Where to Stay in Paris: A Complete Guide for First Timers

Our Favorite Arrondissements in Paris, Mapped

Our philosophy when it comes to deciding on a place to stay is to first choose the neighborhood, then move on to finding a great hotel, hostel, or apartment in that area.

The reality is that, depending on what you’re looking for, there are other neighborhoods not included in this guide that might meet your needs.

But these are the areas that we think are the best for 99% of travelers, and we’ve shown our work, doing our best to explain why we think that. 

We put together an interactive map to help you visualize the areas we’re talking about and how they fit into the city’s geography.

We also included a few key landmarks (e.g. the train stations, the main monuments, etc etc). 

To see a larger version, hit the button in the top right of the widget and it will take you to a separate page. 

In the neighborhood descriptions below, we’ll talk about the layout and orientation of the neighborhoods, and hopefully this map will help you understand what we’re talking about.

See that big, black hole on the left side of the map? That’s the area near the Champs-Élysées, which is the modern, commercial part of the city that we’d avoid.

I, Matt, stayed there on my first ever trip to Paris 15 years ago, it wasn’t my favorite. And we almost never go there on our trips to Paris these days.  

Go there to walk up the boulevard, go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe (excellent view – buy your tickets in advance here), and then go spend your time elsewhere. 

Here’s a key for the neighborhoods on the map. You can also click on them to bring up the name.  

• Yellow: Le Marais (3rd/4th Arrondissements)
• Green: 2nd Arrondissement
• Orange: Opéra (9th Arrondissement)
• Blue: Montmartre (18th Arrondissement)
• Purple: 7th Arrondissement
• Red: Latin Quarter (5th Arrondissement)
• Grey: 10th Arrondissement
• Light Blue: 13th Arrondissement
• Light Green: 14th Arrondissement

Where We’ve Stayed in Paris

We like to start this type of guide by going through our own personal experiences staying in Paris. 

Now that this section covers several trips to Paris (rather than just one or two), we decided that we should probably just make it easy for you and lay out all of the places we’ve stayed on our many trips in one place without the narrative fluff.

At this point, we’ve stayed in many different arrondissements, and which one is best for you is going to depend on several factors that we’ll cover in the full guide below. 

Generally speaking, we really like the 9th Arrondissement, which offers a blend of value and convenient location, and the 2nd Arrondissement, which is even more central.

We’ve stayed in both, and those are the areas that we gravitate towards when we start planning a return trip. 

That being said, all of the places in this section are in areas we’d recommend. 

Here are the specific places we’ve stayed, and a little blurb with our thoughts on each.

They’re ordered in roughly the order we’d rate them, though it probably depends on what you’re looking for. 

Maison Mère (9th Arr.): The real star of the show in the 9th is Maison Mère, which might be the best hotel in Paris that is still relatively affordable.

I (Matt) stayed here for a couple of nights on a recent trip a few years ago and loved it.

The staff are super friendly, the beds are comfortable (though the rooms are relatively small, which is the case for most modern hotels), and there’s a co-working space and bar and restaurant on the ground floor.

It’s a 10-15 minute walk to Montmartre, and less to multiple metro lines nearby. 

Hotel Joyce (9th Arr.): An excellent value in the heart of the 9th, this hotel gives you a home base in a central location at a relatively affordable rate. 

Remember, it’s Paris, it’s never going to be cheap especially in the summer, and you won’t get some of the more luxurious touches that you might find in a hotel in Paris.

Pepper and Paper Apartments (5th Arr.): My first experience staying on this side of the river (in this case, the 5th Arrondissement aka the Latin Quarter)!

Traveling solo means that I like to have a little more space so that I can return to my apartment for a siesta and do some writing (or just relax), and Pepper and Paper was a perfect place to do just that.

Spacious apartments ranging from studio to two bedroom, nice kitchenettes (my unit didn’t have an oven, but did have coffee, microwave, kettle, toaster, etc etc).

A seven minute walk to the metro, and a couple of useful bus lines running within a few blocks outside the front door.

Overall, I’d highly recommend it, though it’s maybe a little further out than I’d like (still, you can get to Le Marais and the Louvre within ~25-30 minutes on the metro). 

Terrass Hotel (18th Arr.): This is probably the nicest hotel I’ve ever personally stayed at.

Located on the western edge of Montmartre on bustling Rue des Abbesses (the best street in the neighborhood, we think), the location is good for Montmartre, but it’s definitely not the most convenient neighborhood in Paris in terms of proximity to the main sights.

I splurged and stayed in a suite with a view of the Eiffel Tower, and I really enjoyed spending as much time as humanly possible in my room to soak up that view.

It was spacious, the bed was comfortable, the view was great, and the staff were all exceedingly friendly.

They have a rooftop bar too, with a nice view of the Eiffel Tower. If you don’t have the budget for a room with that view, it’s worth grabbing a drink up there. 

