Apartment decision - so frustrating!

[candytree]

Hi everybody, this is my first post here.
My husband and I will be going to Paris for the first time next year in July and we are ridiculously excited! We are on a very tight budget (and it doesn't help that the Rand to Euro conversion is less than favourable), but we're determined to make it to Paris! It will be part of a 2-3 week trip to England and France.

Initially I had great fun hunting for an apartment, sorting through countless options, every now and then thinking "this is the one". But later I would be disappointed because they require a huge security deposit, or the apartment turns out to be situated right above a noisy bar, or they won't rent it out for less than a week (we are only going for four nights). I'm starting to get very frustrated, so I'm plucking up the courage to ask for some help!

I've narrowed it down to four apartments, and I hope you don't mind me asking a couple of questions about each. It's especially the locations that I'm concerned with - how do the areas compare?

In general, we want something that is quiet enough to get a good night's sleep, but not super dark, scary and deserted at night.* We won't be eating out often (if at all) because of the aforementioned budget, and we don't go in for nightlife much, so we don't care about being close to restaurants and bars. We would like to have some food shops or supermarkets nearby though, and a nice place for a morning walk. A neighbourhood with character and a nice feel.

1. 17th Arrondissement Batignolles-Monceau
www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p509009
We feel the best about this one, but have the least information. Would it be rude to ask for an exact address? We really like the interior.

2. 2nd Arrondissement
www.homelidays.com/paris-02/apartment-flat69554en1.htm
This one is very affordable and the owner is very kind, but it obviously is not as attractive as the Batignolles one above. It seems very central, but would it be a nice area to stay in?

3. 1st Arrondissement
www.homelidays.com/paris-01/studio164103en1.htm
This one is the cheapest overall. Same issues as the one in 2nd arrondissement.

4. 10th Arrondissement
www.homelidays.com/paris-10/studio114827en1.htm
This one is nice looking and priced well but has a 200 euro security deposit - a lot for us! So.. is it worth the extra cost?


Any advice would be greatly appreciated!




*Am I silly for being overly concerned with safety? There are many things that I would never do in Cape Town after dark (eg. walk anywhere alone, take public transport...) and I don't know if I should apply this to Paris as well.

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Hello and welcome to the forum. How exciting to be visiting Paris for the first time - trust me, we all understand and can relate. Sorry to say, a deposit of 200euros is pretty standard and considered reasonable. I will let others comment about those specific areas (I don't have personal knowledge). I can tell you however that I went to Paris alone and stayed in apartments many times. You will be fine - don't do anything really foolish, but it won't be a problem re personal safety.

For more options re apartments for less than a week you might try Vacatios in Paris. We and family had two small places for three nights in June at a reasonable rate over near the Eiffel Tower.

[ray]

I'm not an expert, but I'll express an opinion.
From this group, I would take the apartment in the 17th. It looks like the bed is a fold out, but the apartment is newly refurbished, and a nice neighborhood.
The middle 2 look to be a little dated, and the 4th is in a dodgier area.

[sistereurope]

I agree with Ray...I'd take the one in the 17th out of those you posted.

And like Becky, I'd also take a look at the studios offered by Vacation in Paris:

www.vacationinparis.com
(That's vacation in paris, not vacationS in Paris...the latter was blocked at my work site!! )

Several posters here use that company. Many of the apartments are located in areas near market streets.

Welcome to the forum! You will find that there are many helpful people here who just love to share advice with first time visitors.

[candytree]

Thanks for the tips so far!

Becky: I can understand that 200 euro isn't an unreasonable deposit, but many of the owners I contacted confirmed that they don't require any security deposit at all, so on our miniscule budget, that's obviously our first choice.

Ray: Good to know the 4th one is a bit dodgy - think I'm scrapping it off the list now.

The one in 17th is starting to look very good, and for 310 euro for 4 nights, I don't think we can do better. We're young and can handle the discomfort of a fold-out bed and a cramped space, but don't want to be in a dump either!!

[suzanne]

I agree that the one in 17th looks best. Iwould not like a foldout but if it is not a problem for you I say go for it.

[denise]

:)Hi candytree....welcome to the forum.

Co-incidentally I had been looking at studios myself for a May trip and had seen the last three. I had not seen th first. I agree with the others the Batignolles studio looks the best. Althouh they are all small and there is a pull out sofa. For four nights it will probably not matter.

Batignolles is a nice urban villagey part of Paris, here is my report form the day we spent there last October.

http://www.ourparisforum.com./index.cgi?board=reports&action=display&thread=2343

We had no problem getting there and back so although it is in the 17th arrondisement it is not too far from the centre. Safety would not be an issue there and bus and transport links are good.

Any respectable apartment owner will not mind you asking questions. Also 200 euro is not uncommon for a deposit. You do not say if this is a returnable security deposit or the deposit for the apartment.

Usually when you book an apartment you pay a deposit (often 50%) to secure the booking. Read the conditions carefully to find out the cancellation policy ar osk the owner to explain them fully.

Happy hunting.

Love denise

[Shoesy]

Hi Candytree! I just thought I'd chime in and say that I also like the apt. in the 17th. I hope that doesn't make me a copycat. ;D
Seriously, it looks very cute and comfortable.

[Jody]

Another vote for the 17th. One of our members lives nearby and another owns an apt there. It is a lovely area.

About safety, I wouldn't worry a b it about it in the areas you will most likely be. I've walked the streets at dawn and dark with no problems

[GitteK]

HEY ! You are our first South-African !! How exotic !!

