Act Like A Local: Rent an Apartment in Paris

I was not surprised when Arthur Frommer included “renting an apartment” in his talk about travel trends.  It’s becoming easier and easier with websites dedicated to just that (many of them were mentioned in Frommer’s talk).

Renting apartments while on a trip is becoming more and more popular.  In many cases, regular hotels or B&Bs work perfectly for us, but when we were planning our September 2009 trip, Ryan and I were having a difficult time finding a place to stay in Paris.  It was a combination of the location, the price, and the feel of the hotel.

SuitcaseJournal: Act Like a Local - Rent an Apartment in Paris!

The key to our apartment was sent to use prior to our departure from the United States.

After looking through the possibilities, we stumbled upon a couple of sites on which you could rent an apartment for your stay in Paris.

Paris Perfect has a beautiful site with a lot of information.  The company is based in Paris, which means someone will meet you at the apartment, open the door for you, show you around, provide recommendations for places to eat and things to do, and help you with anything else you need like Health & Safety services Wilmslow. However, the minimum stay is 7 nights, and we were only staying 3, so Paris Perfect was out for us. (Note: There is also an Italy Perfect and a London Perfect)

Vacation in Paris is the second website we started looking through.  We focused on the studios and one bedroom apartments, and quickly found a long list of apartments that allowed a 3 night stay (note: many required an additional cleaning fee for shorter stays) and were in neighborhoods that interested us.  This company is based in the United States, which worked well for us – I called to make a reservation and was sent a key in the mail prior to our departure.  The apartment we rented is no longer available to rent, but here are a few pictures (taken from the Vacation in Paris site – the apartment looked exactly like the pictures):

SuitcaseJournal: Act Like a Local - Rent an Apartment in Paris!

What are some of the advantages of staying in an apartment instead of a hotel?  For us, it was more of a novelty, but for a traveler staying for a longer period of time and/or with a family, an apartment can be a huge money-saver.  Many hotel rooms in Europe are made for two guests.  Adding additional guests, booking larger rooms, or booking several rooms will definitely increase the cost.  However, when booking an apartment, there are different sizes to choose from, and some are very reasonable!

For our 3 day stay, we went out to restaurants for most meals.  However, had we decided to stay for longer, it would have been tempting to cook our own meals.  Apartments are great for this!  Buy fresh ingredients at one of the local markets, use the kitchen in your apartment to prepare the food, and enjoy the results with a bottle of wine in your very own private dining area.

Of course there are so many different companies and website that offer apartment rentals.  Try vrbo, which will allow you to contact the owner directly. Staying for longer? Paristay has several apartments available if you plan on staying for over 3 months (there are also some available for weekly rentals).

 

The Park Lane Hotel – London, England, United Kingdom

My pre-trip worrying was pointless.  We arrived at the Park Lane Hotel a little before noon and we were given a choice: did we want the free upgrade that we qualified for (finally!) that was not quite ready or did we want the original room now?  The upgrade, please!  We had planned to just drop our luggage and venture out to find lunch anyway, so this worked perfectly.  And thus began our weeklong stay at the Park Lane Hotel.

Price.  Prices will vary depending on when you are visiting and whether you do the prepaid rate (with no refund) or a flexible rate.  From what I’ve seen, the cheapest room ranged from about £230-£330.  We were lucky enough to have enough starpoints to stay for free.  I was pleasantly surprised when we checked out and owed absolutely nothing.  For 72,000 points, we stayed here for a week, and it was definitely worth it!  I’m saving my points again for when we make a return trip to London.

Beautiful Green Park, right across from the Park Lane Hotel

Location.  The location was perfect.  As long as you stay at a hotel near one of the tube lines, you can get anywhere very easily.  Our hotel was right across the street from Green Park and a short walk to Piccadilly Circus.  It was also very close to Buckingham Palace, which we visited our last morning just before our flight back home.  