Edgar Suites Montmartre (18th Arr.): A cozy aparthotel on the other (less appealing) side of Montmartre, though it’s a short staircase away from Sacre Coeur.

This is an aparthotel, which means it’s similar to a hotel in terms of amenities (which include luggage storage and laundry here), but the rooms are apartments. No 24/7 front desk here, but staff are available via Whatsapp.

They have apartments ranging from studios to two bedrooms in a typical four floor building, and rooms have kitchens (stovetops, no ovens), coffee machines, and seating areas.

I had a studio, which was less spacious than other aparthotels I’ve stayed at, but would be totally fine for solo travelers or couples who are used to close quarters. 

My Maison in Paris Sentier (2nd Arr.): We spent a week here a few years ago and this is where we really fell in love with the 2nd as a home base.

We walked EVERYWHERE, and for the places that weren’t walkable, just about every metro line in the city stops somewhere in the neighborhood.

Rue Montorgueil is one of our favorite stretches in the city, and we love the buzz and energy that you find here from 10am to 1am.

The apartments themselves are compact, but well thought-out, and are located on a plaza just off of Rue St. Denis, one of the main stretches in the 2nd.

The biggest disadvantage is that there is no front desk, so you can’t store luggage here (which might be a deal-breaker if you’re arriving early in the day).

Le Marais (3rd & 4th): Our Top Recommendation in Paris

Between the location (very walkable and central), the great transit connections (both around the city and to the airport), and the amenities (great places to eat and drink), we have a hard time coming up with any cons for Le Marais. 

The biggest one we could come up with was price, which makes total sense when you read the first sentence of this section where we gush about why this is a great neighborhood to use as a home base. 

To the extent that a “Historic Center” exists in Paris, like it does in many Italian cities, Le Marais is it.

It obviously looks very different than it did during that time period, but you still have pockets of narrow alley-like cobblestone streets and pedestrianized stretches. 

This area on the north bank of the Seine was the original site of Paris, roughly. 

In the 19th Century, Napoleon III – the nephew of the Napoleon you likely are more familiar with – reorganized the city of Paris to move from a medieval city, with narrow winding streets, to a modern city with wide open boulevards and a more orderly planning system. 

During this process, roughly 60% of the city was leveled to make way for the more modern way of doing things.

Le Marais is one of the only neighborhoods where you can still find those pockets of the medieval city in between the grand boulevards cutting through the arrondissement. 

Today, you still have places like Places des Vosges, which was created in the 17th Century and still has the same footprint as it did hundreds of years ago (plus, Victor Hugo lived on the square!). 

We will say that, generally speaking, we prefer the part of the neighborhood that is further from the river (which is the 4th Arrondissement) near Square du Temple.

As you get further from the river, it gets a bit less commercial and a bit more interesting, and the hotels offer a slightly better value.

Pros and Cons of Staying in Le Marais

Here are the pros and cons of staying in Le Marais as we see them. 

Pros of Staying in Le Marais

• It’s super central. You’ll be roughly equidistant to the Louvre and Notre Dame, and you’ll be well connected to a bunch of different metro lines that can get you to other parts of the city quickly and efficiently.
  
  
• Great food and nightlife. The narrow streets of Le Marais are packed with all sorts of bars and restaurants. You’ll find some of the best coffee in Paris – Kawa, Fragments, and I/O Cafe – along with great bars (La Candelaria) and restaurants of all shapes, sizes, and foods. Plus, the best market in Paris – Le Marché des Enfants Rouges – is in the heart of the neighborhood. You could easily spend an entire trip JUST in Le Marais.
  
  
• It feels like what Paris looks like in your mind’s eye. Or at least mine, anyway. Narrow streets lined with shops, bars, and restaurants. It’s super romantic and charming. 

Cons of Staying in Le Marais

• It can be pricey. It’s conveniently located and in high demand – and there really aren’t that many hotel choices because it has pockets that were never redeveloped in the 19th Century – which means you’re going to pay a little extra to stay here.
  
  
• It can be loud. Depending on where exactly you stay, there could be loud music and people out and about until the early hours of the morning, but honestly, it’s Paris. That’s going to be true in a lot of places, so bring some earplugs and embrace the energy. 

Recommended Places to Stay in Le Marais

Here are a few places to stay in Le Marais that caught our eye. 

Hôtel National Des Arts et Métiers (Our #1 Hotel Pick – $$): This hotel, which is somewhere between a mid-range and boutique hotel (we’d say a little of both), is our number one choice in Le Marais, and we’ve bookmarked it for our next trip to Paris. 

Here’s why. 

The location could not be better.

It’s in Le Marais, but it’s on the border of the 2nd Arrondissement, which SPOILER ALERT is the next area we’d recommend, and has quickly become our favorite part of Paris because of the sheer number of great places to eat and drink packed into the area around Rue de Montorgueil. 

The view from the rooftop looks amazing. Imagine a sunset cocktail with that view of Sacré-Cœur up on the hill. 

