Just want to preface this by saying that I've used airbnb's for a while now and this might be one of my more lackluster experiences.
Pros:
- great location, close to tons of restaurants, bars, stores, etc
- (technically, more on that below) easy check in and check out
- there is an elevator in the building so a bit more accessibly than most Parisian apartments
- cute & clean furniture
- spacious living & bed rooms
Cons:
- the agent that was communicating with us was only available on the day we were leaving and the day after
- the staff getting the apartment ready was a little behind and we weren't notified. So we got there about 40mins past the check in time and keys were still not in the lockbox. And it was impossible to reach anyone in that moment. Thankfully the staff came down about 15/20 minutes later and noticed our lost faces and handed us the keys. Delays are happen but just a heads up would have been nice so we weren't panicking.
- the apartment itself is pretty poorly planned out. While the living & bedrooms were fairly large, the bathroom and kitchen were really cramped. The shower closet is so small that if you try to turn around in there, you'll inevitably either hit a wall or shower lever. The toilet is also really weirdly placed, it has a cabinet right up against the side of it, so you have to sit at an angle to use it.
- there are a bunch of carpets on the hardwood floors and none of them have the safety rubberized mats, my partner slipped and fell once and we had several other close calls. So fair warning if you're walking on these.
- there is also a hefty deposit buried in the house rules. This was definitely on us for not reading the fine print but wanted to flag this for anyone else who is booking in a hurry. We didn't have any issues getting the deposit back, but a 800 euro deposit seemed pretty intense compared to any of my previous airbnb or hotel stays.
- there is a really specific instant coffee machine, but no coffee pods were provided. Definitely don't mind buying our own coffee but it's a bit frustrating to have to buy 10/15 pods for a couple of nights stay. A basic coffee machine might have been a bit more convenient for folkx staying on a short trip.
-- this is maybe a con; the building is on is a pretty busy street & the apartment is on the first floor. So sleeping in, isn't really an option. We were used to it given that we live on a fairly busy street at home but if you're looking for somewhere quiet where you can have lazy mornings in, this might not be it.
Overall, this place is a fine enough stay for a short period. We were there for 2 nights and the cons were easy enough to put up with given that we were leaving asap. But if you're planning a longer stay, I might consider other options. The poorly planned bathroom would have 100% gotten on my nerves if it was a longer stay. For how much we were being charged, compared to other options in the same area, it was definitely a bit disappointing.