manouche

If you don't speak French too well, you will be much more comfortable either in the Saint-Germain or Palais Royal neighborhoods. As a rule, the apartments are much nicer here, as well. Most of the shops and some restaurants are high-end, but not snobby, and everyone who works in these areas is used to dealing well with English-speaking tourists. These areas are also much more convenient for walking around and seeing the nicer parts of Paris.

Arrondissements 10, 11, 12 are more suitable for people who have been to Paris many times and have a burning desire to be surrounded by French people who live in working class neighborhoods. However, nowadays, there are many more English-speaking tourists and Asians here than French residents.

kerouac

Take recommendations for Saint Germain des Prés with a grain of salt, because it is the favorite area of just one tourist group -- Americans. Which means that every other nationality prefers a different area. And of course the majority of Americans do not stay in Saint Germain either, simply because there are too many to fit there.

European (including French) tourists tend to stay in the 9th and 10th arrondissements, which are the two Parisian arrondissements with the greatest number of hotels, and I can assure you that the hotels and restaurants in these areas are not at all lacking in language skills. Another favorite area for this group is Montparnasse, which straddles the intersection of the 6th, 14th and 15th arrondissements.

In my own opinion, people who stay in the most central areas of the city are at a disadvantage compared to other tourists, and not just because they have to pay more for everything. Most of them rarely stray from that area, so they do not get to explore the city at all. If you read a lot of trip reports, you will very often find that the highlight of most people's trips is when they found themselves in an unknown part of Paris and discovered countless tiny treasures as an antidote to all of the compressed visits of monuments and museums and the frenzy of the rat race workers and tourists.

laurela

We have stayed in apartments in the 7th and 8th which were both amazing and we saw a lot of the city, thanks to the convenience of the Metro and our love of walking. But in June we stayed for a whole month on the Ile St. Louis and loved it most of all. Wonderful adventures all over the city, day trips to Chantilly, Fontainbleau and the Louvre satellite museum in Lens (close to Belgium). Brunch at Roland Garros, jazz clubs in the Marais, so many parks and gardens throughout the whole city. For us as tourists, staying in the city center was a good choice and if we have a chance to return to Paris we will surely stay in the Ile St. Louis again.

pariswat

English is spoken everywhere in Paris. Not only to please US tourists but because English is THE language used by tourists from everywhere.
In all hotels I've been to, I'm greeted in English.
Don't factor this into decision making.

Guenmai

Imelda72: Where you, personally, end up deciding to stay depends on a factor of things. If you're fine with being on the metro regularly then you can stay about anywhere and staying in any one district doesn't hold you prisoner to that district. Paris isn't that big, so one can travel around to other districts and I personally don't know anyone who has been held prisoner to any one district, but have instead traveled all over Paris.

Personally, I do mind being metro dependent and thus select areas that are convenient for me to get to the things that I want to do during a particular trip, by either foot or bus. But, I've been going to Paris, regularly, since 1976 and have stayed all over Paris.

I'm usually on vacation for doing specific, non-tourist things and since I had a close, Parisian friend who lived in the 6th, for decades, and walking distance from my hotel, and have three other Parisian ones, one who works in the 6th, but lives in the 7th, one who lives in the 10th, but loves coming over to the 6th, and the other in the 11th, but also loves coming over to the 6th, I stay where it's best for me to stay. We all meet up either in the 6th or in their districts depending on their work schedules and my schedule. What district we meet up in or that I stay in is a non issue.

Since I like being able to easily walk or take the bus to get to where I need to go, I thus pick my locations accordingly. But, where ever you personally end up, I'm sure it will turn out just fine. Have a great trip and don't stress over districts. Smiles.

Happy Travels!

kerouac

I would hope that this will not be considered snarky, but somehow I think it will be.

I specifically mentioned that staying in the center costs considerably more than staying in other areas, but not a single person who prefers these areas has addressed the issue of cost at all. I know that Paris is lucky to attract so many affluent people (although the really wealthy, mostly from the Middle East and Asia, stay in the 8th and 16th where the 5-star hotels are), but quite a few visitors are on a budget, and the cost of things can be an issue.

However, I will freely admit that the OP did not mention any budgetary limitations at all, so my remarks do not concern her but all of the other people reading along, not all of whom have unlimited budgets.

pariswat

8, 9 and 10 are the areas I had the best quality price-ratio hotels, after 18th.

Belinda

I rent the same wonderful little apartment in the 18th every year. I love my neighborhood. It has everything I could want (and more) within one block. The #80 bus stops in front of my apartment and whisks me to Pont d'Alma within 15-20 minutes. I don't like the metro (hate being underground) but there is a stop 2 blocks away. It has a very local vibe with families everywhere. I can take the Montmartrabus to get to any place in the 18th very easily. Or walk. Certainly don't need a gym!

Lilibug

Always the 5th (the 6th if OUR favorite 5th hotel isn't available). We like the proximity to walk across the Seine to Ile St. Louis restaurants plus walk along the Seine; close to the Marais; we know the area so have our favorite restaurants in the area.

clarkgriswold

"I'm starting to like the 15th"

Me too, but lets keep it just between you and me. Hotel prices have doubled there in the last 2 years!