Paris is one of our favorite cities in Europe for so many reasons – one of which is because it’s so walkable. But it’s also a huge city with thousands of hotels scattered across 20 arrondissements, and its top attractions are spread far and wide. So choosing the right place to stay can feel overwhelming, especially the first time you visit.

In this guide we show you the 7 arrondissements we think are best to stay based on our experiences – with our pros and cons, top rated hotels for each budget and a helpful map at the end. In essence, we’re doing the legwork so you don’t have to waste time researching. Read more about us.

Here we are at the Eiffel Tower as the sun is setting

Every time we visit Paris, we purposefully book hotels in different arrondissement so we can get a better feel for the most popular tourist areas. Up to now, we’ve stayed in the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissements, so we’re really getting to know what makes each area a great place to stay.

The one arrondissement we haven’t stayed yet but will next time we go to Paris is the 6th. Why the 6th? Because we’ve done all the tourist attractions now, so we don’t need to base ourselves near the Eiffel Tower, Louvre or Sacre-Coeur. Instead, our future trips will be more about food, cafe culture and relaxing which is the 6th in a nutshell. Okay, let’s begin!

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1st Arrondissement (Louvre)

This is Mark walking in front of the Louvre

Let’s kick things off with the 1st arrondissement – also known as “Louvre” because, well, it’s where you’ll find the Louvre Museum. The 1st works best if you’ve never been to Paris before and you want to tick off tons of attractions from a central hub.

This area is also home to the Tuileries Garden, the Musee de l’Orangerie and Les Halles – one of the major transport hubs in Paris with a direct train link to Charles de Gaulle airport. We’ve done Les Halles to the airport a few times and it’s a piece of cake.

In November 2023, we stayed at Hotel Britannique on Avenue Victoria. We picked this hotel because it was reasonably priced and had excellent ratings, plus it was close to Chatelet metro station, Les Halles, the Louvre and Ile de la Cite. But breakfast was just okay, so we skipped it and instead ate cheap but delicious croissants at a nearby boulangerie called Laurent Dheilly.

We found the west side of the 1st to be posh, expensive and super safe so we’d probably look in this area if we visited Paris with our daughter. Relais Du Louvre and Hotel Moliere are popular, highly rated and affordable hotels. Or with a bigger budget we’d love to stay at Chateau Voltaire.

Whereas the east side around Les Halles was cheaper and had a lot more going on in terms of restaurants, bars and a bit of nightlife. So we’d go for this side if we visited Paris as a couple or with friends. Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne or Hotel Le Relais des Halles are two excellent hotels that won’t break the bank, and Grand Hotel du Palais Royal would be our splurge here.

Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 1st arrondissement:

Pros

Central location within Paris
Close to tons of attractions
Very walkable area
Excellent transport links
Good for a first visit

Cons

Very touristy (not authentic)
Expensive hotels
Not great for nightlife

3rd + 4th Arrondissements (Le Marais)

This is Kristen in Places des Vosges in Le Marais

Okay, we’re cheating a bit here by including the 3rd and 4th arrondissements into one, but it’s because Le Marais (super trendy area overflowing with boutiques, cafes, bars, restaurants, museums and galleries) spans both.

Le Marais is a great place to stay on a first visit to Paris if you want a semi-lively but safe area with lots of places to eat and a relaxed vibe. We love its medieval and historic feel, and we’ve always found it to have a less touristy feel than the other areas we cover in this guide.

We booked a super cheap place called Hotel So Marais in the far north of the 3rd for one night in July 2024. We’d just arrived into Charles de Gaulle from the US and we were going to Normandy the next day. So a hotel near Les Halles and Arts et Metiers metro (direct metro to St Lazare for Normandy) was perfect.

Our feeling was that the north side of Le Marais in the 3rd is much quieter which might be better if you’re visiting with younger kids. We’d consider booking either of the highly rated La Chambre du Marais or Hôtel Jules & Jim.

Whereas the south side of Le Marais the 4th was much busier with more going on which will likely suit couples or groups of friends better. Plus, it’s closer to the city’s top attractions so it’s a better place for you as a first time visitor. We would happily book Hotel Dupond-Smith or Hôtel Le Presbytère – both of which look fantastic.

Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements:

Pros

Lovely medieval architecture
Great places to eat
Charming and walkable
Lively at night
Very safe area

Cons

Not as central for attractions
Expensive
Can be loud at night
Very busy

 

5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter)

We took this photo of the Pantheon walking up Rue Soufflot

After spending a day exploring the Natural History Museum, Pantheon, Shakespeare and Company, Marie Curie Museum and Musee de Cluny in the 5th, we thought it had a nice blend of students, tourists and locals.

Now, the Latin Quarter has a lively and touristy area close to the Seine with cheap eats and busy bars. Les Rives de Notre Dame is a popular hotel near the vibrant nightlife area and it’s also on the Seine with great access to transport and attractions.

