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| Boilerpipe Text | We’ve booked more than 15 hotels across 10+ trips to Paris, including when we stayed in 3 different arrondissements during the same 8-day trip in November 2023. We know the city well from a tourists perspective. Now, we absolutely love walking around Paris, but the major tourist attractions like the Louvre and Eiffel Tower are spread out across a massive area. This makes figuring out the best place to stay feel overwhelming – especially for first time visitors.
In this guide we show you the 7 arrondissements we think are best for first timers to stay in Paris, based on our extensive experiences in the city. We’ll show you our pros and cons, top rated hotels for each budget and a helpful map at the end. In essence, we’re doing the legwork so you don’t have to waste time researching.
Mark and Kristen with the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Hi, we’re Mark and Kristen Morgan. We left our scientific careers in 2018 to become travel writers and photographers, and since then our expert guides have helped millions of travel planners take better trips. Read more
about us
.
Why trust us with your Paris plans?
We’ve stayed at 15+ hotels in 6 different arrondissements across every season. We know the pros and cons to each area. As always, every photo in this guide is ours.
Every time we visit Paris, we purposefully book hotels in different arrondissement so we can get a better feel for the most popular tourist areas. Up to now, we’ve stayed in the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissements, so we’re really getting to know what makes each area a great place to stay, as well as the downsides.
The one arrondissement we haven’t stayed yet but will next time we go to Paris is the 6th. Why the 6th? Because we’ve done all the major tourist attractions now, so we don’t need to base ourselves near the Eiffel Tower, Louvre or Sacre-Coeur. Instead, our future trips will be more about food, cafe culture and relaxing – which is the 6th in a nutshell. Okay, let’s dive in.
Note
: Our content is reader supported and contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you and it helps us keep this site running.
Paris Planning
đź“–
Ultimate Paris Guidebook
: Get our complete
50+ page offline PDF
with everything you need for Paris.
Our Favorite Hotels
If you’re in a hurry or don’t want to read this full guide, here are our three top hotel picks for first time visitors to Paris based on a perfect blend of location, quality, value for money, previous guest reviews and our own experiences.
🏨
Hotel Moliere
🏨
Hôtel Le Presbytère
🏨
Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne
The three hotels above all have sky high guest ratings – and they’re located close to the Louvre, Le Marais and Les Halles for airport train connections. And if you book far enough in advance, you can score affordable nightly rates. We’ve stayed at
Hôtel Le Presbytère
(it was excellent), and would happily book either of the others next time.
For a first visit to Paris, we think hotels in the 1st and 4th arrondissements close to the Louvre are ideal places to book because they’re central to attractions and have excellent transport links. We enjoyed the 3rd, but kept wishing we’d booked closer to the Seine because we constantly ended up walking through the 4th to get to things.
That’s our top level summary for you. But if you love to research and learn about a place before you visit (like we do), keep reading to see what makes each of the 7 arrondissements in our guide a good or bad area to stay for your trip!
Feel free to save or share this infographic we created!
1st Arrondissement (Louvre)
This is Mark walking in front of the Louvre
Let’s kick things off with the 1st arrondissement – also known as “Louvre” because, unsurprisingly – it’s where you’ll find the
Louvre Museum
. We think the 1st works best if you’ve never been to Paris before and you want to tick off tons of attractions from a central hub.
This area is also home to the Tuileries Garden, the
Musee de l’Orangerie
,
Sainte-Chapelle
and Les Halles – one of the major transport hubs in Paris with a direct train link to Charles de Gaulle airport. We’ve done Les Halles to the airport a few times and it’s a piece of cake. Oh, and here’s a
fantastic walking tour
of Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle and Ile de la Cite beginning in the 1st.
In November 2023, we stayed at
Hotel Britannique
on Avenue Victoria. We picked this hotel because it was reasonably priced and had excellent ratings, plus it was close to Chatelet metro station, Les Halles, the Louvre (here’s a
top rated Louvre tour
) and Ile de la Cite. But breakfast was just okay, so we skipped it and instead ate cheap but delicious croissants at a nearby boulangerie called
Laurent Dheilly
.
We found the west side of the 1st to be posh, expensive and super safe so we’d probably look in this area if we visited Paris with our daughter.
Relais Du Louvre
and
Hotel Moliere
are popular, highly rated and affordable hotels with excellent locations. Or with a bigger budget we’d love to stay at
Chateau Voltaire
.
Whereas the east side around Les Halles was cheaper and had a lot more going on in terms of restaurants, bars and a bit of nightlife. So we’d go for this side if we visited Paris as a couple or with friends.
Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne
or
Hotel Le Relais des Halles
are two excellent hotels that won’t break the bank, and
Grand Hotel du Palais Royal
would be our splurge here.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 1st arrondissement:
Pros
âś… Central location within Paris
âś… Close to tons of attractions
âś… Very walkable area
âś… Excellent transport links
âś… Good for a first visit
Cons
❌ Very touristy (not authentic)
❌ Expensive hotels
❌ Not great for nightlife
3rd + 4th Arrondissements (Le Marais)
Here’s Kristen in Places des Vosges in Le Marais
Okay, we’re cheating a bit here by including the 3rd and 4th arrondissements into one, but it’s because Le Marais (super trendy area overflowing with boutiques, cafes, bars, restaurants, museums and galleries) spans both.
Le Marais is a great place to stay on a first visit to Paris if you want a semi-lively but safe area with lots of places to eat and a relaxed vibe. There’s a reason
this top rated food tour
with Devour Tours goes to the Marais. We love its medieval and historic feel, and we’ve personally always found it to have a less touristy feel than the other areas we cover in this guide.
We booked a super cheap place called
Hotel So Marais
in the far north of the 3rd for one night in July 2024. We’d just arrived into Charles de Gaulle from the US and we were going to Normandy the next day. So a hotel near Les Halles and Arts et Metiers metro (direct metro to St Lazare for Normandy) was perfect.
Our feeling was that the north side of Le Marais in the 3rd is much quieter, which might be better if you’re visiting with younger kids. We’d consider booking either of the highly rated
La Chambre du Marais
or
HĂ´tel Jules & Jim
.
Whereas the south side of Le Marais in the 4th was much busier with more going on, which we think suits couples or groups of friends better.
Plus, the 4th is closer to the city’s top attractions, so it’s a better place for a first time visitor to stay – which is why we booked the excellent
Hôtel Le Presbytère
for 2 nights in July 2024 when we tested our step-by-step
48 hour Paris itinerary
. Our backup hotel option in this area was
Hotel Dupond-Smith
, which also looks fantastic.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements:
Pros
âś… Lovely medieval architecture
âś… Great places to eat
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Lively at night
âś… Very safe area
Cons
❌ Not as central for attractions
❌ Expensive
❌ Can be loud at night
❌ Very busy
Need help planning your trip to Paris?
Our popular Paris travel guidebook helps you with planning every aspect of your visit, including must-visit attractions and museums, where to eat and stay, itinerary ideas and map!
View Guidebook
5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter)
We took this photo of the Pantheon walking up Rue Soufflot
After spending a day exploring the
Natural History Museum
,
Pantheon
,
Shakespeare and Company
, Marie Curie Museum and
Musee de Cluny
in the 5th, we thought it had a nice blend of students, tourists and locals.
Now, the Latin Quarter has a lively and touristy area close to the Seine with cheap eats and busy bars.
Les Rives de Notre Dame
is a popular hotel near the vibrant nightlife area and it’s also on the Seine with great access to transport and attractions.
