hawaiihoneymoon

Hi,
What are the different neighborhoods in Paris all about? I have noticed when I search for hotels - they list the following: LATIN QUARTER : ST GERMAIN DES PRES : EIFFEL TOWER : CHATELET : LOUVRE : MARAIS : OPERA & MONTMARTRE
Where are they all situated and which one is in the center of it all - which is best/worst?

ira

Hi HH,

The "center" are the districts numbered 1 - 8.

LQ is 5, SGDP is 6, Eiffel tower is in the 7, the Marais is the 4.

They are all good in their own way.

Statia

The listings are showing which area the hotels are in, or what is the closest tourist sight.

Paris is divided up into numbered arrondisments, or areas. IMO, the 5th or 6th, near Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter would be most central. However, Paris is very easy to get around with the metro, so you can stay just about anywhere and still have easy access to the major sights.

hawaiihoneymoon

Great thanks for the info! Are they also different in price range - are some areas considered more upscale? Are any areas unsafe? We need something in between - we dont want to spend a lot on hotels, but don't want to stay in something run down and in a bad area. We aren't sure where to start with the hotel search for Paris.

elle

Most of the "inner ring" neighborhoods are quite safe. Chatelet, in the first arrondissement, can be a little seedy, as can parts of Montmartre.

St. Germain and the Eiffel Tower neighborhood strike me as the most consistently upscale, which is not to say that there aren't high end pockets in the other quarters you've mentioned.

If you do a search on here for the word "arrondissements" you will probably be able to pick up a lot of threads that describe the character of the various sections.

Statia

Hawaii, we stayed at Hotel Residence Monge in the Latin Quarter, near Notre Dame, on our visit last summer and paid about 90-95 euro per night. The hotel is very nice with modern ammenities, air conditioning, breakfast included, and we even had a balcony overlooking Rue Monge by request. You can find it online by doing a search.

Just figured I'd throw a suggestion out to you. You can also get a lot of info by doing a text search for "Paris Hotels" on this forum.

elaine

I've noticed that some group and individual hotel websites are "flexible" when describing what neighborhood the hotel is in. Not just Paris, but other cities like London.
It is always best to check the actual address on a map, or, for Paris, at least confirm which arrondissement it is in.

The single-digit arrondissements in Paris are most central, and within those, the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th are all quite nice and popular, each with mild pluses or minuses when compared to each other. That's not to say that there aren't perfectly convenient and pleasant parts of the 2nd or 9th or 3rd, or the 14th for that mattter, but in those districts it helps to know the city a bit to know which parts would suit you more than other parts.

Chatelet is an area I avoid for hotels because some streets nearby are seedy, plus I really hate that metro station. Others find it convenient.

isabel

Based on your question, it appears you haven't read any of the basic guidebooks (on-line or hard copy). This site is absolutely wonderful for information, but if you are even thinking of going somewhere - like Paris - the best suggestion I can give you is to spend just an hour or so doing basic reading. It's the best way to orient yourself with the general size, layout, etc of a city. Then come here and ask all kinds of questions. At least read this site's (Fodor's) "destination" section. Frommers.com and Roughguide.com also have good basic info.

suze

You need a map! (seriously) The numbered arrondisements spiral outwards like a snail from the center of the city, with the river down the middle. Maps show the numbered designations. As mentioned above, other names you posted are simply the nearest landmark. Latin Quarter (5th) or St. Germain (6th) or by the Eiffel Tower (7th) are all good possibilities for a first trip. You can find a decent 3-star hotel double room for 100 euro quite easily.

SuzieC

and maybe while you're doing your research, remember, that in Paris, the "zip code" (is that what it is called there?) will be 750 then the Arrond. So, lets say you're looking at the Latin Quarter, would be 75005; the Louvre - 75001, up by the Opera, is 75009 (I'm not sure about that, but I'm close) Most everything will refer to its metro stop and its "zip"...

Travelnut

They call it the "Code Postale" (C.P.)

european17

I like the Left Bank area,the 6-th district, lots of things to see and do,
great restaurants also, and more night life than the Right Bank area, exept the
Marais.
IMO there is no best/worst area, it just depends what you like most, it is a personal choice.

mclaurie

The website venere.com has a good small map on the bottom of the page when you choose Paris. It shows both the names you refer to and the arrondisement numbers they're in as well as a few major places of interest It's a good place to shop for hotels. It allows you to pick by area, price etc. They may not have the very best prices though. I'd check with the hotel first before booking through them. Sometimes you can get just as good a price if not better directly from the hotel.

ira

Hi HH,

I suggest you look for hotels in the 4-7, especially the 5 & 6.

We always stay at the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th.
Tel 33 1 43 26 97 37
FAX 33 1 46 33 57 67

If you search for "Hotel Bonaparte" on this board you will find reviews.