But we will say that some of the streets we walked through (around Rue Saint Severin and Rue de la Huchette) felt a bit tacky with tourist traps and people outside trying a little bit too hard to get us into restaurants. It wasn’t our scene.

Our favorite part of the 5th was around the east side of the Luxembourg Gardens not far from the Pantheon where it’s a bit quieter. We’d happily book Hotel les Jardins du Luxembourg, Hotel des Carmes, Select Hotel or Hotel Jardin de Cluny to avoid the loud area.

The southern parts of the Latin Quarter aren’t well connected and they’re too far from the touristy areas for us, but hotels like the highly rated Seven Hotel are definitely cheaper so this area might suit your budget better.

Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 5th arrondissement:

Pros

Cheap places to eat
Historic and cultural
Very lively at night
Lots of museums
Good transport links

Cons

Very loud at night
Super touristy
Not very high-end
Scammers and grifters

Need help planning your trip to Paris?

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6th Arrondissement (St Germain)

This is Kristen in the Luxembourg Gardens in St Germain

St Germain is a charming, safe, quiet, friendly and high end area in Paris. During our most recent trips to the city, we’ve actually found ourselves gravitating south across the Seine into the 6th arrondissement more and more. And next time we go to Paris, we’ll probably book a hotel near Saint Germain des Pres metro station.

We’ve eaten at tons of highly rated restaurants (not just brasseries or bistros) and watched the world go by from many a tiny outdoor cafe table around Rue de Buci, which is a hive of activity during the day. Plus, the 6th is home to our favorite park in Paris, the Luxembourg Garden.

We think Saint Germain is a superb area to stay if you’re visiting Paris with kids because it’s safe, quiet and affluent. Our young daughter loves parks and green spaces, so this area has become even more appealing to us for future trips.

If we had to pin point an exact area to book a hotel, we’d want to be within easy walking distance of Rue de Buci. Three very popular and highly rated mid budget options we’d consider are Hotel Artus, Millesime Hotel and Hotel Louis II. Or if we had a bigger budget, we’d look at Hotel Fougere and Hotel d’Aubusson.

That said, if we stayed in the 6th with other couples and wanted a bit more going on at night we’d book Relais Hotel du Vieux Paris near St Michel. This area straddles the low key 6th and vibrant nightlife in the 5th.

Outside of the Luxembourg Garden, there aren’t any must-visit attractions in St Germain – but staying on the north side near Rue de Buci gives you easy walking access to Ile de la Cite or the Louvre, and easy metro access for the Eiffel Tower.

Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 6th arrondissement:

Pros

Charming and walkable
Excellent places to eat
Quiet and safe
Perfect for families

Cons

Not many transport links
Not ideal for airports
Not much going on at night

7th Arrondissement (Le Septieme)

We took this photo looking up at the Eiffel Tower at dusk

The 7th is arguably the most touristy arrondissement in Paris because it’s home to the Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, Rodin Museum and Musee d’Orsay. Not a bad collection of attractions, right?

But be warned – it’s not especially well connected to the airports or other attractions in the city like the Louvre, so you’d spend a fair bit of time riding metros. Trust us, we know!

We stayed at an apartment style hotel called Rayz Eiffel on Avenue Bosquet in November 2023. The room was actually pretty good and the location was even better – within easy walking distance to the Eiffel Tower, near Ecole Militaire metro and tons of bistros on famous streets like Rue Cler.

There’s tons of highly rated hotels located close to Ecole Militaire metro – and honestly we’d be happy to book any of Alberte Hotel, Hotel Muguet, Hotel Le Walt, Hotel La Comtesse or Hotel du Champ de Mars. They’re all great options.

One interesting alternative is a ritzy 5 star hotel in a unique location not far from the Seine in Invalides called Le Narcisse Blanc. It’s a fancy hotel and spa with very high guest ratings but it’s definitely a splurge!

Overall, we enjoyed staying in the 7th for what we wanted – a hub close to the Eiffel Tower and other famous museums. But there really wasn’t much going on in the evenings, and we ended up having to take metros to other parts of the city. So we wouldn’t stay in the 7th again.

Look, it’s perfect if you’re visiting Paris as a couple or a family and you want a quieter experience near the Eiffel Tower. But it’s not great if you want atmosphere at night. Another downside is that because this area is so affluent, it’s also expensive and hotel prices tend to be higher (even for Paris).

Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 7th arrondissement:

Pros

Close to the Eiffel Tower
Near lots of museums
Safe and affluent
Quiet at night
Great for families

Cons

No nightlife at all
Expensive accommodation
Transport links aren’t great
Very busy during the day

18th Arrondissement (Montmartre)

This is a photo we took of the Moulin Rouge at dusk on our way back into Montmartre

Okay, if you want something totally different and away from the touristy heart of Paris, we recommend taking a closer look at Montmartre.