The hotel is designed around an interior courtyard, which is very Parisian to us, and the rooms are designed beautifully. 

The price should probably be higher than it is (remember, we’re talking relative price here – this is the center of Paris after all).

The rooms are modern and stylish, with Nespresso machines and a mini bar in each room. Even the smallest room is relatively spacious at over 200 square feet, and the space is both well thought out and gorgeous. Some rooms also have balconies. 

Overall, if you want a stylish place to stay that is walking distance to great places to eat and drink, but you don’t want to break the bank to get it, this would be a great choice. 

Hôtel de Roubaix (Great Value – $$): As we noted above, staying in this very central part of Paris isn’t going to be the cheapest. However, we were surprised at how affordable the rates at Hôtel de Roubaix are given its location. 

Sure, it’s not the most luxurious stay. But it’s hard to think of a better price/location combination in Paris.

You’ll be a few blocks from a key metro station, Chatelet les Halles (the train station that connects you with Paris’ main airport, Charles de Gaulle), and a quick walk to the heart of Le Marais. All at a relatively affordable rate. 

So what’s the catch?

Well, rooms are simple, and while the words “no frills” get thrown around a lot, we think they very much apply here.

Rooms are small and colorful, and almost remind us more of hostels we’ve stayed in than a hotel.

However, each room does have a private bathroom. The furniture in each room isn’t particularly stylish, but it’s functional. 

The point is, it’s hard to find a better value in Paris. If you’re willing to go light on the extra luxurious amenities that come with many hotels in Paris, this place would be an excellent home base. 

Les Tournelles (Solid Value – $$): The whole concept at this mid-range hotel in Le Marais is bringing together the services of a hotel with the ambiance of a home, so you can feel comfortable even when you’re thousands of miles away from your real home. 

The location is great. It’s a block from Place des Vosges (an excellent park), and a 10 minute walk from both the river, and our favorite part of Le Marais and the Marché des Enfants Rouges. 

They only have a couple of room types – one double bed, two twin beds, one twin bed – which takes away the stress of making a decision between the “standard,” “comfort,” and “superior” room types. 

It’s a small hotel, with just 24 rooms, which means you’re going to get personalized service. Rooms are simple and compact, but the price reflects that.

Again, if you’re willing to forgo the fuzzy slippers and bathrobes, this would make a great home base for a few days of exploring.

Sentier & Montorgueil (2nd): Our Favorite Arrondissement

The 2nd Arrondissement, which is just west of Le Marais, offers many of the same benefits as our top pick here with a slightly more low key (read: less expensive) feel. 

And if we were to pack up and move to Paris tomorrow, the little slice of the 2nd near Rue Montorgueil and Arts et Metiers metro station is probably where I’d want to live. 

Since it’s adjacent to Le Marais, you still have the same great walkability and transit connections (including to the airports), and the 2nd has its own great food and drink scene to explore.

We basically walked everywhere when we were using the area as a home base. Canal Saint-Martin? We walked. Le Marais and the Marché des Enfants Rouges? We walked. The Louvre? Walked. The list goes on. 

The point is, this area is super central to basically everything you’ll visit during your time in Paris, though it’s not immediately adjacent to any one main attraction.

And what you can’t walk to, you’ll be able to hop on the metro (there are two main lines that serve this part of the city and connect you elsewhere – 8 and 11) and be there in less than 20-25 minutes flat.

Anywhere within a couple of blocks of Sentier or Rue Montergueil at the north eastern end of the neighborhood (which is the furthest from the Seine, but oddly the most central feeling thanks to its proximity to Le Marais and Canal St. Martin) will do just fine, though.

Plus, it feels like real Parisians actually hang out here (just walk down Rue Montorgueil and you’ll see plenty), which is something I would not say about the 1st (near the Louvre, which is a little too oriented towards tourists for us).  

In particular, we love the lively stretch of Rue Montorgueil which runs north/south through the heart of the neighborhood. 

Between the hours of 12pm and 12am, this area is buzzing with energy from people sitting on terraces gossipping and sipping flat whites (and likely smoking), people shopping at the range of boulangeries, patisseries, and fromageries, and people on their way to or from work. 

On my (Matt here!) most recent trip to Paris, I found myself making my way to the 2nd almost every day to go to a coffee shop, restaurant, wine bar, or some other place to eat or drink.

It became a daily routine to hop on the metro and get off at Chatelet. 

Pros and Cons of Staying in the 2nd Arr.

Here are the pros and cons of staying in the 2nd as we see them. 

Pros of Staying in the 2nd Arr.

• It’s central, walkable, and well connected. It’s adjacent to Le Marais and Louvre, so you’re going to be within a short walk of most of Paris’ main attractions (including Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, and the Louvre). Plus, thanks to two metro lines that run straight through the neighborhood, you’re connected to other parts of Paris that are a bit far to visit on foot (like the Eiffel Tower or Arc de Triomphe, for example).
  
