BonjourParis

Walking in Paris is always exciting, especially if you're a nosy investigative reporter. Don't tell me you've never come back from a walk without finding treasure at the end of the path to the left; or crossed the cobblestones, and there you see it. Your treasure. Mine was the Hotel Relais Christine, pure magic in the street of the same name, stumbled on by accident.

You can't get a room during peak season at a resort for $1,500 a night --- the rich took them all long ago. So what can you get for less than $250 a night? You'd be surprised. The editors of Budget Travel challenged themselves to find resort hotels “that don't show up on big online booking engines or get written about in fussy travel magazines.” 

Paris, France:  For many, the dream of owning a vacation home in Paris remains just that.  Perhaps they can't afford it, or maybe they think they wouldn’t use it often enough to justify the expense.  Some don’t feel knowledgeable about the rental market and unsure of how to cover their mortgage and expenses through rental income.  And for many, the hassle of managing property in a foreign country is simply more work than they are willing to take on.

Near Montparnasse Blvd and the famous artists café lifestyle in the 14^th arrondissement, Marriott Hotels acquired the formal PLM St Jacques Hotel and gave it a 35 million Euro stylized makeover. It echoes of the former funky days of the seventies when it was the happening PLM with its hip lobby, retro carpets, and mood lighting. Today, it is “business chic”-- a conference center with the capacity to entertain 2,000 participants in its ballrooms and over 770 luxurious rooms to offer a restful stay on pillow toped mattresses with Marriott’s impeccable service.

Fabulous small boutique hotel in the very historic middle of Paris (with 21st century amenities). Hotel Britannique 

What’s the adage?  Fish and house guests smell after three days. It’s one thing if you’re on vacation and have rented a house in Provence. It’s quite another if you’re putting down roots for an indeterminate amount of time.  Or if you need to come and go.

While searching for the right Paris apartment for sale, if there is one key piece of advice to offer — a very intangible but most important feature of all — the Paris apartments must possess the ‘Wow’ factor. You will feel it even if the place is a wreck, if it’s an empty shell, or if it’s been hideously decorated. The Wow factor can be manifested in any of several ways, but it will strike you immediately, like a coup de foudre or a lightning bolt.

A spacious 3500 square  foot  house was built in mid-19th century. It was recently renovated, adding a heated pool, terraces and gardens, and a new wing containing a dramatic living room, additional master bedroom suite and a large dining veranda. Click here for more information.

You have walked the streets of Paris, shopped at the Open Markets, discovered delectable shops and narrowed your search to one or two favorite arrondissements.  Now you’re ready to locate your dream apartment and buy your own Pied a Terre in Paris.