Paris Perfect — Local services in Paris

This review pertains to the Saumur Apartment in Rue Cler booked through Paris Perfect: We hit the jackpot on our first trip to Paris by staying at the small but well-equipped Saumur on Rue Cler. The apartment is comfortable for two, is beautifully appointed and has everything a visitor needs for a 10-day stay. We breakfasted in our room everyday and prepared a lunch for our sightseeing. This is easy with the compact kitchen with ¾ sized refrigerator and freezer, microwave, every kitchen tool imaginable and room for food preparation. The Nespresso machine saw heavy use as well. The lovely dinette table with city views outside the windows and reliable Internet made breakfast and catching up with the world everyday a pleasure. The balcony was another wonderful feature although the weather did not allow us to enjoy it for most of our stay.

We did leave the bed down during our entire visit (it has a Murphy bed) as we were there to experience Paris and not the inside of our room (never turned on the TV). Admittedly, we had some initial challenges storing our gear but by reconfiguring some of the storage, we managed it. The bathroom, while small, had a bigger than expected shower and wide sink with room for toiletries. The washer/dryer offered some mysteries (even with the extensive instructions) but this was solved with practice and was indispensable for a stay of this length.

The extensive documentation on virtually everything in the apartment as well as the friendly greeter who provided orientation our first day were other touches that made our stay smooth and trouble-free. The starter supplies of orange juice, wine, Nespresso cups and milk as well as soaps, cleaners and paper goods were well appreciated.

But as they say in real estate here in the States (and probably everywhere else), “Location, location, location”. It is here Saumur shines brightly.

I suppose there are other great locations to stay in Paris but it is hard to believe there are any better. Rue Cler has everything a visitor needs from cafes (we ate at three: Café du Marche, Tribeca and La Terrasse around the corner on Rue Bosquet), fruit and flower stands, bakeries, pharmacies, small supermarkets (we are partial to Carrefour for its hours and selection on La Motte-Picquet) and a day and night time vibe that represents the best of Paris city life. A demitasse of espresso or a glass of wine and a curbside table on Rue Cler is hard to beat for people watching or unwinding at the end of an evening.

The Eiffel tower, Champs de Mars, the Seine and Napoleon’s Tomb are an easy walk and just meandering in the neighborhood is a pleasure as well.

The Ecole Militaire Metro station was ground zero for the start of our days and it is right around the corner from Saumur. Line 8 connects directly to Invalides, Concorde, Madeleine, Opera and La Motte-Picquet transfer stations making it easy to get virtually anywhere in the city core at any hour. Both Versailles and Chartres were easy day trips using the RER from Invalides and the TER from Montparnasse Bienvenue. Our Navigo cards were well used for sometimes as many as three round trips a day all over the city. And when we exited the Metro from Ecole Militaire at any hour, the Carrefour City market was open for whatever we needed for the next day’s activities with only a short walk home with our groceries to our comfortable little flat.

We will certainly would book Saumur again and would consider apartments offered by Paris Perfect in London and Rome on future visits there. The cost was reasonable, the service and support excellent and the location superb. Since we never stay in a hotel if it can be avoided, it is likely we will be their customer again in the...

We found the Beaujolais apartment to be just as it appeared at the Paris Perfect website. It was very attractive, fully furnished, quiet, and very comfortable. (If you don't know Europe well, understand that dwelling spaces there are typically smaller than they are in the U.S.) There is a TV and DVD player, and a nice selection of DVDs. You really can see the top of the Eiffel Tower from the master bedroom window, although the view is partially obscured by trees in spring and summer. The tower itself is close, just a few minutes walk.

