I happen to like the 16th, but I stay with a friend who lives there. The Art Deco buildings are interesting.

"After years of travel, I can say without reservation that it is more desirable to be in a hotel that is convenient to your site-seeing locale. Laden down with purchases..."

A statement that takes into account none but your own priorities, and those with similar inclinations, not everyone. To say, without qualification that anything "is more desirable" is, as I see it, just a bit silly.

Another vote for the 6th for a first time visitor

<<OK, I don't know from arrondissements>>

It's easy and useful. Just glance at a map. They (the numbering) go like a snail spiraling outward from the 1st.

Postal code for a hotel, the last two digits give you the arrondissement number. It's a handy thing to understand.

I stayed in the 14th my last trip. I was worried about it but ended up loving it. There were about five metro stops within easy walking, a market, restaurants, a big Monoprix, a Franprix, a little Chinese take out place that I did use.

Don't hammer me about the take out place, it was late, I was exhausted and just wanted to eat. It wasn't bad and was quite busy. A patisserie topped off the neighborhood.

We could walk to Montparnasse station, Bon Marche, the river, the Louvre, Blvd. St. Germaine and so on. Anyway, a great place to stay,.

On our first trip to Paris we stayed in the 14th. We had our young children with us and really enjoyed it. On other trips we were in the 1st a few times and the 7th, then went back to the 14th. We like to walk so did not always do the metro. One day we walked back from Montmartre. Most days we just walked from around The Louvre back to the 14th, which is nice as you can see side streets and explore a bit more.

All that said, if you want a nice hotel in the 1st, that is around your budget, check out the Brittanique. We stayed there and loved it.