Bob and I did not meat Chiara, but she was available by email all the time before we got to Paris and made wonderful suggestions for how we might spend our time while we were there. Her apartment is in a charming Paris neighborhood that has everything a short-term or long-term traveler could want--restaurants, shops, easily accessible public transportation, nice walking possibilities.

Chiara is offering a fully furnished one bedroom apartment. The bed is a standard double, very comfortable. The living room as a sofa-bed and is comfortable for sitting in after a day of being a tourist. A traveler who wanted to could prepare a complete meal in the kitchen, and you could find everything you wanted for the dinner right outside the door on Rue de Lancry. The furnishings are interesting antiques, there are tourist books about Paris for the traveler--even inside the apartment there is a lot to look at and think about.

But the apartment is not perfect. First the apartment is up two flights of circular stairs with a banister on one side only--left side going up and right side coming down. At the end of a long day of being a tourist, those stairs are a bit intimidating. Also, the bathroom is awkward for travelers who are not lean and lithe. The toilet sits in a small WC up on a platform. It is important to think about how one stands up and steps off the platform. And the shower--in a separate little room from the toilet, is inconvenient to step into and sit in if you are not lean and lithe. I do not think a bath (as opposed to a shower) for an adult is practical in this accommodation.

I do not mean to be negative. This apartment was absolutely a good value. I just want future guests to know what they have ahead of them getting up to the apartment and using it once they are there. Chiara is a gracious, competent host. The neighborhood is outstanding. For those who are in Paris for more than a few days, the extra living space is a real benefit. I recommend it, but with the aforementioned caveats.