Staying in a hotel or apartment in Paris's sprawling 12th arrondissement on the city's Right Bank gives you the chance to experience an authentic neighborhood just a short distance from the touristic center.
The 12th's location to the east of the 4th arrondissement places you just steps away from the Marais, and
Bonus: Because the 12th arrondissement lies outside of the single-digit districts at the city's tourist center, you'll find budget-friendly bargain rates, even at 4-star hotels, compared with hotels in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the Marais, or the Latin Quarter. Thanks to excellent metro connections in this district, you'll have fast access to other parts of the city.
My recommendations for where to stay in Paris 12 include a variety of budget-friendly 3- and 4-star 12th arrondissement hotels featuring wonderful terraces, Seine River views, and attractive rates, as well as several close to the Gare de Lyon train station.
Top photo: Bercy Village cafes in the 12th arrondissement, (c) Paris Discovery Guide®
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A Quick Overview of the 12th District's Location - and Why You Might Want to Stay Here
Paris Arrondissement Map Showing the 12th Arrondissement
Depending on which 12th arrondissement Paris hotel or apartment you choose, you may be close to ballet performances at the Opéra de la Bastille, and immersive shows at Atelier des Lumieres, stadium concerts featuring international headliners at AccorHotels Arena, and charming boutiques and bistros in Bercy Village.
Stay near Gare de Lyon if you have a train to southern France to catch. Hotels in this area also put you within easy reach of the Marché d'Aligré flea market where you can hunt for vintage treasures, and at Ground Control, a fun convergence of contemporary culture, cuisine, and entertainment.
Nearby, Promenade Plantée (Coulée Verte René-Dumont), a gorgeous elevated garden-filled park built on top of an abandoned railway tracks, cuts through the length of the 12th district, as does the route of the Paris Marathon held each April.
On the 12th district's far east side lies a different world: the enormous Bois de Vincennes, complete with its own medieval castle, a zoo, two ponds where you can rent rowboats, and Parc Floral, site of several popular summer music festivals and the city's most magnificent display of dahlias each fall.
Staying in a hotel or apartment in the 12th arrondissement also gives you easy access by metro or on foot to famous sights such as the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and Eiffel Tower. Or cross the Seine River, which borders the district on the south, to explore the Botanical Garden and other attractions in the Latin Quarter.
Where to Stay: Best Hotels in the 12th Arrondissement of Paris
CitizenM Gare de Lyon - Hip Accommodations near Gare de Lyon ★★★★
8 Rue Van Gogh, 12th Arrondissement; ; Metro: Gare de Lyon/Lines 1 & 14
CitizenM Paris Gare de Lyon, located conveniently close to Gare de Lyon rail/metro station, takes a decidedly different approach to defining hotel space.
What you'll find: large public spaces with comfortable, put-your-feet up furniture and colorful art, welcoming bars and dining spaces plus a canteen with food and drink available 24x7, and 338 compact guest rooms with a huge extra long king size bed that folds up into a sofa by day, Italian linens, mood lighting, designer furniture, and a powerful rain shower.
You'll also find some of the lowest 4-star hotel rates in the city.
Be sure to also check out the Seine River views from the hotel's 16th floor rooftop bar, and enjoy some of the tasty cuisine at nearby Ground Control.
CitizenM's Bercy location in the 12th arrondissement is ideal if you're heading to a concert or other event at AccorHotels Arena, a ballet at Opéra Bastille, or just want to hang out in Bercy Village or explore Plantée Promenade.
Holiday Inn Paris Gare de Lyon Bastille ★★★★
11 Rue de Lyon; Metro: Gare de Lyon/Lines 1 & 14; Quai de la Rapée/Line 5
Located in a gorgeous Belle Epoque building close to the Gare de Lyon train station, the 4-star Holiday Inn Paris - Gare de Lyon Bastille features 128 guest rooms, including 20 junior suites and 4 suites, including some that are fully accessible (wheelchair-friendly). For a special treat, book the 7th floor suite with sweeping views of Paris.
The hotel's public areas make the most of the beautiful architectural details, and offer plush furnishings. In the guest rooms, you'll find sleekly modern decor in restful tones and super-comfortable beds.
The hotel is close to Le Train Bleu, located in nearby Gare de Lyon. Although I'm not a fan of the food here, the dazzling 1901 Belle Epoque interior was restored to its original splendor in 2014 and is definitely worth seeing - perhaps while enjoying a drink at the bar.
