Paris
 

Hi ~ We are visiting Paris in September and need help with which hotel neighborhood is best for first time visit.
TY

It depends on your primary interests and your budget.

That is sorta difficult to answer -- there are literally thousands of hotels and countless neighborhoods.

In general one of the more central arrondissements is best for a first time visitor --- those would be the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and maybe parts of the 8th and 16th.

The 6th, St. Germain de Pres - right at Metro 4, close to the Seine, safe. Lots of ancient ruins to spot if you look for them. You may pay more than other areas. Check out Hotel d'Angleterre o Rue Jacob at Bonaparte. So much history in that 'hood. Do your research.

6th arrondissement is the best in general but especially for a first timer IMO. The 5th would be my second choise if 6th is too expensive. If looking for cheaper, 14th would be my recommendation as Montparnasse is very underrated. It has tourists but it is also bustling with locals. You can walk to the seine in less than 30 minutes or 10 minutes by metro. It is also close to Luxembourg garden.

I prefer the left side by far but if you want the right side, most tend to prefer 3rd or 4th. I would stay away from 1st as it is soulless compared to the others.

First timer….left bank as close to the Seine as possible. Preferably around Saint Germain and Notre Dame.
Touristy area? Yes, but you can walk to many things easily.

For a good deal on a hotel look at what your airline offers when you book your air.
Our favorite hotel is The Madison on Blvd. St. Germain. We have stayed there many times and our first time was when it was offered by the airline.

On our first trip, we travelled by metro or walking, Joy2. The Hotel Ceramic was just off Etoile metro and we went everywhere! On our final trip, we stayed on Rue du Cherche-Midi and loved it. The hotel is gone but I agree about enjoying the West Bank for its flavor. Paris is compact enough, and with great transportation options, that I'd suggest you do a search for Paris hotels within your budget and go from there. The online maps show museums and other places of interest.

Oh, we liked the area around the Pompidou Centre when we were walking around.

BUDGET. more than anything. ☹️

We have been to Paris around 12 times in the last 14 years. We stayed on the left bank a few times but ended going back to the Marais district (3rd and 4th) for most of our trips. We rented an apartment so I don’t have a lot of recommendations but we did stay in Hotel Jeanne D’Arc and liked location and hotel.

Last spring, my husband and I stayed in Hotel de Nice (https://www.hoteldenice.com/en/) in the Marais. The prices are very reasonable. Tiny, funky rooms and a terrible breakfast, but a super easy location near lots of shops and cafes and the Hotel de Ville Metro stop. On my first night, I just wandered over to the Seine and discovered it was a short walk across the fabulous bridge to Notre Dame. To me the location was perfect.

Thank you for all of these great tips. I always lean on Fodor expertise for help with planning. My budgets about $400 nightly. We enjoy location within walking distance to restaurants, sites and close to train stations.

A generous budget. Are you going onto any other points after Paris? That may further sway suggestions. There are several train stations in Paris, each that serves different directions outside of the city if that is a consideration.

Otherwise, metro stops are typically well served if you plan on supplementing your walking with subway (may need it to points that are outside of center) or bus, too.

What are your plans IN the city?

Yes
The trip begins in Amsterdam, Paris and ends in London.

That is THE question.
Train stations ( from/to Amsterdam and London) are not in the most attractive areas, imo…but they are easily reached by the excellent
public transit.

Thank you

Very helpful thank you

I vastly prefer the left bank to the right, but to each their own - I find that the Latin Quarter or Saint Germain is great for first timers, with its quaint streets, Parisian plazas, and tons of shops and restaurants, without being QUITE as crazy busy and packed with tourists as the Marais or other right bank locations.

With your budget, check out Hotel du Park Saint Severin, on a quieter little street right across from a fabulous English bookstore, but also very close to the Seine and tourist attractions.
Also Hotel des Grands Hommes near the Pantheon or Hotel de Buci in Saint Germain.

Years ago, there was an article in France Magazine that asked five French celebrities for their pick of the most romantic hotel in Paris. I remember that one of them selected Hotel Sainte-Beuve, located in the 6th.