But we will say that some of the streets we walked through (around Rue Saint Severin and Rue de la Huchette) felt a bit tacky with tourist traps and people outside trying a little bit too hard to get us into restaurants. It wasn’t our scene.
Our favorite part of the 5th was around the east side of the Luxembourg Gardens not far from the Pantheon where it’s a bit quieter. We’d happily book
Hotel les Jardins du Luxembourg
,
Hotel des Carmes
,
Select Hotel
or
Hotel Jardin de Cluny
to avoid the louder areas. They all look great.
The southern parts of the Latin Quarter aren’t well connected and they’re too far from the touristy areas for us. But hotels like the highly rated
Seven Hotel
are definitely cheaper, so this area might suit your budget better.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 5th arrondissement:
Pros
âś… Cheap places to eat
âś… Historic and cultural
âś… Very lively at night
âś… Lots of museums
âś… Good transport links
Cons
❌ Very loud at night
❌ Super touristy
❌ Not very high-end
❌ Scammers and grifters
6th Arrondissement (St Germain)
We took this photo of Kristen in the stunning Luxembourg Gardens in St Germain
St Germain is a charming, safe, quiet, friendly and high end area in Paris. During our most recent trips to the city, we’ve found ourselves gravitating south across the Seine into the 6th arrondissement more and more. And next time we go to Paris, we’ll probably book a hotel near Saint Germain des Pres metro station.
We’ve eaten at tons of highly rated restaurants (not just brasseries or bistros) and watched the world go by from many a tiny outdoor cafe table around Rue de Buci, which is a hive of activity during the day. Plus, the 6th is home to our favorite park in Paris – the
Luxembourg Garden
.
We think Saint Germain is a superb area to stay if you’re visiting Paris with kids because it’s safe, quiet and affluent. Our young daughter loves parks and green spaces, so this area has become even more appealing to us for future trips.
If we had to pin point an exact area to book a hotel, we’d want to be within easy walking distance of Rue de Buci. Three popular and highly rated mid-budget options we’d consider are
Hotel Artus
,
Millesime Hotel
and
Hotel Louis II
. Or if we had a bigger budget, we’d look at
Hotel Fougere
and
Hotel d’Aubusson
.
That said, if we stayed in the 6th with other couples and wanted a bit more going on at night we’d book
Relais Hotel du Vieux Paris
near St Michel. This area straddles the low key 6th and vibrant nightlife in the 5th.
Outside of the Luxembourg Garden, there aren’t any must-visit attractions in St Germain – but staying on the north side near Rue de Buci gives you easy walking access to Ile de la Cite or the Louvre, and easy metro access for the Eiffel Tower.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 6th arrondissement:
Pros
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Excellent places to eat
âś… Quiet and safe
âś… Perfect for families
Cons
❌ Not many transport links
❌ Not ideal for airports
❌ Not much going on at night
7th Arrondissement (Le Septieme)
We took this photo looking up at the Eiffel Tower at dusk
The 7th is arguably the most touristy arrondissement in Paris because it’s home to the
Eiffel Tower
, Champ de Mars,
Rodin Museum
and
Musee d’Orsay
. Not a bad collection of attractions, right?
But be warned – it’s not especially well connected to the airports or other attractions in the city like the Louvre, so you’d spend a fair bit of time riding metros. Trust us, we know!
We stayed at an apartment style hotel called
Rayz Eiffel
on Avenue Bosquet in November 2023. The room was good and the location was even better – within easy walking distance to the Eiffel Tower, Ecole Militaire metro and lots of bistros on famous streets like Rue Cler.
Okay, there’s tons of highly rated hotels located close to Ecole Militaire metro and honestly we’d be happy to book any of
Alberte Hotel
,
Hotel Muguet
,
Hotel Le Walt
,
Hotel La Comtesse
or
Hotel du Champ de Mars
. They’re all great options.
One interesting alternative is a ritzy 5 star hotel in a unique location not far from the Seine in Invalides called
Le Narcisse Blanc
. It’s a fancy hotel and spa with very high guest ratings but it’s definitely a splurge!
Overall, we enjoyed staying in the 7th for what we wanted – a hub close to the Eiffel Tower and other famous museums. But there really wasn’t much going on in the evenings, and we ended up having to take metros to other parts of the city. So we personally wouldn’t stay in the 7th again.
It’s perfect if you’re visiting Paris as a couple or a family and you want a quieter experience near the Eiffel Tower, but it’s not great if you want atmosphere at night. Another downside is that because this area is so affluent, it’s also expensive and hotel prices tend to be higher (even for Paris).
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 7th arrondissement:
Pros
âś… Close to the Eiffel Tower
âś… Near lots of museums
âś… Safe and affluent
âś… Quiet at night
âś… Great for families
Cons
❌ No nightlife at all
❌ Expensive accommodation
❌ Transport links aren’t great
❌ Very busy during the day
18th Arrondissement (Montmartre)
This is a photo we took of the Moulin Rouge at dusk on our way back into Montmartre
Now, if you want something totally different and away from the touristy heart of Paris, we recommend taking a closer look at Montmartre.
Montmartre used to be super seedy – especially along Boulevard de Clichy on the border with the 9th where you’ll find
Moulin Rouge
– but today it’s a popular, charming, romantic and artsy part of town. Check out this
highly rated food tour
or
this awesome pastry and chocolate tour
in the area.
We stayed at
Hotel des Arts
in Montmartre in November 2023, and we’d say it’s the best hotel we’ve had in Paris so far. The standout feature for us was breakfast because they actually went out to the local boulangerie each morning to pick up fresh pastries, which is rare.
But close by you can also look at
Hotel Le Relais Montmartre
or
Hotel Monsieur Aristide
for more excellent mid budget options. For a 5 star splurge, your only option is
Manolita Paris
which is located next to Moulin Rouge.
Or for something totally different, head over to the east side of Montmartre and look at
Mom’Art Hotel
. This highly rated hotel is located in-between the
Sacre-Coeur
and a hugely popular restaurant called
Bouillon Pigalle
(book a table in advance).
Being able to easily walk to Sacre Coeur was cool, but we did get a bit frustrated by how long it took to get to other attractions and train stations for the airports. Plus, it’s a very (and we mean very!) hilly area, so only stay here if you don’t mind hills and taking a lot of metros.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 18th arrondissement:
Pros
âś… Close to Sacre Coeur
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Romantic for couples
âś… Artsy and relaxed vibe
âś… Quiet at night
Cons
❌ No nightlife
❌ Long way from attractions
❌ Very hilly
❌ Busy during the day
❌ Not ideal for airports
Other Places We Stayed
We took this photo of Paris at sunset from the top of Montparnasse Tower
Why haven’t we included the 10th or 11th arrondissements even though we’ve stayed in both areas? Well, we have nothing against those two areas at all, we just don’t think they beat staying in the 1st, 4rd, 6th, 7th or 18th if it’s your first visit.
10th arrondissement
– We stayed at
Hotel Le Milie Rose
during one of our 10+ trips to Paris. It had superb ratings and the room was great. The area around the hotel was super diverse and cultural, and it worked well for getting to Gare du Nord. But it didn’t feel as safe as other areas we’d stayed the city.
11th arrondissement
– We stayed at
Hotel Voltaire
in July 2018, which served the purpose we needed at the time – a budget hotel with a bed and a shower. It was a fun area with lots of nightlife and restaurants, and we remember there being fewer tourists around.
Paris Arrondissements Map
Map key:
Green
– Cheap hotels
Red
– Mid range hotels
Blue
– Luxury hotels
How to use this map
: Click the map above to activate, then tap any hotel icon to see more information and book (hotel link in description). See a list of all hotels and arrondissements by clicking the arrow icon in the top left, or see a full version of the map by clicking the “view larger map” icon in the top right.
