Frequently Asked Questions

Paris Perfect has been in business since the late 1990s. We offer a fine selection of vacation rental properties in prime Paris locations and beyond, in conjunction with our Vacation Perfect family of properties including London Perfect and Italy Perfect. We invite you to learn more about Paris Perfect and Vacation Perfect on our About Us page.

We’re proud that our vacation rentals have been featured in numerous leading publications, blogs, TV features and magazines such as Forbes, Architectural Digest, W Magazine, The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Business Week Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Rick Steves’ Paris and France travel guidebooks, the Sydney Herald and HGTV’s House Hunter’s International. Read our press coverage here.

Our best advocates are our previous guests, we invite you to read their comments on our Reviews Pages.

We personally select the properties with care based on their charming features and location near sites and landmarks within walking distance. We have a long checklist of ‘must haves’ including prime location, remodeled kitchens, updated bathrooms and quality furnishings. Contact our friendly Paris reservations team for information.

Absolutely! Since your vacation time is precious, we want you to stay in authentic Paris neighborhoods in the center so you can walk to most everything – from wonderful fashion boutiques, to open air markets, museums and excellent local, authentic restaurants. You'll love experiencing the authentic Parisian lifestyle, shopping at a nearby market for the best Camembert cheese, wine and paté to eat with a fresh baguette and salad, before heading to visit an exhibit at a nearby museum.

Most Paris Perfect apartments are a stone's throw to the Musée d'Orsay, the Louvre, the Rodin Museum, the best Paris open-air markets, the Eiffel Tower, the famous rue Cler market street, Bon Marché’s department store and its food hall “ La Grande Epicerie”, the romantic Seine river and, of course, the trendiest shopping in Paris. Excellent local bistros, cafés, that the locals frequent and fine dining surround you. The apartments are a short walk to the local Metro, RER train and bus lines so when you want to visit outer arrondissements, such as Montmartre or have a picnic at Versailles, they are easily accessible.

When you reserve an apartment with Paris Perfect, we'll send you our detailed information packet with a list of our favorite restaurants, cafés and markets near your apartment.

See the property description for all the features of each apartment. We provide amenities such as luxury linens, soap, shampoo, a starter supply of toilet paper, paper towels, coffee, tissues, dishwashing soap to get you through the first couple of days. Please contact [email protected] with any questions about what is provided at specific properties.

The final cleaning, after you check out, is included. Supplemental maid service and linens are available with advance arrangement, please request a price quote.

Normal utility usage is included in the nightly rates. We kindly ask our guests to switch off the air conditioning or lower the heat when they are out of the apartment for several hours because electricity prices in France are high. In a few cases, guests have left windows open while the air conditioning or heating was running, which led to extremely high utility bills. We were obliged to charge them for the excess charge. However, we have never taken advantage of a guest with unfair charges. Contracts for monthly rates do not typically include utilities which are paid separately.

Yes, a hairdryer is provided.

We recommend you bring your own plug adaptors so that you have enough for all your personal electronics, however we can provide a few plug adapters if needed, but not converters (transformers). Most personal electronics such as smart phones, laptop computers and tablets are dual voltage and will work if you have a plug adapter. Some appliances, such as electric curlers, flat irons or American hairdryers will not work with a plug adapter alone and also require a converter (transformer).

The majority of the apartments have the benefit of air conditioning. Check for the specifics on the individual apartment page. Read our important primer What to Expect With Air Conditioning information here since the types of air conditioning might be different from what you are accustomed to. For more details about specific apartments, please ask our Paris reservations team.

The apartments are located in the center of Paris, which implies busy neighborhoods. The good news is almost all apartments windows have double-glazing (please see each apartment description for details) - the same used by luxury hotels. As a result, most of the apartments are extremely quiet. We believe you get the best of both worlds: a fabulous view and a good night's sleep. If you are a very light sleeper, please don't hesitate to ask which apartments we would recommend.

France has energy laws/regulations to reduce the consumption of electricity. Some apartment buildings have a central radiator system and heat is usually turned on, by the building management, in late October or early November until April. Once on, the temperature can be regulated inside most apartments. For apartments with building regulated heat, kindly note, heat is not available outside of these building-controlled times.

We can understand your desire to have a working fireplace; however, in accordance with the law and due to safety concerns, all of our fireplaces must be strictly ornamental. Additionally, as it was against the law to use fireplaces in Paris for so long, some buildings have chosen to close up the chimneys permanently, so no fireplaces in these building can be used.

These devices are not installed in every property. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are not required in homes or vacation rentals in Paris or London. We recommend bringing your own portable smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment so you can relax and enjoy your trip. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans. For your convenience, we have partnered with Red Sky Travel Insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected.

The Sun Trip Preserver plan by Red Sky Travel Insurance provides cancellation and interruption services as well as emergency assistance and travel services.

The travel insurance is optional but can be easily added to your booking when you make your reservation. Please note: Travel Insurace must be added at the time of booking or before the final payment is due.

