My best friend and I visited Paris together, but stayed in separate apartments. It went even better than expected.

This past fall, my friend Anna told me that she was giving herself a birthday present: a weeklong trip to Paris.

She’d already booked a one-bedroom rental with the intention of making it a solo trip, but I had another idea. “Why don’t I book my own flight and my own rental — in your same neighborhood — and we can be neighbors in Paris?” I asked.

After Anna agreed that it sounded like fun, I got busy scouting an apartment in the 11th arrondissement and booked a one-bedroom Airbnb that looked cozy and well-lit.

Sure, going on a trip with a close friend and staying in separate quarters was a little unorthodox. Our other friends were surprised by the decision, but we had a wonderful time and definitely plan to travel this way again.

I got to enjoy the benefits of traveling with a friend, but with more flexibility and less anxiety

After I booked my plane ticket and my apartment, Anna and I started preparing for the trip together. One afternoon, we went shopping and bought travel essentials like umbrellas and cute outfits.

We also had a lot of fun bonding in the lead-up to the trip. We traded lists of our must-see attractions, watched YouTube videos about things to do in Paris, and studied French phrases.

Although I always enjoy planning trips with friends, there are things about traveling with others that make me nervous, too.

As a person who’s lived alone for a while, I often fret about sharing space on vacation. What if we get on each other’s nerves? What if someone gets food poisoning? Anna, too, lives solo (albeit with two precious cats) and cherishes her space.

With separate rentals, we knew we’d be able to escape each other whenever we needed — and enjoy each other’s company whenever we wanted.

It also meant we could follow our own schedules.

Whenever I travel with friends, I notice a pattern: Someone often wants to stay up (or out) later. Or maybe someone needs to leave the house and eat breakfast immediately, and the other wants to take their time in the morning.

Thanks to our separate apartments, though, Anna and I could take every day at our own pace.

For instance, I spent one morning drinking three shots of espresso, eating a bunch of bread and cheese, and reading. Anna, meanwhile, visited Père Lachaise Cemetery.

Two apartments meant we had more resources

Every time I visit a new country, one of the first things I do is check out the view from my rental. In this case, it boasted a colorful street lined with restaurants and bars.

Later, I visited Anna’s apartment and enjoyed the view of her stunning, sunny courtyard from several flights up. Having two apartments also meant more activities, amenities, and places to unwind.

At Anna’s, we reclined on the double beds to watch our favorite TV show, and at my place, we stopped mid-walk to rest our aching limbs, sip espresso, and pop ibuprofen.

Plus, having two rentals, and thus two points of reference, meant Anna and I could orient ourselves more easily.

It’s tough to navigate a new city and country, especially without mobile data (and, therefore, without a reliable GPS) — in fact, I got lost on my first day in Paris.

Quickly learning how to get from one apartment to the other made the city feel more manageable.

Staying apart helped us feel like we were at home (in the best way)

Anna and I met and became friends when we both lived in Birmingham, Alabama, about seven years ago.

Before I moved to a different city, we used to always visit each other’s homes, cook each other dinner, and admire each other’s decor.

In Paris, we got to relive those magical early days of our friendship.

Both of us having a “home base” made the trip feel less like a vacation and more like old times, living in the same city — except, of course, that city happened to be Paris.

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