PARIS VLOG (airbnb incident w/ police, luxury shopping, palace of versailles)

despite the rough start, paris was still as grand and as fabulous as i hoped it would be! i can't wait to come back for more. 🇫🇷
re: the airbnb nightmare, airbnb was extremely unhelpful and i'm still dealing with the issue today. the host is still operating on airbnb despite the illegal actions he took against us. i won't be linking the listing here because i don't want to support or draw any traffic to airbnb and the property, but if you come across an apartment in marais hosted by marcel....pass!
subscribe here: bit.ly/2PJ3DhK
timestamps
00:00 intro
00:35 beware of airbnbs in paris
03:50 musée d'orsay
4:29 palace of versailles
6:46 buying a new bag
7:35 sunset at eiffel tower
→ let's connect!
my instagram: @freesiapark
business inquiries: [e-mail]
→ credits
filmed & edited by freesia park
graphics by freesia park
logo by @feelsstudio
FTC → This video is not sponsored

[@Zeeiconoclastic]

Sorry for your AirBnB experience, you have helped many by simply sharing. I love your editing style❤

[@miiiiyuuuukiiiii]

Thank you for sharing your awful airbnb experience😢 That's very helpful for viewers planning to Paris.

[@freesiapark]

Glad it’s helpful! ❤️

[@ameerah2324]

pls make sure to leave a review as well if you can for that airbnb so people can see! the host shouldn’t be able to rent this property anymore if this is how they are going to act… glad everything ended up working out for you

[@n.c.467]

Yes, please let us know that info

[@Owlailable]

Agree this is important but horrible hosts often take their listing off airbnb when it gets a bad review, and add a new listing with no reviews..

[@freesiapark]

Airbnb wrongfully removed my review twice-the second time without my knowledge and I’m still trying to amend this…😔

[@n.c.467]

@freesiapark Wow...that's so sketch. Well thanks for making the vid...I know you said you contemplated not mentioning the incident at all, but the rest of your stay wouldn't have made sense without including it, and I get that. Hope this won't sour you on Paris forever. And I hope handbag shopping kinda helped too😁!

[@n.c.467]

@freesiapark Since the 'host' lied about central air in a blazing hot summer, he should be removed from air bnb anyway!! You would think they wouldn't want him trashing their reputation!

[@Zsbk]

i'm french and i'm so sorry you've been through this :( next time you should go to a fancy hotel (like Ritz, Palais Royal, Regina...) it's absolutely worth the money when in Paris !!!

[@bernadettemary2135]

Sorry you had such a bad experience! That is so scary and stressful, glad you got all your stuff back. I went to Paris in April and May, stayed in a couple of airbnb houses outside the city and it was overall great.

[@jinsight3944]

I had a really gross Airbnb experience in Paris too where it was clear they never cleaned between residents. My advice is generally don’t use Airbnb’s in Europe but use them in Asia, the culture there is much more focused in hospitality and cleanliness which was very lacking in Europe

[@danniea487]

Freesia I am so happy you used your platform to talk about the reality about Airbnb in Paris. I’ve been there 4 times and 3/4 times I’ve been it’s always been so dirty and the descriptions were never accurate in real life.

[@mariaduran158]

What a great video, is nice to see all the sides of the story. Also, curious about what bag you decided for and how was the pricing! Please make a video about it

[@rebeccacartier153]

Yo… this is why I don’t trust Airbnb

[@ro.3645]

Wild…I actually prefer Airbnb when traveling and have never had an issue except for when I had an Airbnb in paris. It was so bad I took action with Airbnb and had the Airbnb shut down. 2 liters of hot water for 3 people DAILY. No heat in below 30F weather. Host said he would let us into the building, he showed up 4 hours late, was told her would also speak English but he didn’t know a lick of it. The toilet had cracks so when you flushed it flooded from the bottom every other time, pink mold everywhere. What crazy is right after this Paris trip I went to accra, Ghana. I never had a more wonderful trip experience. I had limited expectations because Ghana is while modern still needs work, but the fact that the toilets worked, escalators exist and there was amazing water pressure, I had an amazing time and it changed my perspective about how people view places around the world. I don’t know if I’d ever go back to paris because I think there was a lot more I did not like outside of the Airbnb itself. But I’ve gone back to Accra twice already.

