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Post by PariS on May 22, 2009 15:55:44 GMT -5
I'm turning to my friends here on the board for some much needed comfort--I know you guys will understand! I just received an email from Guest Apartment Services telling me that the apartment I painstakingly selected will be occupied by it's owner next week so will be unavailable for our use  . I spent SO, SO many hours carefully selecting this place, and I'm crushed... Hubby is out fishing right now, and when he gets back and hears the news he is not going to be happy  . I can't tell you how many times my husband has phoned me during the day over the past 5 months to tell me he just watched the video of "our" apartment again and how excited he is to spend our time in Paris there (daydreaming at work is so unlike him!). Okay, so that's the really disappointing part. The email I received from Thomas at the rental place was so kind and sympathetic, and I know they feel badly, so I can't fault them. They have shifted our booking from Saffron to the Lilas apartment, which is an upgrade--more square footage, larger bathroom, more light....but the big worry for me now is that the bedroom faces the street, which is rue des Deux Ponts, the main thouroughfare across the island for the bus routes and other traffic   . One of the selling points of the Saffron apartment for us was the fact that the bedroom was on a courtyard. And I was so looking forward to opening my living room window to look down upon the comings and goings along rue St. Louis en I'lle. And we were to be right across the street from Amorino! This place was a bit of a splurge for us. It looked warm and cosy. I've dreamed about the marble fireplace and the old rock wall, and the antiques.... To be fair, the Lilas apartment is lovely too, just missing some of the charming little things we had been looking forward to. With an architect husband and my background in interior design...well, asthetics are one of lifes pleasures for us. Our flight leaves in 6 days, so there's not much I can do I suppose. I guess I just wanted to unburden myself and get some sympathy!  Here's a link to the new place....maybe some of you will see wonderful points that I have overlooked that will make me feel better. www.guestapartment.com/properties/1_bedroom/lilas.html |
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Post by Jody on May 22, 2009 16:06:39 GMT -5
I know you are so disappointed and I really do not think the owners were upfront after you made the reservation. I;m sure there will not be too much traffic noise on one of the I'les. The new place looks fine to me. But if you were so set and spent so much time going over apartmentrs I'm sure the disappointment is great. Hey, It's just a place to sleep and Paris is right at your feet!
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Post by Megan on May 22, 2009 16:14:09 GMT -5
Annette I can feel the disappointment, I can imagine how upset i would be if I hd my heart set on something and then it was taken away. out of the blue> Try and not let it spoil your lead up to the holiday and just think that once you get to Paris you will be so happy being there you won't have time to give it a second thought. And you are close to Berthillion so can cheer yourself up with icecream. Go well Megan x |
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on May 22, 2009 16:21:34 GMT -5
Annette - I certainly understand how you feel! I would feel the same if I had been looking forward to a particular apartment, picturing myself there, etc.
That said, it may be okay as to the noise issue. My experience in walking around Ile St Louis in the evenings and later at night is that even the cross street where you will be is not noisy or heavily traveled. Please try not to let it bother you too much. As the agency doesn't own the apartments, it can't really control the behavior of owners (although I would certainly hope that at the least they have some pretty stringent penalties when the owners pull stunts like this). I'm glad to hear that they have been doing what they can to "make it right" for you, including an upgrade in properties. Please, try to feel good about your trip.
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Post by PariS on May 22, 2009 16:56:35 GMT -5
Thanks guys--I'm trying to suck it up and am feeling a little better about it now, but the initial disappointment was great. Hey, the new place has a tub, so that will be nice. I hope you're right, Jody & Becky, about the traffic noise at night. And I know Megan is right about the ice cream....as a matter of fact I think I'll drown my sorrows and have some right now! Then I will be in a better frame of mind for replying to the agency about the switch. |
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Post by ray on May 22, 2009 17:20:09 GMT -5
Annette, I understand your disappointment in not getting the original apartment, but your new one is Really Nice.
I looked at the photos and thought, that is just what I'd like to own in Paris.
I'm glad you are working with a top notch rental company, and not one of the sketchy ones that would just say sorry, no apartment, too bad.
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Post by suzanne on May 22, 2009 17:48:18 GMT -5
That's a shame Annette. I hope you recover from this disapointment quickly and let the excitement of going to Paris take over you feelings. Your are so lucky to be staying on Ile.
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judy
Junior Member
Posts: 55
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Post by judy on May 22, 2009 18:54:47 GMT -5
Wow! That really sucks! Especially at this late date. At least they had something of an equivalent value to offer you. Hopefully you will love the new place just as much once you get over the disappointment.
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Post by cybee on May 22, 2009 19:23:00 GMT -5
Annette,
So sorry for the unpleasant new bit of news! You will still be in the neighborhood...but I do know how one "bonds" with a selected apartment. So the initial choice faced a courtyard (was that in the web page, as I did not see that mentioned...and that is a factor). However, if the new one faces the road, there hopefully should not be much increased noise ...I recall when I was on the Isle St. Louis ....how when returning in the evening, the whole island was much quieter and relatively peaceful...so hopefully noise will not be a problem for you. I know also it is the apartment's inside design/charm you specifically chose too...however, despite the owner's 11th hour decision to lodge in "your" apartment....I suspect you will have a glorious time nontheless. But yes...sigh.
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Post by Katharine on May 22, 2009 20:43:16 GMT -5
Annette - while I relize your disappointment, I thought at first glance that the new apartment looked fantastic! I LOVE the tub (being basically tubless myself). What a treat that will be! ;D
You are such a trooper to switch it up so easily, and you will likely find that you love the new place, and can't really remember why you were so set on the other at all.
