Paris Hotels
Left Bank, Right Bank, Montmartre or near the Notre Dame – no matter where your Paris hotel, you’re bound to experience the stay of a lifetime.
If Paris travel plans are in your future you’ll need a prime spot to rest your head at the end of the day. Paris made up of 20 arrondissements - or neighborhoods - each with its own unique style. With so many Paris hotels in so many arrondissements, how do you know what’s the best? It’s all a matter of preference really, but to help take some of the guesswork out of finding the right Paris hotel, we’ve highlighted the important parts of each area.
One thing to keep in mind when looking for cheap Paris hotels: if it’s on a chic street, you’ll pay chic prices. If it sits on the Champs-Elysees, St-Germain-des-Pres or avenue Montaigne, it’s crème-de-la-crème, but here’s a little hint about Paris hotels: boutique hotels off hidden streets are often the most inexpensive, but also the most promising.
1st Arrondissement: The most famous art gallery in the world – the Louvre – is located here, which means tons of tourist traffic, but also close proximity to many of Paris’s best attractions. The Jardin des Tuileries – one of Paris’s many gardens – is located on the other side of the Louvre. During the spring and summer, Parisians meet up in the Tuileries for lunch or laid-back affairs around the fountains. A walk through the Tuileries and you’ll end up on the Champs-Elysees – Paris’s most famed shopping street.
2nd Arrondissement: Most admired by financial types, the 2nd arrondissement is where you’ll find power brokers and bankers. The area turns artsy-chic on the weekends when manufacturers roll out the latest garments and cloth for design. Business travelers will enjoy a Paris hotel in 2nd arrondissement, but leisure travelers might be better suited for a cheap Paris hotel in a more city-centric district.
3rd Arrondissement: Located on the Right Bank, the area known Le Marais is most famously Paris's gay neighborhood. The area is flanked with gay/lesbian restaurants, bars, and boutiques. The Musée Picasso and the Musée Carnavalet are both located here – a good stopping point for the cultural traveler.
4th Arrondissement: If you’re looking for the Paris you know from movies, books and literature, this is the arrondissement for you. The 4th arrondissement features Notre-Dame, the Ile St-Louis, and endless town houses, mansions and boutique shop. Book a Paris hotel in the 4th arrondissement and walk from Notre-Dame to the Centre Pompidou to one of the hundreds of cafes and restaurants that line the open streets. People watching here is spectacular, and so are Paris hotel prices.
5th Arrondissement: Known as the Latin Quarter, the 5th arrondissement is the ‘intellectual’ side of Paris. Walk down any street to find bookstores and schools on the same street as boutiques and student-run restaurants. Be prepared to discuss your favorite French painters, or partake in a heated discussion of Hemingway’s “The Moveable Feast”. Evening strolls along the Seine are common, and if you stumble far enough along you’ll run into the Panthéon. Travelers will find cheap Paris hotels and a comfortable setting in the 5th arrondissement. It’s not centrally located, but a quick hop the Metro and you’ll find yourself staring at the Eiffel Tower in less than 10 minutes.
6th Arrondissement: Hidden streets, narrow pathways and a trendy-chic vibe make the 6th arrondissement one of Paris’s most revered areas. Located on the Left Bank, the 6th arrondissement is where young artists meet budding entrepreneurs and share baked bread for a walk through the Jardin du Luxembourg. The area is clad with boutique hotels, which means a little less luxury but a lot more culture.
7th Arrondissement: The most common reason for staying in the 7th arrondissement is simple: the Eiffel Tour. Paris’s most famous structure stands tall in the 7th. Also located here are top attractions including the Hôtel des Invalides, which contains Napoleon's Tomb, and the Musée d'Orsay. Paris hotels near the Eiffel Tower will likely be more expensive, but if it’s location you’re looking for, the 7th can’t be beat.
