Good morning, This is my first time going to Paris, I always read in this forum about the arrondissement the hotels should be, to be well located. The hotel that I made a reservation with is in the 15th Arrondissement. Does that mean that is not in a good area?
thanks
Not necessarily. The 15th is a big arrondissement. Where abouts in the 15th? Yes, people do suggest staying in the lower numbered arrondissements, but with Paris' excellent transportation system outer locations can be just fine as long as they're near a metro.
The hotel is located in 46 rue De La Croix Nivert - 75015 Paris
Some will suggest that you stay closer in. Depends on your age and length of stay as this is a "quieter" area of Paris . . .but some like it for that reason. Map where you want to go in Paris and note the distances. The # 6 metro at Cambronne with the #2 forms a metro belt around Paris so this will not take you to central Paris. The #8 at La Motte Picquet will.
I guess I was just focusing to be close to the tower and I read the Eiffel tower was just 20 minutes away by walking. I will only stay 3 nights. I'm wondering now if I made a mistake and should look for another hotel in another arrondissement. (sigh!)
Email your hotel and ask about how far to walk to get the No 42 bus, which stops at Champs de.Mars ( Tour Eiffel) on its way to Gare du Nord. We often stayed at a hotel on rue Emile-Zola in the 15th and used the No 42 to and from the hotel.
There really is no right answer on where it is best to stay, only opinions. You will be in a safe area if that is a concern.
I think most Americans (definitely myself included) think of Paris and the Eiffel Tower is the first thing that comes to mind, when initially thinking of lodging the obvious thought is I should stay as close to the tower as possible.
A little more research though and you realize that there is not much around the Tower except for the Tower itself and the area around it is more larger roads, traffic, less of the old cobblestone streets, alleys, the whole Parisian type look and feel and actually quite far from the rest of the main sights. The Tower is newer than the rest of the sights so had to go in an area there was available space at that time.
I think to some the importance of being close to it or having a good view of it will trump the other factors and plenty will stay in the 15th area to do so.
For me, I prefer the area on the West Bank / Latin Quarter type area but really anywhere in the general area of Notre Dame to the Luxembourg Gardens is most ideal. Makes the Tower itself though further away than I would like but that is the tradeoff.
Nothing wrong with the 15th, I’ve stayed there, but I much prefer being central... close to Notre Dame. These recent threads might be helpful:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/safe-convenient-hotels-in-paris
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/family-hotel-in-paris-preferably-near-a-park
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/areas-to-stay-in-paris
If you want to stay close to the EIffel Tower, the hotel is actually more like a 25 to 30 minute walk for a person who is not familiar with the area. The Eiffel Tower is roughly 2 kilometers from your hotel and that is not close IMO but others may disagree. I lived for a summer near metro Charles Michel so I am relatively familiar with the area. I like it and it is safe and has decent/good restaurants and cafes but it is not ideal for a short visit to Paris because your closest major tourist attraction is the ET and that is not really near any other major attractions. That being said, you are near two metro stations for lines 6 (Cambronne) and 10 (Avenue Emile Zola) and if the price of the room is right, you could get to sites in about 15 minutes and the tradeoff could be worth it.
Are you staying at the Best Western Hotel Eiffel Cambronne? I just read the management response to a review on TripAdvisor from 2017 which stated that "major renovations" were going to begin at the end of the year. I would make sure that the major renovations are completed before your stay - that could make things unpleasant for you.
Thank you so much for all your responses. Yes I am staying at the Best Western (hopefully I have a good experience). I will contact the hotel to get more information about the renovation. I didn't read anything about that.
I would personally not stay in the 15th. Yes, its near the Eiffel Tower, but the ET is already on the western outskirts of everything else you'll likely want to see. You'll probably spend a lot of time using transportation. You likely want to stay in 1-6 or 8 if it's your first time and you want to be sure to be centrally located. I'd suggest 9-10-11 if you're younger, interested in night life, and looking for a cheaper hotel in a transitional area.
Has everything to do with being central and close to so much more that you’ll want to see.
