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| OneFineStay apartment on rue Saint Andre des Arts in the 6th arr. |
This review of a OneFineStay apartment was written by guest columnist, Jessica O... more information below at the bottom of the article.
I recently had the pleasure of staying in a gorgeous Parisian flat listed through One Fine Stay. Overall, I can safely say that the experience was near perfect — but it was absolutelyperfect for a francophile such as myself, in Paris on a weeklong romantic getaway with my partner, Tom.
The apartment was situated on the Left Bank of Paris in a phenomenal location, close to the St. Michel subway stop, walking distance from Notre Dame, and mere steps away from countless restaurants and dining establishments. As they say, location is everything, and we could not have handpicked a more desirable spot.
As an individual living on a restricted diet (unfortunately), I was even able to find a gluten-free creperie nearby and an organic, gluten-free market just a street away, a luxury I had never anticipated. Had we decided to see a French movie, there was a movie theater across the street. There was trendy, young shopping available just a couple blocks away, and easy-to-rent bikes available to ride around the city.
Even our trip to Versailles was as easy as taking a train to dinner, an RER train being available at the closest subway station to our flat. My boyfriend went on a morning run to the Eiffel Tower, which was visible from our window, and we were able to start our mornings with much-needed coffee, thanks to the kitchen’s French Press (we bought the grounds just down the street).
Having your very own Parisian flat for the week is the ideal experience for anyone interested in a truly immersive French cultural experience. Sure, you won’t benefit from the perks of a Concierge, turn-down service, or room service… but considering our unique preferences, the benefits more than made up for it.
Rather than relying on the amenities of a high end hotel, you’ll find yourself interacting much more with the local culture… picking up groceries to cook a meal in your fully-stocked kitchen, or enjoying a glass of wine in the living room while you run a load or two of laundry in your private washer/dryer. Plus, without a TV in the flat, we spent our evenings talking and exploring, truly making the most of our trip and of each other.
For a French-culture junkie, ever on a quest for all-things-French, the set-up was downright idyllic. I was able to use the free wifi to work during my stay, and the use of One Fine Stay’s iPhone came to our rescue on more than one occasion. Thanks to an app called City Mapper — similar to the likes of HopStop, which I used regularly while living in NYC — the former difficulty of acclimating to the metro system was a challenge of the past. The phone’s data and wifi allowed us to map out our destination from wherever we were, making it possible to hop on the subway and head to our next stop with only minimal planning in advance.
We enjoyed the benefits of unlimited texts and internet, even to the US, and received concierge-like customer service on an as-needed basis. When we struggled to turn on the apartment’s hot water, they walked us through the steps to restore it. They were available to provide us with near-immediate assistance when the French washer and dryer confounded us, and followed up to ensure our needs had been met.
Rather than having daily maid service, the maid came once per week. She cleaned our dishes, took out the trash, replaced our towels and linens, and restocked our luxurious L’Occitaine toiletries. There was even a French hairdryer there for our use, an amenity I was thrilled to discover, having long, unruly hair.
One Fine Stay also provided us with some snacks, as there was no mini-bar available, although a few more bottles of water would have been helpful. (That being said, a bottle of wine, some fresh fruit, and some French chocolate would have been downright perfect).
The experience gave us the sort of privacy one simply cannot experience in a hotel stay, allowing us a degree of self-sufficiency that permitted us the freedom to daydream that we were real-life ex-pats. There is simply no better way to indulge your adventurous side than by braving French living all on your own. The knowledge that we had immediate help at our disposal, 24-hours-a-day, gave us the courage to maximize our experience there and resulted in a culturally immersive Parisian dream for the length of our stay.
Be forewarned, however, that one thing was missing: an elevator. It was one sacrifice we made in order to enjoy the gorgeous historic building, making our way to the fourth-floor flat on an original staircase. (Being young and fitness-oriented, we considered the 70+ stairs a great leg work-out). Otherwise, only the presence of our dogs could have made our week-long stay any more perfect.
For the right traveler, One Fine Stay is certainly a company to consider for your next getaway. And for an honest to goodness Francophile? One Fine Stay is your ticket to a veritable Parisian paradise. [Editor's note: book through your Virtuoso travel advisor for advice finding your perfect Parisian apartment ... and a Virtuoso amenity!]The guest columnist is my daughter, Jessica O, not the Jessica Ourisman who is my daughter-in-law and CEO of Ourisman Travel. Her Instagram handle is @jessicagrey091
