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Guest: barb, steve, cc and drew (Westchester County, New York)
Date of Stay: 07/01/11 Review Submitted: 07/10/11This was our first time using VRBO and admittedly we were a little nervous, but have only wonderful things to say about this apartment and as importantly our dealings with the family that owns it. The apartment is everything people have already said below-- it's spacious, comfortable, clean, an amazing location literally in the center of Paris and within walking or an easy Metro ride to everything you'll want to see, and fully equipped with everything and anything you'll need (including excellent wi-fi). We were four--two adults and two teenagers--and it was more than enough space for everyone to have their own rooms and bathrooms! Unlike a hotel room, it was incredible to have so much space and privacy for everyone after a long day of sightseeing. Before we arrived, we were in close touch by email with the owners, who were responsive and a pleasure to deal with. We were greeted by two of the family members when we arrived, given their cell numbers in case we needed anything (we never did!) and they were even there to see us off, not only calling the cab for us, but helping us down the stairs with our luggage and sending us off with a hug! It was truly a pleasure and a great experience from start to finish. We'd recommend this apartment to all our friends and can't wait to visit it and Paris again!
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers, families with young children.
A Wondeful Apartment in the Heart of Paris
Guest: Mike B (Atlanta, GA USA)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 06/22/11This apartment is centrally located near Boulevard St. Germain in the 6th arrondissement. It is very close to most of the museums and other "must see" locations in Paris. In fact, there really is no need for an automobile here and you will only need to take the Matro to a few spots. Most of the places we tourists want to see (the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame, etc.) are within easy walking distance. In addition, it is in a very nice neighborhood with lots of shops, restaurants, grocery and wine stores and an outdoor market. The owners are very nice and helpful and the apartment is clean and well furnished. I have rented several other apartments in Paris, but this is one of the best. Very large and plenty of room for everyone. All in all, an excellent experience.
Recommended for:Girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers, families with young children.
Just returned from 8 nights in Paris
Guest: brad (Chicago, Il usa)
Date of Stay: 03/27/11 Review Submitted: 04/05/11We stayed at A l'etage noble for 8 nights. The owners were wonderful. The apartment is in a perfect location one block from St. Germain Blvd. An easy walk to many sights. The apartment is large and well kept. The owner also lives in the building so any problems are fixed quickly, but we had none. It was a fabulous week in paris for my family and father in law. Feel free to email me for a reference
Recommended for: Tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers.
Spacious apartment served as the perfect "home" for our family vacation in Paris
Guest: Charlotte, NC Family(Charlotte, NC/USA)
Date of Stay: 03/19/11 Review Submitted: 03/28/11Our family (4 adults + 3 children) just returned from Spring Break in Paris where we stayed at this wonderfully comfortable apartment on the Left Bank. The place is very conveniently located (near Boulevard St. Germain, but away from the noise), within very easy walking distance to several metro stations, restaurants, the Louvre, Notre Dame and shopping. (We highly recommend the pastry shop a few doors down from the apartment and to the left. Delicious!) The owner was very friendly, welcoming us to the apartment with pastries, bread, tea and juice. She gave us a tour of the place and showed us where everything was including where to buy groceries nearby. The spacious rooms with very high ceilings throughout offered plenty of room for my parents, my wife and me, and our three daughters to spread out, relax and rest after each long day of sightseeing, something that would have been impossible for us to do in separate hotel rooms. The apartment had one small television that we did not even use - that's not why we went to Paris. The free Wi-Fi was nice so that we could all check our e-mail and get caught up on the latest news. A very clean, comfortable place for our family's visit. We would definitely recommend this apartment to others and would stay here again.
Recommended for: Tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.
Charming/ Large Apartment with Excellent Location, Many Extras and Lovely/ Caring Proprietors
Guest: Provence (Palo Alto, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 10/03/10 Review Submitted: 11/29/10We were a family of 6 in Paris for a week's holiday- 2 sisters, our husbands and our 2 adult children, recent UC grads. We definitely needed some space for everyone to be comfortable and this place was perfect. The Noble Etage apartment in the Latin Quarter was a delightful, well-appointed and comfortable vacation home. The photographs are appropriate to the space, the location description is accurate and extremely close to Boulevard St. Michel, St. Germain-de-Pres, the Musee d'Orsay, the Louvre, Notre Dame, etc., one block from the Seine. The apartment is spacious, clean and well maintained with antiques and new IKEA beds with comfortable linens, pillows, and fresh towels, etc. All rooms are spacious, and the ability to spread out and each have our own space was so appreciated at the end of a busy day of sightseeing. The proprietors were more gracious and helpful than we could ever have expected. After a long flight from CA we were warmly greeted by smiling faces and a very warm welcome by the owners, who had bought fresh croissants, pain au chocolat, fruit, juice and coffee for our arrival. They also provided coffee, filters, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent and so many other basic needs- salt, pepper, sugar, paper towels, etc. that made our stay so much easier. We were able to eat breakfast and sometimes lunch at the apartment since there were wonderful bakeries and restaurants just outside our door, and we often had "happy hour" at our own table with local wine and fresh cheese. Everyone, from the oldest to the youngest (63 to 23 years old) truly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend it as a comfortable and charming accommodation that is superbly well located. Overall, the property and proprietors did not disappoint. They are wonderful, helpful, generous owners- there to help you make your trip to Paris as memorable as it can be. Small downside- TV is an older model and is in a small anti-room to the Master Bdrm, no wi-fi (*), but there is Internet access if you have your own laptop. Adding Wi-Fi and a large-screen, flat panel TV in the main LR area would be a great addition but honestly we were not in Paris to watch TV, so this was not a big deal for us. Wi-Fi is important(*). Way better than a 4-star hotel for space, comfort, charm, location, & “authentic Paris feeling"
Recommended for: Age 55+, adventure seekers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers, families with young children.
