| Paris |  |
  |
| Finally
coming back down to earth following our wonderful holiday in France
and Italy. Some of the questions we have been asked by friends and
family are: What was the highlight of your trip? Is there a place you would return to if you could? Is there a place you would recommend? In each case we answered – Paris and the Elzevir Apartment. Thank you for sharing your little piece of heaven with us. One can only imagine how much you must miss the city, the neighborhood and the very special space you have created there. Of course we loved the apartment for all the obvious reasons – the overall feeling of spaciousness, the wonderful efficiency of the furnishings; the glorious light from those beautiful windows; the luxury of the bed and the walk-in shower; all the special little touches and of course the most important of all – location, location, location. We felt at home from the moment we stepped through the old door into the courtyard and started up the staircase for our first glimpse of the apartment. This comfortable feeling extended to the whole Marais neighborhood and to Paris itself. All the research paid off in spades and we hit the street running (thanks to "No Jet Lag") with each day a new adventure. The odd time that we did get "turned around" led to some of our best discoveries – bustling market areas, cafes, bakeries, internet cafes, the gorgeous little jewel-like specialty shops and those wonderful parks where we could sit for a while and dream. Having the apartment as a base allowed us to mix a little with the "hometown folk" – to see them at work, play and just plain "hanging out". With a little help from Don’s rusty French and both of us working very hard to keep in mind that we were in their territory we never once encountered anything approaching "attitude". We used the Batobus most days to get us into the areas we wanted to experience and walked and walked everywhere. We loved our early morning walks down to the river – each day taking a different route – the streets being washed down, the bakeries opening – oh those incredible pain aux raisin! The whole experience was uplifting, energizing and quite inspiring so again we thank you. |
|
Shirley and
Don Dempster |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| Dear Bill, I would like to contribute comments about my recent sejour at the Elzevir Apartment, however, in reading the reviews which guests have posted to your website, most everything which one could say about the place has been covered. I cannot add more in the way of describing the character, charm and patina of the neighborhood, the convenience of location, the beauty of the smoothe, worn, polished stairs, which one climbs to reach the apartment, upon entering, seeing the spacious light cheerful interior. The high quality, comfortable furnishings, the availability and responsiveness of your property manager. The quiet surroundings, and so on. What I can say is all the true comments take second place, when I saw the look of delight on my daughter's face upon approaching the building and entering the lovely apartment. She was so pleased with our home away from home. This was her first trip to Paris and I tried my best in planning for it to be "just so" for our 12 days together. It was. And then so much more. I got it "so right" in choosing you. Thanks for working with me in scheduling our visit. I especially appreciated your prompt and courteous responses to my planning questions, as things came together last fall. I will be returning to Alliance Francaise and hope to contact you again. Sincerely, |
|
Jean Bertolet |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| We just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed staying at your Elzévir apartment during our recent stay in Paris. It is located in our favorite quartier, beautifully furnished, perfectly equipped, carefully maintained and a true pleasure to call home. We've rented a number of places in Paris over the years and are pleased to tell you that yours is THE ABSOLUTE BEST! Thanks so much. |
|
Howard and
Stephanie Kirz |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| I'm writing
this because I almost missed staying at the Elzévir Apartment simply
because, in my opinion, its French Modern style does not photograph
well. The picture on the Web site did not ring my bell: a Paris flat
meant antiques and heavy drapery to me. But my husband felt
differently and persuaded me to give it a try. What a surprise when I
actually entered the apartment. It was stunning, immaculate and
well-heated (it was the middle of winter). We enjoyed every minute we
spent there not only because it was an extremely comfortable, stylish,
well-appointed space (and quiet, for Paris) but because of the very
special Marais neighborhood full of wonderful shops, small restaurants
and interesting museums. In spite of its contemporary interior and state-of-the art electronics, the apartment itself is in an 18th century building. There's a beautiful curving interior staircase with iron railing and polished burled wood steps. Each window looks out on buildings of similar period with their beautiful architectural detail. There is no nosey concierge to contend with: once in, you feel completely at home. The bathroom not only has a long tub, it has one of the largest showers I've seen: walk-in, no curtain or door necessary. Thick white bath towels are folded on a warmer nearby. There are several other important extras. The owners have put together three "books" to help you get the most out of your stay: an illustrated "walking tour" of the neighborhood, an indexed guide answering every imaginable question about your stay, and a third book devoted to operating the various up-to-the-minute appliances. These are all written in user-friendly style and reflect the owners' warm personalities and their love of the apartment and the arrondissement. There is also an English-speaking offsite manager whom you may telephone with any questions about the apartment or getting on in Paris. This was a great help. We look forward enthusiastically to staying at the Elzévir on our return to Paris. |
|
Karen and
David Crommie |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| My partner &
I had the pleasure of staying at the rue Elzevir apartment in early
December for a special birthday celebration. I spent literally months
researching the myriad of choices. To my pleasure (and as all of the
other previous guests agree) the apartment exceeded our wildest
expectations and was one of the highlights of my many previous
travels. Design aficionados will be in heaven. The clean lines,
stylish decor and warm interior make for an incredible escape after a
day of walking the streets of Paris. The kitchen is perfect and an
amazingly well-designed space for creating a few enticing meals after
scouring the various markets for supplies. The bedroom is absolutely
lovely. Great closet design and plenty of space. And the bathroom....