  
• It’s packed with bars, restaurants, and coffee shops, including the place that tops our list of best coffee shops in Paris. Rue Montorgeuil is the star of the show, but even excluding that stretch, you’ve got a great collection of places to eat and drink here in the 2nd. 
  
  
• It’s buzzing all day long! From office workers out for a long lunch (classic French people) or a coffee, to friends sipping wine on a terrace, the energy in the 2nd is great. 

Cons of Staying in the 2nd Arr.

• It’s a bit expensive. There aren’t that many hotels in the neighborhood, and it’s a central location, which means the prices are going to be relatively high. But not really any more so than other parts of central Paris, and it’s certainly cheaper than the 1st and Le Marais.
  
  
• It’s loud and boisterous. That buzzing energy has an obvious downside: it’s loud. Which can be a downside if you’re like us and you value your sleep when, on summer evenings, the party pours out in the streets and plazas. 

Recommended Places to Stay in the 2nd Arrondissement

Here are a few places to stay in the 2nd Arrondissement that caught our eye. 

Le 123 Sébastopol (Excellent Value! – $$): This charming hotel is owned by the same group as the place we stayed in the 9th (more on that place below), but it’s a completely different vibe. While the place we stayed was effervescent and exciting, Le 123 Sébastopol is more sophisticated and modern. 

However, many of the reasons we chose to stay at another one of their hotels apply here too.

They have free non alcoholic drinks in the rooms, and free snacks and drinks in the lobby for happy hour in the afternoon. 

They have a breakfast buffet (15 Euros a person, cheaper if you book in advance) and the cavernous, glass-ceilinged room you eat in is gorgeous. 

Rooms are small, simple, and decorated around the cinema theme that you’ll find throughout the hotel.

The higher room tiers have balconies, and you can also find rooms with two twin beds and family rooms (which are just two adjoined rooms). 

Overall, a solid option in a nice location. Which is pretty par for the course with Astotel. 

My Maison in Paris Sentier (Small Apartments – $$): Tucked away on a quiet street between Rue de Montergueil and Rue St. Denis, these serviced apartments are a gem. We stayed here on a trip to Paris a few years ago, and we generally liked it. 

We usually like to have a kitchen when we travel thanks to Matt having Celiac Disease, so we look for places that have a full kitchen (stovetop included) as an amenity. 

Plus, the extra space that an apartment gives you versus a hotel room is nice when we spend a couple hours siesta-ing after mornings of sightseeing. 

Anyway, the point is that My Maison in Paris Sentier has everything you’ll need for a comfortable stay.

They have studios, which is what we stayed in, along with larger apartments with more space, and each unit has a kitchen, washing machine, and a comfortable bed. 

They arranged a contactless check-in with us in advance, and it was as smooth as can be. They were readily available for a question that came up. 

The apartment was stocked with all the dishes we might need (mugs, espresso cups, plates, silverware), a Nespresso machine and some pods (if you want a quick cup of coffee in the morning before heading out), and even a dishwasher, which was a big surprise. 

The Latin Quarter (5th): Our Favorite Slice of the Left Bank

Of the three potential neighborhoods on the Left Bank – the more progressive southern side of the river, historically speaking, where poets, authors, and artists hung out – the Latin Quarter is by far the most down-to-earth. 

It’s clear walking around that this is a place where Parisians actually live and hang out. 

The other two neighborhoods we’d consider in this group – the 7th Arrondissement (around the Eiffel Tower) and Saint-Germain-des-Prés (the 6th) – both suffer from a similar problem: they’re expensive, and very few real Parisians actually live there as a result.

This part of the city is also known as a place where students congregate, and there are multiple schools and universities in this part of the city (which, as you might imagine, gives the entire neighborhood a slight youthful tinge). 

Rue Moffetard – a pedestrianized street full of places to shop, eat, and drink – runs right through the neighborhood, and you’ll find the Pantheon (go to the viewing platform on top for an excellent view of Paris) and the Jardin du Luxembourg here. 

I (Matt) stayed here for the first half of my recent trip to Paris, and found it to be a very pleasant place to use as a home base.

The metro connections are slightly worse than those on the north side of the Seine (the Right Bank), but the prices are definitely lower, so this would be a nice place to stay if you’re looking to get a better bang-for-your-buck. 

I would recommend staying as close to the Jardin du Luxembourg and River (put a different way, in the northwestern end of the Latin Quarter) as you can, which will put you in a more walkable part of the Latin Quarter with better access to metro connections. 

Pros and Cons of Staying in the Latin Quarter

Here are the pros and cons of staying in the Latin Quarter (5th Arr.) as we see them. 

Pros of Staying in the Latin Quarter

• It’s (somewhat) walkable. If you stay in the part of the Latin Quarter closer to the Seine (basically the northwestern corner of the 5th), then you’ll be within walking distance of Notre Dame, Sainte-Chappelle, Le Marais, and the Louvre (among other things). This is a bit less true if you stay further south (though the prices also correlate with how far you are from the river, so it depends what you’re looking for). 
  