[@olivejooce]

Yikes, that's terrible about what happened with your Airbnb experience. I've been to Paris 4 times over the last 7 years and have never had an issue with my Airbnb's. That being said, I always make sure to choose a 'Super Host' that has at least 100 positive reviews. The higher the reviews the better. I like the extra space and the ability to make my own meals if I want to. Glad you were able to enjoy the rest of your stay tho!

[@spumoni9713]

I LOVE Palace of Versailles! We booked a tour through Viator and it included lunch and also seeing Marie Antoinette palace. No line waiting. It was amazing!

[@dannylee128]

Thanks for sharing your experience😥. I also had a poor experience booking an Airbnb property in Paris, where things were not as advertised on the listing. Thankfully, we had only booked for 1 night, but after that I prefer booking hotels.

[@mariesambilay2577]

have stayed in many Airbnbs in Paris and all over Europe, and most of my experiences have been positive. I wouldn't totally discount using them, since they are usually more economical than hotels and allow you to get a taste of how the locals live. I believe my positive experiences are a result of my doing my homework befire booking. I always read reviews, and I never book any property with a rating of less than 4.8 (the scale is 1 to 5, with 5 as the highest). Also, never book a new rental, since there won't be any reviews yet. And try to book only with responsive hosts. 1:18

[@lindsaymurray2123]

Versailles was one of my favorite places when I was in Paris. It’s stunning!

[@Cindypisces]

That’s so good to know…yea I refuse to do Airbnb. When I went to Paris, I got me a hotel room and that’s really all I trust. But if ever, I consider Airbnb in France, I’ll definitely know not to. Thanks so much for the heads up

[@michellewylam]

For me staying in air bnbs something for everyone to look at is safety in a building especially with kids. Most air bnbs might be 10 floors up with no fire escapes, fire alarms or carbon monoxide detectors. Only thought about this when comparing my stays at hotels on business trips. Make sure to ask the host if they have safety amenities if you care.

[@pothra_]

As an ex parisian this is a sad but true classic in this city.

[@elyse3884]

Sorry you had a bad experience with the Air B &B. Hopefully you and Gene can visit Paris together one day. Glad you did a little “Damage” Lol What kind of bag did you buy? Safe travels! 😍

[@workofivory]

I had no idea about Paris air bnb’s! Luckily I decided to book a hotel when I first went. I had an awful experience with Japanese air bnb’s and this is why I refuse to book air bnb’s internationally (from US). Thanks for the tip about the golf cart- I wasn’t able to go to Versailles last time!

[@mcmoy4105]

Were you there the same time as Michelle? Sorry to hear about your first day. Hope you had a great rest of the vacation.

[@DawniePerry]

ice coffee exists in France you just have to know where to look.

[@jillybeann41]

I’ve been done with Airbnb but thanks for giving another reason why

[@bl00cloud]

It also helps I think to have personal connections. My mom just visited Paris and she was staying with family and through family hooked up with 1-2 people who rent out rooms. Not sure if it's with airbnb...but yeah, personally knowing hosts and vetting rooms via family is also another way

[@SL-lz9jr]

I’ve never had an issue with Airbnb and I’ve been using it for many many years. The worst the has happened was someone in Barcelona canceling my reservation at the last minute so I had to scramble to find a hotel. The next worst thing was maybe it wasn’t the cleanest or something relatively minor, a nuisance. That said, the great thing about booking a hotel is that they will generally be more helpful. Case in point, during that same trip, I was also visiting Paris. The hotel I booked was under renovation (I didn’t know) and it wasn’t going to be ready in time, so they offered to refund me or book me at another hotel. Paris isn’t cheap so I knew a last minute reservation could potentially be pricey. So I let them find me alternative accommodations. It’s not what I would’ve picked but at least I had a clean place to stay. That whole trip was nuts because apparently airline staff were on strike so most of my flights were delayed. Between the delayed flights (all 3 legs!), hotel under renovations,and canceled Airbnb… I don’t know man. What the heck was going on with Europe? This happened in August and September of 2019. Anyway, the lesson I learned is to book backup reservations that will allow you to cancel last minute without penalty or a small penalty if you can afford it.

[@jennk6600]

Don't recommend the golf carts at Versailles. Too many restrictions on where you can go and it is so slow, its much faster walking...😂 AND its not cheap.

