The capital and the largest city of France, Paris, is a cosmopolitan metropol with 12 million souls living in it. Located on both sides of Seine River is not only one of the largest cities in France, but it is also one of the most beautiful and romantic one. Known also as The City of Lights (La Ville Lumière) and The Capital of Fashion, Paris is the motherland for many luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint-Laurent, Guerlain, Lancôme, L’Oréal, Clarins, etc.
Historic center of Paris is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses almost all the iconic tourist attractions in Paris such as Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Catedral, Louvre Museum, Moulin Rouge, Lido etc. All these makes Paris the most popular tourist destination in the world with 45 million tourists visiting it every year.
Where to stay in Paris? The answer to this question depends on your budget and the reason you are visiting the city. If you are in Paris as a typical tourist the best place to stay is the historic center of the city. If you are in Paris for Disneyland Paris, then you should stay in and near this amusement park. And for the budget: although Paris is an expensive place to stay, you can find a wide range of accomodation ranging from B&Bs and hostels to luxury boutique hotels or hotel chains.
Historic center of Paris is divided into 20 districts (arrondissement) which can be seen in the below Paris map. If you look at the map carefully, you will see that the twenty arrondissements are arranged in the form of a clockwise spiral, starting from the middle of the city, with the first on the Right Bank (north bank) of the Seine which divides the city into two. The city started on Île de la Cité, the island that houses Notre Dame De Paris in Arrondissement 4 (Hôtel-de-Ville). But the geographical center of the historic city center is Arrondissement 1 (Louvre) where you can find The Musée du Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendôme, Les Halles, Palais Royal, Comédie-Française, and Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Arrondissement one is a great starting point for travellers.
Each arrondissement of Paris have their own distinctive culture and lifestyle. Usually, the Left Bank (South) of Seine and Latin Quarter is known to be the area of/for artists, intellectuals and students and Left Bank (North) of Seine is known as the place of business and wealthy people.
Here, we will give some information on the popular areas to stay in Paris so you can choose the best area to stay in Paris suiting your own requirements.
Paris Latin quarter – Saint Germain des Prés (Arrondissements 5,6,7,13 )
The banks of Seine river from Eiffel Tower (Arrondissement 7 - Palais-Bourbon) to the end of Arrondissement 13 (Gobelins), especially the area surrounding the Latin Quarter (Arrondissement 5 and 6) is known for for its student life, lively atmosphere and bistros. The Latin Quarter area is named after Latin Language because Sorbonne University is here and in middle ages Latin was spoken in the university world.
With its narrow streets, cafes, restaurants and shopping options catering to young people, this area is closed to many Paris attractions and you can walk (or take public transport like Metro) from here to every central district in Paris.
If you would like to stay in this lively area of Paris, you can check the list of hotels, room prices and special deals and discounts at Paris Latin Quarter Hotels page.
Paris Montmartre – Sacre Coeur (Arrondissements 18,19,20)
If you are looking for a romantic place to stay in Paris, do not look somewhere other than Montmartre. Named after the 130 meter high Montmartre Hill, the area’s most famous building is Basilica of the Sacré Cœur (see the photo below). Although we have said it is romantic here, Montmartre is also known as the night club area of Paris and those looking for naughty night life will find it here.
Montmartre has a fantastic view of Paris. France’s National Day Fireworks (14th July) is best watched from here. Although in the historic center, you will encounter wine yards and wine houses here.
Montmartre and its surrounding area was popular among painters such as Renoir Toulouse, Lautrec and Picass. Today you can see many painters in Tertre Square (and most of them are just there to earn your tourist money).
Montmartre is not near the main tourist attractions in Paris. So, why do we suggest here? This is because first of all with the fantastic public transportation in Paris, the distance is not a big deal, especially if the area saves you a lot of money. Montmartre houses many relatively cheap Paris hotels and is the most hotel concentrated place in Paris. This makes it an ideal place to find something for all budgets and tastes.
Montmartre is the best place to stay cheap in Paris. If you would like to stay in Montmartre , you can check the list of hotels, room prices and special deals and discounts at Paris Montmartre Hotels page.
Le Marais – Le louvre (Arrondissements 1,2,3,4)
If you are in Paris for shopping or smell the new trends in the Fashion Capital, Le Marais and surrounding area is for you to stay. Here you will find 16th century historic buildings face to face with steel and glass facade of Pompidou Museum. The area is known as the aristocratic district of Paris and hosts many outstanding buildings of historic and architectural importance. The Marais is known as one of the main centers in Paris for art galleries and it is home to many trendy restaurants, fashion houses, and hype galleries.
