Hotels in Paris

Best time to visit Paris

With average temperatures around 75 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and long sunny days, summer months from June – August are the most popular times to visit Paris. However, if you wish to avoid the crowds and long queues at attractions, try to plan your visit during the shoulder months from September – October. Average temperatures range from 55 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit and beautiful fall foliage covers the city in hues of orange and gold. During the spring months from March – May, all the parks and gardens are full of bright and colorful blooms, but the weather is still cool and afternoon rain showers are a frequent occurrence. Winters are chilly, but if you don’t mind average temperatures of 30 – 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you may be able to save a fair bit on flights and hotels.

Getting around Paris

Many of the tourist attractions in Paris are clustered in a compact, walkable area and are easily explored on foot, especially if your hotel happens to be in the same neighborhood. However, Paris is a big city, so if you are covering longer distances, then it’s best to use the RATP-operated metro or bus, and pay €1.90 EUR for a single ride. Consider buying a 1-day Mobilis Pass for unlimited journeys within select zones on all modes of transport. For travel within zones 1 and 2, a Mobilis pass costs €7.50 EUR. To go to the Versailles Palace, use the Réseau Express Régional (RER) ‘C’ train. RER ticket prices are calculated based on distance traveled and the price range is quite varied. Official taxis with the ‘Taxi Parisien’ sign on the roof of the vehicle are readily available, so you can hail one at any time. The meter starts at approximately €2.60 EUR. Ride-share service from Uber also operates in the city. With scarce parking, potentially confusing road signs and heavy traffic, it’s best if you avoid driving in Paris and rely on public transport or taxis.

Best places to stay in Paris

Paris is known for its densely packed historic façades, globally recognized monuments and the spectacular Seine river that rambles through the city. Grandiose palaces and museums, leafy boulevards, trend-setting fashion and cuisine add further appeal to the ‘City of Lights’. With 20 unique arrondissements (neighborhoods), you may find it slightly challenging to decide where to stay in Paris. Here are a few options which promise an unforgettable experience in this truly classic city.

Le Louvre and Les Jardin des Tuileries

This posh neighborhood, the 1st arrondissement, is home to several popular tourist attractions, including the Louvre Museum and the lush green lawns of the Tuileries Garden. You will find plenty of fashionable cafés and restaurants in this area. Experience 18th-century opulence along with contemporary chic when you stay at Le Meurice, a classic French palace hotel with views of the Tuileries Garden. You can also enjoy the vibrant rooms, colorful décor and vintage chic interiors of Hôtel Crayon Rouge, just a 5-minute walk from the Louvre Museum.

Champs-Elysées and Grands Boulevards

A hub for haute couture and celebrity-chef run restaurants, the 8th and 9th arrondissements of Champs-Élysées and Grands Boulevards are home to attractions such as Arc de Triomphe and Grand Palais. Near the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, indulge in a luxurious stay at the legendary Hôtel Plaza Athénée which has frequently welcomed royalty and celebrities through its doors. On the fashionable Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, check out Le Bristol Paris, a family-run palace-hotel featuring a luxury spa, a rooftop swimming pool and refined rooms with vintage décor.

Montmartre and South Pigalle

Montmartre, the 18th arrondissement, is full of cobbled lanes and narrow alleys on a fabled hilltop. Down the hill, South Pigalle (SoPi), the 9th arrondissement, is an edgy and upcoming neighborhood with plenty of raunchy cabarets and hip bars. In Pigalle, you have the ultra-chic Maison Souquet hotel designed by the famous French designer, Jacques Garcia. The hotel features opulent rooms with a mix of exotic and period furnishings. You can also consider the family-run Hôtel Particulier Montmartre, offering all-suites accommodation set in a 19th-century mansion, surrounded by lush walled gardens.

Le Marais and Bastille

Le Marais, the 3rd arrondissement, exudes a hipster attitude and is home to some of the popular art museums. Bastille, the 11th arrondissement is a fast-paced neighborhood with creative bistros and colorful street markets. Amid the art galleries and fashion shops of Marais, you can stay at Hotel du Petit Moulin, a stylish boutique hotel decorated by renowned French designer Christian Lacroix. It is set in a building that originally housed the first bakery in Paris. You can also enjoy the vibrant, colorful rooms, with retro-style furnishings and unique art displays in Hôtel Exquis in Bastille.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés

On the left bank of Seine river, this neighborhood that makes up the 6th and 7th arrondissement, is full of historic cafés, art galleries, and antique shops. The area is also home to the gorgeous, lush green Luxembourg Garden. Enjoy the unique décor and stylish rooms of Hôtel Atmosphères, a contemporary hotel conveniently located close to the popular attractions. You also have L’hotel Paris, the smallest 5-star hotel in Paris that features individually decorated, luxurious rooms, and promises an ambience of quintessential French charm and glamor. This historic hotel was also home to the famous Oscar Wilde during his last days.