Although Avenue Bosquet (don't confuse it with Rue Bosquet) is a large street, it is surprisingly quiet most of the time, except for occasional trash pickups, which did not bother us. We found the quiet to be a pleasant surprise in Paris. The neighborhood is, of course, delightful. The famous Rue Cler is just around the corner, and there are an astonishing number of first rate (and some famous) restaurants within very easy walking distance. There are several good cafes in the neighborhood, and there are several pharmacies and "supermarkets," lots of bakeries, and a at least three wine and liquor shops, all within a five minute walk. There are at least three bookstores (if you can read French). There is a post office from which you can mail stuff home with confidence (we do that on every trip). There are lots of other shops that sell clothing, camping gear, shoes, luggage, hardware, stationary, etc. Anything you might need or want.

A great convenience is that the apartment is close to the Ecole Militaire and La Tour-Maubourg Metro stops and to stops for several convenient bus routes, including the 63, 69, and 80, which we used often. (Buses are frequent, easy to use, and great ways to see the town.) About half a block from the front door of the apartment, at the corner of Avenue Bosquet and Rue Saint-Dominique, is a stop for the famous number 69 bus, which, after passing the Hotel des Invalides, travels a pleasant and picturesque route along shopping streets and past the Louvre, les Halles, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame, I'ile Saint-Louis, the Marais, and ultimately to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. If you are a serious walker, the apartment is a great location from which to explore in all directions. It is an easy and pleasant walk to one of our favorite museums, the Musee Rodin, and to the Grand Palais.

We are experienced travelers and have rented apartments in other cities in Europe. We have rented with Paris Perfect twice now and found the staff to be professional, friendly, there when you need them (which you probably won't), and helpful. They have their act together, and you can speak English without fear of embarrassment. Kevin, the young man who met us and got us situated, was on time, thorough, helpful, and kind. Based on our personal experience, you can rely with confidence on the Paris...

Paris Perfect is Perfect! For some time now we have been promising ourselves to spend more time in Paris. Hotels have been OK for a short stay but to be real Parisians only an apartment would do. After what seemed like months of research we chose Paris Perfect which had great ratings and excellent listings. We were thrilled with our choice Castillon at 25 Place Dauphine. This beautiful Apartment is in the very center of Paris on the Ile De La Cite only minutes from everything. Notre Dame Cathedral is just a couple of blocks away on the island and the hip Marais, where my wife took wonderful Ballet Classes, is only a few minutes away. A few minutes in the other direction is the Art Gallery and Design district of the 6th Arrondissment (with Restaurants and Movie Theatres galore). There are also 6 charming restaurants directly on the Square with one that even delivers to the Apartment. 25 Place dauphine is an Apartment Building fully renovated a year or so ago, with a small charming lobby and a large (for Paris) elevator. Our Apartment Castillon was located on the 3rd floor with views from the living room and bedroom of the beautiful and peaceful Place Dauphine. The Apartment was fully and elegantly furnished in a mix of contemporary and French decoration. The modern kitchen has a full sized refrigerator (a rarity for Paris) microwave, stove, induction range as well as a dishwasher and washer dryer. It also has first class dishes, pots and pans and anything else you could think of and need. A very pleasant surprise was a Welcome package of basics such as milk and wine (after all it is Paris). The living room and bedroom are comfortably and fully furnished with elegant details such as a chandelier in each room and gold leaf mirrors. TV’s with US and foreign channels are in both rooms and unlimited free telephone call to the US and many other countries. The Italian Bed is one of the most comfortable I have ever slept in with deluxe French linens and Restoration Hardware stylish bed spreads. The good-sized Bath has a large walk-in rain/handheld shower and heated towel racks with lots of fluffy towels. There is also a quite large second room with toilet and sink. Very nice soaps and shampoos are also provided. We chose a winter rental (to coincide with the annual sales) and while Paris winters can be cold they are often sunny as well and the Apartment has excellent individually controlled heating and Air conditioning. We are very frequent Business Travelers but have never taken so enjoyable a trip. We felt like real Parisians if only for a couple weeks. The local Paris Perfect team couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly and the person who met us to welcome and orient us to our Apartment was outstanding. Our only complaint is 2 weeks simply isn’t enough time. We are now planning our 4 week stay...