Do not get scared with this “aristocratic ” word because you can still find something for your budget here. Even if you do not stay here, spend time to visit this area. Le Marais is a very central location and you can walk to many tourist attractions from here.
If you want to take a look at your hotel options in Paris Le Marais, take a look at our hotel list here : Paris Le Marais Hotels.
The Louvre or Louvre Museum, one of the largest museums in the world, requires no introduction. The areas around Louvre, Arrondissement 1 is geographically the center of Paris and is the best area to stay in Paris if you are planning to discover Paris on foot (the best option) or spend a lot of time in Louvre Museum (it may take several days if you want to see everything displayed here).
For hotels and room prices in this area, take a look at to our Paris 01: Le Louvre Hotels and 02: Bourse Hotels pages.
Champs Elysees- Trocadero (Arrondissements 8,9,16,17)
Many tourist attractions like Arc de Triumph, historic buildings, super expensive Champs Elysees Avenue is here in Champs Elysees. Avenue houses many big luxury brand names and their main stores: Cartier, Lancel, Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton (1800 metersquare giant shop). A definite heaven for shopping wifes and a hell for paying husbands. Still a must see for all visitors to Paris.
Champs Elysees and Trocadero are the most expensive but exclusive places to stay in Paris. To check how high the prices can go and how luxurious and comfortable the hotels are check Paris 08: Champs Elysees Hotels page.
Disneyland Paris
Many tourists visit Paris just for Paris Disneyland. This magical land is 32 kilometers south, in Marne-la-Vallée’de and if your main reason to visit Paris is to go to Paris Disneyland (previously known as Euro Disneyland or Disneyland Resort Paris), you should stay in and around the amusement park.
The Disneyland Hotel at the main entrance of Disneyland Paris is the most expensive but the most convenient hotel to stay here. It is walking distance to the park. The Newport Bay Hotel with its big balconies and large swimming pool is one of the best hotels to stay in Disneyland Paris especially during hot summer days.
Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne with its wild west theme is a little off the amusement park and requires shuttle bus to arrive to the park. But it is a budget hotel with a very basic setting but very good food. Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe is probably the cheapest hotel you can find around Disneyland Paris.
For hotels in and around Paris Disneyland, take a look at our Disneyland Paris Hotels page.
Historic center of Paris is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses almost all the iconic tourist attractions in Paris such as Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Catedral, Louvre Museum, Moulin Rouge, Lido etc. All these makes Paris the most popular tourist destination in the world with 45 million tourists visiting it every year.
Where to stay in Paris? The answer to this question depends on your budget and the reason you are visiting the city. If you are in Paris as a typical tourist the best place to stay is the historic center of the city. If you are in Paris for Disneyland Paris, then you should stay in and near this amusement park. And for the budget: although Paris is an expensive place to stay, you can find a wide range of accomodation ranging from B&Bs and hostels to luxury boutique hotels or hotel chains.
Historic center of Paris is divided into 20 districts (arrondissement) which can be seen in the below Paris map. If you look at the map carefully, you will see that the twenty arrondissements are arranged in the form of a clockwise spiral, starting from the middle of the city, with the first on the Right Bank (north bank) of the Seine which divides the city into two. The city started on Île de la Cité, the island that houses Notre Dame De Paris in Arrondissement 4 (Hôtel-de-Ville). But the geographical center of the historic city center is Arrondissement 1 (Louvre) where you can find The Musée du Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, Place Vendôme, Les Halles, Palais Royal, Comédie-Française, and Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Arrondissement one is a great starting point for travellers.
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| Historic center of Paris is divided into 20 districts (arrondissements) Source : www.parishotels-discount.com |
Here, we will give some information on the popular areas to stay in Paris so you can choose the best area to stay in Paris suiting your own requirements.
Paris Latin quarter – Saint Germain des Prés (Arrondissements 5,6,7,13 )
The banks of Seine river from Eiffel Tower (Arrondissement 7 - Palais-Bourbon) to the end of Arrondissement 13 (Gobelins), especially the area surrounding the Latin Quarter (Arrondissement 5 and 6) is known for for its student life, lively atmosphere and bistros. The Latin Quarter area is named after Latin Language because Sorbonne University is here and in middle ages Latin was spoken in the university world.