How to save this map
: Click the small star next to the map title – this will add the map to your Google account. Open your Google Maps app, tap “saved”, then tap “maps” and open this map.
Our Top Tips
Here’s a photo Mark took of Kristen in a courtyard on the way to the Louvre entrance
Look, we won’t sugarcoat it – hotels in Paris are not cheap. Here’s a few quick tips we learned about booking accommodation that could save you a small fortune:
Avoid weekends
– Hotel prices are significantly lower on weekdays compared to weekends in Paris. We recommend booking your stay anytime between Sunday night to Friday morning.
Beat the rush
– Book as far in advance as you possibly can to get the best rates. Last minute deals don’t work like they used to, and especially not in a place as popular as Paris.
Stay longer
– Typically the more nights you stay, the cheaper the average nightly rate becomes. We’ve noticed this is especially true when booking midweek stays.
Seasonality
– Hotels here are way cheaper in the off season and shoulder seasons versus summer, especially July and August when tourism peaks. May and October are excellent times to visit.
And finally, we travel for a living so take a look at our guide on
how to stop overpaying for hotels
and book yourself a cheaper trip to Paris.
Next Steps
We hope our guide on where to stay in Paris has given you a better idea about which arrondissement to book a hotel.
If you’d like expert help with planning your trip to Paris, we’re more than happy to
talk 1-on-1 with you
to answer any questions you have, walk through your itinerary to make sure it’s the best it can be, or help you figure out where to stay.
Still researching for your trip?
Here’s our
Paris travel guide for first timers
.
This is
how to spend 2 days in Paris
.
These are the
top things to do in Paris
.
Here’s
how to visit the Eiffel Tower
.
This is
how to visit the Louvre
.
Here’s
how to visit the Palace of Versailles
.
Finally, if you’ll be visiting more places on the same trip, we recommend reading our
France travel guide
for helpful tips and advice.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
Find our guide helpful? Pin it for later!
All Rights Reserved © Where Are Those Morgans, LLC. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, maps, graphics, etc.) in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
Mark and Kristen spent 6 years traveling the world, visiting over 40 countries across 4 continents and more than 30 US states. They created Where Are Those Morgans in 2018 to help others plan the best possible vacations by writing authentic travel and hiking guides based on their real experiences.
Since the arrival of baby Maya in late 2024, Mark and Kristen’s extensive travels have slowed down but they still take plenty of trips. Where Are Those Morgans now helps millions of travelers each year to visit new places and hike new trails through information-packed blog posts and expert travel guidebooks. Read more
about Mark and Kristen
. |
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# Where To Stay In Paris: 7 Awesome Arrondissements For A First Visit
by [Mark and Kristen Morgan](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/about-us/)
First Published: March 4, 2025
Last Updated: December 28, 2025
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We’ve booked more than 15 hotels across 10+ trips to Paris, including when we stayed in 3 different arrondissements during the same 8-day trip in November 2023. We know the city well from a tourists perspective. Now, we absolutely love walking around Paris, but the major tourist attractions like the Louvre and Eiffel Tower are spread out across a massive area. This makes figuring out the best place to stay feel overwhelming – especially for first time visitors.
In this guide we show you the 7 arrondissements we think are best for first timers to stay in Paris, based on our extensive experiences in the city. We’ll show you our pros and cons, top rated hotels for each budget and a helpful map at the end. In essence, we’re doing the legwork so you don’t have to waste time researching.
Mark and Kristen with the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Hi, we’re Mark and Kristen Morgan. We left our scientific careers in 2018 to become travel writers and photographers, and since then our expert guides have helped millions of travel planners take better trips. Read more [about us](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/about-us/).
**Why trust us with your Paris plans?** We’ve stayed at 15+ hotels in 6 different arrondissements across every season. We know the pros and cons to each area. As always, every photo in this guide is ours.
Every time we visit Paris, we purposefully book hotels in different arrondissement so we can get a better feel for the most popular tourist areas. Up to now, we’ve stayed in the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissements, so we’re really getting to know what makes each area a great place to stay, as well as the downsides.
The one arrondissement we haven’t stayed yet but will next time we go to Paris is the 6th. Why the 6th? Because we’ve done all the major tourist attractions now, so we don’t need to base ourselves near the Eiffel Tower, Louvre or Sacre-Coeur. Instead, our future trips will be more about food, cafe culture and relaxing – which is the 6th in a nutshell. Okay, let’s dive in.
***Note**: Our content is reader supported and contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you and it helps us keep this site running.*
**Paris Planning**
đź“– **Ultimate Paris Guidebook**: Get our complete [50+ page offline PDF](https://shop.wherearethosemorgans.com/products/paris-travel-guidebook) with everything you need for Paris.
đź“ž **Personalized Paris Planning Call**: Book a [1-on-1 call](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/travel-services/) with Mark to talk through your itinerary and avoid tourist traps.
đź’ˇ **Still Planning?** Read our essential guide to [visiting Paris for the first time](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/paris-france-travel-guide/).
**Table of Contents** [show](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/)
[Our Favorite Hotels](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#Our_Favorite_Hotels)
[1st Arrondissement (Louvre)](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#1st_Arrondissement_Louvre)
[3rd + 4th Arrondissements (Le Marais)](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#3rd_4th_Arrondissements_Le_Marais)
[5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter)](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#5th_Arrondissement_Latin_Quarter)
[6th Arrondissement (St Germain)](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#6th_Arrondissement_St_Germain)
[7th Arrondissement (Le Septieme)](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#7th_Arrondissement_Le_Septieme)
[18th Arrondissement (Montmartre)](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#18th_Arrondissement_Montmartre)
[Other Places We Stayed](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#Other_Places_We_Stayed)
[Paris Arrondissements Map](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#Paris_Arrondissements_Map)
[Our Top Tips](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#Our_Top_Tips)
[Next Steps](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/where-to-stay-in-paris/#Next_Steps)
## Our Favorite Hotels
If you’re in a hurry or don’t want to read this full guide, here are our three top hotel picks for first time visitors to Paris based on a perfect blend of location, quality, value for money, previous guest reviews and our own experiences.
🏨 [Hotel Moliere](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/molere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2)
🏨 [Hôtel Le Presbytère](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-le-presbytere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2)
🏨 [Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/des-ducs-de-bourgogne.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2)
The three hotels above all have sky high guest ratings – and they’re located close to the Louvre, Le Marais and Les Halles for airport train connections. And if you book far enough in advance, you can score affordable nightly rates. We’ve stayed at [Hôtel Le Presbytère](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-le-presbytere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) (it was excellent), and would happily book either of the others next time.
For a first visit to Paris, we think hotels in the 1st and 4th arrondissements close to the Louvre are ideal places to book because they’re central to attractions and have excellent transport links. We enjoyed the 3rd, but kept wishing we’d booked closer to the Seine because we constantly ended up walking through the 4th to get to things.
That’s our top level summary for you. But if you love to research and learn about a place before you visit (like we do), keep reading to see what makes each of the 7 arrondissements in our guide a good or bad area to stay for your trip\!
Feel free to save or share this infographic we created\!
## 1st Arrondissement (Louvre)
This is Mark walking in front of the Louvre
Let’s kick things off with the 1st arrondissement – also known as “Louvre” because, unsurprisingly – it’s where you’ll find the [Louvre Museum](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visit-the-louvre-paris/). We think the 1st works best if you’ve never been to Paris before and you want to tick off tons of attractions from a central hub.
