Where to Stay in Paris: Neighborhoods & Hotels Q&A Reader Questions Answered

Choosing where to stay in Paris can be challenging simply because you have so many wonderful options.  Each neighborhood offers its own vibe, attractions, things to do, places to shop, and of course, appealing cafes, bistros, and restaurants.  So naturally, you may have lots of questions.

In the Sunday edition of my free Paris Discoveries Newsletter, I answer reader questions about Paris travel.  Not surprisingly, where to stay and which hotel to book are among the most frequent inquiries. 

This article is part of the Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive and brings together my answers about neighborhoods, arrondissements, and choosing the right area and hotel for your stay.

Some questions focus on the best neighborhood for your first visit, the feel of different areas, and choosing the right hotel when online reviews vary.  I've lightly edited, expanded, and updated my original answers, and added photos to make this a more complete Paris travel resource. 

Interested in staying in the Marais or Saint-Germain?  You'll find those Q&A archives here:

• Where to Stay in the Marais (placeholder: add links later)
• Where to Stay in Saint-Germain (placeholder: add links later)

Jane & Greg's Question about Staying in the 17th Arrondissement

Good morning, Susan, we’re staying at Hotel Regents Garden Astotel.  Is that a good hotel in a good area?  

Susan's Answer: 

Astotels are usually excellent, and based on the website of the one you booked, the Hotel Regents Garden Astotel looks wonderful.  It is also in the 17th arrondissement's very chic, very upscale Ternes neighborhood, known for its gorgeous architecture.  

And as a bonus for you, since I remember you described yourselves as “foodies” in an earlier message, you are less than a 5-minute walk from the best food market street area in Paris:  Rue Poncelet (plus nearby Rue Bayen), known for its gourmet products and specialty producers.  I feel sure that you'll be thrilled by what you discover there - in particular, check out the small cafes, bistros, and wine bars surrounding the market streets, many of which procure their high-quality meats, fish, and produce directly from the markets' vendors. 

Toward the western side of the 17th in the trendy Batignolles neighborhood near Montmartre in the 18th, there's also another wonderful and authentic food street, Rue de Lévis - definitely not as gourmet-oriented as Rue Poncelet, but worth exploring and one of my personal favorites for its relaxed, friendly vibe.  

To get there from Rue Poncelet, I'd walk over to Parc Monceau (maybe a 6-7 minute walk), stroll around the park for a bit (it's known for its English-style gardens and numerous follies, including an smaller-than-life-size Egyptian pyramid and Grecian-style "ruins,") then head up Rue Georges Berger from the park to Rue de Lévis - maybe another 4-minute walk.  

Along the way, right before Blvd Malesherbes you'll pass Citeco, Paris's newish (and fascinating) economics museum, on your left and you may spot an entrance to Inform Cafe, the museum's onsite cafe/bistro, one of three in this part of Paris.  It's one of my favorite spots near the park for just a coffee, other beverage, and/or lunch with contemporary French brunch-type cuisine - I'm a big fan of their bun with salmon gravlax and their fresh and delicious house-made ricotta.

Similar to Rue Poncelet/Rue Bayen, many of the Rue de Lévis vendors offer carryout food - perfect for a picnic Parc Monceau. 

Tip:  If you need to heat anything, head over to Monoprix on Rue de Lévis, where you'll spot microwave ovens between the entrance and the cashiers.  They're free for anyone to use - no charge.

Your hotel is also close to the Arc de Triomphe (go up to the top for rooftop views of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and Sacre Coeur) and Champs Elysees in the other direction, and the Seine River is also nearby.

So to wrap up, you'll find a lot to see and explore near the Astotel - excellent choice!

Jane's Question about Where to Stay for a Multi-Generation Visit with Plans in a Variety of Neighborhoods

I am not sure which arrondissement would be best for myself and 2 adult grandsons. Two of us arrive with Eurostar on the 11th March.   We would like to visit the Latin quarter, check out café Procope, Shakespeare’s bookshop, bakeries and possibly Sorbonne University, Place Estrapade - Emily in Paris territory!   Would also like to go to Moulin Rouge.

On Saturday 12th March, my French grandson will arrive at Gare de Montparnasse from the Southwest, and my grandsons will go to the Six Nations Rugby match, England versus France.

Sunday is free, so we will visit Notre Dame, and then on Monday, go home.  I previously stayed at Hotel London, 9th arrondissement, and visited the usual tourist attractions.

I do love Galeries Lafayette, Place de la Madeleine, and Rue Rivoli

Please can you suggest the best area for us to stay to achieve our goals?

Susan's Answer: 

So it sounds like you'll have 4 days in Paris if you arrive on the earliest Eurostar from London on the 11th and depart on the latest on Monday.   

