels on the hooks on the back of the door to create more room for your toiletries. There were plenty of soft towels, but the two small rolls of toilet paper were not enough for my stay, so I had to purchase more. There was an ever so slight smell coming from the shower drain, but it wasn’t enough to bother me and it didn’t permeate the rest of the bathroom or the apartment. The water pressure and the hot water were great. Yes, the stairs were a challenge, especially at the end of the day or when I forgot something after I got to the bottom and then had to go right back up (did that a couple of times), but I imagined the pounds dropping off and felt like a superwoman when I got to the top.
All in all, I would stay here again, and I’d recommend staying here to others.