Now, Montmartre used to be super seedy – especially along Boulevard de Clichy on the border with the 9th where you’ll find Moulin Rouge – but today it’s a very popular, charming, romantic and artsy part of town.

We stayed at Hotel des Arts in Montmartre, and we’d say it’s the best hotel we’ve had in Paris so far. The standout feature for us was breakfast because they actually went out to the local boulangerie each morning to pick up fresh pastries, which is rare.

But close by you can also look at Hotel Le Relais Montmartre or Hotel Monsieur Aristide for more excellent mid budget options. For a 5 star splurge, your only option is Manolita Paris which is located next to Moulin Rouge.

Or for something totally different, head over to the east side of Montmartre and look at Mom’Art Hotel. This highly rated hotel is located in-between the Sacre-Coeur and a hugely popular restaurant called Bouillon Pigalle (book a table in advance).

Being able to easily walk to Sacre Coeur was cool, but we did get a bit frustrated by how long it took to get to other attractions and train stations for the airports. Plus, it’s a very (and we mean very!) hilly area. So only stay here if you don’t mind hills and taking a lot of metros.

Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 18th arrondissement:

Pros

Close to Sacre Coeur
Charming and walkable
Romantic for couples
Artsy and relaxed vibe
Quiet at night

Cons

No nightlife
Long way from attractions
Very hilly
Busy during the day
Not ideal for airports

Other Places We Stayed

We took this photo of Paris at sunset from the top of Montparnasse Tower

Why haven’t we included the 10th or 11th arrondissements even though we’ve stayed in both areas? Well, we have nothing against those two areas at all, we just don’t think they beat staying in the 1st, 4rd, 6th, 7th or 18th if it’s your first visit.

10th arrondissement – We stayed at Hotel Le Milie Rose, which has superb ratings and was great. The area around the hotel was super diverse and cultural, and it worked well for getting to Gare du Nord. But it wasn’t as attractive and didn’t feel as safe as other areas in Paris.

11th arrondissement – We stayed in a budget hotel back in July 2018 (we can’t remember the name!), which was fine and served the purpose we needed at the time – a cheap place with a bed and a shower. It was a fun area with lots of nightlife and restaurants, and we remember there being fewer tourists around.

Neighborhoods Map

Click or touch the map below to activate, zoom in and out, and scroll around. If you’d like to see a bigger version, click the “view larger map” icon in the top right, and if you’d like to see any specific hotel or neighborhood, click the arrow and square icon in the top left.

Map key:

• Green – Cheap hotels
• Red – Mid range hotels
• Blue – Luxury hotels

Paris has so many more hotels you can take a look at, but the hotels we included in this guide are the highest rated accommodations we can find within each price category. We hope they help you get off to a good start with your hotel hunt!

Our Top Tips

Here’s a photo Mark took of Kristen in a courtyard on the way to the Louvre entrance

Look, we won’t sugarcoat it – hotels in Paris are not cheap. Here’s a few quick tips we learned about booking accommodation that could save you a small fortune:

Avoid weekends – Hotel prices are significantly lower on weekdays compared to weekends in Paris. We recommend booking your stay anytime between Sunday night to Friday morning.

Beat the rush – Book as far in advance as you possibly can to get the best rates. Last minute deals don’t work like they used to, and especially not in a place as popular as Paris.

Stay longer – Typically the more nights you stay, the cheaper the average nightly rate becomes. We’ve noticed this is especially true when booking midweek stays.

Seasonality – Hotels here are way cheaper in the off season and shoulder seasons versus summer, especially July and August when tourism peaks. May and October are excellent times to visit.

And finally, we travel for a living so take a look at our guide on how to stop overpaying for hotels and book yourself a cheaper trip to Paris.

Next Steps

We hope our guide on where to stay in Paris has given you a better idea about which arrondissement to book a hotel, but please let us know if you have any questions in the comments box a little further below.

Are you all set with your Paris itinerary? We think 2-3 days is the perfect amount of time for a first trip, depending on whether you want to take a day trip to Versailles.

If you haven’t figured out exactly what to do yet, here’s our guide to the top Paris experiences. And finally, if you’re planning to visit more places, we recommend reading our France travel guide for helpful tips and advice.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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Mark and Kristen spent 6 years traveling the world, visiting over 40 countries across 4 continents and more than 30 US states. They created Where Are Those Morgans in 2018 to help others plan the best possible vacations by writing authentic travel and hiking guides based on their real experiences.

Since the arrival of baby Maya in late 2024, Mark and Kristen’s extensive travels have slowed down but they still take plenty of trips. Where Are Those Morgans now helps millions of travelers each year to visit new places and hike new trails through information-packed blog posts and expert travel guidebooks. Read more about Mark and Kristen.

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