Has anyone stayed in this area of paris? I'm staying here in March and would like to know what people thought of this area and if there were any places to eat or see that you recommend

yes, I've stayed there twice, including recently. I like it there just fine, because it's cheaper and more "real" than the real touristy quarters, and it's still very close in (of course, that depends where you are). There are places to eat in every arrondisement, really. I know I repeat this a lot, but you really can't characterize an entire arrondisement in Paris by saying is this part okay, is that part too inconvenient, etc. They are too large geographically to do that, and can vary in character and types of places, also. In the 9th, the area right on the border of Pigalle is different from around St Georges which is different from around the large dept. stores.

The 9th is less touristy than "American touristy" areas but it happens to be the arrondissement with the most hotels in Paris, occupied mostly by European tourists and business people. The southern side of the arrondissement (near Opéra) has lots of excellent brasseries and cafés for significantly less than "tourist central".

I stayed in the 9th near the Opera, a few years ago. I liked it a lot. Metros close, lots of restaurants, good shopping, close to the Madeleine (SP), also Passages Joeffry and Panarama. No complaints.

And isn't Daniel Rose's lauded (and relatively inexpensive) restaurant Spring there? It's at 28 Rue de la Tour d'Auvergne.

I stayed at a hotel once in the 9th that was very nice and the street was very nice. It was just too far for me for where I needed to go. I couldn't walk to the areas that I usually walk to. I had to take the metro or bus.

I also used to eat in the 9th for a good decade up at Haynes soul food restaurant on the rue Clauzel. I wasn't too thrilled being female and having to go up there alone at night on the metro from the 6th and then walk up the hill and into the alley where the restaurant was located. But nothing ever happened to me. It was just creepy many times being the only person in the metro station at night waiting for the metro train to go back to the 6th. Happy Travels!

It depends. Heed Christina's advice. What is the exact address?

Christina's remarks are spot on; the 9th is shaped like a large butterfly and is probably as diverse as any of the 20 arrondissements. It is teeming with theatres, about 16 I think. The south side is elegant with the Garnier Opera, Printemps, Gal. Lafayette and the Grand Boulevardes. The north borders the Pigalle/MoulinRouge/Montmartre,sex for sale area. Running through the middle is one of the more interesting permanent shopping streets, rue des Martyrs and the St. Georges area where I have stayed intermittently for 6 months or so. As Christina mentioned there are good restaurants in every neighborhood; some of the favorites in the 9th are Chez Jean(Michelin star), Spring, Carte Blanche, Casa Olympe, Table d'Anvers, etc., etc.

If this is your 1st trip to Paris you would probably prefer tourist central: Marais, Latin Quarter, St. Germain, Rue Cler area of the 7th.; however if you have BTDT and would like to sample Paris with Parisians still in the majority the central area of the 9th is a good choice.

StCirq-

the address is
Paris Hotel Albion
11 rue Notre Dame de Lorette
75009 PARIS. I'll be there in March.
Are you familiar with this area of the 9th?

Obviously I am not St. Cirq, but I am very familiar with this location and IMO it is excellent. You are very close to the pretty Place St. Georges with its'2 mansions, dedicated metro stop and the stops for the 67 & 74 buses and the nice café/restaurant "A la Place St. Georges". There is a large Shopi grocery store across the street from the hotel which people use as a short cut to the popular market street, Rue des Martyrs, since it has an exit on both streets. There are several good to great restaurants within a 5 min. walk., as well as several bakeries, ATM's, cafés, florists and everything you need for daily life without leaving the neighborhood.

I'm 99% sure the metro station that I used to get off at was called Notre Dame de Lorette and then I walked up hill on rue des Matyr, I think it was called...past the pharmacy...and then a left onto the alley street of rue Clauzel. I don't have my metro book on me right now, I'll look it up later. But that metro station was the one that I many times was the only person in waiting for the train late at night. Happy Travels!

I'm pretty familiar with most of the arrondissements in Paris, and yes, that address should be good, and as Christina mentioned, less pricey than some of the more advocated arrondissements. Don't know the hotel at all, but the area is fine.