This area is also home to the Tuileries Garden, the [Musee de l’Orangerie](https://www.musee-orangerie.fr/fr), [Sainte-Chapelle](https://www.sainte-chapelle.fr/en) and Les Halles – one of the major transport hubs in Paris with a direct train link to Charles de Gaulle airport. We’ve done Les Halles to the airport a few times and it’s a piece of cake. Oh, and here’s a [fantastic walking tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/notre-dame-tour-sainte-chapelle-tickets/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=notredamesaintechapelle) of Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle and Ile de la Cite beginning in the 1st.
In November 2023, we stayed at [Hotel Britannique](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/britannique-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) on Avenue Victoria. We picked this hotel because it was reasonably priced and had excellent ratings, plus it was close to Chatelet metro station, Les Halles, the Louvre (here’s a [top rated Louvre tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/louvre-tour-mona-lisa/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=louvreclosing)) and Ile de la Cite. But breakfast was just okay, so we skipped it and instead ate cheap but delicious croissants at a nearby boulangerie called [Laurent Dheilly](https://www.google.com/search?q=paris+boulangerie+laurent+dheilly&oq=paris+boulangerie+laurent+dheilly&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgEEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgFEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyBggGEEUYPDIGCAcQRRg80gEINzMwN2owajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x47e66e1f03736813:0xdfc9e9060fe951cd,1,,,,).
We found the west side of the 1st to be posh, expensive and super safe so we’d probably look in this area if we visited Paris with our daughter. [Relais Du Louvre](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/relaisdulouvre.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) and [Hotel Moliere](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/molere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) are popular, highly rated and affordable hotels with excellent locations. Or with a bigger budget we’d love to stay at [Chateau Voltaire](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/chateau-voltaire.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2).
Whereas the east side around Les Halles was cheaper and had a lot more going on in terms of restaurants, bars and a bit of nightlife. So we’d go for this side if we visited Paris as a couple or with friends. [Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/des-ducs-de-bourgogne.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel Le Relais des Halles](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/ha-tel-le-relais-des-halles-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) are two excellent hotels that won’t break the bank, and [Grand Hotel du Palais Royal](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/grand-du-palais-royal.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) would be our splurge here.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 1st arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Central location within Paris
âś… Close to tons of attractions
âś… Very walkable area
âś… Excellent transport links
âś… Good for a first visit
**Cons**
❌ Very touristy (not authentic)
❌ Expensive hotels
❌ Not great for nightlife
## 3rd + 4th Arrondissements (Le Marais)
Here’s Kristen in Places des Vosges in Le Marais
Okay, we’re cheating a bit here by including the 3rd and 4th arrondissements into one, but it’s because Le Marais (super trendy area overflowing with boutiques, cafes, bars, restaurants, museums and galleries) spans both.
Le Marais is a great place to stay on a first visit to Paris if you want a semi-lively but safe area with lots of places to eat and a relaxed vibe. There’s a reason [this top rated food tour](https://devourtours.com/tours/paris-ultimate-food-tour/?tap_a=107727-beecd5&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=foodtourmarais) with Devour Tours goes to the Marais. We love its medieval and historic feel, and we’ve personally always found it to have a less touristy feel than the other areas we cover in this guide.
We booked a super cheap place called [Hotel So Marais](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/au-coeur-du-marais-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) in the far north of the 3rd for one night in July 2024. We’d just arrived into Charles de Gaulle from the US and we were going to Normandy the next day. So a hotel near Les Halles and Arts et Metiers metro (direct metro to St Lazare for Normandy) was perfect.
Our feeling was that the north side of Le Marais in the 3rd is much quieter, which might be better if you’re visiting with younger kids. We’d consider booking either of the highly rated [La Chambre du Marais](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/la-chambre-du-marais.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hôtel Jules & Jim](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/jules-et-jim.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2).
Whereas the south side of Le Marais in the 4th was much busier with more going on, which we think suits couples or groups of friends better.
Plus, the 4th is closer to the city’s top attractions, so it’s a better place for a first time visitor to stay – which is why we booked the excellent [Hôtel Le Presbytère](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-le-presbytere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) for 2 nights in July 2024 when we tested our step-by-step [48 hour Paris itinerary](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/paris-two-day-itinerary/). Our backup hotel option in this area was [Hotel Dupond-Smith](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/dupond-smith.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), which also looks fantastic.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements:
**Pros**
âś… Lovely medieval architecture
âś… Great places to eat
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Lively at night
âś… Very safe area
**Cons**
❌ Not as central for attractions
❌ Expensive
❌ Can be loud at night
❌ Very busy
**Need help planning your trip to Paris?**
Our popular Paris travel guidebook helps you with planning every aspect of your visit, including must-visit attractions and museums, where to eat and stay, itinerary ideas and map\!
[**View Guidebook**](https://shop.wherearethosemorgans.com/products/paris-travel-guidebook)
## 5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter)
We took this photo of the Pantheon walking up Rue Soufflot
After spending a day exploring the [Natural History Museum](https://www.mnhn.fr/en), [Pantheon](https://www.paris-pantheon.fr/en), [Shakespeare and Company](https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/), Marie Curie Museum and [Musee de Cluny](https://www.musee-moyenage.fr/) in the 5th, we thought it had a nice blend of students, tourists and locals.
Now, the Latin Quarter has a lively and touristy area close to the Seine with cheap eats and busy bars. [Les Rives de Notre Dame](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/les-rives-de-notre-dame.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) is a popular hotel near the vibrant nightlife area and it’s also on the Seine with great access to transport and attractions.
But we will say that some of the streets we walked through (around Rue Saint Severin and Rue de la Huchette) felt a bit tacky with tourist traps and people outside trying a little bit too hard to get us into restaurants. It wasn’t our scene.
Our favorite part of the 5th was around the east side of the Luxembourg Gardens not far from the Pantheon where it’s a bit quieter. We’d happily book [Hotel les Jardins du Luxembourg](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/les-jardins-du-luxembourg.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel des Carmes](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/des-carmes-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Select Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/select-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel Jardin de Cluny](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/lejardindecluny.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) to avoid the louder areas. They all look great.
The southern parts of the Latin Quarter aren’t well connected and they’re too far from the touristy areas for us. But hotels like the highly rated [Seven Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/seven.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) are definitely cheaper, so this area might suit your budget better.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 5th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Cheap places to eat
âś… Historic and cultural
âś… Very lively at night
âś… Lots of museums
âś… Good transport links
**Cons**
❌ Very loud at night
❌ Super touristy
❌ Not very high-end
❌ Scammers and grifters
## 6th Arrondissement (St Germain)
We took this photo of Kristen in the stunning Luxembourg Gardens in St Germain
St Germain is a charming, safe, quiet, friendly and high end area in Paris. During our most recent trips to the city, we’ve found ourselves gravitating south across the Seine into the 6th arrondissement more and more. And next time we go to Paris, we’ll probably book a hotel near Saint Germain des Pres metro station.
We’ve eaten at tons of highly rated restaurants (not just brasseries or bistros) and watched the world go by from many a tiny outdoor cafe table around Rue de Buci, which is a hive of activity during the day. Plus, the 6th is home to our favorite park in Paris – the [Luxembourg Garden](https://jardin.senat.fr/en.html).
We think Saint Germain is a superb area to stay if you’re visiting Paris with kids because it’s safe, quiet and affluent. Our young daughter loves parks and green spaces, so this area has become even more appealing to us for future trips.
