Travel Q&A

Q: My wife and I often stay at Residence Inn, Homewood Suites or Embassy Suites when traveling with our 11-year-old son. Next spring we'll be visiting our daughter in Paris for a week. Are there comparable suite hotels in Paris?

A: Full kitchens, breakfast buffets and sundowner receptions haven't exactly caught on in the City of Light. But consider the next best thing: short-term apartment rentals. Most have maid service and kitchens, are cheaper than hotels when you factor in home-cooked meals, and allow you to sample life as a Parisian, not a tourist.

Among the firms recommended by the French Government Tourist Office is France Appartements, whose units all have kitchens and Internet access; you can search by price or location in such neighborhoods as Trocadero, Saint Germain des Pres, the Marais and Ile Saint Louis. A small one-bedroom in a renovated 19th-century building in the Marais, within walking distance of the Picasso museum and near food shops, cafes and restaurants, goes for $270 a night (011-33-1-56-89-31-00, www.rentapart.com). With Escapade Parisienne (011-33-1-40-59-44-44, www.escapade-paris.com), another recommended company, a two-room apartment on the fifth floor of a Haussmann building with a balcony in central Paris goes for $314 a night or $1,887 a week.

Find other vetted companies on the French Government Tourist Office Web site, us.franceguide.com. Or use a company with a U.S. representative, such as France: Homestyle (206-325-0132, www.francehomestyle.com) or Vacation in Paris (800-403-4304, www.vacationinparis.com).

Wherever you rent, avoid surprises by asking the agency beforehand about neighborhood and apartment amenities, whether it's a walk-up (not uncommon) or has an elevator, safety concerns, transportation from the airport or train station, cancellation policies, security deposits and English-speaking contacts on site.