  
• It has a youthful (and local) energy. Every morning, I would walk out the front door and on the way to the metro, I would be confronted with the sights and sounds of kids of all ages frolicking on their way to school. It’s one of the places in central Paris where you’ll actually find Parisians out and about, and it seems like people actually live here. Which is something that’s relatively rare in the tourist-centric areas of Paris. 
  
  
• It’s affordable. All other things being equal, a hotel in the 5th is going to be quite a bit cheaper than, say, in Saint-Germain or the 7th (near the Eiffel Tower). And I’d argue – particularly when compared with the 7th – that the location of the 5th is slightly better. 

Cons of Staying in the Latin Quarter

• It’s a bit further out. For your purposes as a tourist, the Latin Quarter is essentially the southeastern corner of the part of Paris you’re going to be spending the most time in over the course of your trip. That means that journeys to the other side – like to the Arc de Triomphe and Montmartre – are going to take a bit of time. However, having stayed in the Latin Quarter and Montmartre, I do like that the 5th is closer to the sights along the river, which is where you’ll be spending the most time. 
  
  
• Connections south of the river are slightly worse. My only complaint after staying here was that the connections to other parts of the city are slightly worse than they are just across the river, where it seems like there’s a metro stop every 100 feet. Here, you’re probably going to be walking 10-15 minutes to the nearest metro station (unless you stay along the river), which isn’t a deal breaker, but does add potentially precious time to the journey. 

Recommended Places to Stay in the Latin Quarter (5th Arr.)

Here are a few places to stay in the 5th Arrondissement that caught our eye. 

Hôtel Les Rives Oceanik (Boutique Hotel – $$$): The reason that this well-located hotel is on this list is the fact that I walked by it on my first night in Paris on my latest trip and said “hm, that looks nice, I should look that up when I get home.”

And now, a few days later (still in Paris!), here we are and it’s now my top recommendation for the 5th. 

The location is great – it’s a couple of minutes on foot to both the Pantheon and Jardin du Luxembourg – and will put you in a good location for catching a bus or the metro to other parts of Paris (including the RER B, which takes you to Charles de Gaulle Airport). 

However, I will say that you’re probably going to have to walk a bit to get to the nearest metro stations, because this is sort of a dead zone.

The RER B costs the same as the metro, but only really serves Le Marais and the areas directly north, so you’ll need to transfer (or walk) to reach other lines. 

The hotel itself is really nice, and looks like upkeep has been done over the years.

It only has 29 rooms, which is nice because that means more personalized service, and the rooms come in a couple of different sizes and configurations ranging from compact doubles to bigger suites (including family suites, which have two separate rooms and two bathrooms, and would be a good choice for families traveling together). 

Select Hotel Rive Gauche (Mid-Range – $$): Located in a charming little pocket of the Latin Quarter just northeast of the Jardins du Luxembourg, this mid-range hotel is on a nice little plaza just off of a main stretch and is walkable to nearby metro and bus lines, and is a 10 minute walk to Notre Dame. 

In other words, the location here is great.

You have access to that RER line at Luxembourg, which will take you to the airport and Le Marais (where you can walk from there to most of the other parts of Paris you’ll be visiting, or transfer) and is within a couple of minutes of an additional metro line. 

This hotel is about as midrange as it gets. It doesn’t have the personality of, say, Oceanik above, but it certainly has nice rooms at a good value.

The selection of rooms is pretty standard, with configurations ranging from compact doubles to more spacious suites and even triple rooms. 

Basically, you’re getting a good location at a good value, which is more than you can say for plenty of other places in Paris. 

Pepper and Paper Apartments (Aparthotel – $$/$$$): If you’re looking for a little more space, I (Matt) really liked the apartments here at the southern end of the Latin Quarter. 

The thing that stood out to me is the fact that everything in the unit felt really solid (unlike a lot of aparthotels, which feel like they’re furnished exclusively at IKEA). 

The location, while not as central as the part of the Latin Quarter that’s closer to the river, was actually really nice. It’s in a part of the neighborhood that feels like real people actually live in, and the businesses around reflect that. 

Lots of nice, relatively affordable places to eat and drink, and a metro stop a few blocks away that will get you to the center in 10-15 minutes flat. 

They have a few apartment configurations – studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom – and they all differ in layout slightly. 

My apartment was nice because it had a spacious living area (including a full kitchen) on the first floor of the apartment, and then the bedroom and master bathroom on the upper floor. 

Opéra (9th Arr.): Central Location + Great Value

In our opinion as people who have stayed in the 9th Arrondissement multiple times over the past several years, we think this is the best value in Paris, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. 

Paris’ Opéra district extends from the Opéra Garnier in the south to the foot of Montmartre in the north, providing a fantastic location that’s well-connected to the rest of the city, especially ideal for those who plan to catch a show at the Opéra. 

