There’s something about Paris that makes one feel intoxicatingly alive. It’s hard to put a finger on it. Perhaps it is the lure of being an iconic city peppered with romance. Or the picturesque patisseries at every corner.
Whatever it is, it keeps calling out to us. Every few months, we find ourselves making our way back to Paris – a pilgrimage of sorts if you will! Over the years we’ve discovered new areas we love in the city, offbeat spots to view that perfect sunset over the Eiffel Tower, and learnt to appreciate the city of Paris in a whole new way.
But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed – almost four years ago we wrote an article on how staying in an apartment in Paris is one of the best ways to experience the city. Four year and many trips later, we still feel the same way. On our most recent trip to Paris we rented a luxurious Parisian apartment with Paris Perfect Rentals. We opted for their centrally-located Calvados apartment in the seventh arrondissement. We really enjoyed our time in the rental apartment – be it sipping a glass of wine in our little balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower or picking up breakfast from the neighbouring boulangerie. The best part? Coming back ‘home’ after long days of sightseeing.
In fact we enjoyed ourselves so much that we thought we would pen an article on the things to keep in mind while choosing a rental apartment in Paris, so you can have a similar experience too:
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Select the area with caution
While it is easy to go opt for a generic Air B&B rental apartment in countries such as Slovenia or Iceland, the task of choosing an ideal apartment becomes really hard in sprawling cities such as Paris, London, or Rome. First you need to narrow down areas that are centrally located. As if this isn’t hard enough, you need to figure out whether or not the apartment is right for your family based on mixed reviews. But that’s not the hardest part. The hardest part is always finding an apartment that is spacious enough – most rental apartments in these sprawling metropolises feel cramped.
This is why it is advisable to opt for a reputed rental company in the know when you travel to larger European cities. For instance Paris Perfect offers a selection of handpicked rental properties, which are centrally located and well furnished. The apartment we picked was spacious and boasted of a bedroom, large living room, 2 bathrooms, and a full-fledged kitchen. The best part? It was just a 2 minute walk away from the Eiffel Tower – in fact we could see the Eiffel from our balcony Happy times.
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Double check amenities
Every time you book an apartment in Paris, make sure you check the list of amenities provided to guests. Some important we look out for include flexible check-in, fast wifi, coffee maker, and a dining table. Perhaps the most important one, especially in Paris, is the ability to understand and speak English. For instance Paris Perfect Rentals is run by American expats, settled in Paris. This ensures ease of communication before arriving in Paris. You can also inform your host if your flight is delayed and clarify your doubts about a new city as your host checks you into your rental apartment. This always puts us at ease, and we are sure you would feel the same
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Make sure your apartment has air-conditioning (if you are travelling during summer months)
I’ll be honest – we learnt this the hard way. On our first vacation in Paris, we rented a wee apartment in Montmartre (still one of my favourite areas in the city) without getting into the nitty gritties of it. Big mistake! Along came a heatwave that made nights in the tiny carpeted apartment insufferable.
So take this from us – if you’re travelling to Paris during summer months, make sure you apartment is equipped with an air-conditioner (or fans at the very least!). While we take this for granted in a lot of parts of the world, you would be surprised at the rarity of air-conditioners or fans in European apartments. Make sure you check beforehand and book accordingly.
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It’s the little touches
Now that the bare essentials are out of the way, let’s move onto those little touches that alleviate a regular stay in Paris to something more special. If you, like us, enjoy indulgent stays, then you’d love the little things that made our stay with Paris Perfect Rentals truly special.
There was a welcome hamper, jam-packed with milk, orange juice, and other essentials, waiting for us at our apartment. Little gifts (Eiffel keyrings) were left by our bedside. Luxurious toiletries and bath salts did their best to seduce us into running a bath for ourselves. But how could I forget the bottle of wine that lay in our little French balcony, overlooking the Eiffel Tower, ready to be popped open – an ideal start to a Parisian holiday indeed!
If you need further help deciding, check out this little video we made of our time in Paris
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Visiting Paris? Check out our favourite things to do in Paris here
The post An Indulgent Weekend in Paris: Renting a luxury apartment with Paris Perfect Rentals appeared first on Bruised Passports.
