Communication with Pierre was great. About a month prior to our trip, he messaged us with the address and very clear check-in details. This made planning our trip much more accurate and easier. Because he had a key box, we didn’t necessarily have to arrive between a certain time either, which is convenient.
My husband and I were spending eight nights in Paris and it was our second time to the city, so we wanted something roomier than a cramped hotel room and a decently sized kitchen to make meals to live more like the locals. Pierre’s apartment was perfect as it was clean, modern, and spacious.
It’s located on a small neighborhood street about one/two streets over from a larger street on both sides. A few minutes to one side is the Seine River and a few minutes to the other side is St Martin Canal. You’re about a 5-10 minute walk to metros 1, 5, and 7. We easily walked to multiple local markets, cafes, restaurants, pharmacy, post office, etc. within 10 minutes. There are also several tourist landmarks/locations within walking distance too.
The apartment felt very safe. It has a locked gate around a small patio. The windows and front door all have metal grates that come down and prevent anyone from looking or breaking in.
The kitchen is well stocked with basic cooking supplies and servingware. It has an adequately sized refrigerator, washer/dryer combo, induction stove (that heated up very fast), dishwasher, oven, water heater, toaster, and Nespresso machine (bring your own pods though). There was salt, pepper, and sugar, but not much else in the pantry.
The living room was spacious and the TV worked well. Pierre also included some leisure reading materials and tour guides. We didn’t use the sofa bed, so I can’t speak on its cleanliness or softness.
The mattress and pillows are pretty comfortable. The bedroom has plenty of closets with many shelves and space to hang items. There are also two full length mirrors in the closet. There are only about 20 total hangers, though that wasn’t necessary a problem for us. Pierre has also provided lots of extra bedding and pillows.
The restroom is very spacious for a European restroom. The shower gets hot quickly, and the water pressure is good too. The shower itself is clean and large. The sink has an okay amount of counter space but has plenty of space in the drawers. There’s also a hair blow dryer, though we didn’t use it. There are also TONS of towels, which was a pleasant surprise considering rentals usually limit one per guest.
A few noteworthy items (though certainly nothing that would prevent us from booking Pierre’s place again):
There’s construction on the building across the street. We were there early November, and it’s definitely nowhere near completed. The noise usually started around 7/8 am, but we were usually up by then.
The lights in the bedroom (from two bedside lamps) are very dim. It’s not the best for putting on makeup.
Amenities included dish soap, hand soap, and one roll of toilet paper. Be prepared to purchase your own household supplies while there.
The apartment is located above a metro station so every five minutes (especially in the kitchen), we could hear it come by. If you’re a very light sleeper, this could be a problem for you.
Lastly, there’s no microwave, so reheating food was a bit of a challenge.
We had a great experience overall and would definitely stay at Pierre’s place again.