We spent the first half of our recent trip in Paris in the 9th Arrondissement in, which is a budget-friendly, central location.

We found it to be the perfect home base for Paris, and realized that some of our favorite food and drinks were in the neighborhood, so Matt decided to stay here again when he came back a year later (almost to the day).

We think this is probably the best combination of location and affordability in Paris, which is why we’ve chosen to stay here on multiple recent trips.

However, while we once believed it was all about the value, as we’ve spent more time here, we’ve come to appreciate that it’s also packed full of cool places to eat and drink. Especially in SoPi, which is the area immediately south of the Pigalle Metro Station (“SoPi” is an acronym for “South of Pigalle”, roughly). 

Three of our favorite affordable (gluten free) meals coming from the 9th (Aji Dulce for Venezuelan arepas, La Sajerie for Levantine wraps, and Manicaretti for home-cooked Italian lunch). 

To summarize, a good value with lots of great places to eat and drink – what’s not to love?

Pros and Cons of Staying in the 9th Arr.

Here are the pros and cons of staying in the 9th Arrondissement as we see them. 

Pros of Staying in the 9th Arrondissement

• It’s relatively affordable. It’s still Paris – you’re still going to be spending more than 100 Euros per night, but it’s more affordable than more central neighborhoods like the 7th, Le Marais, and Saint Germain. We’d say that it’s the most affordable of Paris’ central neighborhoods (roughly the first 9 arrondissements).
  
  
• There are a bunch of great hotels AND they’re relatively affordable. This area is packed with a nice range of hotels, from chain hotels to single-location boutique hotels, and from budget hotels to luxury hotels. There are a bunch of great options here, and we’ll cover a few (including the ones we’ve stayed in) below. 

Cons of Staying in the 9th Arrondissement

• There’s not a whole lot going on besides the Opéra. If you use this as a home base, you’ll be spending your time in other places, for the most part, and sleeping here. That’s not necessarily a terrible thing, since you’ll be saving money while you do it, but it’s worth noting. There are, however, some excellent places to eat and drink in the area, which is nice.
  
  
• It’s not as sparklingly clean as other parts of Paris. This area is “up-and-coming” (like all hip areas), which means it’s a bit more gritty than the more expensive parts of Paris. That said, it’s perfectly safe, and the rest of Paris isn’t exactly clean either. 

Recommended Places to Stay in Opéra (the 9th Arr.)

Here are a few places to stay in the 9th Arrondissement that caught our eye. 

Hotel Maison Mère (Our Favorite Hotel in Paris – $$): There are undoubtedly some great boutique hotels in Paris, but we think that the real star of the show is Maison Mère, which might be the best mid-range hotel in Paris.

Matt stayed there for a couple of nights on a recent trip, and loved it.

The staff are super friendly, the beds are comfortable (though the rooms are relatively small, which is the case for most modern hotels), and there’s a co-working space and bar and restaurant on the ground floor. 

It’s a fantastic location, within walking distance of Gare du Nord and Montmartre, and a couple of blocks from multiple metro stations which will connect you to the broader city. 

I, Matt, really liked this hotel, and would put it at the top of your list if you’re looking for a mid-range hotel in a solid location.

In fact, I’d make the argument that this should be near the top of the list for the best mid-range hotel in Paris. 

Hotel Joyce (Great Location + Value): An excellent option for those on a budget, this is a value pick.

We stayed here a few years ago – our first time staying in the 9th – and were pleasantly surprised with both the location and the hotel itself. 

They have a range of different room sizes that can accommodate both couples and groups, including their small but perfectly adequate standard rooms, and family rooms with adjoining rooms and separate bathrooms. 

For what it’s worth, we stayed here on one of our recent trips to Paris, and we enjoyed the central location, spacious room, and complimentary drinks and snacks (duh). 

At breakfast time, you’ll enjoy a range of pastries, including croissants and pain au chocolat. They also can cater for gluten free folks with advance notice.

In the afternoon and evening, the hotel also provides complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks.

Hotel Joke (Affordable Hotel – $$): Hotel Joke is the sister hotel of Hotel Joyce (they’re owned by the same hospitality group), and is literally a few blocks away.

The location is the main difference between this hotel and the one above – here, you’re a few extra blocks west, which is a slightly (and we do mean slightly) worse location. 

However, we think it would still make an excellent home base for exploring Paris, since you’ll be within walking distance of Montmartre and a block and a half from a metro station.

You’ll get outstanding value and lots of bright colors that make for a cheery feel even on the greyest of days at Hotel Joke.

The rooms themselves are cozy, clean and contemporary with minifridges stocked with free drinks. 

You’ll be able to choose from a pretty wide range of room types depending on your group.

You have your standard rooms – either with a double bed, or two twin beds – for couples and pairs traveling together.

Then, for groups and families, they have several different options, including the family rooms, which are two rooms joined together around a common space, each with their own bathroom. 

