Very noisy, key-confusion and superb location!
We were 45 minutes delayed, which I wrote to Simon - no answer. When we went to pick up the key at a key-hotel located in a laundromat, we couldn’t get the code to work! We wrote to Simon and waited. We then tried to call host’n’fly a few times. We finally got trough and they told us that the key had switched key-hotel, because the one in the laundromat was full. We then had to navigate central Paris with luggage and kids to find the key. Later Simon wrote back and had a different explanation: due to our delay, he had put the key in another key-hotel, because he thought that the laundromat would close before we got there. We don’t think we got the truth from Simon, and we asked him about it, but didn’t get a reply.
When we arrived at the building, we couldn’t figure out which apartment it was. The instructions said 2. floor, but that didn’t cohere with the rest of the instructions which fitted the door on the 1. floor. We first tried the door on the 2. floor. The key worked, but it wasn’t the right apartment and the residents were home. They were shocked and we were too. They tried the key again, and it strangely unlocks both their and Simons apartment, which btw is on the 1. floor, to the left
You will be needing earplugs in order to sleep well. The walls and the flooring are so thin, that you often feel that the neighbours are living in your apartment. One evening an apartment in the building had a party, and the music, the talking and the dancing feet resulted in that none of us fell asleep. We had to go ask them to turn the volume down, which they did, but it was long after midnight. The apartment is located above a very popular and delicious restaurant - but there is a lot of noise from furniture being pushed around, trash cans in the courtyard etc - until 01.00-01.30.
The apartment wasn’t very clean. Lots of dust in the corners and the kitchenware was greasy and not that clean.
It’s wonderful with two separate bedrooms, a combined dining room/living room/kitchen, bathroom and separate toilet. The beds are a bit small 140x200 (can’t be split in two) and there is 1 big sharing-duvet on each bed.
The apartment is located in a very exciting and multicultural neighbourhood. Lots of restaurants, bakeries and small shops/supermarkets. Eg. turn left and find the chicken-stand across from McDonalds and buy roasted chicken, pasta, potatoes and sauces - very good and cheap dinner. Or go to Parc de Belleville and enjoy the view.