Staying in a hotel or apartment in Paris's 12th arrondissement gives you the chance to experience the "real" Paris just a short distance outside of the touristic center.
Depending on which 12th arrondissement hotel or apartment you choose in this large and rather sprawling district, you may be close to ballet performances at the Opéra de la Bastille, large concerts featuring international stars at the AccorHotels Arena, the cute restaurants, Musée des Arts Forains, and charming boutiques in Bercy Village, and the large Marché d'Aligré where a covered market, open-air produce market, and a large antiques/vintage market attract shoppers from all over the city.
Promenade Plantée (Coulée Verte René-Dumont), the gorgeous elevated garden-filled park built on top of an abandoned railway tracks, cuts through the 12th district, as does the Paris Marathon route. On the arrondissement's east side lies 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.
Staying in this area 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. Stroll a few blocks north to reach Père Lachaise Cemetery. Or cross the Seine River, which borders the district on the south, to explore the Botanical Garden and other attractions in the Latin Quarter.
Bonus: Because the 12th arrondissement is outside of the single-digit districts at the city's tourist center, you'll find some relatively bargain rates, even at 4-star hotels.
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Our 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.
Top photo: Bercy Village cafes in the 12th arrondissement - Photo (c) Paris Discovery Guide
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Where to Stay in Paris's 12th District
CitizenM Gare de Lyon - Hip Accommodations near Gare de Lyon ★★★★
8 Rue Van Gogh, 12th Arrondissement
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.
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. Be sure to also check out the Seine River views from the hotel's 16th floor rooftop bar.
Holiday Inn Paris Gare de Lyon Bastille ★★★★
11 Rue de Lyon
Located in 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.
Treat yourself to a sumptuous dinner (or even just a drink at the bar) at Le Train Bleu, located in nearyb Gare de Lyon.
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 - the "World's First 'Cinema Hotel'" ★★★★
125 Boulevard Diderot, 12th arrondissement
With big 9-foot-wide projection screens in each of its 36 guestrooms (including two 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 wine 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 17-seat cinema for the private use of guests where from dusk until dawn, you can watch whatever is playing in the other theaters.
There's a lot more to love here, including the onsite café, karaoke room, and nearby Promenade Plantée - but the in-room movies steal the show.
P.S. The hotel gets its name from a 1966 movie, Hotel Paradiso, about a writerr (Alec Guinness) who holes up in Hotel Paradiso to observe the upper-class Parisians of 1900 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
The 37 guest rooms at the 3-star Hotel Paris Bastille feature comfortable contemporary furnishings, air conditioning, and wifi in a wonderful location across from the Bastille Opera 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 Promenade Plantée, Seine River, and the Latin Quarter across the river in the 5th arrondissement. A nearby metro station gives you easy access to other parts of Paris.
More Places to Stay in the 12th Arrondissement
- Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (2 Rue Hector Malot) - With 252 comfortable guest rooms (including wheelchair-friendly rooms) and all the usual amenities you'd expect in a Novotel, this hotel has a lot of appeal - but the heating swimming pool and children's play area make it a stand-out choice for families
- 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 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
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