They have a robust breakfast buffet, and a selection of free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for guests that are available 24 hours a day (including sparkling water!).

Le Matissia (Stylish Apartments – $$$): Sometimes, hotels don’t really make sense, whether it’s because you have a big enough group where you’d need multiple rooms, or it’s a longer trip and you’d prefer a little more space (living out of a hotel room can be a little exhausting after a few nights). 

Perfect for families or groups of friends traveling together, Le Matissia offers studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom apartments which can accommodate up to 6 people. 

Each of the apartments here, which are in the same vicinity as Hotel Maison Mère above, have fully equipped kitchens including Nespresso machines, daily cleaning, and a safe.

Instead of key cards, rooms are accessed via a unique code so you can check in at any time.

Luxurious touches like rainfall showers and Rituals bath amenities make it a nice stay. Le Mattisia is in a prime location with Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est only a few minutes walk away.

It is a short metro ride into the center of Paris to visit all the attractions, or if you prefer to explore on foot it is a nice long stroll. 

Montmartre (18th): The Most Romantic Part of Paris

On my last trip to Paris, I decided to split my time between two parts of the city that I had visited multiple times, but had never stayed in. The first of those two that appears on this list is Montmartre. 

Montmartre, until the 19th Century, was actually a completely separate town (though, it was adjacent to the borders of Paris). It was a small village on the hill with some shadier parts, some green open spaces, and a bunch of windmills that were used to grind flour for the population of the city. 

In the mid-to-late 19th Century, it was famous for the soirees that were thrown on weekends, when wealthy Parisians would escape the city and amble up the hill to drink and dance in the gardens that provided a much-needed escape from the urban environment a few blocks away. 

If you go to the Musée d’Orsay (and you should!) and learn about impressionism, you’ll see multiple depictions of this phenomenon, most famously Renoir’s Bal du moulin de la Galette.

It has also gained the reputation for being the home of the artists in Paris, with Vincent Van Gogh, Renoir, many other artists in the impressionist movement, and even Pablo Picasso having lived in Montmartre for some period of time in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. 

Similar to Le Marais, Montmartre escaped the redevelopment projects that came with Napoleon III (again, not THAT Napoleon, but his nephew) that leveled huge swaths of the city to modernize it and turn it into the city you see today, with grand boulevards and wide open spaces (rather than narrow cobblestone streets). 

Mostly, that’s because it was outside the boundaries of the city at that time.  

The result is an uber charming neighborhood full of cobblestones, narrow winding streets, and excellent views out over Paris (which only get better the further up the hill you venture). 

It’s charming. It’s romantic (especially before or after the bulk of the tourists arrive or leave). And it’s easy to see why it has become a staple of many itineraries. 

However, all that charm comes with a couple of downsides. 

The first is the number of tourists, which seems to have grown exponentially over the past several years.

By staying here, though, you’ll have the added benefit of being able to easily step outside your front door and go for an evening stroll once they’ve all left for the day. 

The second is the location, which is certainly not the most convenient of the potential neighborhoods in this guide.

You basically won’t be walking distance to any of Paris’ major tourist attractions, though there are a few bus and metro lines that run along the boulevards at the base of the hill (which you should use early and often).

Pros and Cons of Staying in Montmartre

Here are the pros and cons of staying in Montmartre, at least as we see them. 

Pros of Staying in Montmartre

• It has all of the charm of a small village. Seriously. All of it. Cobblestone streets. A great cafe culture, with Parisians and tourists alike sitting on the patios that line the streets. Leafy greenery. All of the charm.
  
  
• Sacré-Cœur. Our pick for the best church in Paris (though when it’s open, Notre Dame Cathedral is pretty spectacular too), Sacré-Cœur is perched on a hill, which means incredible views over the city. Sunset here is a must-do!
  
  
• It’s a surprisingly good place to eat and drink. For a neighborhood inundated by tourists, there are still quite a few places to eat and drink that are worthwhile stops. Clove is one of my favorite coffee shops. Pain Pain gets good reviews (and had a line out the door when I walked by multiple times). I found a nice fromagerie and cave a vin just wandering around.
  
   
• There are a lot of hotels, and they’re relatively affordable. Surprisingly, there are a bunch of hotels in the neighborhood, and they tend to be relatively affordable compared to some more central options. 

Cons of Staying in Montmartre

• It’s not super convenient for getting to other parts of the city. This is easily the biggest downside of staying here. You have easy access to metro lines 2 and 4 with a 10 minute walk, but even so, getting to the most popular attractions in Paris from Montmartre can be a bit of a journey (30-40 minutes, depending on where you’re going). And if, for some crazy reason, you don’t want to take public transit, plan on hitting traffic and it taking longer. 

More Arrondissements to Consider If You’re On a Budget

Look, it’s no secret that hotels around the world have gotten significantly more expensive over the past five years or so.

And Paris was already an expensive city to visit, so that rise in prices means that prices for hotels in Paris can feel a little ridiculous. 