With its narrow streets, cafes, restaurants and shopping options catering to young people, this area is closed to many Paris attractions and you can walk (or take public transport like Metro) from here to every central district in Paris.
If you would like to stay in this lively area of Paris, you can check the list of hotels, room prices and special deals and discounts at Paris Latin Quarter Hotels page.
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| La Sorbonne |
If you are looking for a romantic place to stay in Paris, do not look somewhere other than Montmartre. Named after the 130 meter high Montmartre Hill, the area’s most famous building is Basilica of the Sacré Cœur (see the photo below). Although we have said it is romantic here, Montmartre is also known as the night club area of Paris and those looking for naughty night life will find it here.
Montmartre has a fantastic view of Paris. France’s National Day Fireworks (14th July) is best watched from here. Although in the historic center, you will encounter wine yards and wine houses here.
Montmartre and its surrounding area was popular among painters such as Renoir Toulouse, Lautrec and Picass. Today you can see many painters in Tertre Square (and most of them are just there to earn your tourist money).
Montmartre is not near the main tourist attractions in Paris. So, why do we suggest here? This is because first of all with the fantastic public transportation in Paris, the distance is not a big deal, especially if the area saves you a lot of money. Montmartre houses many relatively cheap Paris hotels and is the most hotel concentrated place in Paris. This makes it an ideal place to find something for all budgets and tastes.
Montmartre is the best place to stay cheap in Paris. If you would like to stay in Montmartre , you can check the list of hotels, room prices and special deals and discounts at Paris Montmartre Hotels page.
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| Paris Montmartre |
If you are in Paris for shopping or smell the new trends in the Fashion Capital, Le Marais and surrounding area is for you to stay. Here you will find 16th century historic buildings face to face with steel and glass facade of Pompidou Museum. The area is known as the aristocratic district of Paris and hosts many outstanding buildings of historic and architectural importance. The Marais is known as one of the main centers in Paris for art galleries and it is home to many trendy restaurants, fashion houses, and hype galleries.
Do not get scared with this “aristocratic ” word because you can still find something for your budget here. Even if you do not stay here, spend time to visit this area. Le Marais is a very central location and you can walk to many tourist attractions from here.
If you want to take a look at your hotel options in Paris Le Marais, take a look at our hotel list here : Paris Le Marais Hotels.
The Louvre or Louvre Museum, one of the largest museums in the world, requires no introduction. The areas around Louvre, Arrondissement 1 is geographically the center of Paris and is the best area to stay in Paris if you are planning to discover Paris on foot (the best option) or spend a lot of time in Louvre Museum (it may take several days if you want to see everything displayed here).
For hotels and room prices in this area, take a look at to our Paris 01: Le Louvre Hotels and 02: Bourse Hotels pages.
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| Louvre Museum |
Many tourist attractions like Arc de Triumph, historic buildings, super expensive Champs Elysees Avenue is here in Champs Elysees. Avenue houses many big luxury brand names and their main stores: Cartier, Lancel, Hugo Boss and Louis Vuitton (1800 metersquare giant shop). A definite heaven for shopping wifes and a hell for paying husbands. Still a must see for all visitors to Paris.
Champs Elysees and Trocadero are the most expensive but exclusive places to stay in Paris. To check how high the prices can go and how luxurious and comfortable the hotels are check Paris 08: Champs Elysees Hotels page.
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| Avenue des Champs Elysees from Arc de Triumph |
Many tourists visit Paris just for Paris Disneyland. This magical land is 32 kilometers south, in Marne-la-Vallée’de and if your main reason to visit Paris is to go to Paris Disneyland (previously known as Euro Disneyland or Disneyland Resort Paris), you should stay in and around the amusement park.
The Disneyland Hotel at the main entrance of Disneyland Paris is the most expensive but the most convenient hotel to stay here. It is walking distance to the park. The Newport Bay Hotel with its big balconies and large swimming pool is one of the best hotels to stay in Disneyland Paris especially during hot summer days.
Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne with its wild west theme is a little off the amusement park and requires shuttle bus to arrive to the park. But it is a budget hotel with a very basic setting but very good food. Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe is probably the cheapest hotel you can find around Disneyland Paris.
For hotels in and around Paris Disneyland, take a look at our Disneyland Paris Hotels page.