between the spa-like shower and the wonderful bathtub (complete with
candles!) it is the perfect retreat after a day of exploring. The location in the Marais is perfect. Very quiet and serene, yet completely central and convenient. The information book that Bill & Ineke have assembled is just fantastic! Their suggestions are absolutely "right on". We had some wonderful meals at Gamins des Paris (great duck) and the little Italian restaurant they suggest. Also, we had a SPECTACULAR evening at Georges at the top of the Pompidou Center. GREAT service, hip & fun ambiance (even for the most jaded east/west coasters!), beautiful view and surprisingly good food. Obviously, we loved our stay at the rue Elzevir. I cannot recommend this rental enough! Feel free to e-mail me at prschouten@aol.com with any specific questions. |
|
Paul Schouten
and Armando Villasenor |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| We had the
pleasure of giving thanks at your Paris pied 'a terre Thanksgiving
week. The week was one of the best times we enjoyed in Paris. While complementing the apartment building, you made the apartment modern and luxurious. Your love of Paris and the Marais was evident throughout. My stylish daughter admired the design of the kitchen. For many breakfasts and lunches, we relished the fruits and sweets of Paris markets and bakeries at your dining room table. Your bed was so comfortable that instead of my usual early morning Paris walks, I lingered listening to the rain and looking at the adjacent building with its statues and school children. My husband loved the shower the best. He has gone without showers on most of our previous Paris visits. We took your tour (although we never found the recycling bins!) and ate at many of your recommended restaurants. Great veal and seafood pasta at the Italian neighborhood spot, and a memorable lunch at La Bouquet (name right?) on Rue Les Archives. We enjoyed your music and found new ideas about the Marais neighborhood in your reading materials. I took my family out to find the fragments of the medieval wall and the spot where the king's brother was assassinated in the 1300's. Many thanks for sharing this special place. We hope to rent it again. |
|
Barbara Maco
and Bill Wick |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| My husband
and I have just returned from France and the last 5 days in your
beautiful Paris apartment was a real treat - both in terms of it's
location and the accommodation which offers well equipped modern
comfort, elegance and great space. Your walking tour guide booklet was also helpful. I have to admit we spent much of our time being lost in the area as there was so much to see and experience that keeping track of time and geographic sense became a task which we chose not to focus on. We loved walking to nearby cafes for early morning coffees and fresh pastries, watching Parisians and their dogs manuvering around city workers hosing down the sidewalks, sight of fresh produce, aroma of fresh pastries, and then fresh sea food vendors next door to the buthcher's display case sporting decorated pigs head next to the freshly cleaned pheasant with it's feathers.... We also tried out several restaurants for late dinners -including Carusos for a wonderful Italian dinner. And of course, we must mention the numerous interesting art galleries and shops within the neighbourhood. It was a wonderful treat for us was to be able to sit in the large luxurious soaker tub at the end of each day. The apartment was perfect for our needs and definitely, we will plan for a longer stay next time. |
|
Sunny |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| Of all of our
trips to Paris, this was by far the best, and one of the major reasons
was your beautiful apartment. It was a pleasure to wake up each
morning, have coffee and look out of the windows on to the beautiful
street below. David and I really expected to find something that did
not live up to our expectations about the apartment, but what we found
was an apartment more wonderful then we had imagined. Not only was the
apartment the epitome of class and style, but the location and
neighborhood was really the icing on the cake. It was truly a pleasure to do business with you. It's nice to see that there people in this world that are true to their word and follow through on every promise made. As we may have mentioned before, Paris is our favorite place on earth and from this point on, we could not imagine being in Paris without calling your Elzevir apartment our home away from home in Paris. Thank you again and we look forward to our next stay. |
|
Cathy and