Not necessarily, Barbra. If you find yourself frustrated because there are few restaurant choices or not convenient supermarkets, or you have to spend an hour on the metro every day, those can be major bummers when you're tired or hungry from a busy day sightseeing. The ET can be seen from many viewpoints in Paris and is often much better from a distance than close up. I personally think the most magical is seeing the lights twinkle from the Seine in the center--something you won't be able to experience if you're in the 15th. The western edge can also prevent you from popping back to the hotel between site visits to freshen up or drop off souvenirs. The OP is asking for honest options and people are giving their best practical advice--I don't think it has anything to do with bragging. For a 3 day trip, I think most people would appreciate being in a more central location.
Now, if she were asking where to BUY a residence in Paris, that would greatly change the responses....
My reaction to OP's question was along the lines of - is this a "good" area for restaurants and other neighborhood amenities? I certainly didn't get a country club vibe from her question. Personally, my favorite hotel in Paris is in the 10th Arr. - Le Citizen on the St. Martin Canal. We got lost in the neighborhood one afternoon, turned a corner, and found a fabulous unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower.
Just my two cents - I've stayed twice in the 7 th. Once at Grand Hotel Leveque on the rue Cler and once at Hotel Muguet very close by. The location is very close to the ET, just a few minutes walk. The Rue Cler is an interesting pedestrian market street with good restaurants. I very much recommend the area!
Looks good to me, a few blocks from La Motte Piquet-Grenelle where three Metro lines intersect, so you can head off in any of six directions. If the price is right, I'd go for it. You could find places closer to the center, or the tower, or the river, or whatever you're looking for, probably for a lot more money and/or a lot less comfort.
I see it offers a free breakfast, which is rare in Paris hotels. Might not be the greatest breakfast in the world, but it's nice to head out each morning with a full stomach!
thank you all for your points of view.. i started looking for something more central. is this address better? 25, rue Saint-Roch 75001 - Paris. i think is in the 2nd arrondissement. I mean the 1st.
It's in the 1st arrondissement. You can tell because the postal code ends in 1. It is served by the Pyramides stop on Metro Lines 7 and 4 and Tuileries on Metro Line 1. I lived in a building about 5 minutes from that hotel for a few months in 2011. You can walk to the Louvre in about 10 minutes, Musee d'Orsay or Opera Garnier in about 15 and to Metro Line 1 which goes to a lot of tourist sites in 5 minutes. I like the area for convenience. The other hotel is probably a bit nicer and your room will be a bit larger but will not be as central so that will be the tradeoff.
veru9, that is the 1st arrondissement. The last two digits of the postal code identifies the arrondissement. It’s not my favorite area but it’s perfectly fine. I prefer the 4th, 5th and 6th, especially for only 3 nights. Those arrondissements are much more quaint and charming than the 1st.
Of course this is all my opinion. Others will have their own opinion.
Edit: typing at same time as JHK... : )
momo516... Well said.
You can't get more central than the 1st. Go for it!
Perfectly fine as hotels go...
Thanks.. i have a choice of making a reservation for a hotel in the 1st arrondissement, or in the 7th will be canceling the one in the Best Western. Anybody has experience with Saint Roch Hotel or Hôtel de la Tour Eiffel ( I read not so many reviews about this last one)
For me, if I can find something inside a ten to 15 minute walk to Notre Dame (I use that as an indicator of THE center of Paris), I consider it ideal. For that reason, I really like the Marais and the Latin Quarter (4th, 5th and 6th). They are nice areas and very convenient. Being 20 minutes walk to the Eiffel Tower means you will always use the metro to get around. From the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame is I'd guess still well over 30 minutes walking. I've never walked that far but I did ride a bike from Luxembourg gardens to Eiffel Tower and it was a little less than 30 minutes. I can't describe how nice it is to take a ten minute stroll through older areas, or along the Seine, to get where you are going; especially during the rush hour parts of the day on the metro.
I think you can tell a place's location by the postal code. If it ends in 004 for example, it's in the 4th. I believe that pattern holds for all the arrondissements. What I normally do is place it on Google Maps to see where it is. You can also use Google maps directions to guess walking times. For instance, Google maps says the walk from the hotel you mentioned in the 15th to Notre Dame is 1 hour 7 minutes.
Thanks I will be making other topic with the new question I have.