If we had to pin point an exact area to book a hotel, we’d want to be within easy walking distance of Rue de Buci. Three popular and highly rated mid-budget options we’d consider are [Hotel Artus](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/artus.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Millesime Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/millesime-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) and [Hotel Louis II](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/louis-2.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). Or if we had a bigger budget, we’d look at [Hotel Fougere](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-fougrere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) and [Hotel d’Aubusson](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/d-aubusson.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2).
That said, if we stayed in the 6th with other couples and wanted a bit more going on at night we’d book [Relais Hotel du Vieux Paris](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/relaishotelvieuxparis.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) near St Michel. This area straddles the low key 6th and vibrant nightlife in the 5th.
Outside of the Luxembourg Garden, there aren’t any must-visit attractions in St Germain – but staying on the north side near Rue de Buci gives you easy walking access to Ile de la Cite or the Louvre, and easy metro access for the Eiffel Tower.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 6th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Excellent places to eat
âś… Quiet and safe
âś… Perfect for families
**Cons**
❌ Not many transport links
❌ Not ideal for airports
❌ Not much going on at night
## 7th Arrondissement (Le Septieme)
We took this photo looking up at the Eiffel Tower at dusk
The 7th is arguably the most touristy arrondissement in Paris because it’s home to the [Eiffel Tower](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visiting-eiffel-tower-paris/), Champ de Mars, [Rodin Museum](https://www.musee-rodin.fr/en) and [Musee d’Orsay](https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en). Not a bad collection of attractions, right?
But be warned – it’s not especially well connected to the airports or other attractions in the city like the Louvre, so you’d spend a fair bit of time riding metros. Trust us, we know\!
We stayed at an apartment style hotel called [Rayz Eiffel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/rayz-eiffel.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) on Avenue Bosquet in November 2023. The room was good and the location was even better – within easy walking distance to the Eiffel Tower, Ecole Militaire metro and lots of bistros on famous streets like Rue Cler.
Okay, there’s tons of highly rated hotels located close to Ecole Militaire metro and honestly we’d be happy to book any of [Alberte Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/alberte-logis-parisien.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel Muguet](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/muguet.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel Le Walt](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-walt.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel La Comtesse](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-la-comtesse-by-elegancia.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel du Champ de Mars](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/du-champ-de-mars.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). They’re all great options.
One interesting alternative is a ritzy 5 star hotel in a unique location not far from the Seine in Invalides called [Le Narcisse Blanc](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-narcisse-blanc.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). It’s a fancy hotel and spa with very high guest ratings but it’s definitely a splurge\!
Overall, we enjoyed staying in the 7th for what we wanted – a hub close to the Eiffel Tower and other famous museums. But there really wasn’t much going on in the evenings, and we ended up having to take metros to other parts of the city. So we personally wouldn’t stay in the 7th again.
It’s perfect if you’re visiting Paris as a couple or a family and you want a quieter experience near the Eiffel Tower, but it’s not great if you want atmosphere at night. Another downside is that because this area is so affluent, it’s also expensive and hotel prices tend to be higher (even for Paris).
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 7th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Close to the Eiffel Tower
âś… Near lots of museums
âś… Safe and affluent
âś… Quiet at night
âś… Great for families
**Cons**
❌ No nightlife at all
❌ Expensive accommodation
❌ Transport links aren’t great
❌ Very busy during the day
## 18th Arrondissement (Montmartre)
This is a photo we took of the Moulin Rouge at dusk on our way back into Montmartre
Now, if you want something totally different and away from the touristy heart of Paris, we recommend taking a closer look at Montmartre.
Montmartre used to be super seedy – especially along Boulevard de Clichy on the border with the 9th where you’ll find [Moulin Rouge](https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/homepage/) – but today it’s a popular, charming, romantic and artsy part of town. Check out this [highly rated food tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/montmartre-food-tour/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=montmartrefood) or [this awesome pastry and chocolate tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/paris-pastry-and-chocolate-tour/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=montmartrepastry) in the area.
We stayed at [Hotel des Arts](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hoteldesarts.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) in Montmartre in November 2023, and we’d say it’s the best hotel we’ve had in Paris so far. The standout feature for us was breakfast because they actually went out to the local boulangerie each morning to pick up fresh pastries, which is rare.
But close by you can also look at [Hotel Le Relais Montmartre](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotelrelaismontmartre.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel Monsieur Aristide](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/monsieur-aristide-paris1.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) for more excellent mid budget options. For a 5 star splurge, your only option is [Manolita Paris](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/manolita.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) which is located next to Moulin Rouge.
Or for something totally different, head over to the east side of Montmartre and look at [Mom’Art Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/mom-39-art.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). This highly rated hotel is located in-between the [Sacre-Coeur](https://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/en/) and a hugely popular restaurant called [Bouillon Pigalle](https://bouillonlesite.com/) (book a table in advance).
Being able to easily walk to Sacre Coeur was cool, but we did get a bit frustrated by how long it took to get to other attractions and train stations for the airports. Plus, it’s a very (and we mean very!) hilly area, so only stay here if you don’t mind hills and taking a lot of metros.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 18th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Close to Sacre Coeur
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Romantic for couples
âś… Artsy and relaxed vibe
âś… Quiet at night
**Cons**
❌ No nightlife
❌ Long way from attractions
❌ Very hilly
❌ Busy during the day
❌ Not ideal for airports
## Other Places We Stayed
We took this photo of Paris at sunset from the top of Montparnasse Tower
Why haven’t we included the 10th or 11th arrondissements even though we’ve stayed in both areas? Well, we have nothing against those two areas at all, we just don’t think they beat staying in the 1st, 4rd, 6th, 7th or 18th if it’s your first visit.
**10th arrondissement** – We stayed at [Hotel Le Milie Rose](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-milie-rose.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) during one of our 10+ trips to Paris. It had superb ratings and the room was great. The area around the hotel was super diverse and cultural, and it worked well for getting to Gare du Nord. But it didn’t feel as safe as other areas we’d stayed the city.
**11th arrondissement** – We stayed at [Hotel Voltaire](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/paris-voltaire.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) in July 2018, which served the purpose we needed at the time – a budget hotel with a bed and a shower. It was a fun area with lots of nightlife and restaurants, and we remember there being fewer tourists around.
## Paris Arrondissements Map
Map key:
- **Green** – Cheap hotels
- **Red** – Mid range hotels
- **Blue** – Luxury hotels
**How to use this map**: Click the map above to activate, then tap any hotel icon to see more information and book (hotel link in description). See a list of all hotels and arrondissements by clicking the arrow icon in the top left, or see a full version of the map by clicking the “view larger map” icon in the top right.
**How to save this map**: Click the small star next to the map title – this will add the map to your Google account. Open your Google Maps app, tap “saved”, then tap “maps” and open this map.
## Our Top Tips
Here’s a photo Mark took of Kristen in a courtyard on the way to the Louvre entrance
Look, we won’t sugarcoat it – hotels in Paris are not cheap. Here’s a few quick tips we learned about booking accommodation that could save you a small fortune:
**Avoid weekends** – Hotel prices are significantly lower on weekdays compared to weekends in Paris. We recommend booking your stay anytime between Sunday night to Friday morning.
**Beat the rush** – Book as far in advance as you possibly can to get the best rates. Last minute deals don’t work like they used to, and especially not in a place as popular as Paris.
**Stay longer** – Typically the more nights you stay, the cheaper the average nightly rate becomes. We’ve noticed this is especially true when booking midweek stays.
**Seasonality** – Hotels here are way cheaper in the off season and shoulder seasons versus summer, especially July and August when tourism peaks. May and October are excellent times to visit.
And finally, we travel for a living so take a look at our guide on [how to stop overpaying for hotels](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/book-cheapest-hotels/) and book yourself a cheaper trip to Paris.