David Fogielgarn |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| My family and I just returned from the Elzevir apartment in Paris yesterday after spending 2 1/2 weeks there.In the era of boutique hotels, the Elzevir apartment is all you'd want and more. Better than a hotel, every detail in the apartment is carefully and attractively done with everything you could possibly need from a sewing kit to a whisk. My husband and I were a little weary before our trip as we had never rented an apartment via the internet before. The apartment appeared to be just what we were looking for but who knew. Well, once we arrived we realized that our fear was for naught as the apartment was even more than we'd expected. Tucked away on a quiet steet in a vibrant neighborhood the apartment offered us a home away from home. The owners took care of us with precise directions not only on how to arrive there from the airport but by providing a guide in the apartment explaining how to use all the appliances, making our life there a breeze. Also included in their guide are listings of their favorite restaurants and places along with taxi companies and ideas for getting to know the area. Staying at the Elzevir made our stay in a wonderful city all the more special. We can't wait to return. |
| Dale Freitas New York City, USA |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| My husband and I just spent New Years 2001 at the Elzevir Apartment and can't say enough about this outstanding place. The apartment is absolutely wonderful. So beautifully and tastefully done. After spending a long day exploring the streets of Paris, it was a real pleasure to come back to the apartment. The location is terrific, lots of restuarants, shops, Picasso Museum, the list goes on and on. The apartment is wonderfully equipped and everything you need is there, even a hair dryer (every woman knows how important that is). We would highly recommend a visit. |
| Karen Ritchie Toronto, Canada |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| Absolutely superb! The Elzevir Apartment went way beyond my expectations. For a fussy New Yorker (and ex-Marais dweller for three years), I was very pleasantly surprised to find the level of detail, design and quintessential Parisian chic that this apartment oozes. Tucked away between the Musee Picasso and the Square Achilles, it will appeal to the seasoned visitor to Paris who enjoys the city’s hidden treasures. The building is typical of the 17th century Marais style, but the interior would be better described as “modern”. One can see that the owners have a very keen eye for details, and this is one of the apartment’s biggest draws, whether it is from the lighting, to the sleek appliances, right through to the bathroom layout. Even though I was alone on this trip, I would definitely consider coming back for a romantic sejour. The apartment is perfect for a couple. It’s also just close enough if you want to join in on the festive Marais scene, but sufficiently well hidden that you can avoid stumbling upon the maddening crowds. This apartment scores 10 out of 10 … I will be back for a second inspection some time soon! |
| Paul Austin New York City, USA |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| I spent 10 days at the Elzévir Apartment and was delighted with the apartment. Several of the highlights of the apartment are as follows: (1) the location - in the heart of the Marais, an easy walk to the Metro and steps to some of the best shopping in Paris (2) the kitchen - just what you need for your Parisian pied-a-terre, there are explicit operating manuals (in English with pictures) for each appliance and there's even a clothes washer/dryer (3) bathroom - beautiful bathroom with stunning shower and a tub by the window (4) bedroom - comfy bed and excellent linens along with plenty of closet space (5) library - a good collection of books on Paris as well as the owners own recommendation of their favorite restaurants and sites in Paris (6) condition - the apartment was spotless when I arrived. While there might be cheaper apartments for rent in Paris, I guarentee you will not find a better "value" when you consider what you get for the money at the Elzévir Apartment - to get similar accomodations at a cool hotel would cost twice as much per night. The only problem is that you'll probably have to book way in advance. |
| Trace Cooper Paris, France |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
| The pictures
of the apartment in the brochure are wonderful, but of course, do not
do it justice - it is just beautiful. The well-equipped kitchen, ample
closet space, appliances (microwave, washer/dryer, iron!) are reasons
we personally give the apartment a 5-star rating. We especially
appreciated your apartment guide, the metal-bindered Paris guide, the
selection of dictionaries,maps, telephone books, stationery supplies.
Our fourteen year old son said it all, when he asked to trade in his
two weeks at the beach for two weeks in Paris (every year, he says).
If you're interested in having us again next summer, and the next, and
the next . . . we'll be more than happy to sign up. Thank you!! Ann
and Mike Perry P.S. May we recommend your apartment to our friends ? - it's hard to keep a gem like this a secret. |
| Ann and Mike Perry Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Please send in your review of the Elzévir Apartment to be considered for publication. Thank you. |
