Where Should You Stay in Paris?

Only one right answer: It depends

There are more than 15,000 hotels and (allegedly) over 95,000 airbnb listings in Paris, so you are definitely not going to lack in choices. Even at the busiest times (or times you think would be busiest, as the summer of the Olympics was supposed to be), the options are wide when it comes to price, quality, and location. You just need to decide what is important for you, what kind of a trip you are building.

Photo: L’Aventure, the newest hotel and restaurant from the Costes group

When I get that question (often), I have a rapid fire set of my own questions: Is this your first time in Paris? Who are you traveling with? How long are you here? What are your priorities? What is your price range? Why are you visiting?

There are two major decisions to make: (1) hotel v. vacation rental (airbnb and vrbo are the most popular) and (2) location.

Hotels rooms are generally small, but there is a standard of cleanliness, hospitality, and general service that you can expect based on the star level you choose (and even with that, there is a range) , which is not something that is true for vacation rentals. Hotels are not great for families with kids who nap or who have a different sleep schedule than the grownups. They are not great for those who want to linger over an easy breakfast or have a decent snack in a refrigerator. You are definitely a tourist in a hotel room, and maybe the desire to blend in pushes you to wanting to stay in an apartment, to mix in with the real Parisians.

Sunset from my rental apartment

Vacation rentals could provide that and provide more space too, but come with bigger risks. They are challenging great for those who like fresh crisp sheets or towels every day or those who would like a gym or a business center available. It’s possible that you will have to shop for toilet paper in addition to soaps, shampoos, and lotions. Odors, noise, air conditioning (or lack thereof in the summer time) seem small until they become the focus of a Parisian stay. Random cancellations by hosts and strict rules when it comes to you cancelling, weird payment rules (cash only, when you arrive), and random check-in/check-out procedures (bring the key to a random real estate office once you leave, for example) are just a few of the things to keep in mind with a vacation rental.

Once you decide on hotel v. vacation rental, you can move on to the geography test. I ask my friends to choose a place that is close to something as opposed to close to everything. Paris is best by foot, second best by bike and metro. If this is your first time and you are planning to visit the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay and the Orangerie, don’t stay by the Opera which is “close to everything” and also a center of perpetual traffic jams. Instead, chose a place very close to the Tuileries metro station and gift yourself the ability to walk to these places that are on your agenda.

Have you been to Paris a few times and now want to stroll around and shop in the Marais, sit and read in Place des Vosges, and eat at the hip new places? Find a spot between the 3rd arrondissement (metro Arts et Metiers or Filles de Calvaire) and the 11th (metro Oberkampf) then craft your days and outings around what is near you. This goes the same if you are staying at a friend’s place or if you already booked a random spot and don’t have a strict agenda of what to do/see. There is a lot in each neighborhood from culture to food and shopping and a bit of patience and research in a specific area will yield a better experience than spending hours on commutes.

Send a message if you want help finding your place.