Paris is a wonderful city to visit in France and almost anywhere you stay you will be near major attractions like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Montmarte, St. Germain, Bastille, etc. Paris is broken down into 20 neighborhoods called arrondissements. For example the 7th arrondissement has the Eiffel Tower and Musee d'Orsay as highlights. I prefer the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement) because of the easy access to their metro, Notre Dame, and the excellent restaurants along St. Germain. France is on the Euro monetary system so hotels are expensive in terms of US dollars and it's hard to get a bargain below $200/night. Rooms tend to be small and you rarely find an elevator that will hold more than you and your luggage at the majority of the hotels. Paris is a relatively flat city so you can walk virtually anywhere (I did probably 4 to 5 miles a day) even if your hotel is not in the center of all the action. After visiting Paris twice I realize that finding restaurants is really easy if you are in the more popular sections of the city saving you taxi fares or rides on the metro late at night.
The Best Western Derby Eiffel is a small hotel near the Eiffel Tower on Avenue Rapp. The hotel books early so make your reservations well in advance online. Shopping can be an attraction in and of itself along the Champs-Elysees and that is why the Hotel Lancaster rates as a top pick for tourists to stay at. The hotel offers 46 rooms and 11 suites and the rooms are decorated with elegant furnishings (rates are listed at 480 euros or above). In the Latin Quarter Hotel Le Notre Dame is a nice find if you want to be near Notre Dame (you can see it from the windows). The room rates are about 200 Euros a night which seems reasonable to me given the great location. The only drawback is a little noise in the evening as the streets below do stay loud past midnight. The Artus Hotel is another great find in the heart of Saint Germain des Pres and a deluxe room for 2 goes for 275 euros. You will be centrally located and have easy access to restaurants and museums. We have tried to list some of the more popular hotels in Paris per surveys done on TripAdvisor.com and Expedia down below.
Paris Vacation Tips, Recommendations, and Advice: Suggestions for a better Trip!:
If you are visiting Paris from America you will definitely notice the layed back lifestyle of people sipping lattes at cafes all over the city. It rarely feels like anyone is in a hurry to go anywhere. Be prepared to eat out late at night, the early bird 6 PM meals will have you sitting alone. The sites are beautiful at all times of the day, but I found an early morning or late evening walk along the Seine made everything that much more magical. Avoid the boat trip down the Seine River as you can stroll at your own leisure all along the banks and drop into shops or cafes if need be. Also, I strongly recommend trying one of the famous 4 or 5 course French dinners at restaurants like Guy Savoy or Taillevent. I tried both and although very full at the end of the meals, they were a real treat and something I will remember forever.
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