Help With The Choice Between Two Paris Hotels

Hi. I have not stayed at either hotel, but I have visited Paris several times. My suggestion is not to stay near the Eiffel Tower. It is not centrally located. The hotel near the Louvre will put you in walking distance of several museums, parks and churches. Have a wonderful time!

Hi dcreeder02,

Is staying near the Louvre being that its a big tourist area an issue? I do like that it is centrally located. We have a few tours planned that we have to take the metro to get to and we're going to Disney so being located next to the metros is a nice advantage.

I stayed at Hotel Relais Bosquet in 2018 & loved it. I had an Eiffel Tower view room & loved watching it sparkle from bed. My room was beautiful and spacious by Paris standards (though I was traveling solo). Honestly, my first thought upon entering the room was “I can’t believe I get to stay here.”

I’m pretty sure the hotel has changed hands since I stayed there but looks fairly similar in pictures. It does seem like the prices have gone up.

The area is less convenient to metro lines than some other locations, but I found the bus service nearby to be great for my needs…it was my first visit and I was doing ALL the usual tourist stuff.

Maggie, I think we're in the same boat you were. When I looked at the metro lines, it didn't look hard we would just have to change stations at times. Thank you for your help!!

Hi. I don't think having accommodations right near the Louvre is a big issue. It’s going to be a big city with a lot of tourists no matter what. That being said, when looking for a restaurant, being near big museums and monuments may result in a more touristy restaurant. A guide book or video should help you find restaurants that will give you a more authentic experience. Also, as it’s your first time, I think it’s more convenient to be in the center of a lot of the must sees. I looked on the map and between the Louvre, the bridges, and Notre Dame, I think it will be really pretty at night!

For what it’s worth, I am staying at that hotel in December and it’s been highly recommended here on the forum. That’s how I found out about it —through recommendations here, and then I found out that another forum member will be there at the same time. And she has been to Paris on numerous trips.

So honestly, I don’t think you can go wrong with Hotel Relais Bosquet.

We have the Superior 26m2 room booked here, which is big for Paris I am reading.
Wow this is a big room for anywhere in Europe, if that's important to you. Are you planning on spending much time at the Louvre? Not commenting on hotels, just on location, I would have loved to walk next door to lie down after a day in the Louvre. Le Café Marly, inside the square facing the pyramid at the Louvre had wonderful food, but wasn't cheap. We had Cesare salads & champagne one evening while sitting on the balcony, gazing at the glass pyramid. Don't skip going to the loo inside. There's a glass wall overlooking the ancient sculptures inside the museum!

Sandancisco, we only plan on going to the Louvre one time during our stay. We have a meeting place for our tours near the Eiffel Tower, the Hyatt Regency Etolle, and going to Disney. The Relais Bosquet is 22m2, to me this is similar in size. Thank you for the info about food at the Louvre.

The key factor for me in these decisions is proximity to the metro, so check that out - how close is each hotel to a station? That huge room also sounds pretty awesome.

Is staying near the Louvre being that its a big tourist area an issue?

Not at all. I think that location is perfect, you’re in the historic center which is the nicest area to walk around. It’s so centrally located that you can walk just about everywhere from there.

Well, I’m a Relais Bosquet fan. I stay there every trip. This time I’m in Paris for 20 nights…10 at Hotel Muguet and 10 at Relais Bosquet. And yes, I pay extra for the ET view too! I’ve already got it booked for my December trip.

We stayed at .Hotel Relais Bosquet almost four years ago. I loved the view of the tower twinkling at night (even better is being inside the tower on the 2nd floor when it twinkling). We spent our first two days on the HOHO seeing the city and exploring the areas at all the stops. I would stay at this hotel again.

I think, especially for a first trip, I’d opt for the Relais du Louvre. Of course you’ll want to see the Eiffel Tower, but, as others have said, it’s actually a bit out of the way. The Relais puts you in walking distance of almost everything, from the Arc de Triomphe to the Marais, and, via the Pont des Arts or alternatively via the Ile de la Cité, the Left Bank.

You don’t say much about what you hope to see, so I’m guessing it’s what millions before you have come for. Perhaps you might look at a map, locate the two hotels, and plot distances to what’s on your list of priorities.

I have not stayed at the Relais, but my daughter has, multiple times. She considers it « her » Paris home. Staff is kind and helpful, the decor is attractive, the breakfasts are of high quality, and the location is superb.

As an old woman whose first trip to Paris was in 1969 and who has visited many times, I still get a charge from touristy Paris, whether it’s a stroll by the Seine in the evening or a sit in the Luxembourg Gardens or in my favorite cafes . I know it’s not trendy or the « real, » everyday Paris, which is in the higher-number arrondissements, which i have spent time in, but it is iconically beautiful. I’ll bet you’ll love it whichever hotel you wind up at.

I stayed at the Hotel du Louvre and it was fine. Our room and bathroom was quite small. I found I did not want to go back on another trip because it is in the middle of everything with lots of crowds. I prefer a place with a neighborhood and local small shops.

Frenchaucoeur, which Relais does she consider home in Paris?