[](https://shop.wherearethosemorgans.com/products/rome-travel-guidebook)
## Next Steps
We hope our guide on where to stay in Paris has given you a better idea about which arrondissement to book a hotel.
If you’d like expert help with planning your trip to Paris, we’re more than happy to [talk 1-on-1 with you](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/travel-services/) to answer any questions you have, walk through your itinerary to make sure it’s the best it can be, or help you figure out where to stay.
**Still researching for your trip?**
- Here’s our [Paris travel guide for first timers](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/paris-france-travel-guide/).
- This is [how to spend 2 days in Paris](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/paris-two-day-itinerary/).
- These are the [top things to do in Paris](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/things-to-do-first-time-paris/).
- Here’s [how to visit the Eiffel Tower](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visiting-eiffel-tower-paris/).
- This is [how to visit the Louvre](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visit-the-louvre-paris/).
- Here’s [how to visit the Palace of Versailles](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/how-to-visit-palace-of-versailles/).
Finally, if you’ll be visiting more places on the same trip, we recommend reading our [France travel guide](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/destinations/france/) for helpful tips and advice.
**Happy Travels,**
Mark and Kristen
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[Mark and Kristen Morgan](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/)
Mark and Kristen spent 6 years traveling the world, visiting over 40 countries across 4 continents and more than 30 US states. They created Where Are Those Morgans in 2018 to help others plan the best possible vacations by writing authentic travel and hiking guides based on their real experiences.
Since the arrival of baby Maya in late 2024, Mark and Kristen’s extensive travels have slowed down but they still take plenty of trips. Where Are Those Morgans now helps millions of travelers each year to visit new places and hike new trails through information-packed blog posts and expert travel guidebooks. Read more [about Mark and Kristen](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/about-us/).
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| Readable Markdown | We’ve booked more than 15 hotels across 10+ trips to Paris, including when we stayed in 3 different arrondissements during the same 8-day trip in November 2023. We know the city well from a tourists perspective. Now, we absolutely love walking around Paris, but the major tourist attractions like the Louvre and Eiffel Tower are spread out across a massive area. This makes figuring out the best place to stay feel overwhelming – especially for first time visitors.
In this guide we show you the 7 arrondissements we think are best for first timers to stay in Paris, based on our extensive experiences in the city. We’ll show you our pros and cons, top rated hotels for each budget and a helpful map at the end. In essence, we’re doing the legwork so you don’t have to waste time researching.
Mark and Kristen with the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Hi, we’re Mark and Kristen Morgan. We left our scientific careers in 2018 to become travel writers and photographers, and since then our expert guides have helped millions of travel planners take better trips. Read more [about us](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/about-us/).
**Why trust us with your Paris plans?** We’ve stayed at 15+ hotels in 6 different arrondissements across every season. We know the pros and cons to each area. As always, every photo in this guide is ours.
Every time we visit Paris, we purposefully book hotels in different arrondissement so we can get a better feel for the most popular tourist areas. Up to now, we’ve stayed in the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 11th and 18th arrondissements, so we’re really getting to know what makes each area a great place to stay, as well as the downsides.
The one arrondissement we haven’t stayed yet but will next time we go to Paris is the 6th. Why the 6th? Because we’ve done all the major tourist attractions now, so we don’t need to base ourselves near the Eiffel Tower, Louvre or Sacre-Coeur. Instead, our future trips will be more about food, cafe culture and relaxing – which is the 6th in a nutshell. Okay, let’s dive in.
***Note**: Our content is reader supported and contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you and it helps us keep this site running.*
**Paris Planning**
đź“– **Ultimate Paris Guidebook**: Get our complete [50+ page offline PDF](https://shop.wherearethosemorgans.com/products/paris-travel-guidebook) with everything you need for Paris.
## Our Favorite Hotels
If you’re in a hurry or don’t want to read this full guide, here are our three top hotel picks for first time visitors to Paris based on a perfect blend of location, quality, value for money, previous guest reviews and our own experiences.
🏨 [Hotel Moliere](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/molere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2)
🏨 [Hôtel Le Presbytère](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-le-presbytere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2)
🏨 [Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/des-ducs-de-bourgogne.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2)
The three hotels above all have sky high guest ratings – and they’re located close to the Louvre, Le Marais and Les Halles for airport train connections. And if you book far enough in advance, you can score affordable nightly rates. We’ve stayed at [Hôtel Le Presbytère](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-le-presbytere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) (it was excellent), and would happily book either of the others next time.
For a first visit to Paris, we think hotels in the 1st and 4th arrondissements close to the Louvre are ideal places to book because they’re central to attractions and have excellent transport links. We enjoyed the 3rd, but kept wishing we’d booked closer to the Seine because we constantly ended up walking through the 4th to get to things.
That’s our top level summary for you. But if you love to research and learn about a place before you visit (like we do), keep reading to see what makes each of the 7 arrondissements in our guide a good or bad area to stay for your trip\!
Feel free to save or share this infographic we created\!
## 1st Arrondissement (Louvre)
This is Mark walking in front of the Louvre
Let’s kick things off with the 1st arrondissement – also known as “Louvre” because, unsurprisingly – it’s where you’ll find the [Louvre Museum](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visit-the-louvre-paris/). We think the 1st works best if you’ve never been to Paris before and you want to tick off tons of attractions from a central hub.
This area is also home to the Tuileries Garden, the [Musee de l’Orangerie](https://www.musee-orangerie.fr/fr), [Sainte-Chapelle](https://www.sainte-chapelle.fr/en) and Les Halles – one of the major transport hubs in Paris with a direct train link to Charles de Gaulle airport. We’ve done Les Halles to the airport a few times and it’s a piece of cake. Oh, and here’s a [fantastic walking tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/notre-dame-tour-sainte-chapelle-tickets/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=notredamesaintechapelle) of Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle and Ile de la Cite beginning in the 1st.
In November 2023, we stayed at [Hotel Britannique](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/britannique-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) on Avenue Victoria. We picked this hotel because it was reasonably priced and had excellent ratings, plus it was close to Chatelet metro station, Les Halles, the Louvre (here’s a [top rated Louvre tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/louvre-tour-mona-lisa/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=louvreclosing)) and Ile de la Cite. But breakfast was just okay, so we skipped it and instead ate cheap but delicious croissants at a nearby boulangerie called [Laurent Dheilly](https://www.google.com/search?q=paris+boulangerie+laurent+dheilly&oq=paris+boulangerie+laurent+dheilly&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgEEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgFEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyBggGEEUYPDIGCAcQRRg80gEINzMwN2owajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x47e66e1f03736813:0xdfc9e9060fe951cd,1,,,,).
We found the west side of the 1st to be posh, expensive and super safe so we’d probably look in this area if we visited Paris with our daughter. [Relais Du Louvre](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/relaisdulouvre.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) and [Hotel Moliere](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/molere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) are popular, highly rated and affordable hotels with excellent locations. Or with a bigger budget we’d love to stay at [Chateau Voltaire](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/chateau-voltaire.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2).