Room.  As mentioned above, we were upgraded (we booked the lowest level room)!  We didn’t have a view and we were only on the first floor (one level up from the ground floor), but the room was spacious with an extra large bathroom with a shower and a bath tub.  We were very comfortable the entire stay.  The room also had a large TV that swiveled and a desk (which I used to store my makeup and cold-weather accessories).

Dining.  We didn’t take advantage of the restaurant and bar at the hotel, but they had both.  The bar was large and open late, but we spent our time at different bars around London instead of sipping beer at the expensive hotel.  Still, it’s nice that the option was there, in case we wanted to stay in for a night.  Their Italian restaurant, Citrus, receives favorable reviews, and we did almost decided to eat there one night. 

Amenities.  A gym (which we didn’t use) and wireless internet for a hefty fee (if you are gold or platinum with SPG, you can select free wifi as your check-in gift).  Nothing too special, but it worked well for us.  The room did not include breakfast, so we went to Pret A Manger most mornings (just a couple of blocks away) for a cheap, quick, and satisfying breakfast.  

I am very happy with our choice to stay at the Park Lane Hotel in London.  It worked well as our base for exploring London for a week and, best of all, it was free.  I would highly recommend this hotel if paying with starpoints, and we plan to stay here again in the future.  I will say that if we were planning to pay for a hotel, I would opt for a cheaper hotel.  London is a city that is best enjoyed out and about, so not much time is spent in the hotel.  Choose your hotel accordingly!

The Westin Palace – Madrid, Spain

The Westin Palace offered a Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) “Cash & Points” rate during our weekend in Madrid.  SPG’s “Cash & Points”, which allows a combination of points and currency to be used to pay for a stay, often provides the best redemption rates on rewards.  They aren’t frequently offered, especially in Europe.  The availability of a low cost option for us to stay in Madrid at a luxurious hotel actually led us to extend our planned stay in Madrid by one night, and ultimately led to our selection of the Westin Palace.  In fact, we did not perform any of our usual hotel research for Madrid.  The Westin Palace clearly shined as a reputable hotel with a prime location adjacent to the Prado Museum.

Price. The cash rate offered during our stay was €245.  Accordingly, in our particular situation, the $90 + 4800 points “Cash & Points” option was nearly a 5% reward rate ($/points).  For SPG credit card holders, this is a great value for reward points (compare to the 1% and 2% reward options most credit card companies offer).  For those seeking to pay the cash rate for a stay at the Westin Palace, the hotel probably offers a value on par with similar international luxury brand hotels in Madrid.

Location. The Westin Palace is in a great location in the Museum District of Madrid.  The Prado is literally across the street, and lively Plaza de Santa Ana is a short 10-minute walk with plenty of excellent dining options.  Although the Museum District has plenty to offer, it’s not exactly central.  Ironically, the Royal Palace of Madrid is on the opposite side of the city center, over a 20 minute walk from the hotel.  Plaza Mayor, also west of the city center, is about 15 minutes.  Without better knowledge of the accommodation options in the center of town, however, I wouldn’t necessarily argue that the Museum District is not a good location.

Our room at The Westin Palace was modernly furnished and decorated with enjoyable prints of Spanish landscapes and people.

Room. We stayed in a recently renovated Deluxe Room.  Our SPG Gold Status earned us an upgrade from a room without renovations (at least that’s what we gathered from the reception desk).  The room was very modernly furnished, with several enjoyable prints of Spanish landscapes and people for decoration. The bathroom remodel was especially impressive, adorned with natural stone and equipped with luxury fixtures. Our room overlooked the main intersection with the hotel.  There was no balcony, but there was a small place to sit next to the window for people watching. I noticed their window here, and I’m looking for a window installation near me because I’m planning to do something like this at home. Anyway, other than the lack of an outdoor space, we had no complaints about our accommodations.