We wanted to put in a dedicated section for our approach to finding places to stay on a tight budget because we don’t think travel should be restricted to only people who can afford luxury hotel prices. 

If you’re on a tight budget, we think you have two high-level approaches to choose from (think of it as a “choose your own adventure” situation).

First is staying in the 9th, where you’ll find a walkable location and tons of great value and rooms that are clearly in the “affordable” category. 

Some good options that fall in that “affordable” range (generally around €200 a night outside of June and July) are the Helussi Hôtel and the aforementioned Hotel Joyce and Hotel Joke (we’ve stayed at Hotel Joyce, and it was a lovely home base for exploring Paris at a reasonable price).  

Your second option would be to go to the outer ring of arrondissements, where you’ll generally get more for your money at the cost of being less walkable to the main sights. 

HOWEVER, we would be careful about which neighborhoods you choose for both convenience (mainly metro connections) and safety reasons. 

The four arrondissements on the outer ring we’d consider here are:

The 10th Arrondissement: Specifically, the area around Canal Saint-Martin is lovely, but we’d avoid the area around Gare du Nord because it’s not particularly charming or pleasant. 

We’ve stayed at Le Citizen Hôtel on the canal, which was great!

The other place we have saved on our list is La Planque Hotel, which is a block from the canal and the metro. 

The 14th Arrondissement: Being near Montparnasse, you get unbeatable metro and RER (to Versailles) connections, and the hotel options in the 14th tend to be on the affordable end of the spectrum. 

Stay at Hôtel Léopold, which is in an excellent location between Montparnasse and the Jardin du Luxembourg (and all the action in the 5th and 6th). 

The 13th Arrondissement: Just south of the Latin Quarter along the Seine where it bends south.

We’ve had Hôtel Henriette on our list since we started keeping it years ago, and it’s our top budget pick (probably in the entire city). Great design and great location on the border of the 5th and 13th (half a block from a metro stop). 

The 11th Arrondissement: This is where the hipsters have migrated to, good food and drinks and transit connections from Bastille – stay at Hôtel Folie, which is right off of Boulevard Voltaire (the main drag in the 11th) and a block from a metro station. 

The 15th Arrondissement: Fairly residential and quiet and a short walk away from the Eiffel Tower. Stay at Le Parisis for affordable Eiffel Tower views.

Where to Stay with a Group (or Family)

One of the things we wanted to touch on in this guide is what to do if you’re traveling in a group, like a family of four (or more) or a group of friends. 

Having planned multiple family trips over the past few years, we’re intimately familiar with the logistical challenges that come with planning a group trip. 

It’s notoriously difficult to find a place to stay that can accommodate groups traveling to Europe, and often the solution ends up being booking two separate hotel rooms (which gets expensive FAST) or booking a single hotel room with two double beds, which gets cramped equally quickly. 

The first thing to note is that, personally, we would not book an Airbnb in Paris (and we wouldn’t recommend it for you either). 

I, Matt, have personally talked to three separate groups that I met traveling around Europe in the past two years who have said that they had booked an Airbnb in Paris (specifically in Paris) only to have it canceled while they were in the air on the way across the Atlantic. 

The reason behind that is that France has recently started regulating vacation rentals more heavily, and the result is tighter availability and the removal of illegal listings from the market (which we view as a good thing). 

However, we totally understand the desire for more space to accommodate a group, and we want to introduce you to the concept of aparthotels.

These are a type of accommodation we don’t see in the U.S. that often, but we find all over Europe. 

Basically, it’s a hotel where the rooms are apartments, so you get all the convenience and amenities of a hotel, but the rooms usually have a kitchen and options for various numbers of bedrooms. 

They give you the perks, like luggage storage and flexible check-in, along with the comfort of having more space and feeling like you’re more immersed in the daily life of the place you’re visiting. 

There are tons of aparthotel options in Paris if that’s what you’re looking for, and we’d look at these first: 

Pepper and Paper (5th Arr.): My top pick! I stayed here on my last trip to Paris, and it’s truly a wonderful setup.

It’s a bit further into the Latin Quarter, which gets more residential (which I loved), and they have studios, one bedroom, and two bedroom apartments with nice kitchens and plenty of space. 

My Maison in Paris Invalides (7th Arr.): Great location two blocks from the Eiffel Tower with lots of room sizes and configurations to choose from.

We stayed at their location in the 2nd on a trip a few years ago and liked it, and this would be a great home base. 

Citadines Trocadéro Paris (16th Arr.): This Citadines location – they’re a prolific aparthotel brand in Paris – is across the river from the Eiffel Tower, and they have a range of apartment options from studio to two bedroom. 

Citadines Les Halles Paris (1st/2nd Arr.): The best location of the Citadines in Paris, but the biggest room available is a one bedroom apartment with a sofa bed (probably fine for a family of three or four, maybe not for a group of four adults). 

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