Where to Stay in Paris

Going to Paris? Have no idea where you want to stay during your trip? What is where and what area is the best? No worries, I’ve gotcha covered with a quick post on where to stay in Paris.

I have never lived in Paris, but I’ve been multiple times and stayed a few different places. I am in love with the city, it’s truly magical. You can check out my other posts: a guide to visiting Paris, getting around Paris, taking a walk through Paris for more info. Since I’ve booked quite a few hotels — for myself and others — I thought it would be great to share the information I’ve learned on where to stay in Paris.

Where to stay in Paris

First, let me start by saying that unless you pay the big bucks, the hotels will not be comparable to American hotels. They are just not the same. European hotels are smaller and older right off the bat. They might have an elevator but it will be tiny. So get that image of some grand suite out of your mind if you’re looking to score a deal in Paris.

That being said, even though they are smaller and older and not what we’re used to, they can still be quaint and lovely and usually the staff are very kind as well.

Things to look for in a hotel in Paris

I think one of the most important things about the location of the hotel is where it is in relation to a metro station. It doesn’t have to be one of the bigger metro stations, just one. Most of all the hotels I stayed in were within a 5 minute walk, however, there was this one time I got a deal and it was more than a 15 minute confusing walk to the hotel and that was a huge bummer. Definitely not worth the savings.

Even though the hotels are older, they should still have all the amenities you’re looking for. i.e. personal bathroom, not smelly (totally had a smelly hotel before), clean, nice sheets etc. I would suggest checking reviews before booking the hotel.

In my personal opinion, it isn’t that important to be really central in Paris. For one, those hotels cost a lot more. They are probably nicer, but with the amazing metro system that Paris has, there is just no need. So unless you want to drop some serious dough downtown, don’t do it. Need help navigating the subway system? I’ve gotcha covered.

What areas are best?

These are the areas that Paris is generally divided into and where you can look to book via Priceline.com. Let me breakdown the areas on where to stay in Paris for ya here:

Alesia – Orleans – Quite removed the downtown, I would check review for how the area is.
Bastille – Bercy - The hotel I stayed here was close to the Hippodrome and was absolutely awful. Thank goodness it was only for one night. The bathrooms smelled like pee, I could hardly stand it. I think it was due to plumbing, not to uncleanliness, but still, awful. The area isn’t so bad though. It’s removed from Paris central, but like I said, with the subways, it’s not hard to get into the center. I would not recommend driving in Paris.
Batignolles – Clichy - Don’t know much about this area except that it’s removed from the center. I would make sure to check the subway system before booking here.
Buttes Chaumont – La Villette Area - Same thing as #3 – it’s rather removed. Not a problem if you can book close to a metro station and you’re looking to save money.
Champs Elysees – Arc de Triomphe - The richest part of Paris! I’ve never stayed here, you can probably guess why.
Champs Elysees Etoile – Avenue Monceau - A little removed from the richest part of Paris. Never stayed here either, you can probably guess why…
Eiffel Tower - Even though it’s the most famous landmark in Paris, it’s not central. But as you can imagine, it’s easy to get to! You could very well wake up with a pretty amazing view! You can also find some good deals in this area.
Gare Du Nord – Gare De l’est - Gare means train station in French, so as you can imagine, this is in the train station area. Never stayed in this area but honestly, my first thought is that there are so many better options than staying close to a ‘gare.’
La Defense – Neuilly - I have actually stayed here, with a friend one year. It’s completely outside of Paris in the ‘business district.’ The hotels are nicer and newer and we had a lovely time. There is a train/metro that goes into the center so it’s easy to get to. BUT I feel like you miss the whole feeling of Paris by staying out there. If it’s your first time, I wouldn’t do it.
Latin Quarter - Ever heard of the Sorbonne? Shakespeare and Company? The left bank? These are all here. It’s just across the street/river from Notre Dame. There can be some shady areas though – do your research!
Republique - I have stayed here the most. The Crown Plaza here is really nice and I found some good deals. It’s not super central but there’s a big metro station and you can get anywhere you want to go from here.
Montmarte – Sacre Coeur – Pigalle - Sacre Coeur, another huge landmark of Paris and the Montmarte district. Last time I was there I took the bus and driving through I wasn’t too sure about the area surrounding it. It wouldn’t be my first choice.
Montparnasse - This is another train area where there is a big ‘gare.’ Once again, wouldn’t be my first choice.
Opera Quarter East – Louvre Museum - Kinda self explanatory, close to the Louvre on the right bank of the Seine. It seems like a lovely area, although it could be kinda expensive.
Opera Quarter West – Jardin des Tuileries - Similar to #14, it would be absolutely lovely to stay close to the Jardin des Tuileries which stretches out in front of the Louvre. It makes for a nice, long, beautiful walk.
Place D’Italie - I have stayed in this area and it’s been a favorite. It’s less expensive and close to a larger metro station. It’s also oh so pretty.
Porte de Versailles - The reason this is called “the door to Versailles” is because it’s on the outskirts of the city. You have to take a train to Versailles from Paris, so I suppose it would be closer from here. But still not in Versailles. I’ve never stayed in this part but visited, it didn’t seem very nice to me.
Porte de Montreuil - Another one on the outskirts, this would be a little too far for me. Remember the farther away you get from Paris the less ‘Parisian’ it feels. Just a thought.
St Germain - This is close to the Latin Quarter and would be an absolutely lovely place to stay! Right in the center and close to a lot of great landmarks. Probably a little more on the expensive side.

Phew, that’s quite a lot!! And if you’ve never been or don’t know much about the city, finding where to stay in Paris can be super intimidating! I hope my little breakdown helps you decide where you want to go and what works for you on your trip. Each trip is different for everyone, so make a choice that works for you!

Where & How to book hotels in Paris

There are really so many options, as you probably know, for booking hotels. My favorite way to do it is so check a site like Kayak and scope out the prices. Then I head over to Priceline and use their “Name Your Own Price” tool. I put in the areas where I want to book and the number of stars I want. I usually start with 4 stars and will go down to 3 if I’m not finding the price I want. Then I low-ball the number figure hardcore. I will keep bidding until it gets up to the prices I see on other sites. If that’s the case, I go and choose the hotel I want for the price I am willing to pay.

Does that make sense?

Now you’re set to enjoy your trip!! Hopefully this helped you weed through where to stay in Paris, now just get that hotel, buy a subway ticket and enjoy the amazing beauty that is The City of Light!

Any questions? Leave them below, I always love helping someone experience Paris!

Other posts you might like:

Visit Paris – what to see and where to go

Getting around Paris – a guide to using the subway system in Paris

A beauty walk to take in Paris

Author information

Natalia Owner & Author
Natalia is a mom to two crazy boys and wife to one handsome dude. She lives in France part of the year where her husband plays professional basketball, but she hails from Southern California. The hubs was born & raised in Nassau, Bahamas, which makes them an intercultural, interracial family traveling the globe together since 2007. She loves to cook (but mostly eat), hang with her fam, be adventurous, & find ways to stay girlie in a house full of men. On her site you can find loads of hair tutorials, makeup ideas, & fashion tips for the everyday woman. She believes that beauty and fashion don't have to be intimidating and that every woman should learn to embrace her own beauty. Twitter Facebook Google LinkedIn

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