Paris and Rome accommodation from Airbnb

We chose our accommodation in Paris and Rome from Airbnb.com.  As first time airbnb users, we were completely satisfied with what we got.

Paris apartment
Along Rue Mathurin Regnier

For less than the price of a small Parisian hotel, we got a whole apartment in a non-touristy area very close to a Metro station (Volontaires).  The apartment comes with free wifi, a bedroom with a double bed, a small living room with a sofa bed, a bath tub, washer and dryer in the bath area and a small kitchenette with all the modcon (fridge, microwave, toaster, pots/pans, kitchenware, etc).

The neighborhood is in a residential area with lots of cafes, boulangeries (pastry shops and bakeries), small bookshops, mini-groceries, cheese stores, fruit stands, etc.  We felt like living like a local, which was nice.

Only downside was the apartment is on the third floor...with no elevators!  After an exhausting day of walking around, we didn't look forward to climbing up the three flight of stairs. 

We didn't meet the owner, Anna, but she was very responsive through emails/sms/calls.

From top left: gas range+sink area, breakfast nook+fridge, tub area with washer+dryer, front door+mini hallway to the kitchen+toilet (inside the closed door)

From top left: sofa bed, utility table+rocking chair, bedroom closet+mini dresser area, double bed with my sleeping hubby

Rome apartment
Via Catone near the Vatican Museum

There was an elevator so plus points even before we saw the apartment.  The place was much better than the Paris apartment as it is newer and more spacious.  The bedroom area is huge! The toilet + bath area is very nice. Fast wifi is available as well.  The landlord, Roberto, gave a detailed orientation of the apartment, its facilities and appliances, and the neighborhood. 

The neighborhood is in a quiet street but near lots of restaurants and small boutiques.  The Metro, bus and taxi stations are nearby as well.  The Vatican Museum is 10 minutes away, very convenient when we went for the Vatican Museum/St. Peter's Basilica tour.

As mentioned, the plus side was the elevator to the 4th floor apartment!  It's the tiniest elevator I've been on and it's the old type.  The ones I only see in movies, where one needs to open a door and slide close the metal grill before one can go up/down the lift.  It was kinda cool to experience that kind of elevator.

I didn't take many pictures of the apartment, just a few snapshots.

A full kitchen and a very nice toilet+bath suite!

From top left: outside the apartment, living/dining/kitchen area, view from the kitchen, the queen size bed in the bedroom with an extra single bed

The elevator is old school - there's an outer door and a metal grill that both needs to be fully closed before the elevator can go up or down.  Cool!