Whereas the east side around Les Halles was cheaper and had a lot more going on in terms of restaurants, bars and a bit of nightlife. So we’d go for this side if we visited Paris as a couple or with friends. [Hotel Ducs de Bourgogne](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/des-ducs-de-bourgogne.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel Le Relais des Halles](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/ha-tel-le-relais-des-halles-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) are two excellent hotels that won’t break the bank, and [Grand Hotel du Palais Royal](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/grand-du-palais-royal.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) would be our splurge here.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 1st arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Central location within Paris
âś… Close to tons of attractions
âś… Very walkable area
âś… Excellent transport links
âś… Good for a first visit
**Cons**
❌ Very touristy (not authentic)
❌ Expensive hotels
❌ Not great for nightlife
## 3rd + 4th Arrondissements (Le Marais)
Here’s Kristen in Places des Vosges in Le Marais
Okay, we’re cheating a bit here by including the 3rd and 4th arrondissements into one, but it’s because Le Marais (super trendy area overflowing with boutiques, cafes, bars, restaurants, museums and galleries) spans both.
Le Marais is a great place to stay on a first visit to Paris if you want a semi-lively but safe area with lots of places to eat and a relaxed vibe. There’s a reason [this top rated food tour](https://devourtours.com/tours/paris-ultimate-food-tour/?tap_a=107727-beecd5&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=foodtourmarais) with Devour Tours goes to the Marais. We love its medieval and historic feel, and we’ve personally always found it to have a less touristy feel than the other areas we cover in this guide.
We booked a super cheap place called [Hotel So Marais](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/au-coeur-du-marais-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) in the far north of the 3rd for one night in July 2024. We’d just arrived into Charles de Gaulle from the US and we were going to Normandy the next day. So a hotel near Les Halles and Arts et Metiers metro (direct metro to St Lazare for Normandy) was perfect.
Our feeling was that the north side of Le Marais in the 3rd is much quieter, which might be better if you’re visiting with younger kids. We’d consider booking either of the highly rated [La Chambre du Marais](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/la-chambre-du-marais.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hôtel Jules & Jim](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/jules-et-jim.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2).
Whereas the south side of Le Marais in the 4th was much busier with more going on, which we think suits couples or groups of friends better.
Plus, the 4th is closer to the city’s top attractions, so it’s a better place for a first time visitor to stay – which is why we booked the excellent [Hôtel Le Presbytère](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-le-presbytere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) for 2 nights in July 2024 when we tested our step-by-step [48 hour Paris itinerary](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/paris-two-day-itinerary/). Our backup hotel option in this area was [Hotel Dupond-Smith](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/dupond-smith.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), which also looks fantastic.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements:
**Pros**
âś… Lovely medieval architecture
âś… Great places to eat
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Lively at night
âś… Very safe area
**Cons**
❌ Not as central for attractions
❌ Expensive
❌ Can be loud at night
❌ Very busy
**Need help planning your trip to Paris?**
Our popular Paris travel guidebook helps you with planning every aspect of your visit, including must-visit attractions and museums, where to eat and stay, itinerary ideas and map\!
[**View Guidebook**](https://shop.wherearethosemorgans.com/products/paris-travel-guidebook)
## 5th Arrondissement (Latin Quarter)
We took this photo of the Pantheon walking up Rue Soufflot
After spending a day exploring the [Natural History Museum](https://www.mnhn.fr/en), [Pantheon](https://www.paris-pantheon.fr/en), [Shakespeare and Company](https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/), Marie Curie Museum and [Musee de Cluny](https://www.musee-moyenage.fr/) in the 5th, we thought it had a nice blend of students, tourists and locals.
Now, the Latin Quarter has a lively and touristy area close to the Seine with cheap eats and busy bars. [Les Rives de Notre Dame](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/les-rives-de-notre-dame.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) is a popular hotel near the vibrant nightlife area and it’s also on the Seine with great access to transport and attractions.
But we will say that some of the streets we walked through (around Rue Saint Severin and Rue de la Huchette) felt a bit tacky with tourist traps and people outside trying a little bit too hard to get us into restaurants. It wasn’t our scene.
Our favorite part of the 5th was around the east side of the Luxembourg Gardens not far from the Pantheon where it’s a bit quieter. We’d happily book [Hotel les Jardins du Luxembourg](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/les-jardins-du-luxembourg.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel des Carmes](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/des-carmes-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Select Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/select-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel Jardin de Cluny](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/lejardindecluny.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) to avoid the louder areas. They all look great.
The southern parts of the Latin Quarter aren’t well connected and they’re too far from the touristy areas for us. But hotels like the highly rated [Seven Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/seven.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) are definitely cheaper, so this area might suit your budget better.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 5th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Cheap places to eat
âś… Historic and cultural
âś… Very lively at night
âś… Lots of museums
âś… Good transport links
**Cons**
❌ Very loud at night
❌ Super touristy
❌ Not very high-end
❌ Scammers and grifters
## 6th Arrondissement (St Germain)
We took this photo of Kristen in the stunning Luxembourg Gardens in St Germain
St Germain is a charming, safe, quiet, friendly and high end area in Paris. During our most recent trips to the city, we’ve found ourselves gravitating south across the Seine into the 6th arrondissement more and more. And next time we go to Paris, we’ll probably book a hotel near Saint Germain des Pres metro station.
We’ve eaten at tons of highly rated restaurants (not just brasseries or bistros) and watched the world go by from many a tiny outdoor cafe table around Rue de Buci, which is a hive of activity during the day. Plus, the 6th is home to our favorite park in Paris – the [Luxembourg Garden](https://jardin.senat.fr/en.html).
We think Saint Germain is a superb area to stay if you’re visiting Paris with kids because it’s safe, quiet and affluent. Our young daughter loves parks and green spaces, so this area has become even more appealing to us for future trips.
If we had to pin point an exact area to book a hotel, we’d want to be within easy walking distance of Rue de Buci. Three popular and highly rated mid-budget options we’d consider are [Hotel Artus](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/artus.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Millesime Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/millesime-paris.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) and [Hotel Louis II](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/louis-2.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). Or if we had a bigger budget, we’d look at [Hotel Fougere](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-fougrere.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) and [Hotel d’Aubusson](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/d-aubusson.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2).
That said, if we stayed in the 6th with other couples and wanted a bit more going on at night we’d book [Relais Hotel du Vieux Paris](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/relaishotelvieuxparis.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) near St Michel. This area straddles the low key 6th and vibrant nightlife in the 5th.
Outside of the Luxembourg Garden, there aren’t any must-visit attractions in St Germain – but staying on the north side near Rue de Buci gives you easy walking access to Ile de la Cite or the Louvre, and easy metro access for the Eiffel Tower.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 6th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Excellent places to eat
âś… Quiet and safe
âś… Perfect for families
**Cons**
❌ Not many transport links
❌ Not ideal for airports
❌ Not much going on at night
## 7th Arrondissement (Le Septieme)
We took this photo looking up at the Eiffel Tower at dusk
The 7th is arguably the most touristy arrondissement in Paris because it’s home to the [Eiffel Tower](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visiting-eiffel-tower-paris/), Champ de Mars, [Rodin Museum](https://www.musee-rodin.fr/en) and [Musee d’Orsay](https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en). Not a bad collection of attractions, right?
But be warned – it’s not especially well connected to the airports or other attractions in the city like the Louvre, so you’d spend a fair bit of time riding metros. Trust us, we know\!
We stayed at an apartment style hotel called [Rayz Eiffel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/rayz-eiffel.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) on Avenue Bosquet in November 2023. The room was good and the location was even better – within easy walking distance to the Eiffel Tower, Ecole Militaire metro and lots of bistros on famous streets like Rue Cler.
Okay, there’s tons of highly rated hotels located close to Ecole Militaire metro and honestly we’d be happy to book any of [Alberte Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/alberte-logis-parisien.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel Muguet](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/muguet.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel Le Walt](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-walt.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2), [Hotel La Comtesse](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotel-la-comtesse-by-elegancia.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel du Champ de Mars](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/du-champ-de-mars.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). They’re all great options.