I was once mistaken for a South-African (and I am still sooooo flattered about that). It was in the champagne cellars at "Moët & Chandon" in Epernay. After the guided tour in the cellars, I asked the perfectly groomed, black-suited, immaculately make-upped French guide (who BTW spoke flawless university upperclass British), if she had been many years in England. Which she confirmed - and then politely asked me back where I came from. Upon my answer "Denmark, Mademoiselle" she replied: "Ooooooh, I would have thought South-Africa !"

To cut a long story short............... How about taking a look at this nice Rue Caulaincourt studio I have rented for September ? It is only 450 euros per week. It really does look like in the pictures, I was there to see it. You should contact the owner through Abritel and save the agency fees.

Personally I don't find the neighbourhood around the apartment next to Eglise St.Vincent dodgy. You don't necessarily have to hang around Gare du Nord after dark, I suppose ? Walk westwards along Rue Lafayette and you'll find yourself close to Bistrot Papillon and the charming Square Motholon. My only objection would be that it is on the 4th floor and doesn't seem to come with an elevator.

The one in the 2nd arr. is on the 5th floor without an elevator - you will HATE that after one climb. Don't even think about it. The neighbourhood is interesting, however - I like the 2nd. with all it's fabric shops and wholesale clothes' shops. Lots to look at. And you have the Montorgeuil area close by - plus you can walk to "central" Paris (= the Seine) in no time.

I am not very attracted to Homeaway, because they refuse to show the exact location of the apartments, all you get is a map of northern France, seen from Mars. I find that utterly customer-unfriendly.

[candytree]

HEY ! You are our first South-African !! How exotic !!

I never realised being South African could be considered exotic - almost everybody I know is South African so it seems rather boring to me! Glad you were flattered to be mistaken for one!

That Rue Caulaincourt studio looks amazing, but we're only staying for 4 nights and I see it's €100 per night, so it would cost almost the same for four nights than it would for a week. I might just email the owner anyway to check.

Up until now, I haven't really thought about having to climb lots of stairs to an apartment as a problem. Maybe because I hate elevators, so I normally use the stairs anyway! But I can imagine that after a whole day of walking around in Paris, I might feel differently about it. Hmm.. You are giving me lots to think about..

[GitteK]

Candytree: VacationinParis also offers rent-per-day. Many of the studios are very affordable and well located.

And the agency has a good name - I know that both happygoin and willow (and others, whose names I forgot) have used them.

www.vacationinparis.com/infop/studios.htm

[candytree]

I found out from the owner of the apartment in the 17th that it is on Rue des Batignolles, and after google street-viewing the surroundings for a bit (*cough* hours..) I have decided to book it. I looked at denise's trip report of the area and guess what, our apartment is right above that ice cream shop "Meli Melo"!! I am smitten.

Thanks so much everybody, your advice helped a lot.

I'm passing on the vacationinparis link to my parents, who will be joining us in Paris on the second day.

[denise]

:)Well candytree, you have given ME a dilemma now, because I emailed the owner to see if the studio was available for my May trip and it IS at a very reasonable 240 euros all in for three nights.

I was going to wait to see what the centreparis apartment I am staying at next week is like but I am afraid of missing something and my favourites will get booked.

As you say it is above the ice cream shop where we had our ice cream and tea (which everyone thought was strange for some reason! ) the owner was a very friendly man. I reaaly would like to stay there.

I am not sure if staying above the ice cream shop is such a good idea, his ice cream is so good I would be twice the size I am when I was going home! The studio is on the third floor so I suppose you would work it off on the stairs.

So I am waiting for the pound/euro rate to improve before I finally make my decision.

Ahh decisions, decisions.

Denise
Love from england

[Shoesy]

Dearest Denise - Don't forget that decisions such as those are the fun kind. Cheer up !

[candytree]

Denise, staying above an ice cream shop is probably the worst idea ever for me, because I would quite easily have ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it looks like there are lots of steps to climb in Paris and we'll be wrapping up our trip with a bit of hiking in the Pyrenees, so hopefully it all evens out!

I just paid our deposit, so that's one decision made. Phew! Now to go and agonise over the details of the rest of the trip.. ;D

[denise]

:)Darling Shoesy, and everyone.....sorry I don't wish to sound like I am moaning about my impending trips, It is all just tongue in cheek!.....I reall am very excited and very pleased and aware how lucky I am. It is just that I am at the " can't sleep because I am trying to decide on an apartment " stage.
You all know what I mean, suffering from sleep deprivation!

Even this is wonderful because I am planning for PARIS

Denise
Love from England

[Truffaut]

We were just at Meli-Melo yesterday. It's only a block from our apartment. I think it must have opened some time in the late summer, because I'm certain I would have noticed it when we were here last. Actually, there are several new cafe/restaurants that have opened along rue des Batignolles in that stretch. One's a multi-ethnic noodle eatery and another has primarily salads, soups and sandwiches.

[Shoesy]

What I'm curious to know is how Meli-Melo compares to Berthillon.

[Laidback]

Nov 26, 2008 3:47:15 GMT -5 Truffaut said:

We were just at Meli-Melo yesterday. It's only a block from our apartment. I think it must have opened some time in the late summer, because I'm certain I would have noticed it when we were here last. Actually, there are several new cafe/restaurants that have opened along rue des Batignolles in that stretch. One's a multi-ethnic noodle eatery and another has primarily salads, soups and sandwiches.

Truff, you are really humming now; 5 whole sentences about your neighborhood Now that the prose is flowing maybe we can expect some photos soon!