It may seem incongruous to being writing of luxuriating in five-star accommodation in Paris, then switch to a self-contained apartment in the bustling, bohemian prefecture around Montmartre and the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, but Paris’s incredible diversity of urban-scapes and cultural moods is all part of its magnetic charm.

Apart from the obvious – ‘different strokes for different folks’ – there’s also a lot to be said for having a functional, comfortable home-base to retreat to when you’ve been out all day, madly beating the streets sightseeing and soaking in the civilisation to the point of exhaustion, and in need of relaxation within the privacy of your own pad.

Problem is, there are not many rentable apartments in Paris that you would classify as user-friendly or functional, in the real sense, like decent bathrooms and practical kitchen with proper utensils, and the amenities and attention to detail that you would normally only encounter in an owner-occupied property.

There are plenty of horror stories with apartments that looked great on websites but turn out to be totally dysfunction, grungy shoeboxes making for a holiday of complete misery.

I also know there are a lot of people who are a bit over hotels, and it’s not necessarily just due to the cost, although many families are frustrated by the prohibitive costs of adjoining rooms and still not even the space to peel some fruit or prepare something simple for the kids to eat; and room service bills that make you eyes water.

Then there are a lot of gourmet type folks I know who like getting amongst the fresh food markets, famous butchers and charcuteries, amazing delicatessens and artisan food stalls in places like Paris, foraging by day and returning back to the pad to cook up a feast at night; but that isn’t going to work without a decent kitchen.

Perhaps the most conceivable benefit of renting an apartment is for extended holidays, where it makes a lot of sense, or commonsense, that you don’t won’t to be out every night in restaurants and there are times where you could do with a bit of lazy, chilling out in the room, or in this case a proper lounge and TV room.

All that said, I personally think the real benefit of an apartment is emotive; that is taking in the Paris street life and living like a local to get a real sense of the city through the corner store or cafe, wine bars and bistro’s, buying produce from markets, taking the metro or bus or just connecting with people in their day-to-day mode.

So, now you are convinced a Paris apartment is the go, here folks we have a real gem; owned by Stephanie Toole, famous vigneron in the Clare Valley, South Australia. Stephanie is a Paris habitué and the only way she could reconcile her lifestyle and copious trips to Paris was to own her own apartment.

Stephanie is a lady of formidable organisational skills and style, and she has spared no expense in tastefully renovating this 3^rd level apartment with a new elevator, electronic security, central heating and double-glazed windows reducing the street noise but bringing in plenty of natural light.

It has all the mod cons including a spacious kitchen (she’s a brilliant cook too) complete with electric induction cook-top and fan-forced oven. There’s quality crockery and cutlery and wait for it, a dining table that seats up to 8 people, which makes it a whole lot more conducive to entertaining than a hotel suite.

There’s all the necessary appliances like dishwasher, fridge/freezer, washing machine, separate drier, but all functional, top quality gear and near new – yes these appliances should be standard, but invariably they are substandard or too hard to use at all.

There are two bedrooms accommodating up to four people, the main bedroom with a queen-size bed and the second room a king size-bed that converts to two singles, with quality linen and built-in wardrobes with plenty of hanging space in both rooms, strategic but usually overlooked.

The main bedroom has an ensuite bathroom with real shower and there’s another spacious central bathroom with toilet, vanity, shower and a second toilet separate from these. There is a separate dining area and large lounge decked out with a leather sofa and two armchairs, 42” flat screen television, DVD and CD player and wireless internet.

Are you getting the picture? There is painstaking attention to detail here, the sort of quality and care that you only really encounter in a property that is for personal use, but shared with friends and people who appreciate these aspects.

It’s a great location too, 40 rue Pigalle, particularly if you are a foodie as its walking distance to all the fantastic food stalls on rue des Martyrs. And it’s only a short bus ride to my favourite Paris wine bar, Les Juvenilles at 47 Rue de Richelieu.

Personally, I think renting Stephanie’s apartment is a no brainer if you are a family or generally capable, seasoned travellers that don’t rely on hotel room service and concierge’s, and simply want to have your own space and privacy, centrally located in the heart of Paris.

And the best bit of all, it will cost you only 200 Euros per day, plus cleaning, which is great value, for a LUXURY pad.

For more details and pictures on the apartment, visit http://www.yourhomeinparis.com.au/

Oh, by the way, Stephanie will be able to give you a whole lot of advice and shopping and eating in Paris, she’s an expert on these subjects. She can also organise some of her excellent Mount Horrocks wine to be delivered to the apartment, including her unique Cordon Cut Riesling, a favourite of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II who served it at her official 80^th birthday luncheon celebration, read more http://www.thewanderingpalate.com/profiled-wineries/fit-for-a-queen/ Also visit www.mounthorrocks.com

All enquiries direct to Stephanie at stephanie@mounthorrocks.com

Mobile: +61 (0)407 500 290

Stephanie Toole - Proprietor Vigneron of Mount Horrocks vineyard