Rue Crémieux, known for its lovely colored buildings favored for photo ops, is about 100 feet away from the hotel. You're also close to the Promenade Plantée and Marché d'Aligré.
Bonus: Most guest rooms are slightly larger (which is not to imply huge) than typical Paris hotel rooms.
Hotel Paradiso ★★★★
135 Boulevard Diderot, 12th arrondissement; Metro: Nation/Lines 1, 2, 6; RER A
With a cinema in every one of its 36 guestrooms (including two "cinema suites"), 4-star Hotel Paradiso - which bills itself as the world's first "Cinema-Hotel,"- offers thousands of on-demand movies for your watching pleasure along with lots of comfy pillows to recline on and, of course, popcorn and drinks.
Depending on the room you choose, you can even watch from the tub, perhaps with a glass of bubbly in hand.
That's not all. When the weather is good, you can also head up to the hotel's rooftop cinema to watch more movies on a large screen.
When the weather is bad? No problem - go next door where the hotel owner, France's MK2 art house group run by two movie-loving brothers, has a 6-screen theater plus a special 17-seat cinema for the private use of guests where from dusk until dawn, you can watch whatever is playing in the other theaters.
Another plus: family-friendly (or friend group-friendly) room size options - everything from family rooms and suites for up to 4 people, to "Le Loft" that can accommodate up to 6 guests. Accessible guest rooms are also available.
There's a lot more to love here, including the onsite café, karaoke room, and easy access to the nearby Promenade Plantée - but the in-room movies steal the show.
P.S. The hotel gets its name from a 1966 British comedy, Hotel Paradiso, about a writer (Alec Guinness) who holes up in Hotel Paradiso to observe the upper-class Parisians of 1900 in order to gain material for his next play - and gets more than he bargained for.
Hotel Paris Bastille - Contemporary Charm across from the Bastille Opera ★★★
67 Rue de Lyon; Metro: Bastille
The 37 guest rooms (including six suites and one accessible room) at the 3-star Hotel Paris Bastille feature comfortable contemporary furnishings, air conditioning, and wifi in a wonderful location across the street from from the Bastille Opera, Grand Palais Immersif, and Place de la Bastille.
The hotel serves a breakfast buffet, has an elevator, and offers budget-friendly rates.
You're also just a few blocks from the beautiful Place des Vosges in the Marais, as well as the beautiful Jardin du Port de l'Arsenal, the elevated Promenade Plantée where something is almost always in bloom, the Seine River, and the Latin Quarter across the river in the 5th arrondissement.
Multiple lines at the nearby Bastille metro station give you easy access to other parts of Paris.
Novotel Gare de Lyon - Convenient to Gare de Lyon Train Station - Plus a Swimming Pool ★★★★
2 Rue Hector Malot; Metro: Gare de Lyon/Lines 1 & 14, RER A; Quai de la Rapée/Line 5
With 252 comfortable guest rooms (including wheelchair-friendly accessible rooms) and all the usual amenities you'd expect in a Novotel, Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon offers hotel has a lot of appeal for most travellers in an ideal location close to the train station.
If you're visiting with kids or teens, the heating swimming pool and children's play area make it a stand-out choice for families
More Places to Stay in the 12th Arrondissement
- Motel One Paris - Porte Dorée (295 Avenue Daumesnil) - This 3-star design hotel offers fantastic decor, organic products and fair trade coffee in their breakfast buffet, air conditioning and en suite baths, and a lovely outdoor terrace - and bargain rates. The location next to Bois de Vincennes (and the nearby aquarium) makes it a wonderful choice for families - plus the metro ride into central Paris takes only about 10 minutes
- Aparthotel Adagio Paris Nation (15 Ter Rue Lamblardie) - With 82 studios and 36 2-room apartments, all with fully equipped kitchens, these comfortable serviced apartments offer you the space and autonomy of your own apartment in Paris with the services of a hotel, all for an affordable price
- Hotel Parisianer (5 Rue Hector Malot) - Owned by 2 sisters, this 4-star hotel close to Gare de Lyon features chic decor with Art Deco touches, a fitness room with yoga classes, and a lovely terrace, inner courtyard, and bar
- Les Paiules - Nation (28 bis Place de la Nation) - This popular hostel offers shared air-conditioned dorm-like rooms with super-comfortable beds and sweeping views, free wifi, a bar with craft beers and homemade lemonade, and a fabulous rooftop terrace
Find best things to do & see in Paris 12
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