Where should you stay in Paris? Our guide by arrondissement
The historic center, the Left Bank, Montmartre, or the 15th arrondissement: the neighborhood often matters more than the hotel itself. Here are our tips for choosing where to stay in Paris based on the nature of your trip.
Before comparing hotels, you need to choose a neighborhood. In Paris, the arrondissement determines just about everything: your daily commute, the atmosphere in the evening, the room rate, and even the quality of your sleep. The same budget won’t get you the same experience depending on whether you stay in the 1st or the 15th arrondissement.
Our hotels are located across eight arrondissements, which gives us a fairly concrete perspective on the issue. Here’s how we guide our guests based on the reason for their visit to Paris.
First Trip to Paris: Head for the City Center
If this is your first visit and you want to see everything on foot, the 1st and 2nd arrondissements are still the best choice. Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Marais, and Les Halles are all within a fifteen-minute walk of each other, and all the major metro lines run through the area.
The downside: It's the busiest part of town, and prices reflect that. It's also where the quality of dining varies the most.
Our locations: our hotel near the Marais and Notre Dame, on Avenue Victoria, and our hotel near the Louvre Museum, on Rue Marsollier, which is a bit quieter in the evening.
Historic and Cultural Paris: The Left Bank
The 5th arrondissement is the Paris you imagine before you arrive: cobblestone streets, bookstores, the Panthéon, and the Luxembourg Gardens just ten minutes away. The neighborhood is lively without being noisy, and much more affordable than the historic center on the Right Bank.
The 13th arrondissement, a little further south, offers the same tranquility with direct access to the Austerlitz train station—a good option if you're arriving by train from the southwest.
Our locations: our 3-star hotel in the Latin Quarter, on Rue Saint-Jacques, and our hotel near the Jardin des Plantes, on Boulevard Saint-Marcel.
Shopping, theaters, and department stores: the 2nd and 9th arrondissements
The Grands Boulevards area is home to Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, the Opéra Garnier, and many of Paris’s theaters. It’s the perfect neighborhood for a getaway where you can plan an evening at the theater and a day of shopping—all without ever taking the metro.
Our locations: our hotel on the Grands Boulevards, on Rue Montmartre, andthe Hôtel Léman Opéra, on Rue de Trévise, a ten-minute walk from the Opéra Garnier.
Paris in the Evening: 10th and 18th Arrondissements
If you’re coming mainly for the atmosphere, the outdoor cafes, and the bars, the Canal Saint-Martin and Montmartre are the two neighborhoods to consider. The 10th arrondissement is younger, more creative, and very well connected to the rest of the city. The 18th arrondissement has retained its village-like atmosphere high above the city, with the Sacré-Cœur and the streets of Abbesses.
Note: These neighborhoods stay lively late into the night, which can be a plus or a minus depending on your sleep habits.
Our locations: our hotel near the Canal Saint-Martin and our hotel near the Sacré-Cœur.
The Eiffel Tower and Western Paris: the 15th arrondissement
The 15th arrondissement is a major residential district in Paris: it features food shops, markets, streets that are quiet in the evening, and prices that are significantly lower than in the city center. It’s the ideal choice for family vacations and extended stays—and the Eiffel Tower is within walking distance from much of the neighborhood.
This is also the district where the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Center is located—a key location if you’re visiting for business.
Our locations: our hotel near the Eiffel Tower on the Beaugrenelle side, our hotel near the Montparnasse train station on the Pasteur side, andthe Hôtel Carladez Cambronne on Place du Général Beuret.
Business Travel: The 17th
Located between Porte Maillot, the Palais des Congrès, and the business district—all just a few metro stops away—the 17th arrondissement is the hub for business travel and conferences. It also has the distinction of being a truly vibrant neighborhood—the Batignolles and Rue de Lévis are among the most pleasant places in Paris to dine.
Our locations: our hotel near Porte Maillot and the Palais des Congrès, and our hotel near Batignolles.
Three Questions to Ask Yourself Before Booking
Where are you arriving from? Staying near your arrival station saves you a total of one hour on a short trip, including time spent with your luggage. If you’re arriving from the southwest, aim for Montparnasse; if you’re arriving from the north or from an international flight, aim for the 10th arrondissement.
How long are you staying? For a two-night stay, staying right in the heart of the city makes sense: every minute of travel time counts. For stays of four nights or more, a residential neighborhood with good public transportation offers much better value for your money.
What kind of schedule do you have? If you get home late every night, choose a lively neighborhood and a hotel with a 24-hour front desk. If you leave early, proximity to a direct subway line is more important than anything else.
Further Reading
Each of our hotels is just a few minutes from a metro station and features a 24-hour front desk, which makes the neighborhood a little less of a concern. All that’s left is the pleasure of staying in the right place: discover our 3-star hotels in Paris, district by district, and book directly to get the best rate.