(*) ... Since that review, Wifi has been added !
Wonderful Paris Rental on Rue Jacob-A Real Gem!
Guest: Linda & The Ohio Gang (Ohio, Washington DC, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/12/10 Review Submitted: 11/02/10Three girlfriends & I, all in our 50's, traveled to Paris for a wedding & had an absolutely unforgettable stay, due in large part to our rental of 48 Rue Jacob. We were greeted by Delphine, the daughter of the Owners, who provided fresh pastries and French coffee. This simple gesture was so appreciated as we had traveled through the night and were exhausted upon arrival. The apartment itself is spotless, charming, & HUGE! What a pleasant surprise given the size of most European rentals. The master bedroom & adjoining bath, on the Rue Jacob side, are airy and spacious. The second bedroom, a bit smaller than the master, & adjoining bath face the back courtyard. The third enormous bedroom was formerly a dining room, & contains two twin beds, a sleeping couch, & a full-size bunk bed over the couch. Outside of this bedroom is a 1/2 bath with toilet & sink. There is also a small parlor area between the living room & master bedroom where we set up our computer, with a desk, chair and sofa that could be used as another private bedroom. Needless to say, the sleeping & bathroom arrangements for 4 women were more than adequate. All beds, linens and pillows were extremely comfortable. The bathrooms are newly remodeled w/a new washer/dryer unit in one. There is no A/C, but the large windows provide adequate breezes. Furnishings are comfortable & eclectic. There is wi-fi & a telephone. The kitchen is small, which is typical for Paris, but fully-equipped with everything we needed for an 8 night stay, including oils, spices, coffee, etc. We had breakfast every day in the dining room, feasting on fresh croissants and pastries from the bakery next door. We also bought light groceries & had dinner a few nights in the apartment after long days of sight-seeing. We especially enjoyed our own "happy hour" of wine and cheese each afternoon/evening, & having room to spread out,something we wouldn't be able to do in a hotel. The living room/dining room area, with the high ceilings, was very large and inviting with the windows open to Rue Jacob below. The apt. is ideally located in San Germain, walking distance to the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Orsay, the Tuilieries & the Metro, with abundant cafes, shops, etc. I could go on forever, but am running out of space. I highly recommend this rental & can't say enough good about the hospitality of Pascale & Jacques & family. I have found my Paris home-away-from-home! Can't wait to return to Rue Jacob.
Recommended for: Age 55+, adventure seekers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway.
Rue Jacob
Guest: Boston Family--May 2010 (Boston, MA, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/24/10 Review Submitted: 06/14/10We rented this first-floor apartment in late May 2010, and were the second people to rent it. Overall, with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, it worked very well for our family consisting of 2 parents, 2 kids, and one grandparent. One of the full bathrooms has recently been remodeled—it has a stand-up shower which was a nice surprise and good hot water and good pressure. Although we did not use it, there is an “elevated queen bed” (a platform bed set up over a sofa) so the place could sleep 8. The best parts of this apartment are the space (at 1500sq ft it’s big and with 13’ ceilings it’s airy), the location (on a side street near the St. Germain de Pres metro stop, the Seine and Batobus stop, Notre Dame, etc), and the owners who are very friendly and very helpful. With southern exposure, the rooms facing the street get good light throughout the day. The apartments has many antiques and beautiful ceiling/door moldings which give it lots of character—I don’t think the photos on-line do it justice. The neighborhood is just wonderful with a small boulangerie right outside the front door; Rue de Buci (restaurants, cafes, markets, etc.) and Rue St. Germain (cafes and bistros) are five minutes away; and full supermarkets are also just minutes away. From this part of the 6th, it is easy to get almost everywhere in Paris. On the negative side, the apartment and its furnishings are somewhat dated, which may not appeal to everyone especially if you are looking for new furnishings and modern conveniences. There is an internet connection, but no phone, no washer/dryer(*), and no A/C. The kitchen is small but fully functional and has a good sized refrigerator. While we didn’t use the stove/oven, we did have breakfast and lunch in the apartment on most days and it worked fine. There is some street noise particularly in the morning due to trash collection. The back bedroom is much quieter. The web site mentions a remodeling effort that is scheduled to be completed next year—the apartment will be even better when it’s done. The beds are good, but the pillows(*) are a bit soft for my taste (clearly a personal preference). These few things keep me from giving it an “excellent” rating, though I would rate it between good and excellent if I could. Overall, it’s a very nice apartment and we’d certainly recommend it to others. It worked very well for our needs and we loved the location. And we’d certainly like to rent it again the next time we are in Paris.
Recommended for: Tourists without a car, sightseeing, families with teenagers.
(*) ... Washer/dryer was installed after this review, as well as new choice of pillows offered to guests.
