We don’t know exactly how many times we’ve been to Paris. All we know is it’s a lot! And we always stay in a different arrondissement so we can get a better feel for the city’s most popular tourist areas. So far we’ve stayed at hotels in the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissements, so we’re doing pretty well!
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.
Here we are at the Eiffel Tower as the sun is setting
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 the 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 pros and cons, top rated hotels for each budget (based on previous guest reviews) and a helpful map at the end. In essence, we’re doing the legwork so you can choose the perfect hotel with minimal effort. Read more about us.
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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. It’s 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 it 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. The hotel was old-world-style and breakfast was just okay, but it had a superb central location within Paris.
We wouldn’t stay at the same hotel again because there’s so many other options, but it worked well enough. If we were to choose another place to stay in the 1st, we’d go for a very similar area because the location was unbeatable. Overall, we enjoyed the convenience of staying in the 1st and we think it works best for first timers who want to tick off attractions from a central hub.
Here are the pros and cons of 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
Overall, we found the west side of the 1st to be posh, expensive and super safe, 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. With kids we’d go the west side, but as a couple or group of friends we’d go the east side.
Hotel Recommendations
This area has a huge amount of hotels, so there’s plenty of options spanning the budget range. Below are the highest rated hotels we can find within each price category that we’d consider booking ourselves.
Cheap:
Hotel Le Relais des Halles
Relais Du Louvre
Mid range:
Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne
Hotel Moliere
Luxury:
Chateau Voltaire
Grand Hotel du Palais Royal
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 spans both. Le Marais is a super trendy area of Paris that’s overflowing with boutiques, cafes, bars, restaurants, museums and galleries. We love its medieval and historic feel, and it’s not quite as touristy as other neighborhoods 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.
Now, it worked for what we needed but we wouldn’t do the 3rd again if we wanted to stay in Le Marais. Instead we’d stay closer to the Seine in the 4th. Why? Because it’s got a lot more going on. The 3rd was nice and quiet, but we wanted more restaurant choices which the 4th has, plus it’s closer to the city’s top attractions.
Here are the pros and cons of 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
Overall we think Le Marais is great for a first visit if you want a semi-lively but safe area with lots of places to eat and a relaxed vibe. The north side in the 3rd is much quieter which might be better with younger kids, whereas the south side in the 4th is busier with more going on which might suit couples and groups of friends more.
Hotel Recommendations
There aren’t quite as many hotels in this area but there’s still plenty of great options. Below are the highest rated hotels we can find within each price category that we’d consider booking ourselves.
Cheap:
La Chambre du Marais
Hôtel Jules & Jim
Mid range:
Hotel Dupond-Smith
Hôtel Le Presbytère
Luxury:
Le Pavillon de la Reine
Le Grand Mazarin
5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter)
We took this photo of the Pantheon walking up Rue Soufflot
Looking for a lively and touristy area to stay in Paris? Take a closer look at the Latin Quarter, especially in the north close to the Seine where you’ll find lots of cheap eats and busy bars. We spent a day exploring the Natural History Museum, Pantheon, Shakespeare and Company, Marie Curie Museum and Musee de Cluny in the 5th. It has a nice blend of students, tourists and locals.
We haven’t stayed in the 5th yet, and we’d only book a hotel in the far north near the river because we’d want easy access to transport links and top attractions. The north side is also where most of the restaurants and nightlife can be found. Honestly, we wouldn’t book a hotel in the south of the Latin Quarter because it’s not as well connected and it’s too far from the touristy areas.
We will say that some of the popular 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. We also saw a few people trying to play scams on tourists, and it was the only place in Paris we saw that happen.
Here are the pros and cons of 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
Overall, we think the 5th arrondissement is a fantastic place to stay if you want cheap eats and a vibrant nightlife scene. It’s not the place we’d personally prioritize, but that doesn’t mean you won’t love it if you’re looking for a fun time.
Hotel Recommendations
There are so many places to stay in the 5th because it’s super touristy. Below are the highest rated hotels we can find within each price category that we’d consider booking ourselves.
Cheap:
Seven Hotel
Hotel des Carmes
Mid range:
Select Hotel
Hotel les Jardins du Luxembourg
Luxury:
Hotel Jardin de Cluny
Les Rives de Notre Dame
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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 part of 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 French food) 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. Our young daughter loves parks and green spaces, which makes this area even more appealing to us for future trips.
Outside of the Luxembourg Garden, there aren’t any must-visit attractions in St Germain but staying on the north side would give you easy walking access to Ile de la Cite and the Louvre, and easy metro access to the Eiffel Tower.
Here are the pros and cons of 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
Overall, St Germain is a place we’d book a hotel in Paris if we visited with our young kids because it’s safe, quiet and affluent. We’d consider the area around Luxembourg Garden if we wanted quiet, the area around Rue de Buci if we wanted a fun cafe scene or the area around St Michel if we went with other couples and wanted a bit more going on at night.
Hotel Recommendations
This area isn’t as touristy but there’s still some really great hotels here. Below are the highest rated hotels we can find within each price category that we’d consider booking ourselves.
Cheap:
Hotel Artus
Hotel Louis II
Mid range:
Millesime Hotel
Relais Hotel du Vieux Paris
Luxury:
Hotel d’Aubusson
Hotel Fougere
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 and tons of bistros on famous streets like Rue Cler.
But other downsides we discovered when staying in the 7th were that it’s super touristy by day, and then it completely dies at night. It’s so high end and affluent that the streets are empty after dark. Plus, it’s a really expensive part of Paris for hotels and restaurants. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a nice place to stay, but we wouldn’t book a hotel there again.
Here are the pros and cons of 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
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, so we ended up having to take metros to other parts of the city. Look, it’s perfect for families or couples who want a quieter experience, but it’s not great if you want atmosphere at night.
Hotel Recommendations
There’s no shortage of places to stay in the 7th because it’s so popular. Below are the highest rated hotels we can find within each price category that we’d consider booking ourselves.
Cheap:
Alberte Hotel
Hotel Muguet
Mid range:
Hotel Le Walt
Hotel La Comtesse
Luxury:
Hotel du Champ de Mars
Le Narcisse Blanc
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 in the north. It used to be super seedy, especially along Boulevard de Clichy on the southern border of the 18th 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 honestly it was by far the best hotel we’ve had in Paris. The standout feature of our stay was breakfast. In Paris, a lot of hotels offer petit dejeuner, and it’s usually not great. But here they actually go out each morning to the local boulangerie and pick up fresh pastries which is rare.
The Sacre Coeur is definitely worth a visit, and the views over Paris are awesome. But it’s a very (and we mean very!) hilly area, plus it’s a long way from any other tourist attraction in the city. So only stay here if you don’t mind taking metros into and out from Paris each day, or if you’re a return visitor.
Here are the pros and cons of 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
Overall, we loved our stay in Montmartre. The hotel was awesome (it’s the only one we stayed at that also made our list of top rated hotels by previous guests!) and the area was lovely. But we did get a bit frustrated by how long it took to get to attractions and train stations for the airports.
Hotel Recommendations
There are far fewer hotels in the 18th, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Below are the highest rated hotels we can find within each price category that we’d consider booking ourselves.
Cheap:
Hotel Le Relais Montmartre
Hotel Monsieur Aristide
Mid range:
Hotel des Arts
Mom’Art Hotel
Luxury:
Manolita Paris
Other Places We Stayed
We took this photo of Paris at sunset from the top of Montparnasse Tower
Okay, so 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 far 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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