We really enjoyed our stay in this lovely apartment. The living and dining area is huge and gorgeous, and definitely the most luxurious part of the home - well designed with a beautiful chandeliers and filled with light from floor to ceiling windows which open up to the bustling neighborhood below, full of lively restaurants and sounds of the city.
Communication with the owner was great - she answered all of my questions quickly, provided us with requested recommendations, allowed us to drop off our luggage earlier and was kind enough to provide us with a flexible check-out time when our flight was delayed several hours. She even stopped by to check in on us, provide us with an extra key (our group often split up), and address a flickering bathroom light, which was greatly appreciated.
The air conditioning was such a relief to all of us as we were there during a heat wave! There was no individual air conditioner in the room with the double bed (there is an air refresher), but when we ran the general AC all day with that bedroom door open it got cool enough.
The kitchen was very helpful. We filled the fridge with drinks and breakfast items, used the hot water kettle and toaster every morning, and ran the dishwasher a few times. Cabinets were well-stocked with dishes, glasses and utensils. Very convenient, had everything we needed. We did not use the stove, but it’s nice to have one!
The combination washer/dryer was a lifesaver. It took us a little bit to figure it out. The machine is small and cycles can take a long time, so you can only do one load at a time, but we were very grateful to be able to wash and dry our clothes without having to line dry them!
Our kids really enjoyed having a big TV with Netflix so they could watch their shows in the evening after a long day of exploring. That was a nice treat for all.
Another thing we really liked was that the restaurants downstairs are hopping in the evenings, often with music playing. You can hear it in the living area, so if someone will be sleeping on the pullout sofa bed, they may want to use earplugs if they are a light sleeper. Didn’t bother us, though - so much fun!
The master bedroom and bathroom are nice and very comfortable. You do need to step over and into the tub, so that’s something to keep in mind. The other two rooms and bathrooms were smaller, with the toilet separate from the sink and shower, which is very typical for Paris. The bedroom windows face other units, but we could keep the curtains closed when we wanted privacy.
All the beds were comfortable, with pillows and duvets. Next time we might bring our own pillows and top sheets to feel a little more at home. Towels, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, dish soap, and laundry soap were all provided, and there is a Carrefour grocery store within close walking distance so we could pick up any supplies we needed - such as facial tissues, paper towels, more toilet paper, etc. Next time we also might bring our own towels, including hand and face towels, which we didn’t think about when we were packing.
We intentionally selected an apartment with a lift because stairs are difficult and painful for my elderly parents. We found that the elevator was quite tiny (only one or two small people can fit, so it took a few trips to get all our luggage up and down - lol) - but I think this may be typical for Paris. Also, it doesn’t stop right at the floor where the apartments are located. It stops halfway between the floors. This may also be normal for Paris apartment buildings. But it meant they had to navigate half a flight of stairs anytime we left or returned to the apartment, which wasn’t easy for them - one with a cane. This is nobody’s “fault” - but I am sharing this detail in case anyone else has family members who also have difficulty with stairs. I think generally the best way to avoid stairs is to get a ground floor unit, but even then, there may be stairs inside!
Overall we really enjoyed our stay in this apartment and would recommend it to any party of 6-8 people who don’t have difficulty walking up or down two flights of a sometimes steep spiral staircase.
Thank you again Kilokilo for a lovely visit!