To learn more about Sun Trip Preserver or to file a claim, please visit https://www.trippreserver.com/products/sun-trip-preserver/

Helpful Links:
•    Sun Trip Preserver – Why Buy?
•    Sun Trip Preserver Plan Summary

If you would like to find your plan, you can visit this page, under 'Find My Vacation Rental Management Company or Ski Pass Provider' please select Vacation Perfect.

If there is a problem during your stay, please let the local contact know right away and they will do their best to address the issue as quickly as possible. For example, small appliances can be changed or most repairs can be done within one business day.

The staff of the local service company will help any way they can - from referring you to a doctor to recommending a private chef, private driver or hairdresser. Our guests tell us that this personal service is what makes us different, and the reason they come back to Paris Perfect year after year.

The Paris Perfect confirmation materials include: Vital Information document, the Neighborhood Guide and the City Guide.  The Vital Information document with the arrival instructions and property address are downloadable from your guest portal after final payment has been made. We partner with several excellent local companies for tours, experiences, private drivers. See the array of choices and how to book on this page.

There are no "hidden fees" in your reservation. Guests pay the rental amount, accidental damage waiver and tourist tax, if applicable and the payment processing fee. The rental amount includes:

• Amenities listed for each property on the website
• Final cleaning and utilities for some properties
• Greeting fees during normal business hours
• 3.25% Payment Processing Fee

  The nightly booking rate includes the following:

• The amenities listed for each apartment that may include free calls to most landlines throughout the world, high-speed WiFi, cable television and Nespresso machine with a starter supply of coffee pods and other amenities
• Paris guide with apartment details and loads of information about Paris and your neighborhood
• Personal welcome at your apartment by friendly, English-speaking greeters
• Luxury cotton towels, high thread count sheet sets, bath soaps and lotion
• Starter supplies of dishwasher and laundry soaps, garbage bags and paper towels
• Prices include taxes and commissions

Please note that normal utility usage is included. We kindly ask our guests to switch off the air conditioning or lower the heat when they are out of the apartment for several hours because electricity prices in France are very high. In a few cases, guests have left windows open while the air conditioning or heating was running, which led to extremely high utility bills. We were obliged to charge them for the excess charge. However, we have never taken advantage of a guest with unfair charges.

We pride ourselves on offering fine properties with nice furnishings, antiques, fine linens and top-of-the-line appliances. We want you to feel at home and enjoy every moment of your stay without worrying about any "What ifs?" should something happen. Because accidents happen, our goal is to ease your mind by minimizing your costs if they do. In order to make your stay as worry-free as possible all guests are required to purchase a non-refundable Accidental Damage Waiver that covers you for accidental damage and/or breakage up to $1,500 USD per stay.

The Accidental Damage Waiver covers incidents such as:

• Knocked over lamps, decorative objects
• Broken kitchenware, crystal and porcelain
• Accidental spills on furniture and rugs
• Stains on bedspreads, mattresses, linens, rugs, drapes
• Marks and scuffs on walls or furniture
• Cost to repair electrical appliances broken to carelessness

The Accidental Damage Waiver does not cover:

• Costs incurred due to negligence or irresponsible conduct
• Extra cleaning if the property is not left neat and tidy
• Costs to replace property locks and keys - covered by Key & Cleaning Deposit
• Costs for accidental damages in excess of the maximum $1,500 USD coverage limit
• Damage or loss that is not disclosed prior to check out
• Theft, loss or damage to any property owned or brought onto the premises by the guest

Please note: The non-refundable waiver does not negate your responsibility to be respectful of owner's property and to leave it neat and tidy on departure. To avoid erroneous blame, guests must notify their greeter by email or telephone if anything is amiss when you arrive at the property. Damage not reported, or that are the result of negligence/intentional acts, are not covered under this plan.

Please contact us to confirm availability, and we'll help you plan your stay. Once you decide to book, we will send you detailed instructions on the next steps. For a rental period of less than 28 nights, we ask for 50% payment to confirm your reservation and the remainder of the payment 60 days before arrival. If you are arriving within 60 days, full payment is due upon booking. On receipt of final payment, the Neighborhood Guide and the City Guide is provided to help you plan your stay in Paris. The Vital Information document with the arrival instructions and property address are downloadable from your guest portal after final payment has been made.

For bookings of 28 nights or more, as well as more details on payment and the booking process, visit our Terms and Conditions page or simply email us.

Check-in time is officially 3:30 pm, similar to hotels, and check-out time is 10:00 am. However, we know that international flights often mean that guests arrive early, and we do all we can to accommodate you. If you have a flight arriving in the morning, we recommend you rent the apartment the previous day so that you have the assurance that the apartment will be ready for check in as early as 9:00 am. If you prefer not to reserve the night before for check in as early as 9:00 am, and the apartment has guests checking out that morning, please contact us for options for storing your luggage until the apartment is ready for check in.