Dining.  There are several food & drink options at The Westin Palace, but all were out of our price range.  We did splurge on one round at the bar (cocktails were as much as €20!).  We managed breakfast on our own, however.  We were excited about advertisements for a terrace with drink service both on the web and in the hotel elevators.  The terrace ended-up being a complete disappointment.  Firstly, it took a confusing and circuitous journey through the hotel’s fitness center on the top floor to reach.  Then, upon arriving, there were just a few tables with practically no view and a telephone to the lobby for drink orders.  We also did not eat breakfast at The Westin Palace, as the buffet cost an excessive €45.  If you plan on staying at The Westin Palace and have a limited budget, plan on finding dining options elsewhere.

Amenities.  As a 5-star hotel, The Westin Palace offers plenty of amenities to guests.  The fitness center we walked through on the way to the disappointing terrace seems fairly complete, and can be access free-of-charge.  As SPG gold members, we were able to get free wireless internet as our “gift”.  For non-SPG members, expect to pay an exorbitant €19/day, which is sadly in line with other international hotels in Europe.  Although not inside the hotel itself, there is a Starbucks and a Vips cafe (to-go sandwiches, drinks. etc.) in the same building that are very convenient.

I suspect next time we are in Madrid, we will likely decide to stay at an independent hotel or B&B, unless a limited budget and/or a superfluous SPG account balance motivates us to return to The Westin Palace.  Although The Westin Palace worked for our situation on this trip and offered a good location for exploring Madrid, we miss the character of more local establishments and do not believe their cash rate offers guests a great value.

Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol – Granada, Spain

Located a convenient 10 minutes away from the Alhambra and tucked away from the town center with commanding views of the city, Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol is a perfect choice for a small bed and breakfast stay in Granada, Spain.  The small hotel has only 7 rooms, all with a view and all with access to beautiful hotel gardens and seating areas.  

View from our private terrace, Granada, Spain.

Price.  The rooms were €120, €130, or €140 per night for our September stay, plus €8 per person/per day for breakfast and then 8% added for taxes.  We opted for the super double room with the private terrace, which was €140.  However, all of the rooms are supposed to have a view, and the rooms for €130 even have shared or small balconies from which to enjoy Granada from above.

Location.  The location is fantastic.  The hotel is situated above the main center of Granada, so we walked down to get into town.  We visited the Alhambra twice during our visit (day and night), so it was perfect to be able to walk there in only about 10-15 minutes.

Room.  Our room was huge with two twin beds pushed together to make a king.  We were on the top floor (2 above reception) and the only room on that level.  Because it got so warm during the day, we opened up our doors once the sun started to set and let the cool night air into the room.  

Dining.  As I mentioned above, breakfast was available at the hotel for €8 per person.  Guests are only charged if breakfast was consumed, so there is no need to try to pre-plan.    It was served from about 8:30-10:30 and consisted of yogurt, fruit, tomatoes, bread, and something a little special – toasted bread with ham and melted cheese on top.  This was our absolute favorite, and our host gladly prepared it for us!  And we were set up with the best seat on the breakfast terrace both mornings that we had time to dine before heading out (pictured above).  The hotel also had a small kitchen area with snacks and drinks (including beer, wine, and other alcohol).  There was a price list on the counter and guests could take anything they wanted and just keep track on a piece of paper.  We took a bottle of wine up to our room more than once to enjoy on the terrace!

Amenities.  Free wifi, breakfast (for a fee), a large reception area with travel books available for guests, and a stocked kitchen (snacks and drinks for a fee).  The owners were also very helpful for transportation to and from the hotel.  It can be a headache getting to some of the smaller hotels, but we had absolutely no issues. 

Our stay at Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol was very enjoyable and I would recommend this hotel to visitors who will be touring the Alhambra, since the proximity was a huge convenience.  