Bisous.
Katharine
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Post by holger on May 22, 2009 21:05:20 GMT -5
Really sorry for the last minute glitch. Hopefully, the new apartment will be great and quiet for you. The agency does seem to be trying their best and i wonder if they have any other options for you. But while you don't get traffic noises in courtyards, you can get other noises. You will be in my thoughts and I will be looking for your report when you get there.
Just checked the site and it seems that the bedroom has shutters that close. They should cut out most noises. I will keep you in my thoughts.
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Post by PariS on May 22, 2009 22:17:28 GMT -5
Thanks everyone--you're all so sweet and I appreciate your thoughts  I'm still feeling really disappointed tho. I haven't replied to the agency yet, but I need to shoot them off a reply soon and I will ask if there are any other choices at this late date. I kind of feel like we're being offered the one no one else wanted since it's still available I'll let you know how things develop. |
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Post by Shoesy on May 22, 2009 23:48:36 GMT -5
So so so sorry about that, Annette. Of course it doesn't seem fair  , but since when is life fair? The new apt. looks very nice to me, and it least it's still on Ile St. Louis. Hey..... maybe you'll even like the idea of facing the street and watching all those happy people walking around with their Amorino/Berthillon cones. Besides, whatever apt. you stay in will be shared by your gorgeous hubby , who could probably make even a crappy place feel like a palace. |
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Post by jo on May 23, 2009 2:48:58 GMT -5
Oh Annette, I just sent you off a PM about next week and now I read this! I'm so sorry, I know what it's like to choose a place over hundreds of others, to go looking at it on the website over and over again and to imagine yourself in it countless times.
The new apartment does look beautiful though, and I think once you are here, you will be so excited about being back in Paris, on beautiful Ile St Louis in a sumptous apartment, that all will be right with the world once again.
It's really not fair that they could make a change on such short notice, but like Shoesy said, life just isn't fair sometimes. Just think that in less than a week, you will be here with your hubby and everything else will fade away but the time in front of you, together in Paris.
I hope you can make a decision that you will be happy and comfortable with.................Jo
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Post by denise on May 23, 2009 2:49:15 GMT -5
:)What a disappointment Annette! I know how it feels when you fantasise about your apartment and then you are let down. I would be very angry if this happened to me but don't let it spoil your trip The new one looks much lighter and brighter, so it may work out better and if you are like me, I spend so little time in my apartment that the issue of looking out of the window is no longer valid. I always use ear plugs anyway on holiday as even the normal noises of the apartment or hotel disturb me, as they are different from home. The new apartment doesn't look the worst place in the world and as Megan says you can always comfort yourselves with Berthillion ice cream. You will know when the queue is quiet!  Love Denise XX |
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Post by Anne on May 23, 2009 4:49:19 GMT -5
Now how did the owner dare to break the contract at such short notice ! Maybe he just decided to stop working with this agency altogether ?... It's really nice that the agency was able to upgrade you, and really Annette, I don't feel that the Lilas is a second choice kind of place . I for one wouldn't mind having it  ! |
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Post by Jody on May 23, 2009 6:34:01 GMT -5
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Post by mossie on May 23, 2009 8:13:37 GMT -5
So sorry to hear you have lost your chosen apartment, when you have your heart set on something and loose it, nothing can really fill the gap.
Hopefully your various GTGs can ease the pain.
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Post by PariS on May 23, 2009 8:50:51 GMT -5
Things are looking much better in the light of a new day and after a good night's sleep. No use crying over spilled milk...we're going to make the best of it and not let it put a damper on our trip. I can't fault the agency or the owner, as it seems to have been an honest mix-up in communication of their occupancy dates--I don't think it was a spur of the moment trip for the owner. I had been in contact with the owner a few years ago thru VRBO about staying in it for a previous visit, and he seems very nice (Cybee, it is that website that details the courtyard/street orientation). At any rate....we will be in Paris meeting up with some wonderful new forum friends in less than a week! ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Shoesy on May 23, 2009 10:18:31 GMT -5
So glad to see you smiling again, Annette. ;D I'm sure you'll find the apt. lovely, and you will definitely brighten it up with your cheery disposition. As for my trip, which is just a few weeks from now, I have just sent out 3 e-mails requesting to receive re-confirmations of our bookings for Normandy and Paris.  |
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. I can't tell you how many times my husband has phoned me during the day over the past 5 months to tell me he just watched the video of "our" apartment again and how excited he is to spend our time in Paris there (daydreaming at work is so unlike him!). Okay, so that's the really disappointing part. 
. One of the selling points of the Saffron apartment for us was the fact that the bedroom was on a courtyard. And I was so looking forward to opening my living room window to look down upon the comings and goings along rue St. Louis en I'lle. And we were to be right across the street from Amorino! This place was a bit of a splurge for us. It looked warm and cosy. I've dreamed about the marble fireplace and the old rock wall, and the antiques.... To be fair, the Lilas apartment is lovely too, just missing some of the charming little things we had been looking forward to. With an architect husband and my background in interior design...well, asthetics are one of lifes pleasures for us. Our flight leaves in 6 days, so there's not much I can do I suppose. I guess I just wanted to unburden myself and get some sympathy! 
Here's a link to the new place....maybe some of you will see wonderful points that I have overlooked that will make me feel better.
I'm still feeling really disappointed tho. I haven't replied to the agency yet, but I need to shoot them off a reply soon and I will ask if there are any other choices at this late date. I kind of feel like we're being offered the one no one else wanted since it's still available 
, but since when is life fair? 
!
hahahha