I received a complimentary stay in the Flipkey rental in Paris for this review. I was given the freedom to write my own opinions regarding my stay.
As you know, I love apartment rentals and rent them often when I’m traveling. I recently had the opportunity to stay in a Flipkey rental apartment in Paris which happened to be in an arrondissement I have never stayed in before (side note: Paris is broken up into 20 arrondissements. 1 is in the center of town and it rotates clockwise from 1-20). The apartment was in the 20th which is closer to the outskirts of Paris. It was a one bedroom apartment with room for 4 people.
The bed was a queen size and the two couches in the living room could be slept on as well. There is no closet in the bedroom nor any hangers. There are several outlets but several of them are non-functional. The apartment comes with one blanket, so if you need more be sure to ask. It’s not a pullout couch but very comfy, I lounged on them daily!
The apartment is on the 5th floor with a very small elevator that works very well so if you pack big suitcases you may have to make a couple of trips to get your stuff. There is a television but there are only a few channels that are English and those are only news stations.
The only real drawback to the apartment is that the walls are thin, I could hear people in the apartment next door and above me. It’s a building filled with families so sometimes I would hear children crying in the morning. But I just put in my earplugs and I was fine!
Isn’t the tile in the bathroom lovely? The bathroom comes equipped with a towel to dry off with, a bath mat, and a towel to dry your hands. They have a blow dryer at your disposal as well which came in handy! The shower has a strong stream of water which is always a good thing.
There is a small dining room table and a big kitchen. I didn’t do any cooking (I mean really, I was in Paris, what in the world was I gonna cook?) and the kitchen came equipped with a coffee maker (they had coffee already there! YIPPEE!). They also had tea, sugar, a few pots and pans and many utensils.
There is also a washing machine but no dryer (not many people have dryers in Paris). If you rent this apartment before the end of October you won’t be able to turn the heat on so your clothes will have to air dry (when I lived in Paris I would put my clothes on the radiator to dry).
You can always take the stairs!
The apartment was directly in front of a major metro line and a tram line which made it easy to get into the center of Paris. I had no issue getting to where I wanted to go, the metro in Paris is easy to navigate and this location is easy to get to.
However, the listing says Pere Lachaise cemetery is across the street. While it isn’t across the street it isn’t far, you have to walk about 15-30 minutes to get there depending on your pace.
The neighborhood is lovely and has everything you need within a few minutes walking. There is a delicious bakery around the corner and in the morning I would get a fresh croissant. Yummy. There is also a grocery store, a pharmacy and a park right up the street.
I dealt with Christine from the time I booked the rental until the time I left. She was very easy to deal with and very pleasant, answering all emails in a timely manner. She speaks English so if you don’t speak French you won’t have any issues.
Here are a couple of helpful hints if booking with Flipkey:
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Contact the owner directly before you use the ‘book on Flipkey’ option. I tried to book directly on the site a few times only to have my reservations cancelled without knowing why.
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Give yourself ample time to secure an apartment. I had some trouble securing an apartment and many of the apartments I looked at were not available. If you give yourself enough time you won’t be frustrated if what you want isn’t available.
All in all I’d say it was a pleasant experience dealing with Flipkey. They have thousands of apartments to choose from all over the world, so why not book a Flipkey apartment for your next vacation?
that looks pretty! I’ve never been abroad so I wouldn’t know what to expect but I love the idea of renting an apartment if you’re going to be there for awhile to really get a feel for the city.
sounds lovely!
It makes the experience so much better! Thanks for commenting!
What an awesome idea! It’s pretty much a win-win for both the owner and renter. I have yet to visit Paris (it’s number 8 on my bucket list) but I would definitely consider renting flip-key when I do. Thanks so much for the travelers tip!
You’re right, it is a win/win! You will love Paris when you visit. Thanks for stopping by!
That is really helpful info, I have never myself booked an apartment whilst traveling as I was a bit nervous of the things you stated above, i.e getting frustrated with the dates being booked up or actually afraid of paying more than necessary! But it is nice to know you can travel fancy even on a budget! The apartment looks lovely, I know my sister has taken your advice on booking apartments and has just booked one for her own holiday, so thank you again! Your blog is amazing keep up the great work!
That’s so nice, thank you! And yes, you can be fancy on a budget, an apartment rental makes it easy! Thanks for commenting!
I love this! The pictures are great and the information even better. I’ve never heard of Flipkey! Thanks!!
Thanks for letting me know about FlipKey, I’ll have to try it sometime. I remember that area in Paris, it’s nice and peaceful. What a cute apartment, and yes, I do love the bathroom tile! About how many arrondissements have you stayed in?
Because of your blog, I visited the FlipKey website and note their relationship with TripAdvisor which is a trusted travel resource. I travel a lot and have been considering using apartments more and hotels less. Thank you sharing this great resource!
What a lovely thing to say! Thank you!
WOW very interesting I’ve never heard of Flip Key I will definitely try them when traveling. Great Idea TRAVEL GURU you give the best advice!!!
What a lovely comment! Thank you!
How gorgeous! I LOVE the staircase!
All kinds of awesome, right?!?