My husband and I like to spend time just people watching in hotel lobbies, between walks around the city. Can anyone recommend such (moderately priced hotel(s)) in Arr 1 thru 8,? Preferably hotels with Queen sized beds ? Many thanks

You might look at the Hotel Madison.

We stay in modest Parisian hotels, and none of those have large, busy lobbies. One needs to book into a large and busy hotel to have that sort of space devoted to lounging and people watching. We tend to do that in the cafes throughout the city; they seemed designed for just that purpose.

I do recall waiting in the lobby of the Bristol Hotel for a fashion show to begin with my wife. It was large and bustling, though rather overly covered by shiny marble to feel really comfortable. Perhaps other Forum members with higher budgets can suggest such lodgings.

You tell us what you consider 'moderate' . . . actual budget

The Madison for instance runs between about €150 and €250 ($160 and $270-ish) per night -- rates are very date dependent.

The best place for people watching are the sidewalk cafes. Except for some of the grand hotels with large lobbies, you won't really see that many people.

We stayed at the JW Marriott on the Champs Elysees several years ago. By no means does it qualify as a "grand hotel" but it had a champagne bar in the lobby and a cafe in front and there were plenty of opportunities for people-watching in an indoor setting.

Regina Hotel near the Louvre.

The lobby was featured in the first Jason Bourne film.


Thin

While we love the Madison, I wouldn't describe the lobby as large. The Regina's lobby is good sized, but our room was miniscule. It's the big hotels that have big lobbies.

Go to the "palaces". The luxury hotels will have what you need, and you don't even have to stay there to enjoy yourself.
Hotel Meurice
Hotel Le Pavilion
Hotel Le Bristol
etc.

My thanks to all who replied.

My definition of a "moderate" hotel is one in the $200-250 range.

While we both love cafes. the tiny little hard chairs are not very comfortable for senior citizen derrieres! Hence the desire for the more plush seats in hotel lobbies.

"x330east on Nov 29, 16 at 7:16pm
You might look at the Hotel Madison."

I stayed at Hotel Madison in summer 2015, but personally wouldn't put that in either the people-watching category or the moderately-priced category. I've been going to Paris regular since the mid-70s and found the Madison as the highest in price points of hotels that I've ever stayed in in Paris and, although it was nice, I personally didn't find it worth its price point and I had a tiny, tiny standard room.

Happy Travels!

My room at the Hotel Madison was $327.86 (tax included) per night. I just pulled the stored information up. As far as I'm concerned, it was way overpriced for what I got. This coming summer, I'll be back at Hotel de Seine where I started staying regularly starting in 1981. The Hotel Clement is also one of my picks. They're walking distance from each other and the Madison.

Happy Travels!

Giving price in $ over periods is not helpful. I have known the rate varying from 0,9 (1999 I think) to 1.4 (2009 ?) back to 1 now.

So 330$ can be 365 € or 245 €.
Unfortunately we use € in Europe.

Intercontinental Le Grand Hotel near the opera house.

The Intercontinental le Grand would be my choice, too.

What DOES how much you paid to stay in a hotel or whether or not you have decided "it wasn't worth it' have to do with the size of the lobby?

>>My definition of a "moderate" hotel is one in the $200-250 range.<<

Hotels in that range won't generally have large lobbies -- though a few will.

To get grand/large lobbies you mostly need large/grand hotels. But that doesn't mean you can't sit in one those lobbies and enjoy the people watching -- you just can't go upstairs to your room there

I often have drinks in a bar in some of the grand/posh hotels in Paris -- only stayed in one once.

What janisj said. I recently had (very expensive) coffee in the bar/lounge of the Marriott County Hall in London just to enjoy the view in comfort.

There is a reason why the French invented the sidewalk café; it had a lot more to do with watching than it had to do with coffee. You don´t need an expensive hotel with an expansive lobby. Your derrier will be just fine and for the price of a single express, you can stay as long as you like at any of the hundreds of cafés found scattered all over the city.

The Peninsula Paris has a very grand lobby.