Paris - what area/ or even hotel to stay for short sightseeing trip?

[galaxybeyond]

So in the New Year for DS birthday we've all decided to do a mini trip to Paris - see the sights e.g. Eiffel Tower, Champs, maybe Louvre etc. shopping .

Ideally like to be near the Eiffel Tower for ease etc,

I know nothing about the areas but think they are in districts? So recommendations on area or hotels in fact would be fab!

Anyone?

Budget?

About £500-600 for hotel 3 nights

I would say the Latin Quarter would be a good bet. Easy to walk to most places and pretty. Hotels are expensive in Paris, but you should be able to get something there for your budget. You can walk from your hotel see Notre Dame, then walk to the Louvre, through the gardens and back across the river to the Eiffel Tower.

@Torganer sounds nice. Can you recommend a hotel?

I really love Hotel Taylor which is near Pmace de la Republique with easy access to transportation. The staff is really sweet, the breakfast is good and the rooms are modern and furnished nicely even if they’re small. They also have mini fridges!

Hôtel Taylor https://paris-hotel-taylor.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/8w4fvys8PpCgQ7jy6

How many people are traveling @galaxybeyond ?

Latin Quarter ( 5th)is a good call. TBH the area around the Eiffel Tower is not the most atmospheric part of Paris and I wouldn’t base yourselves there. It’s very touristy and not much else to offer besides thd tower itself and lots of touristy cafes round trocadero. Latin quarter is also touristy but close to the upmarket and charming 6th, Notre Dame, Tuileries, Louvre and the two “isles.” Less well known hens are the saints Chapelle near Notre Dame, the Luxembourg gardens ( tho maybe not so great in winter), gorgeous place Dauphine and stunning place des Vosges in the marais (4th)The last mentioned is my pick for cafes and shopping as well. It still has the pre-Haussmanien narrow streets.

Gems not hens!

Saints Chapelle. Sorry: typing lying down

Grrr…:Sainte Chapelle. It’s really beautiful … more so inside than Notre Dame. You can Google it.

I stayed recently in the hotel korner étoile in the 16th, very reasonable price, close to good restaurants and not touristy at all, and a low crime area. To walk to the arc de triomphe (top of the champs) was 15 minutes I think.

The latin quarter is claustrophobic imo and the buildings creaky. Staying right next the Eiffel tower isn't necessary because there's not a super close metro necessarily (rer c), and there's a lot of museums, the river etc. and not much hotels.

Marrais!

We stayed just outside on our last visit (August this year) at Novotel suites Issy le Moulineaux. It was great & very well priced. The kids happily microwaved meals from the hotel shop in the suite & we could (just) see the Eiffel from the window!

It was 2 or 3 stops on the train to the tower & 10 mins walk from a lovely town centre with a great supermarket, restaurants & playgrounds for the kids (16, 14, 10 & 7).

We stayed in two hotels last May, with a river cruise from Lyon to Arles in between, for a milestone birthday.

First was Hotel Napoleon on Ave. Friedland within eyeshot of the Arc de Triomphe. Charming, great room. One block off the Champs. Very handy to the metro. Very nice breakfast and the staff were super professional and pleasant. Large, well-appointed bathroom with complimentary toiletries. Fridge in room with complimentary water. Small, pleasant ground-level cafe/bar.

Second was Hotel des Artes in Montmartre; super charming (supposedly way back when, the dancers from the Moulin Rouge boarded there; who knows if it's just a marketing gimmick) six-story family run hotel, exquisitely clean, nice tiny bar off the lobby with self-serve, honor system drinks. A short walk to the usual Montmartre tourist sites and the Abbesses metro station. Tiny room but very well-appointed; excellent bathroom with L'Occitane toiletries. My bed had a view of the Sacre Coeur over the neighbouring rooftops. Magic.

It was my birthday and when we arrived there were balloons in the room, champagne and a beautiful chocolate torte with china plates and real cutlery to serve it on. No fridge in room.

I did not make the arrangements and suspect that both hotels were rather expensive but if your budget permits, well worth it.

Hôtel L’Echiquier - wonderful place. Great location, boutique hotel, fabulous breakfast.Hôtel L’Echiquier, near Opéra
Visit:
Sainte Chapelle
Musée d’Orsay
Orangerie
Tour Montparnasse
Sacré Coeur & Montmartre
Le Marais
Lido - see a musical theatre show there - we saw Cabaret and it was wonderful!

& Père Lachaise cemetery.

We stayed in a family room in an Ibis Styles gare st lazarre near Europe metro, which whilst a 3 star we found to be great value and included a pretty good breakfast and was full of french people, which I took to be a good sign. It was an enjoyable 25 min walk to the Louvre, the Eiffel tower was about another 20 mins we walked around all day and eve and didn't feel unsafe in the areas we walked through.

@InterrailNewbie ooo thanks willlook at this. Were there places to eat around hotel for the evening?

Depends what you want, there was a little bistro down the road that was basic,.but nice and friendly and I think there were a couple of other places but didn't go to them and then near the station were the usual suspects of McDonald's, burger king and then walking towards opera there were other restaurants. The only negative I found was no nearby proper boulangerie, the co-op type shop next door to the hotel did it's best, but not really in the same league...although the shop did sell lots and you could get a ready meal there if you so desired and heat and eat it in the hotel (they provide plates and cutlery).