Nice Property, Poorly Managed
Submitted: May 4, 2013
Stayed: April 2013
This apartment was very nice and in a prime location - near Les Invalides, the Eiffel Tower, Rue Cler, etc. The apartment is spacious by Paris standards and offers lots of modern amenities. I traveled with my family and we were very comfortable. In terms of the apartment itself, the only problem was the linen supply. It was pretty cold in Paris during our stay, and there were not enough blankets or sheets.
My other issue was with the management of the apartment. When I contacted the property manager from the airport, she estimated that it would take me about an hour to reach the city, and she said she would meet me there. Over an hour later, I arrived at the apartment, and she wasn't there. When I called her, she seemed surprised that I had arrived "so quickly." While my party and I waited in the apartment lobby, the building's "guardian" arrived and began yelling at us about sitting on a railing near her plants.
When the property manager finally arrived and showed us around the apartment, she informed me that the next group of guests would be arriving early and asked if she could allow them to leave their bags in the apartment and take one set of keys until I checked out. I informed her that the contract stated that check-out time was at noon - not 10 a.m. She said we could discuss it later then proceeded to call and text me about allowing the cleaning lady to arrive early to prepare for the next guests. I was staying in Paris after checking out of this apartment, and had arranged everything based on a checkout time of noon. I ended up having to request an early check-in for my next apartment.
The apartment was nice, but service is also very important. That's why I've given this property an average rating.
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Tourists without a Car,
Sightseeing,
Romantic Getaway
Owner's Response: Well, I normally feel I have very good communication skills, but apparently I completely missed the boat on this one, wow - I am sorry!
The day you moved into the apartment, there was a disruption in traffic caused by the demonstration going on at the Esplanade des Invalides, just a block away from your apartment. That was why my train was held up for about 45 minutes. I had called you when I realized that I was not going to be on time and yes – I did express surprise that your taxi driver had managed to find a way through. I had assumed he would be caught in the same quagmire that had snared me. I had not meant to insult anyone; I’m not sure why that comment upset you.
There seems to have been the same problem in communication with your departure. On your arrival, we had discussed arranging for a driver to take your family to the airport the morning they were to leave. I was recommending someone, and I said he could take you and your luggage to your hotel on his way – I had thought that pleased everyone. When I called to make the arrangements and you said that your contract went until noon, I assured you that was certainly correct, and whatever other arrangements you wanted to make would be fine for me – even leaving your bags until the end of the day, so as not to break up your day at noon unnecessarily.
I was a little surprised that my last message –telling you to please feel free to call me during the rest of your stay in Paris, if you needed any assistance since you would be on your own after your family left – went unanswered, but I never dreamed that you were in any way upset with the way things went.
I am learning – maybe I’m a slow learner – but I have to learn to pick up some pretty subtle hints. When I showed you where the extra blankets, pillows and sheets were, maybe I should have realized that “Fine - we can make do with that.” really meant to bring over some more. I’ll have to admit it has happened more than once, and it is always upsetting, right when a person is leaving – or even worse, not until I get a comment in a review, like this – to have the person say “and what we really needed was…”. I always say – and always really, really mean – if there are any questions, any problems, any anything at all – please do not hesitate to call me. I am sorry you didn't.
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