[@mbuck5044]

I always stay at hotels whenever I've traveled aboard. I've heard too many horror stories from friends who've used Airbnb.

[@joannhyoen4140]

I love your hair cut ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@saidadabel8493]

Sorry for your airbnb nightmare. Im going to Paris in the fall and I recently booked an airbnb now im kinda stressed haha I find hotels in Paris to be very overpriced lol

[@mariesambilay2577]

I have stayed in many Airbnbs in Paris and all over Europe, and most of my experiences have been positive. I wouldn't totally discount using them, since they are usually more economical than hotels and allow you to get a taste of how the locals live. I believe my positive experiences are a result of my doing my homework befire booking. I always read reviews, and I never book any property with a rating of less than 4.8 (the scale is 1 to 5, with 5 as the highest). Also, never book a new rental, since there won't be any reviews yet. And try to book only with responsive hosts.

[@Matchalemoncake12345]

Please link the Airbnb!

[@lsworldtraveler590]

helpful for viewers like me

[@zareennawar7951]

Will you do a Paris haul? Pls do!

[@nabanitatanti8622]

Which camera did u used??

[@usagihem]

They are actually lot of places that does latte or iced coffees - it is pretty common, but most of them aren't found in "typically French looking cafés" but in much smaller places such as Laize Ste Avoye, Recto-Verso and other bazzillions of smaller coffee places in Le Marais or in other lively Paris neighbourhood :) This incident with the host is extremely creepy though, what a hell. I'm sorry it wasted your first day here :(

[@mikeplace8793]

It doesn't look like anybody has mentioned to you yet in the comments that AirBnbs in Paris are very frequently run illegally by people trying to get around government regulation which seeks to keep short-term rentals from destroying the housing market for those of us who live here. By all means, come to Paris, but please stay in hotels. It helps keep our neighborhoods intact and guarantees that you'll have a good and safe time while you're here.

[@victorlui5955]

Go Silky!!! Hehe. Hi Freesia!!!😊

[@karenkatequilat9881]

HOTELS. Always. Especially in europe.

[@usagimoon.x.o6256]

Hey Freesia!!❤

[@cynwme7608]

omg that airbnb story sounds horrendous ;~; glad you were able to move past that and at least enjoy your vaca a little!

[@n.c.467]

So sorry that a fraudster impacted your Paris trip so negatively. I hope you will return soon so you can fully enjoy it!

[@j69confessional]

STOP STAYING IN AIRBNBs!!! With housing markets rising EVERYWHERE - Locals get priced out of their home/homeland because of these short-term rentals! Spend a few extra $$ and stay at a hotel that employs the locals that actually work in that city your are visiting.

[@victorlui5955]

Freesia, Freesia, guess what? Escargot, my car go, 160, swiftly. Your crewrun run, my crew run run. I had to say it for 50 years of Hip-Hop yo!!! 😊🍺🥂🍷🥃🚬

[@tUiDo4]

Do they do Lactose free milk and only 1 shot DECAF espresso in their lattes? I need to know these things. They are life and death questions for a lactose, heartburn immune, person like me😭😩My niece was just in Paris for the summer with her mom, n her mom French bf. I tried asking her for common details that'll help a non-French tourist like me in the near future of me traveling to Paris, but it was pointless. She's 14yrs old and was more focused on more "important" teenage things, than real life questions. She was there for 3 WHOLE WEEKS, and all she had to say about it was "It was boring. There was a riot going on. So much graffiti, it smells like pee everywhere, and the food sucks". (Mind you coming from a girl who has no culinary taste). Is she a bit spoiled? YES. She MOST definitely is. So DO NOT take me quoting what she said about it as a good review to put against it. I will however say that they did stay at a hotel the whole time they were there. I didn't ask why not at his relatives? Or why not an AirBnB, but I'm assuming its for the same reason of having terrible hosts.

[@martika5863]

Where’s Gene

[@freesiapark]

He didn’t come with us on this Europe trip because of work! 🫶

[@victorlui5955]

I'm the first 2 comment yo. HappyParis adventures Freesia. Le poulet, le croissant, le wine. 😊🥂🍷🥃🚬

[@ctgeblue17]

You chop your hair!

[@axllj]

its always so fun to see Paris in the eyes of a foreigner hahaha so sad that u got to experience such a bad thing with the airbnb, tho but I promise next time Paris won't disappoint ! 😭🩷