ktyson

Hi,

I am going to Paris for the first time, and am confused about where to stay. It has been highly recommended by many people on this site that everyone should stay in the 6th. What I am wonderins is ... is the 6th so big that it also matters where in the 6th you stay. I've also read that staying in the 7th or 8th is good, and my same question applies to tham. In the U.S. I usually stay at Hilton or HYatt class hotels for $150 per night. Should I expect the same class of a hotel for that amount of money in Paris? Or do I need to spend more money for the same thing?

Thanks

crzyjodi

You will have to spend much more money for the same thing if you are looking for that modern, super-clean hyatt/hilton feel. But for that price you can find a charming hotel..look at www.venere.com....this lets you look at rooms, prices, reviews.

HowardR

The 6th is not the only recommended area of Paris for tourists. The 1st, 5th, 7th (and others that I'm not as familiar with) certainly have much to recommend them. I'd suggest you do some research about the various areas and determine which you think you'd prefer.
As for price, you can get darned good accommodations for $150 in Paris. But, please, don't stay in an American chain (whose prices are probably higher than $150 anyway). There are dozens of delight, charming and reasonably priced small hotels for you to choose from.

mamc

The 6th is relatively small. It is where we always stay. It has a number of 3* hotels conveniently and centrally located and is a charming area. The hotels are mostly small (20-40 rooms)and not at all like Hilton or Hyatt. You can get a hotel in the 6th or 7th for $150 - there are lots of ideas on this board if you use the search function. You will love Paris!

ktyson

Hi,
I didn't mean that I would stay at a Hilton or Hyatt in Paris. I was just using them as an example so everyone who reads this will know what I am used to getting for that price.

Also you mentioned that the 6th is relatively small. Is it small enough to walk from one end to the other in a short amount of time?

One more really stupid question. When you are going from one arrondissment (sp?) to the other is the transition obvious? Are there street signs posted letting you know which one your in or isn't it that important? Am I making more of an issue out of this arrondissment thing then I need to?

Kathy

Travelnut

The transition from one arrondissement to the next is not noticeable or marked. First-time visitors are usually happiest if they book a hotel in a single-digit arrondissement; most posters here prefer the Left Bank/Rive Gauche. I think it might feel more 'neighborhood-ish' while the Right Bank might feel more 'business-like'.

The 7th is generally quieter, less nightclubs/bars, or people milling about. The 6th is a bit more expensive from what I can see, but many people enjoy the surroundings of their hotel. The 5th contains one or two universities, therefore many students, cheaper restaurants, but the metro system is not quite as well spread out (but enough stops there if you pay attention to where your hotel is). The 3rd/4th is the Marais area - winding streets, some areas 'regentrified'. Those are probably the areas you would like, and all are convenient for shopping, sightseeing and general ambience. There is no one arrondissement that will be closest to 'all' the sights.

A couple of good sights with photos where you can enter a range for the room price are:
www.france-hotel-guide.com
www.parishotels.com

Identify a few hotels that look good to you, then do a search for them on this site to see if there are comments. You can also check them on www.tripadvisor.com.

One more site, www.venere.com, also shows photos and will indicate if there are any customer reviews for the hotel.

Realize that Paris hotels, and Europe in general, tend to have much smaller rooms than typical American hotels, and often the lobby looks fabulous and the room looks utilitarian.

shellio

Kathy, for arrondissement, think postal zones at home. No need to know what they are, it just gives you a sense of where in the city things are when you look at addresses. the 6th is an upscale area, both for hotels and residences, as is the 7th.

The entire center of Paris is very easy to walk; it's really quite small. As for the 6th, it has many charming small hotels and therefore people like to stay there; or alternatively, people like to stay there so it has many charming small hotels. Chicken or egg?

Don't feel constrained to stay in the 6th. In fact, if budget is an issue, you'd do better elsewhere, as the 6th is pricey. For first time visitors any of the lower number arrondissements (1 to 8) will be most convenient, but some of the outer ones are very "hot" lately, so it depends on your attitude and comfort level.

elaine

www.webscapades.com/france/paris/paris.htm
limited hotel selection, good descriptions of arrondissements (districts) and neighborhoods

http://www.hotelstravel.com/france-paris.html has a small map of the arrondissements.

a better one is at http://www.concierge.com/paris/resou...hborhoodguide/

here's my take:
The Right Bank in general has more modern buildings and wide-open avenues, like the Champs Elysees. The Left Bank is more charming, more residential in its central area, more students, more like Greenwich Village or Soho if you know New York City. Its streets are mostly narrow, and they don?t run in straight lines. There are more bargains in shopping and restaurants and hotels to be found within walking distance, especially in the 5th.

The 1st is on the right bank and is very central. I have most often stayed in the 1st and I like it for its walking proximity to the Louvre and Place de la Concorde where I can catch a metro to anywhere else. The disadvantage of the 1st imo is that there are fewer budget or moderately-priced restaurants than in some other areas. But I happily go all over Paris to eat! Avoid most eateries on rue de Rivoli because they are mostly tourist traps. One exception is Angelina's where you can get wonderful pastry and hot chocolate. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

The 4th is also right bank but looks very different because it is the Marais section, one of the oldest areas in Paris. Very old-world looking with charming streets and shops. Less touristed. Slightly less convenient in metro terms, but on the other hand walking distance to Notre Dame, Ile St Louis and museums like the Picasso,the Carnavalet, and the Pompidou Center. Don?t miss a visit to Place des Voges, the oldest, and one of the prettiest, squares in Paris. There are (some pricey) restaurants and shops surrounding it, but I enjoy it just for a sit-down on a bench.