To come up with suggestions about where you might stay, the first thing I did was to line up your activities based on their general location:  

Several take place on or near Paris's Right Bank:  Arrival/departure at Gare du Nord on the Eurostar, a night at Moulin Rouge for you, perhaps a day or half-day exploring Galeries Lafayette, Place de la Madeleine, and Rue Rivoli, and for your grandsons, Stade de France for the Six Nations game (which is in Saint-Denis a bit north of the city but an easy ride on the metro or RER B and RER D from the Right Bank).

Fewer of your activities take place on the Left Bank:  Arrival/departure for one grandson at Gare Montparnasse, and an exploration of the Latin Quarter including Café Procope in Cour du Commerce Saint-André, Shakespeare & Company, etc., plus a visit to Notre Dame which you could easily combine with your Latin Quarter activities as it's about a 2-minute walk across a bridge over the Seine from Shakespeare & Company.

Therefore, so that you can make the most of your time in Paris, I would recommend choosing a hotel on the Right Bank (RB).  If you want to be within easy walking distance from Gare du Nord (and also Moulin Rouge, shopping at Galeries Lafayette, etc), consider the 9th arrondissement, especially east of the Rue de Martyrs food street which puts you just a 10-12 minute walk from the station.  

A bit farther away from the station but closer to Place de la Madeleine, Rue Rivoli, and the LB, consider the 1st arrondissement, or even the 2nd.  That should put you within walking distance of most/all of your RB activities, and then you can take the metro as needed to the Left Bank.  

Since Gare Montparnasse is a bit farther out in the 14th, your grandson will probably have to take the metro wherever you stay.

Hope this helps!

Regina's Question about Choosing between Two Apart'Hotels when Reviews Vary

We’ll be in Paris for a first visit, and are deciding between 2 apart’hotels for our stay.

One is the Citadines Saint-Germain, which has great reviews for location but some concerns about cleanliness and needing to be updated.  The other is in the Citadines Les Halles, which again has great reviews for location, but with better reviews for cleanliness and the quality of the facility, but the surroundings sound not as good, loud, and more touristy and active.

Do you have any insight as to these neighborhoods and what your recommendation would be for a first time visitor?

Susan's Answer: 

Hi Regina,  Both of these apart'hotels are in excellent locations - more about Les Halles in a moment.

But first, cleanliness.  I looked at recent reviews on TripAdvisor about both of these Citadines - and was shocked by the number and variety of complaints about the one in Saint-Germain, despite a few reviews that sounded fine.  In fairness, just about every hotel gets at least a few negative reviews - partly because people are more likely to post when they're unhappy, plus you can't discount the possibility of unscrupulous competitors posing as "visitors"- but the number for this hotel, especially in recent months, seems much higher than average.

In addition to cleanliness issues, it sounds as though the property needs updates, maintenance, repairs, and perhaps a complete makeover.  Citadines hotels in Paris generally have good reputations, but this one appears to be experiencing a rough period.  Based on what I read, I would not stay there myself at this time.

As you said, the reviews for the Les Halles Citadines are much more positive.  Aside from the possible need for better soundproofing, it sounds fine.  I did see one complaint about lack of daily cleaning, but that's the norm for most apart'hotels - at many, cleaning once a week is typical.

Now, back to the Les Halles location:  I personally love this area.

My favorite attractions include the truly magnificent Saint Eustache church, the Pinault Collection (contemporary art museum), and a wonderful historical food street, Rue Montorgueil, where you'll find a lot of good cafes, bakeries, chocolatiers, etc.

But there's also a lot more to enjoy in this area.  A huge wholesale food market dating back to the 12th century occupied much of the space near the hotel until it was demolished, with great controversy, about 50 years ago.  The whole area was again renovated about 6-7 years ago, and there's now a very nice park, a major metro/RER station, and a shopping mall - its mostly-chain stores are not particularly interesting, but the design of its roof is spectacular.  

E. Dehillerin (my go-to store for high-quality knives and other professional-grade kitchen equipment) plus several other renowned Parisian cookware and baking supply stores (A. Simon, TOC (the former Bovida), Deco Relief, MORA, G. Detou) are nearby.

The elegant and quite pricey Samaritaine department store overlooking the Seine is a 2-3 minute walk away, along with hundreds (or maybe thousands?) of other stores, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, bars, etc.

The area is quite lively - but so is much of Saint-Germain, which is also more touristy.  Both neighborhoods are about equally convenient to Paris's most famous attractions that may be of interest to you as a first-time visitor, such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and Notre Dame Cathedral. 

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See Questions & Answers on Similar Topics

Should You Split Your Paris Stay between 2 or More Neighborhoods & Hotels? - Find out when and why to consider doing this, plus practical tips

Paris Discoveries Q&A Archive - See Q&As on all topics

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