Apartment or Hotel? The Apartment Experience in Paris

5 November 2010 (Paris, France) – On previous trips to Paris, I have stayed at a hotel near Gare de Lyon and for a change, I wanted to experience something closer to actually living in Paris. So, I rented a studio apartment through staycity.com. I was able to secure a studio apartment at Appartments Saint-Martin, which is located about 1km from Gare du Nord train station, which is great if you arriving into Paris by Eurostar or from Charles de Gaul Airport via the RER B train.

For a single traveler, a studio apartment is really all you need. My apartment did come equipped with an electric kettle, which some, may not seem like much, but to any tea drinker, it is something that really makes making a cuppa much easier.

I love being able to stock the fridge and to really kind of relax. In a hotel, you may not have the luxury of having a small fridge or if you do, the hotel has stocked it up with so many “convenience items.” Plus, you don’t have to rely on room service for a cup of tea and can stock the kitchen up with things you like.

One of the things I like doing when ever I travel abroad is to hit the local grocery store, to see what kind of different things they have. Plus, you can save some money by buying a 6 of 12 package of water or other items than having to buy such items through the hotel or other locations when you are out on the town.

Below are some images of the studio apartment that I stayed at while in Paris in Fall 2010.