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Review 2549: Paris Bestlodge, La Verrerie

www.parisbestlodge.com

Recommended
Review by Doug Phillips from Canada who is a SlowTrav Contributor

1bed/1bath apartment in Marais, Paris

Eric, the owner of La Verrerie apartment, photo by Doug Phillips

When

October 21-28 2006, 1 week

Location

The apartment was located at 61, rue de la Verrerie. It is one block north of rue de Rivoli just off rue du Renard. It is in the Marais district, located in an old typical Parisian home of 18th century. Entrance is via a set of large green doors on rue de la Verrerie which opens into a small courtyard. At one end of the courtyard is another door which leads into the block of apartments. La Verrerie is on the second (European) floor (third to us in North America) up a narrow circular staircase.

We thought the area was great. The apartment was quite secluded from the street noises of the city and yet we were only steps away from the vibrant life of that part of Paris.

Nearby Amenities

Everything is close at hand - two supermarkets within 50 metres, plenty of restaurants and brasseries within a couple of minutes. We were literally a few steps from the BHV department store. The Metro (Hotel de Ville) was a couple of minutes away; the Batobus stop was nearby.

The House/Apartment

As you enter the apartment there is a small bathroom, followed by the kitchen on the left of the passageway which leads into the "lounge" - a combination dining room, second bedroom (via futon), living room. The bedroom is at one end of the apartment. There were obviously several other apartments in the building. We never met anybody else who lived in the building.

Garden

There was no outside area.

Furnishings/Cleanliness/Living Areas

The furniture and furnishings were eclectic and nothing to get excited about. However, there were a couple of newer radio/CD players. We didn't spend much time in the apartment.

Bedrooms/Bathrooms

The bedroom, with a queen-size double bed, was OK; the futon where we slept was comfortable. The bathroom was adequate, but small.

Kitchen

The kitchen was well equipped - fridge, stove, microwave, toaster, dishwasher - adequate dishes, glassware, cutlery. We never cooked any meals in the apartment.

Problems or Bonuses

The most pleasant surprise was the location - even though that was a primary reason for selecting it. It was incredibly convenient to the Seine, the Metro, restaurants, shopping and many attractions. There are several places to visit within easy walking distance - Notre Dame, the Picasso Museum, Musee Carnavalet, the Cluny Museum, Saint Chapelle, the Conciergerie, the Pantheon - even the Louvre.

There was no street noise in the apartment. The only negative was late evening noise from the apartment upstairs a couple of evenings. It sounded like they decided to re-arrange all the heavy furniture around 2:00am.

Agency and Representatives (and price)

Our experience with Paris Bestlodge and Eric, the apartment owner, was very positive. Eric met us at the apartment, provided us with a handy reference page for the area and responded quickly when we had a problem with the hot water one morning. Everything worked out well. If this apartment is not suitable for some people, our experience suggests that Paris Bestlodge is a reliable agency to deal with.

We paid €800 for the week. We sent a deposit check in advance and paid the week's rent in cash on arrival. Our deposit check was returned at the end of the week.

Do you recommend this vacation rental to others?

I would definitely stay in the apartment again. It is reasonably priced and in a great location. I have recommended it to friends who will be in Paris next summer. If I return to Paris for a week, it will be my first choice.

The only qualification I have to my recommendation relates to the size of the apartment - 36 m2. It is quite small for four adults. It would be very suitable for a couple or perhaps a family group of 3-4. We chose the apartment over a couple of larger ones mainly because of the location. We all felt we made the right decision. However, if we were there for a longer period of time and wanted to spend more time in the apartment or cook some meals there, the size might have been a problem. But we didn't go to Paris for a week to spend time hanging around the apartment or "dining in."

Things to do in this area

Our favourite restaurant, Chez Nenesse, is about a 10 minute walk from the apartment. Another favourite, La Fontaine Gourmande, is even closer. The Place des Vosges, rue des Rosiers, Ile de la Cite, Ile St Louis are all within easy walking distance. The shops on rue de Rivoli are only a block away.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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