Les Gobelins- Great Paris neighborhood and hotel recommendation
 

My sister and I just returned from a four-day trip to Paris. We had each been there before and mostly wanted to enjoy the city, walk, eat and drink, go to markets, enjoy the parks and gardens, and not stand in lines at museums and be overwhelmed by tourists. We stayed at Residence Les Gobelins, and I would definitely recommend it tourists looking for a similar Parisian experience! It is located around the corner from the Metro stop of the same name, on the border of the Latin Quartier. It was a ten-minute walk from Rue Mouffetard, a great market street full of shops and stands where we started every day for our breakfast or picnic fixings. At the crest of this street is Place de Contrascarpe, where we enjoyed the cafe culture during happy hour before dinner by people watching and just relaxing. It is also within walking distance of the Pantheon and the Luxembourg Gardens (15-30 minutes), but the metro is also right there if you don't want to walk. (You should! It's Paris!) The owner of the hotel, Jennifer, really made us happy with our choice in staying there. She gave us very detailed, insider tips of where to eat in the neighborhood (a creperie La Terroir, a bistro Au Bon Coin, and a cafe, Le Premier Café, all excellent!!), as well as good routes to take, markets, and off the beaten path places we would have missed. (such as the cafe at the Paris Mosque and the Arab Institute which has one of the best views of the city!) I currently live in Europe and this was definitely a hotel I would return to. A great place to stay! Americans (I am one), don't expect big rooms, or even a big elevator. Most European hotels are like this- small, basic, and generally close quarters. Our room was small all we needed. The bathroom had a shower fixture unattached to the wall which was fine for us, and the room itself, although not new or modern, was immaculate. They do offer breakfast (additional cost) but we opted to eat out since the market and cafes were so close. (there is even a Starbucks nearby.)
A great hotel and a great neighborhood. We left feeling we experienced the real Paris.

Ditto. The hotel's location on a quiet sidestreet is an advantage with heavy traffic on the main avenues, yet the Metro station is an easy dash in the rain. Plus the website is outspoken about what to expect -- a budget hotel, not fancy, not young, not expensive. There's a nicely decorated North African restaurant right across the street.
The Gobelins tapestry factory which gives the area its name is worth a tour if your French is workable, although the place is still in operation so much of the discussion is somewhat technical. http://www.hotelgobelins.com/
Do not be confused by Logis Grand Hotel des Gobelins, in the same area.
Compulsive shoppers may also want to climb the half-dozen blocks to Place d'Italie where this is a modern, three-level shopping mall.