25th Anniversary

I haven't stayed at the Hotel Odeon but friends honeymooned there years ago and liked it. The neighborhood would be a good one for sightseeing and atmosphere. There are many other choices though. We had a memorable long stay at the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles some years back. It's well located and has a lovely garden courtyard.

I suggest you look for hotels on booking.com, which has helpful filters and reviews by actual guests. It can help you narrow your search, but do any actual booking with the hotel itself. I like the left bank because it's inside the curve of the Seine, i.e. closer to most of the sights you might want to see. If you plan to use the Metro (which I recommend), look for a location near a station, preferably one where two or more lines intersect. You'll have many good choices with your budget.

The fact that you're flying to and from Zurich suggests that you have other destinations in mind besides Paris. You could easily spend your whole time in Paris, taking day trips to places like Versailles, Chartres, Reims, Fontainebleau, and others. Or you could carve out a trip to Normandy for a night or two or three if that interests you, easily reached by train with a rental car for exploring.

I would suggest staying forever in Paris...you can't spend too much time there!! September is a wonderful time, weather is generally gorgeous and everything you do in Paris is romantic, especially when celebrating a lovely milestone like your 25th! We love the Westin Paris Vendome. The location can't be beat, great central location, close to train and metro stops. It looks like they have a special right now if you stay seven or more nights, which is just a little over $400/night. Pop for the Eiffel Tower view, it's worth it!! You can easily take a train to Versailles and spend part or all of a day. Be sure to check when they are closed, same with any museums and other attractions before planning your time around specific things. Spend at least one evening walking around the Eiffel Tower area so you can see the lights twinkle. It never gets old (another perk of staying at the Westin with a Tower view)! If they are running, consider taking Vedettes du Pont Neuf, a boat ride along the Seine during the evening, it's magical. Just walking around Paris is incredible. Have a wonderful time and Congratulations on your 25th!

There's a lot to be said for staying in the center of town and being able to go anywhere easily. Cross the river and you will be in the Marais -- cross it the other way and you'll be in The Latin Quarter. Walk to the end of the island, cross the bridge, and you'll be at the back of Notre Dame -- such as it is now as some of the immediate area is closed off. The Metro is near enough that getting anywhere is not a problem. The Hotel des Deux-Iles is where we stay and will continue to do so. There are also a couple of other hotels on the same street, and there are several restaurants on the island. If you decided to stay there, we can steer you to a great little place for breakfast as all hotel breakfasts seem to be over priced for what one gets.