And yes, we are doing the same thing every first time tourist is doing, the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Disney, a day trip to Normandy, and a wine tasting. Do you have any recommendations of what else to do?

CAjan, which room type did you have when you stayed?

Doggie - sorry to be confusing. It’s the Relais du Louvre, I should note, if it’s not clear , that the hotel itself is on a small, ancient side street and is therefore a bit insulated from the main street activity.

If you poke around the website, you’ll see that the house has quite a history. It even figured in the French Revolution !

As for things to do, you have a very ambitious agenda.I don’t know how long you’ll be in Paris, but do allow some time to just wander, maybe in the spectacularly beautiful Ile St Louis, or in the little streets alongside Notre Dame, which I’ll bet most tourists miss (turn left into the rue Chanoinesse into the rue des Chantres). Or go up to the area around the parc Monceau and see how you’d live if you could afford it (at least I would!).

I’ve been to many beautiful places that I’ve loved. But Paris has a hold on me that no other place has had.

We stayed in a Citadines hotel right by the Louvre and it was amazing for the first trip. We could walk literally everywhere and was a great central place to stay for a first vacation. Plus they had some grocery stores and a monoprix close by.

We do have room 2 booked at the Du Louve. Has anyone stayed in it?

Hi again, How long are you in Paris? I would definitely leave off Disney, you can do that in CA or Florida, whereas most of what you see you won't find in the US! Ha. Normandy - That's a very long day trip from Paris. Lots of tours are cited on the forum, some you could start from CDG going directly to Bayeux, spending the night & that way you maximize your tour time. Just a thought. Hope you have a fabulous time!

Sandancisco, we are in Paris for about 8 days. Thank you for the info.

We always stay at the Relais Bosquet and have stayed in just about every room type. It's a great location, only 1/2 block from Rue Cler which has tons of restaurants, shops, grocery and great gelato. If you need to do laundry, their is a place just around the corner we always use. You can easily get to a metro, or a bus stop. We use the bus quite a bit to get around. Also, walk to the corner of the main street or catch a cab/uber. We have stayed in many other areas as well (se sometimes break up our stay like Pam does) but if I had to pic one place, Relais Bosquet would be it. Never had a bad stay. We like that it is quite at night, without all the noises from bars/restaurants/party goers. The superior rooms with Eiffel Tower view are very nice. Even the smaller rooms are lovely. Can't say enough good things about this hotel.

Thank you JR for your response, it’s very helpful. Did you find the room with the Eiffel Tower view to be a decent size for two people and their luggage?

If you've gone to Paris 17 times and you like the Eiffel Tower area then stay there but for a first time visitor I think the Louvre area is preferable. You're walking distance to just about everything and right in the middle of the most beautiful area of the city. In the Eiffel Tower you're off to one side of the city.

I’m with Marco. Out of some eighteen visits to Paris, I’ve stayed twice near the ET, once in a hotel near l’Ecole Militaire and once for a couple of weeks in an apartment in the avenue de la Bourdonnais. The area was fine, but just not that walkable. We lived for the 69 bus right behind the Champs de Mars, which actually is a very cool route for seeing the core of Paris along the Seine on the Right Bank and out to the Marais, but we couldn’t walk to much (there was a great market in the avenue du President Wilson that we enjoyed, but still, same point).

Especially for a first-time visitor, and as appealing as the relais Bosquet seems to be, I’d have to give the edge to a more central location.

I'm with Marco and frenchaucoeur,
The Rue Cler area is an RS favorite spot in Paris, but to me it is not as enjoyable as being more in the center, where you can walk to so many sights and don't need to metro as much. I have read on this forum on occasion that the Rue Cler area finds many people with the blue and yellow book in hand, so quite a few RS (and other) tourists there, just as in the Marais. And you will find lots of recommendations for great hotels all over Paris, so no need to stick with just the RS suggestions. Best of luck in your decisions and have a wonderful time in this timeless and exciting city!

P.S.
IMO Disneyland Paris is definitely NOT a quintessential Paris sight. Unless you are big Disney fans, I wouldn't bother. (And I live about 20 minutes from the original Disneyland, visited many times through the years, even spent my wedding night at the first Disneyland Hotel). Disney is very far from being what "every first time visitor" is doing. I am surprised to hear that. You will waste a whole day of your short visit to Paris getting there and back, waiting in the inevitable lines for the rides, and not experience much of anything of France there. Even our relatives who live in the Paris suburbs don't go there.

And to comment on the Louvre area being in a big "tourist" area, really, all of Paris can be considered a tourist area in that the city has wonderful things to offer in just about any neighborhood. And due to the popularity of Rue Cler because of the RS travellers, that could be considered a "touristy" area. So balance the offerings of your hotels for accessibility to the metro and/or sights to see, size and comfort of the room, amenities of the hotel, cost, etc. Decide what is best for you. (Of course, I can be casual about this since we always get to stay with family. Lucky us!)
You will have a wonderful time whatever you decide!

“Did you find the room with the Eiffel Tower view to be a decent size for two people and their luggage?”