The 5th is left bank, heart of the Latin Quarter because the Sorbonne is there. Lots of budget choices in hotels and cafes. A youthful, busy, congested atmosphere.

The 6th (left bank) also has some charming, narrow streets and buildings, but some would say that on many streets its old world charm has given way to expensive and trendy shopping. It is very convenient in terms of metro, and walking even to right bank locations like Notre Dame and the Louvre (which would be healthy walks). The 6th is a very popular area to stay in, both for the economy-minded, and also those who like small upscale boutique hotels.
Many people like staying in the 7th; I don't especially because imo it is too quiet at night but for some that can be considered an advantage.
The 8th includes some of the finest and most expensive hotels in the world, ditto the shopping. All the famous designers have shops there--Hermes, Chanel, etc. A few economy-minded hotels are there, but not many. Avoid most of the over-bright restaurants on the Champs Elysees.

The tourism ministry gives one to four stars to most hotels, but stars are based on things like percentage of rooms with full baths, the space dimensions of the lobby and the presence of elevators and TVs. Those star ratings are based on government standards, do not confuse them with ?stars? given out by guide books. None of this may matter as much as your specific room--plus all the intangibles that aren't factored in, from the location, to the noise level, to the option of having breakfast in a garden. At hotels, ask about streetside vs. courtyard. Courtyard rooms are likely to be quieter, while streetside rooms may require keeping the windows closed against noise--no fun in hot weather. That said, rooms on the street are likely to have more light, especially on the desirable top floor. And some have interesting views, be they of chimneys or monuments.

1* hotels generally do not have an elevator. Their furnishings are simple, and they may not have a bathroom or a shower in all rooms. Mostly, they do not.

2** hotels do have an elevator. Aside from this fact they are generally nicer in all respects than a 1* hotel. Most have a bath or a shower at least with each double room, but not all. Most often, they are not air-conditioned.

3*** hotels usualy have rooms that are better furnished than rooms in 2** hotels, and the lobbies are nicer, frequently furnished with antique furniture. Most hotel rooms are still considerably smaller than the ones in the hotels in the U.S. All rooms will have an en-suite bathtub and/or shower).

4**** hotels and 4****L ("Luxury hotels&quot are the top category. Their rooms are often larger with nicer furnishings. The bathrooms are much nicer and larger and fully equipped (Bathtub, sink, bidet, toilette, and maybe a separate shower). Naturally they have one or more
elevators, but I would still confirm a/c.

When you enter the lobby from the street, you are on the
ground floor("Rez-de-chaussée" or ?RC?), and not on the 1st floor. The floor above it may be the 1st floor, or it may be called "Mezzanine", "entre-sol" or even "demi-étage", in this case the 1st floor is the one above that one.
So don?t assume that because you will be staying on the first floor that you won?t have to climb any stairs if there is no elevator.

Most hotels serve, usually for an additional charge, what Americans call a continental breakfast, consisting of coffee or tea, a croissant or piece of bread (a piece of a baguette), some butter and jelly or jam, maybe a small piece of cheese, which may be served in your room, or in a small breakfast area. Or it can be a more elaborate buffet style breakfast and this may include cereals, cheeses, croissants, bread, pastry, sliced ham, maybe pate, and possibly also scrambled eggs and bacon. That is more unusual, and usually more expensive.

Christina

I think you are making too much of the exact number, but if you want to stay in those areas, that would be fine.

I don't agree that you'll have to spend a lot more money to get the type of hotel you describe in US terms. There are many hotels like that in Paris, more modern chain hotels, and they are often cheaper than the expensive boutique hotels in St Germain. Hiltons and Hyatts in the US for $150 are nothing that special, probably a basic 3* hotel. I'll bet you could easily get something like that in Paris through Priceline, if that's what you want (like Meridien Montparnasse). I"ve stayed at very nice Hiltons (in Paris and other capitals), but they weren't $150 and Hilton has a lot of rather routine, basic hotels.

elle

And actually, if you look at the blue street markers that are posted on buildings, you'll be able to tell which arrondissement you're in. The number is usually written above the name of the street. But there's nothing that announces in an overt way that you have left one arrondissement and entered another. They don't have big signs that say <i>Bienvenue a le 7eme!!</i> or anything like that.

WillTravel

Most chain hotels in Paris aren't American. For example, Accor (which has the Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Libertel, Ibis, and a few other chains) is a French brand, and so is Le Meridien (although it has heavy Saudi ownership now).

I think a serious question to consider is how important the size of the room and bathroom are. Many expensive hotels in prime locations are reported to have small rooms. Another question to consider is how important reliable air conditioning is.

Travelnut

Also, I think it is better for a hotel to be located on a small street, typically with one-way traffic, than on a major avenue/boulevard. This helps keep the noise level down for any nights that you need to leave a window open for air/coolness.

ira

Hi KT,

If you go to www.venere.com and click on Paris, you will find a map showing the various districts.

&gt;Should I expect the same class of a hotel for that amount of money in Paris?

NO.

You will find a much different type of hotel, not necesarily superior or inferior.