Paris 1st timers: best hotel location
 

We're starting to plan our first trip to Paris. Can you recommend which part of the city is best to stay in as far as getting to and from top sights with ease? Can you also recommend any hotels in that area that are moderate to above-moderate priced and serve at least breakfast, possibly a restaurant/bar?

Well I'll start it off - I like the 7th, Hotel Muguet - last time I stayed there around 120E per night - room is small but price is good, location good. They do serve breakfast but it is extra, maybe 9E but the area has alot of sidewalk cafes where I prefer to eat and watch the locals.

We have booked a hotel never stayed at before also in 7th for our upcoming July/August trip:
http://tinyurl.com/yc3vucp
For a first timer you will be in a very nice area with loads of cafe`s and restaurants within walking distance especially on Rue Dominque.

Otherwise go where all the tourists are around the Latin Quarter or on the islands.
We stayed at this hotel right outside the doors of Notre Dame Cathedral: http://www.hotel-hospitel.com/ang/accueil.htm
Very easy to walk to the major sites - Eiffel Tower a bit far but definitely doable.

You will get many different replies on it. I like the 1st arr best. It is the most centrally located area in Paris. I have stayed at the following hotels and have found inexpensive rates:
Hotel DuLouvre
Hotel Lotti
St James and Albany
Hotel Louvre Montana

I have a hotel thread, "Paris Hotels Left Bank Thread" and also RIght Bank. Scroll. I just topped it a few days ago. Happy Travels!

For a Paris newbe somewhere around the Blvd St Germaine/St Jacques is a good spot. Close to Notre Damme, Jardin de Luxembourg and many other sites and excellent bus and metro/RER links.

http://www.hoteljardindecluny.com/

I vote for the 4th

4/5/6th would be ideal, and give you some walking access to interesting sites. I also sometimes look at a Metro map to give me an idea of how 'hard' it is to get to where I plan on going (if you had to break a tie:))

Most first-timers seem happy with the 4th, 5th, 6th, and sometimes 7th arrondissements. There's no area that's central to all the sites, as historically the city wasn't built for tourists' convenience. It's a small city geographically, however, and has excellent transportation, so with a good map you can group things together for sightseeing purposes and make the best use of your time.

As for hotels, to give you recommendations, we'd need to know what your definition of "moderate to above moderate" is.

I think the 4th and 6th work the best - they are so centrally located to walk to most of the sights. We always stay in the 6th at the Hotel des Saintes-Peres and enjoy that area just off St. Germaine. Check the "Paris Hotels Left Bank" thread and you will find a suggestion for every taste and pocketbook.

I've stayed in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 16th. For first timers, I think the 1st, 3rd and 5th are the best locations. On my last trip (of 5 trips total) we stayed in the 7th and other than the Eiffel Tower and rue Cler, we didn't feel it was terribly convenient to other sites. In either of the 1st, 3rd or 5th, you can walk to or hop on a direct metro line to just about everything. My favorite I think was in the 3rd, the Hotel du College du France. Excellent location, wonderful stay. We'd definitely return there; I can't say that of many of the other places I've stayed in Paris!

We prefer the 4,5,6th. The metro isn't even necessary for the Louvre,Notre Dame,d'Orsay , Rodin a,d if needed there are convenient stops. I do prefer buses for the most part. I do not like the transportation options in the 7th. To me they seem few and far between.

There are several hotels along Rue Jacob that might meet your needs. Deux Continents, des Marroniers, D'Angleterre, Millesime or du Danube.

The Hotel College de France is in the 5th, not the 3rd. It is on the Rue Thenard.

Thin

another vote for the 4th, 5th, 6th
maybe 1st or 7th

Border of the 3rd and 11th - comments or concerns?
I have found a place that I'm interested in that is located in the 3rd - where Marais becomes the 11th (Bastille). I think it is just before Boulevard Beaumarchais the closest metro stop is the Chemin Vert. I am hesitant to book this as I worry this is on the fringe of the Marais and not near the key Marias areas. Will I miss out on the Marais charm I am hoping for?

I'd vote for the 1st, 4th, 5th or 6th, all of which are centrally located. You'll be close to metro stations and walking almost anywhere in central Paris is easy (and fun)!

4th, 5th or 6th is good- but you ant to be fairly near the river. Without knowing how many you are (1 couple) and your budget - 200 euros or so? - it;s hard to give specific recos.

Hotel Saint Jacques in the 5th, Latin Quarter! 5-7 min walk to Notre Dame. Easy to get around from here.

We stayed in the 14th on our first trip. Not the usual place for a first trip, but we loved it and and the metro was close.

On other trips we have stayed in the 7th and the 1st (twice). In the 7th we were at the Muguet, which is a nice hotel, and we had a room with a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower. I liked the area, but we preferred the 1st.

In the 1st we stayed at the Britannique Hotel which was beautiful and we absolutely loved it! It is very central, but on a small street so we didn't have noise issues or anything. The metro was just on the next block.

Both of these hotels have breakfast. The Britannique's was much better than the Muguets, but that said, we preferred to go elsewhere and find a cafe and return to it several times during the week.

We stayed in the 6th arr. last may at the hotel st jacques and it was amazing- it was well priced and was very charming, not the cookie cutter type hotel which is what we loved. there is a metro station down the block to take you anywhere you need to go and the Luxembourg gardens are just a couple of blocks away- so beautiful. There is a great restaurant across the st which we went to almost everyday, the hotel has breakfast but not included in the room price, check it out anyways, we had a great time there!