Hotel Amadeus – Sevilla, Spain

Unusual circumstances landed us in the Hotel Amadeus in Sevilla, Spain.  Normally, we are able to book our “top choice” hotel based on our research, because we allow for plenty of lead time.  However, our plans for Andalucía solidified much later than our itinerary for the rest of our trip and by the time we decided to stay 2 nights in Sevilla, our first choice and a TripAdvisor.com favorite, Hotel Casa 1800, was booked solid.  Luckily for us, Hotel Amadeus turned-out to be a very suitable alternative.  In addition to a prime location in the venerable Barrio Santa Cruz neighborhood and spacious rooms, Hotel Amadeus offers unique common areas with musical instruments (their trademark and also check out their affordable online music lessons available here), an unbeatable continental breakfast, and a beautiful rooftop terrace complete with Giralda views (see photo to the left), a bar, and a refreshing (albeit unheated) jacuzzi.

Price. €185/night for 2 people in a junior suite.  Breakfast was another €10 per person per morning, but well worth it (described below).  Hotel Amadeus was the most expensive stay of our trip.  However, we used loyalty points (SPG) in the more expensive cities of Madrid and Barcelona and decided to splurge on an upgraded room.  In retrospect, we would have booked the much more affordable standard room (€112/night).  With so many things to do in Sevilla and the outstanding common areas in the hotel, we spent very little time in our hotel room.  The basic rooms in this hotel offer excellent value, considering the amenities and location of the Hotel Amadeus.

Location. Hotel Amadeus is located in the Bairro Santa Cruz, the most enchanting quarter of Sevilla.  It is within 5 minutes of the Sevilla Cathedral, which is reached from the lively restaurant-lined Calle Mateos Gaga.  It’s nearly across the street from the popular Casa de  la Memoria de Al-Andalus flamenco show.  The Bairro Santa Cruz is conveniently positioned between the great shopping options near Plaza Nueva and the picturesque Plaza de España, both within 20 minutes walking distance.  No doubt, we’ll want to stay in the same neighborhood on subsequent visits.

Room. We upgraded to a Junior Suite based on photographs on the hotel website.  Unfortunately, there at least two Junior Suite options at Hotel Amadeus, and the one we were assigned was not the same one that intrigued us from the website pictures.  As mentioned earlier, we wouldn’t pay for the upgrade again, especially for our version of the “Junior Suite.”  It was fairly spacious with a modern bathroom, but did not warrant a €73 premium over a standard room.  Our particular room included windows that opened to a view over a small courtyard, but with no balcony.  There were two small couches, a small desk, and and armoire.  We had no complaints about the comfort of the bed.

Hotel Amadeus offers a continental breakfast served in your room or on the rooftop.  Their fresh squeezed orange juice and chocolate croissant were a trip breakfast highlight.

Dining. For a hotel of its size, Hotel Amadeus has excellent dining options.  A beautiful manned rooftop bar is open late and offers an assortment of wine, beers, cocktails, as well as a decent menu of appetizers.  They also offer guests a continental breakfast for less than €10 that is very filling and includes tomatoes, cheese, fresh OJ, and a variety of pasties (including a chocolate croissant!).  The breakfast is also available on the beautiful terrace, which offers great views of Seville.  We recommend a shady spot, as the morning sun can be quite brutal.

Amenities. Hotel Amadeus uniquely places a variety of musical instruments in public areas for the use of guests, inline with their musical theme.  Although intrigued by the idea, did not see any people taking advantage of this amenity.  However, many guests used the common areas for relaxation, as all were adorned with comfortable sofas and chairs.  The rooftop terrace is also a great place to relax, with plenty of outdoor lounging chairs and couches.  There is also a small jacuzzi on the roof that seemed unheated.  A lukewarm jacuzzi fit the bill, however, after a hot day of exploring Sevilla.

The Hotel Amadeus is a great option for Seville travelers.  Although we could not justify the price of our premium room, their standard rooms offer a great value.  They are located in the most desirable neighborhood in Seville and offer guests great common areas, including a beautiful rooftop terrace with views of the Giralda Tower.