8th Arrondissement: If you’re traveling to Paris for the shopping, you’ve landed in the right place. The 8th arrondissement is home to the Champs-Elysées, which stretches from the Arc de Triomphe to the place de la Concorde. You can find just about everything on the Champs-Elysees – big name designer fashion houses, elegant hotels, trendy restaurants, and more. The 8th arrondissement is also home to one of the most expensive streets in the world, avenue Montaigne. If you’re looking for a Paris hotel near the best shopping and most stylish streets, this is your neighborhood.
9th Arrondissement: To some, the 9th arrondissement is Paris’s hidden gem. Full of 17-century architecture, the 9th arrondissement is home to famous nightclubs and theater fantasies – it’s where the cancan came to life in 1868 and where ‘the Phantom’ is said to reside. A Paris hotel in the 9th arrondissement will leave you in the heart of a little lost district with plenty of tales to tell.
10th Arrondissement: The Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est run in the 10th arrondissement, alongside old buildings and construction zones. There’s not a lot to do in this area and most dining and entertainment is found in the other areas of Paris.
11th Arrondissement: The ‘People’s Opera House’ stands proudly in the 11th arrondissement. The Opéra Bastille is the areas focal point, and where most tourists travel to in the 11th. Hotels in the area tend to be on the gritty side, mainly because of the building’s façade. Don’t go by what’s on the outside here – the 11th is full of welcoming Parisians who run the place.
12th Arrondissement: Frequented mainly by Parisians who are familiar with the area, the 12th arrondissement is up-and-coming, but isn’t quite there yet. There are plenty of park areas around the zoo and flowers bloom to brighten the area in the spring time, but the lack of tourist attractions make this area of Paris less visited, and therefore, Paris hotels might not be plentiful in the 12th.
13th Arrondissement: The 13th is home to Paris's Chinatown, which spans a full 13 square blocks. It’s heavily overcrowded and most people in the area live or work there.
14th Arrondissement: Known as the Montparnasse district, this section of Paris holds the secrets of many famed writers who found their tracks in the City of Light. Draped in cafes and pastry shops, the
14th is for the art lovers. Whether you’re channeling Picasso, Matisse or Hemingway, the 14th is the best place to book your Paris hotel.
15th Arrondissement: Mostly a residential district, the 15th arrondissement is the largest quarter of Paris. However, most tourists don’t favor the area because it has few attractions. Hotels in the area are sparse, but cheap.
16th Arrondissement: Also one of Paris’s largest arrondissements, the 16th is also well-known for its high rents and posh boutiques. However, it’s here where travelers will get the best view of the Eiffel Tower – walk to the place du Trocadéro and witness what most people view as the quintessential Paris view.
17th Arrondissement: A typical Parisian neighborhood, the 17th boasts both the rich and less-rich sides of Paris living. Neighboring both the 8th arrondissement (Champs-Elysees) and the 18th (Montmartre) the 17th is a good choice for Paris travelers on a budget. Find a cheap Paris hotel and enjoy your stay among wonderful restaurants and small cafes, all within walking distance from the Metro.
18th Arrondissement: Home to the Moulin Rouge, Sacré-Coeur and its artist’s square, and some of the best éclairs you’ll ever taste, the 18th arrondissement is one of Paris’s most famous quarters. Montmartre certainly has its share of Paris hotels, although they’re likely to be shared with boudoirs and brothels. The 18th is busy, noisy and considered the ‘adult district’ of Paris. However, it’s worth a visit to the serene hilltop where there Sacré-Coeur rests and a photo moment outside one of the most famous cabarets in the world.
19th Arrondissement: Located on the outskirts of Paris near Montmartre, the 19th is mostly residential and only welcomes tourists who come to visit the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie – Paris’s science museum and park. Cheap Paris hotels are easily found for the budget traveler, but consider your travel time to other arrondissements before booking your Paris hotel in the 19th.
20th Arrondissement: If you’re into classic rock, classic literature and classic arts, this is the area for you. The 20th is the resting place for visionaries including Oscar Wilde, Sarah Bernhardt, Gertrude Stein and Jim Morrison. The 20th is mainly dreary, and Paris hotels are at a minimum, but if you want to become one with your rock idol, or relive the moments of some of the greatest story tellers of all time, this is the place the stay.