One interesting alternative is a ritzy 5 star hotel in a unique location not far from the Seine in Invalides called [Le Narcisse Blanc](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-narcisse-blanc.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). It’s a fancy hotel and spa with very high guest ratings but it’s definitely a splurge\!
Overall, we enjoyed staying in the 7th for what we wanted – a hub close to the Eiffel Tower and other famous museums. But there really wasn’t much going on in the evenings, and we ended up having to take metros to other parts of the city. So we personally wouldn’t stay in the 7th again.
It’s perfect if you’re visiting Paris as a couple or a family and you want a quieter experience near the Eiffel Tower, but it’s not great if you want atmosphere at night. Another downside is that because this area is so affluent, it’s also expensive and hotel prices tend to be higher (even for Paris).
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 7th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Close to the Eiffel Tower
âś… Near lots of museums
âś… Safe and affluent
âś… Quiet at night
âś… Great for families
**Cons**
❌ No nightlife at all
❌ Expensive accommodation
❌ Transport links aren’t great
❌ Very busy during the day
## 18th Arrondissement (Montmartre)
This is a photo we took of the Moulin Rouge at dusk on our way back into Montmartre
Now, if you want something totally different and away from the touristy heart of Paris, we recommend taking a closer look at Montmartre.
Montmartre used to be super seedy – especially along Boulevard de Clichy on the border with the 9th where you’ll find [Moulin Rouge](https://www.moulinrouge.fr/en/homepage/) – but today it’s a popular, charming, romantic and artsy part of town. Check out this [highly rated food tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/montmartre-food-tour/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=montmartrefood) or [this awesome pastry and chocolate tour](https://www.takewalks.com/paris-tours/paris-pastry-and-chocolate-tour/?tap_a=29774-b9abbb&tap_s=2885588-8eeb2e&tm_wherestayparis=montmartrepastry) in the area.
We stayed at [Hotel des Arts](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hoteldesarts.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) in Montmartre in November 2023, and we’d say it’s the best hotel we’ve had in Paris so far. The standout feature for us was breakfast because they actually went out to the local boulangerie each morning to pick up fresh pastries, which is rare.
But close by you can also look at [Hotel Le Relais Montmartre](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/hotelrelaismontmartre.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) or [Hotel Monsieur Aristide](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/monsieur-aristide-paris1.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) for more excellent mid budget options. For a 5 star splurge, your only option is [Manolita Paris](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/manolita.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) which is located next to Moulin Rouge.
Or for something totally different, head over to the east side of Montmartre and look at [Mom’Art Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/mom-39-art.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2). This highly rated hotel is located in-between the [Sacre-Coeur](https://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/en/) and a hugely popular restaurant called [Bouillon Pigalle](https://bouillonlesite.com/) (book a table in advance).
Being able to easily walk to Sacre Coeur was cool, but we did get a bit frustrated by how long it took to get to other attractions and train stations for the airports. Plus, it’s a very (and we mean very!) hilly area, so only stay here if you don’t mind hills and taking a lot of metros.
Here are our pros and cons to staying in the 18th arrondissement:
**Pros**
âś… Close to Sacre Coeur
âś… Charming and walkable
âś… Romantic for couples
âś… Artsy and relaxed vibe
âś… Quiet at night
**Cons**
❌ No nightlife
❌ Long way from attractions
❌ Very hilly
❌ Busy during the day
❌ Not ideal for airports
## Other Places We Stayed
We took this photo of Paris at sunset from the top of Montparnasse Tower
Why haven’t we included the 10th or 11th arrondissements even though we’ve stayed in both areas? Well, we have nothing against those two areas at all, we just don’t think they beat staying in the 1st, 4rd, 6th, 7th or 18th if it’s your first visit.
**10th arrondissement** – We stayed at [Hotel Le Milie Rose](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/le-milie-rose.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) during one of our 10+ trips to Paris. It had superb ratings and the room was great. The area around the hotel was super diverse and cultural, and it worked well for getting to Gare du Nord. But it didn’t feel as safe as other areas we’d stayed the city.
**11th arrondissement** – We stayed at [Hotel Voltaire](https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/paris-voltaire.en.html?aid=1616462&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2) in July 2018, which served the purpose we needed at the time – a budget hotel with a bed and a shower. It was a fun area with lots of nightlife and restaurants, and we remember there being fewer tourists around.
## Paris Arrondissements Map
Map key:
- **Green** – Cheap hotels
- **Red** – Mid range hotels
- **Blue** – Luxury hotels
**How to use this map**: Click the map above to activate, then tap any hotel icon to see more information and book (hotel link in description). See a list of all hotels and arrondissements by clicking the arrow icon in the top left, or see a full version of the map by clicking the “view larger map” icon in the top right.
**How to save this map**: Click the small star next to the map title – this will add the map to your Google account. Open your Google Maps app, tap “saved”, then tap “maps” and open this map.
## Our Top Tips
Here’s a photo Mark took of Kristen in a courtyard on the way to the Louvre entrance
Look, we won’t sugarcoat it – hotels in Paris are not cheap. Here’s a few quick tips we learned about booking accommodation that could save you a small fortune:
**Avoid weekends** – Hotel prices are significantly lower on weekdays compared to weekends in Paris. We recommend booking your stay anytime between Sunday night to Friday morning.
**Beat the rush** – Book as far in advance as you possibly can to get the best rates. Last minute deals don’t work like they used to, and especially not in a place as popular as Paris.
**Stay longer** – Typically the more nights you stay, the cheaper the average nightly rate becomes. We’ve noticed this is especially true when booking midweek stays.
**Seasonality** – Hotels here are way cheaper in the off season and shoulder seasons versus summer, especially July and August when tourism peaks. May and October are excellent times to visit.
And finally, we travel for a living so take a look at our guide on [how to stop overpaying for hotels](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/book-cheapest-hotels/) and book yourself a cheaper trip to Paris.
[](https://shop.wherearethosemorgans.com/products/rome-travel-guidebook)
## Next Steps
We hope our guide on where to stay in Paris has given you a better idea about which arrondissement to book a hotel.
If you’d like expert help with planning your trip to Paris, we’re more than happy to [talk 1-on-1 with you](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/travel-services/) to answer any questions you have, walk through your itinerary to make sure it’s the best it can be, or help you figure out where to stay.
**Still researching for your trip?**
- Here’s our [Paris travel guide for first timers](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/paris-france-travel-guide/).
- This is [how to spend 2 days in Paris](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/paris-two-day-itinerary/).
- These are the [top things to do in Paris](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/things-to-do-first-time-paris/).
- Here’s [how to visit the Eiffel Tower](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visiting-eiffel-tower-paris/).
- This is [how to visit the Louvre](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/visit-the-louvre-paris/).
- Here’s [how to visit the Palace of Versailles](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/how-to-visit-palace-of-versailles/).
Finally, if you’ll be visiting more places on the same trip, we recommend reading our [France travel guide](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/destinations/france/) for helpful tips and advice.
**Happy Travels,**
Mark and Kristen
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Mark and Kristen spent 6 years traveling the world, visiting over 40 countries across 4 continents and more than 30 US states. They created Where Are Those Morgans in 2018 to help others plan the best possible vacations by writing authentic travel and hiking guides based on their real experiences.
Since the arrival of baby Maya in late 2024, Mark and Kristen’s extensive travels have slowed down but they still take plenty of trips. Where Are Those Morgans now helps millions of travelers each year to visit new places and hike new trails through information-packed blog posts and expert travel guidebooks. Read more [about Mark and Kristen](https://wherearethosemorgans.com/about-us/). |
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