Chez Catherine, at 65 rue de Provence, used to be one of my favorite inexpensive places to eat. Not even sure if it's still there, but worth googling to find out.

Here's a New York Times article on the area:

http://tinyurl.com/yph76q

Thank you all for your helpful information. I appreciate all the suggestions and the article. I'm looking forward to staying there this coming March and now I have a better feel for the area!

I did a little geek-walk around that area to see some places from art-history history back in May, and thought it a nice change. Definitely less touristy. Do visit the Musee Gustave Moreau, which is a treasure. Not only does it house some of his most famous paintings, but the museum has his drawings in special cabinets that allow you to look at them (most drawings in most museums are kept in storage most of the time and rotated out once in a while). The atmosphere of his studio-room is such that you expect him to walk in and find you there flipping through his stuff. I love it.

Back in the day, at 14 Rue Clauzel was the art supply shop of Pere Tanguy (as he was known), a gathering place for folks like van Gogh, Gauguin, Signac, and before them Renoir & Co. Theo van Gogh had his last Paris apartment (which became the last place Vincent stayed in Paris in 1890) at 8, Cite Pigalle. It's a rich area for art history!

I don't even think of the Opera as being in the 9th that much when I think about it, but of course there is a part of the 9th down there and there are, of course, lots of tourists around there in some hotels and shopping. A lot of the hotels around the Opera are really in the 2nd or elsewhere, though. I don't consider businesspeople the same as tourists in how they affect an area, and the vast majority of the 9th arrondisement, regardless of number of hotels, does not have the tourist hordes of some other areas, and it isn't just a matter of nationality.

For example, if you are in St Germain around rue de Buci, and the main bd St Germain and the areas between there and the Seine, the streets are literally teeming with tourists of all nationalities (lots of Americans, that's true, but plenty of Italians and others), they take up the entire sidewalks and fill up the cafes and stores. You won't find that in most of the 9th arrondisement at all (right around the dept stores, etc., you will). They do have a lot of hotels there, it's surprising how many, a lot around the Opera area. It used to be the 8th arrondisement actually had about the same number of hotels as the 9th, though, although that may have changed recently -- both those two arrondisments had the top number, partly due to size, I think.

That hotel is right near Notre Dame de Lorette church and the area is fine in many ways, although it's not really my favorite part of the 9th nor where I stay when there. I have stayed around Trinite church and place Thoudouze/St Georges metro stop. I know some restaurants and other shops more in those areas, I don't go over to NDdL much to eat.

There is a good steak place/bistro over that way called Le Faux Filet on rue Joubert. It's not expensive. There are also some good cheap restaurants on rue de Provence. There's also a decent French restaurant, moderate price, more than Faux Filet, called Xavier St Georges right on the same street as that hotel at no. 19 (specialty is Perigord region of France).

There's nothing that special to see exactly right around that hotel, but stop in the church which used to be frequented by a lot of prostitutes in the area (where they got their nickname, I believe).

Since you're going in March, areas deemed as tourist areas aren't always as crowded as they would be at other times of the year. You'll end up in those so-called tourist areas anyway since you are a tourist and will be going to the tourist sites. I usually go to Paris in March or April and have also been in October when the 6th looked like a ghost town. I was at a friend's restaurant on the rue Gregoire de Tour and in the entire time they were open for dinner one night, there was only one couple that came in.The rest of the street was pretty dead,too.
I used to go to Paris in the summers, but stopped. It's too crowded. I stay in the 6th and it's not that bad in March. I prefer to stay more central so that I can walk to the Louvre and other places. But, you'll be fine in the 9th. Happy Travels!

Great location. I would appreciate it if you came back and reported on that hotel since I am interested in it too.

If you crave an Italian dinner nearby your hotel, Bocca di Rosa, 46bis rue de Clichy, is a lovely restaurant to try. For great chocolate, head to Denise Acabo's shop at 30 rue Fontaine.

You should go to Etoile d'Or, Denise Acabo's store even if you are not a chocoholic as she is a true character of the quarter, with her pigtails and school girl dress. For excellent Italian suisine all you have to do is walk aroud the corner to rue St. Georges for 2 restaurants with higher ratings; Del Orto and Romain, less than a 5 minute walk from your hotel.