First-timers heading to Paris, France.
 

Hello, my boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Paris next March. In what district/neighborhood should we ideally find a hotel? We are going to do all of the tourist attractions, so we would also like a hotel location near the Metro. Thank you all very much for your input!

You'll need to share your budget with us per night to allow recommendations. Most of the areas will have hotel prices across the board.

Everything in Paris is near a métro. You'll need to state a budget, in dollars or euros, though, before anyone can make concrete suggestions. There are also a thousand and one threads here about hotels in Paris that you can peruse.

You can take a look at these threads where hotels are recommended. If you're going for a long time then you might want to stay in an apartment. There is also an apartment thread you can search for.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

You should look at a Paris metro map and see how large the metro system is. You should also read a guide book and gain some knowledge of Paris as you can not possibly see all the tourist attractions unless you stay in Paris a long time. If you're there for a short time (less than a week) then you need to prioritize what you will be seeing and the opening days/times.

If you look at the Paris map with metro network overlaid on top of it, you will find that as long as you are in the inner core (one digit Arrondissement)the difference in accommodation make difference of just few minutes to a metro station.

So starting with the metro stop would lead to unproductive searches. There are probably other factors that would limit your choices. That is what you start with. Using location as one of many narrowing down criteria.

Start with the inner core locations, filter by what is available during your visit within your price range. This would significantly trim down the choices you might have thought you had. Then apply your needs: access to dinner/cafe places within walking distance, noise, elevator, A/C availability, Wifi, BF included if that matters, etc. Once you apply your filters, you would likely to have only a few choices. Go out to 2 digit Arrondissements, then look further if you did not find anything interesting.

Some of the two digit Arrondissements are NOT that far out because they run in circles rather than being in blocks. There are a lot of maps on the internet that shows what I mean.

I stayed in the 14th last time I was in Paris and it was vbery close to St. Germaine area, we walked easily and we had four metro stations with in five minutes or less, depening on where we were going, which one we were using.

You have time, so study some maps, look at the sites you want to see, you can see which metro lines run where, and such. I think, at least for me, the hardest part is not really having an idea of distance. Not everyone is like me, but I have a hard time, even with a gauge, getting a real feel of distance from a map only...a place I have never been.

Some of the neighbor hoods can be fun to stay in. You sort of get a taste of french life...the local bakery, the local take away Chinese place, the markets, the cafe where the locals buzz in to get a cuppa in the morning. I loved the 14th and the Montparnnasse area.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm

Jump to the bottom of the thread and then scroll up to Dec 31,2010. In that section, I have categorized the recommended hotels, by district, and have provided websites.

If you're looking for an apartment, you can try:

www.parisbestlodge.com

www.homeaway.com

www.vrbo.com

www.wimdu.com


Happy Travels!

If you want to save money, prefer the outer arrondissements. At most, it will only take 10 minutes more on the metro to get to the center.

If it's within your budget, I recommend Hotel Bonaparte in the 6th. The rooms were a decent size; the location is excellent; & the staff are friendly & helpful. We walked everywhere, but there are metros nearby, too. The Bonaparte is about a 5 minute walk from Luxembourg Gardens, & right around the corner from St. Sulpice Square. Just a few minutes walk to Blvd St. Germain. We walked to the Seine, Louvre, Notre Dame, Musee D'Orsay, Eiffel Tower, to give you an idea.

The trick to understanding Paris is in the layout of the "arrondisements" (neighborhoods). Number 1 is the middle then they spiral outward like a snail. Arrondisement 5 and 6 and most central and popular with first time visitors for their location near many of the famous sights and sites.

We love the 6th and the area near the Odeon metro and bus stop. There are several in the area including Louis Ii, Odeon Hotel, relais St Germain, Odeon St Germain and Espiri

No matter what you chose, book early. We planned at the last minute and couldn't get six consecutive nights in a hotel in our $200-$300 price range!

To return with special memories and not just a checklist of sights visited, you may want to consider staying a bit out of the center, in a less-touristic neighborhood. That way you can find a favorite local cafe and shops that aren't on every "to-do" list. As kerouac notes, the time difference by Metro to main attractions is minimal. That said, some Metro lines are better than others. We try to avoid changes in large stations, especially Chatelet-Les Halles.

Line 12, for example, cuts through the Left Bank, under the Seine to Concorde in the center and then goes on to Montmartre. Others that cover popular zones on both banks are the 4, 7 and 8.

Follow this link to the Metro map:

http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_20559/plans-des-lignes/

And don't forget buses for short hops - you'll see more and the same ticket works on Metro or bus.

Once you've picked a location, you may be able to search for a hotel or apartment nearby.

I have been to Paris a couple of times and I thoroughly (like a few above have suggested) recommend looking at the Metro map to see where your hotel is located, as I have been duped into thinking a hotel is more central than it is before. If you can locate it on a tube map then you will know how close it is to the attractions.
Here is a map http://mappery.com/map-of/Paris-Metro-Map-4
For instance the Eiffel Tower is the Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel stop which is south west of the river. If you stay around that area it will be far enough out of the centre for it to be less chaotic for you, but close to attractions such as the Eiffel tower and the Champs Elysees and well linked up to the tube.

The last time I found a site like the one below and looked at what hotels were near the big attractions so I knew I'd be close in, rather than 20 miles away like before :-/ !
http://www.eiffeltowertickets.co.uk/hotels/

I stayed at the Hotel Duquesne Eiffel which was near the Champs de Mars and it I found it to be perfectly located to the attractions - most of the time my partner and I walked.

I too prefer accommodations just outside the low-number core. The 11th, for instance, adjoins the Marais area in the 4th and includes the Bastille area. Make friends with www.viamichelin.com and http://maps.google.com/.com to see how the areas fit together.
Another small suggestion, about the Metro: Any stop that is served by more than one line gives you more choices to set up your route to a particular destination.
The Internet has made wayfaring easier. A small laptop computer can help you map your routes for the day (and various smartphones, tablets etc. are becoming personal guides on the street.) A hotel with free WiFi is a blessing, if it works. At the very least the place should have computers available in the lobby, although waits can be lengthy while fellow residents read every e-mail they have received in a year.