Arrivals after 7:00 pm must be arranged in advance and are subject to a late arrival fee, payable directly in cash in the local currency to the greeter on arrival. If you do not have cash at the time of your greeting, your credit card will automatically be charged for the late fee plus a 25% administrative and payment processing fee the day after your check-in. Generally, the latest arrival time is 10:00 pm, exceptions can be made for certain properties with advance approval. Please contact Reservations with questions.

Once your reservation is confirmed you will receive detailed information about the welcome process and how to schedule your check in appointment.

Regretfully no. There are no building codes/standards for disability compliance. From a practical standpoint, properties dating back centuries do not have elevators, doorways or hallways designed to accommodate wheelchairs. Many buildings have small steps or uneven floors at the entrance or in the lobbies. Some apartments have internal stairs and/or raised floors to accommodate plumbing/renovations. If you have a specific question for your personal situation, please contact our Reservations department

The apartment listing will state whether there is an elevator in the building; this can be seen under the link for Amenities. 

Paris is known for its rich history and architecture, with many buildings dating back several centuries. These historical structures were not originally designed to accommodate modern amenities such as elevators. Therefore, retrofitting elevators into older buildings was a challenging task due to limited space, architectural constraints, and preservation considerations; design considerations often prioritize maintaining the building's original charm and character. The compact nature of some elevators reflects the unique challenges associated with retrofitting modern amenities into old and architecturally significant buildings.

No, the properties are non-smoking, including terraces, balconies and all common areas of buildings.

We do not allow any pets.

We prefer to represent non-smoking and no-pets properties for the comfort of our guests but we can't guarantee that our properties are allergen free. There are a wide array of factors out of our control that can be allergen or asthma triggers: laundry soap, fragrances, cooking smells, nearby pets, mildew in ancient buildings, or a neighbor who smokes for which we cannot be responsible. Some properties have down feather bedding, pillows and upholstery stuffing, we cannot guarantee the ability to provide synthetic substitutes. If you need special pillows, duvets or linens washed in fragrance-free laundry soap, please request a price quote in advance of your stay so that we can see what is possible, and if necessary, purchase for your special circumstance, the cost for which will be added to invoice.

The cancellation terms are firm; we are not able to make exceptions.

• Cancelling more than 60 days before arrival date: Payments are refundable*, minus:
  • Payment processing fees
  • Change admin fees (if applicable)
  • $350 USD cancellation administration fee
  • Applicable fee charged by bank to process the refund.
• Cancelling 60 days or less prior to arrival date: No refund.

*Overriding terms for some properties: 30% of the total booking fee (excluding security deposit) is non-refundable upon booking for some large and high-quality properties, including villas.

Reservation Modifications/Postponement: The charge for modifying or postponing a reservation more than 60 days before arrival starts at $125 USD. Within 60 days of arrival any date change is considered a cancellation of your original dates which is not refundable and payments cannot be applied to a future reservation.

Read the full terms and conditions here.

For your safety and trust, we have procedures in place to verify guest identity. As part of the booking process you may be asked to complete ID verification. Failure to complete the verification, or failing the verification, may result in cancellation of your booking. The ID verification is provided by a third party. You can view their full privacy policy here.

Yes, we work with travel agents. Although we respect the amount of work it takes to coordinate travel plans, Paris Perfect does not pay commission. We would be happy to add a service fee for you, just let us know the amount you wish to add to the booking. It will be your responsibility to invoice us after your client’s stay for payment of your service fee.

Yes, we offer lots of tips and ideas for your Paris vacation!

• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Read our blog for terrific information for inspiration and how to get the most out of your Paris stay.
• See the recommended tours and experiences on our Paris Info page.

If we are notified in advance of construction work going on in the building or adjacent buildings we will let you know as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there is no requirement for property owners to inform neighbors of renovation work. This is frustrating for us, and we do our best owners to stay informed. If it does happen, we will work with you to find the best solution for your particular situation.

We honestly have no way of knowing in advance if elevator repairs could be underway or ongoing utility repairs to city services such as water main lines. In our many years of business we have occasionally received word in advance of building works and have found the information about the timelines to be totally unreliable – works scheduled to start a certain month get delayed for years, caught up in bureaucratic red tape. Or, we learn of scaffolding going up overnight on a building because plaster has unexpectedly fallen off, creating a hazard to pedestrians below, and permits are issued immediately for emergency repairs. As you can imagine, in a city where buildings date back centuries, building repairs are ongoing and unpredictable. If we receive advance notice we will notify you, however on arrival if you encounter construction work in the building’s common areas or in neighboring apartments or buildings, or street repairs, we are very sorry, but this is does not constitute grounds for cancellation of your reservation.

Thank you for thinking of us for your charity fundraising efforts. We allocate all of our donations to a single charitable organization that we’re involved with. Sorry we not able to donate to additional non-profit organizations however we are happy to work with your organization's members and contributors if one of them would like to sponsor a stay and underwrite the cost. Paris Perfect will work with the organization or contributing member to define the value and terms. We can provide a voucher along with photos and copy for the auction catalog in the name of the contributing sponsor after terms have been agreed and payment has been received by Paris Perfect, so the underwriter can then donate it as an auction item.