Latin Quarter

The 5th arrondissement, the Latin Quarter, is a vibrant, student-friendly neighborhood with the Paris-Sorbonne University at its center. The area features plenty of budget-friendly hotels, hostels and eateries, and it’s home to some of the finest museums in Paris. Check out the spacious rooms, courtyard garden, and exquisite spa pool beneath ancient gold-stone vaults of La Lanterne, a boutique hotel in the heart of Latin Quarter. You can also look at the elegant themed rooms that pay tribute to iconic French women, in Hôtel Les Dames du Panthéon, a small boutique hotel across the square from the Panthéon.

Cheap hotels in Paris

Contrary to popular belief, Paris is not that expensive. If you plan, search and choose carefully, you may be able to stay in a charming neighborhood with elegant accommodation, and still be able to save some of your travel budget for experiencing Paris’ renowned cuisine and nightlife. Just a 3-minute walk from Avenue des Champs-Élysées, you can stay in lavishly decorated rooms in Baroque and Art-Deco style in Hotel Mathis Paris. In a quaint stone building on Rue Laferrière in Pigalle, enjoy the chic rooms and charming ambience of Hotel Arvor. In the lively Latin Quarter, look at the Best Western Plus La Demeure hotel for simple bright rooms and personalized service. For a true Parisian experience and a hip, centrally located hostel near Gare du Nord, you can stay at the Generator Paris hostel. In the same neighborhood, you also have Les Piaules, a colorful, modern hostel with a striking industrial design and funky mixed-gender rooms.

The ‘City of Lights’, Paris is marked by stately museums, ornate churches and blocks of Rococo and Neoclassic-design architecture which is further enhanced by the razzle-dazzle of its food, fashion, and café culture. You’ll hear Paris described as fascinating, charming, historic and elegant; but also sophisticated, chic, glamorous and fashionable. If you are visiting the city for the first time, here are some of the not-to-be-missed activities that you should try to include in your itinerary.

• Ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower for sweeping views over the city of Paris.
• Visit the world’s largest and most impressive museum, Le Louvre.
• Walk down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe.
• Explore the Montmartre Sacré-Cœur Basilica, that stands tall at 130 meters high, be dazzled by the 1,113 stained glass windows and Gothic-style architecture of the Sainte-Chapelle, pay your respects at the Notre Dame Cathedral, and enjoy fantastic views of the city and famous gargoyles from the cathedral towers.
• Enjoy a leisurely stroll in the lush green Luxembourg Garden, and visit the beautiful Tuileries Garden.
• Plan a day trip to the Versailles Palace and Disneyland Paris.
• Walk across the Pont Alexandre III, a deck arch bridge that runs from the Left Bank to the Right Bank of the Seine river.
• Book a tour to check out the famous Catacombs of Paris.
• Learn about French military history at the museums of monuments of Les Invalides which is also the burial site of the famous French statesman, Napoleon Bonaparte.
• Watch a live musical performance at the Parisian opera house, the Palais Garnier.
• Don’t just fill yourself up with the street-side crepes covered in Nutella! Instead, save space for some tea and macaroons at authentic Parisian bakeries such as Ladurée or Pierre Hermé.
• Wander through the city’s flea markets, such as Les Puces des Vanves or Les Puces de St-Ouen which are famous for priceless French antiques.
• Buy some fresh baguettes, cheese, a bottle of wine or some coffee, and enjoy a picnic by the banks of the Seine river.
• Enjoy Paris’ boisterous nightlife and go bar-hopping all over the city. You will find some cool bars in the 6th arrondissement near the Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe.
• Wander around the backstreets of the Latin Quarter for a wide variety of quaint cafés and cheap bistros.
• Shop for second-hand luxury goods at the boutiques in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
• Stroll along the streets of the Montmartre neighborhood to experience the Paris of yesteryears.