Not the person you asked but….I’m currently sitting in my ET view room at Relais Bosquet. It’s a king size bed. There is a bench at the bottom and about 5 feet between that and a desk. It has a bathtub which I don’t prefer because they are hard for me to get in/out of. French bathtubs seem to be deeper than the standard US tub. The rain shower is nice though and there are grab bars. There is a desk chair but not a separate chair for sitting. This room is way bigger than some of the rooms that don’t have a view. Last October I had the same room a floor above and it was the same size as this one.

“I have read on this forum on occasion that the Rue Cler area finds many people with the blue and yellow book in hand,”

I don’t find this to be true since Covid. I haven’t seen anyone consulting the blue and yellow guidebook since I returned in 2021. There seem to be a lot of young business types doing apero in the area restaurants in the early evening and spilling out into Rue Cler. Also, interesting that the people checking in ahead of me the other day were Ukrainian. When I was in my other hotel a Mom and adult daughter checking in ahead of me were holding Mali passports. Yes, there are tourists. No, they are not all from the US or Rikniks.

In the end, no one is going to be able to tell you if you are going to like a hotel or neighborhood. I first stayed in the area on a RS tour in 2014. As a solo woman who is not actually a “big city person“ (except Paris!) this feels like a really comfortable area for me and I have stayed at least once a year and sometimes twice a year since that time.

In the end you’ll be in Paris wherever you stay and that’s what matters!

I have stayed in the Louvre area in an apartment for several weeks and I've also stayed in the 7th. Much prefer the 7th. So I will disagree with the people that say it's more central to stay near the Louvre
I just found it to be a lot of touristy restaurants and less Parisian-feeling. But the Louvre location could be a sensible choice for you! Good luck!

Our room with a view at Hotel Relais Bosquet had a long hallway into the room. Along the hallway was the toilet, room, a large closet with a safe, and then the bathroom. The actual room was quite large with two tall windows (lots of light).

I think either location would be great. For me, I liked being able to easily walk over the tower in the evening.

@Doogie, Pa is right! The rooms are quite spacious for Paris, and views outstanding at night. The hotel is an easy walk at night to the Tower. We like to go and just hang out, sitting on the lawn with lots of others, just people watching and enjoying the Tower lighting and sparkling at night. It's not quite the same from years ago, before all the fencing was erected, but still nice. In all my times in the Rue Cler area, I have never once witnessed anyone holding a Rick Steves guide. Weird that would even bother anyone to begin with. Wherever you choose, Paris is wonderful. But that being said, I am one of those who believe that where you stay can make or break a vacation. We've stayed in places we would not return to, and others we loved and wish we had more time to do them all.

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies.

We are looking for a hotel that is in a nice area, quiet and has some localness to it. The Relais by the Louvre seems to be more walkable, but with it being in a big touristy area are the more local restaurants close by? The same for the Bosquet, although its close to the Eiffel Tower seems to be in a more residential area so local spots may be closer? Do I have that wrong?

Doogie, either spot is going to have tons of restaurants nearby. You can hardly miss a place to eat just about anywhere you stay. The Relais Bosquet, as mentioned earlier, is only a block off Rue Cler where there are lots of restaurants, a favorite of ours is Cafe Roussillon, but there are many others all along the Boulevards. Same for the Louvre area. It really just depends on what you want to do. We recently stayed in the 5th at a very lovely hotel (Because Relais Bosquet was booked) and the location was very busy, easily walkable to sites, and we Ubered a lot to places even from there. The only think that was not pleasant was the hoards of crowds at night at all the local bars and restaurants. While not bothersome, we did enjoy the less crowded area around Relais Bosquet at night. Either way, you will be fine whatever you decide. I am curious why you booked the Louvre room through Airbnb and not directly with the hotel.

We are looking for a hotel that is in a nice area, quiet and has some localness to it.

With your options, I'd go with Hotel Relais Bosquet by Malone. I'm a person who has stayed many times in Paris, but never right near the Louvre and I don't want to do so. I want more of a neighborhood feel with all the little food shops. I have been thinking of returning to the Rue Cler area for my next trip to see how it has changed, if at all. The last time I was there was 2000. I'm now considering staying in either the Rue Cler area or Batignolles (again) near Montmartre (young families), which I am saying so you know whether to disregard my opinion as I am happy all over Paris. As far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter where you stay in Paris regarding distances. There are lovely places to see all over the city and Paris is about wandering, IMO. In addition, there are buses available to take and the Metro is not that inconvenient to the Rue Cler area. I think a lot of people disregard the buses in Paris, and they shouldn't. Again, IMO. However, if Pam returns to that area over and over again, that would be enough for me for a good choice. LOL.

Hi, I just joined this forum today, so forgive me if I do not understand. You mentioned using the Rick Steves code to get a discount on your hotel booking. Where may I find such a code, please? TIA

Rick has worked out discounts with select hotels, I think he lists them in his book, but others here may have that list. Just mention it when you book, or ask if the honor the Rick Steves discount. There is usually a special icon on hotels he recommends indicating a discount. It only works booking directly with the hotel.

JR, thanks very much.