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Paris France in July- Advice on lodging

Hello!
This is my first time on Rick Steve's travel forum. I am hoping that all you experienced travelers can help put my group in the right direction.

I am going to Paris( among other cities after) in July. I am going with my husband and another couple. We are in our late 20's. We like to be active.

We want recommendations on areas to stay in while we are in Paris. We plan to tour the museums and historical parts of Paris but also indulge in the nightlife, shopping etc. We love to eat and drink.

We don't mind staying in hostels ( probably a 4 person room would be ideal) Or even two person. Hotels are ok too if they are in a good area.

Not sure what the best budget would be to give. We are not going to be in the rooms at all during the day so location is probably key for us. Would it be safe to say less than $120 per night ?

I hope someone can list some great recommendations!

Posted by
8293 posts

We stay at an apartment on rue Rodier in the 9 th and there is a hostel at No. 39 which we have noticed. The 9 th is an interesting arrondissement which I can recommend to you. As for the hostel, called Hotel Perfect (!) look at the reviews ... They seem OK and it certainly is cheap enough. Good luck.

Posted by
2081 posts

Welcome emadelung,

i would get a copy of RS "Europe thru the back door". Its covers alot of questions you WILL have later and now.

I used his book and others for my first travels and found most or all of them spot on.

Afa where to stay, i only stayed at one place, but it wasnt "central".

just so you know the subway system in paris is great and excellent.

happy trails.

Posted by
11507 posts

Emadelung it will be impossible to find a quad room in July for your budget which in euros is about 85 euros a night. You might,, big might.. find a one star somewhere far from central Paris.

You did not put where you are from on your profile.. so its a bit hard for me to figure out if you simply haven't stayed in hotels before.. or .. if you are perhaps from a country where 120 dollars seems like a lot of money for a room for four adults in a hugely popular large city like Paris.

I should explain that quad rooms are harder to find in Europe.. or at least in France.. then here in North America. Most hotel rooms are VERY small compared to what we are used to here.. they almost never will have king size beds, they often have double beds.. and their queen beds are sometimes two twins sheeted together.. Its VERY difficult to find a room with two queen, or even two double beds. And if you do they tend to get snapped up fast as many smaller budget hotels will only have one or two such rooms.

However I can suggest a few places for you to look into. They may be slightly over budget depending on your dates.

Hotel Marignan
St Christophers Hostel
MIJE Hostel

An apartment would not be a bad option , they can be economical when you consider that you will eat breakfast in and can make a few lunches for picnics.. but at this late date it may be hard to find one thats got good reviews ( I would never rent an apartment without good reviews)and most want a 7 day rental. But do look into them. I have only rented from Parisbestlodge but doubt they have anything left.. they are a small agency and super popular.. if you email and ask them you may hit it lucky though.. Still ,, its not going to be less then 100-150 EUROS a night for four people.

booking.com may be helpful to look at.. but always google hotel name and "reviews" and double check reviews from booking site to independent reviews.

Even hostels charge more then 25 euros a night in high season..

Posted by
15560 posts

Visit the Hostel World website. Besides listing hostels by location, they also have reviews. Paris is divided into areas call arrondissements. The lower the number of the arr., the more central the location to most tourist sights. Nightlife is probably better in the 5th and 6th, which is the Left Bank, younger crowd, many students, and usually the cheapest central lodgings. But even in other areas, there are cafes open until quite late. If you wander into the double-digit arrondissements, you will have to use the metro to get around. Buses are usually a bad option because surface traffic is congested. So if you are going farther afield, choose a location that is close to at least one metro line (preferable 2 or 3).

Posted by
7 posts

Thank you for the advice everyone so far. To answer some questions, we are from the United States. Midwest area. I just threw out a random number for a budget as we are unsure the costs during July and wondered others opinion. We are staying in Paris for 4 days. Would a apartment over a hostel be a better recommendation?

Posted by
195 posts

Hey folks,

I would just like to add that there are a couple of major events in July that will affect your housing. July 14 is Bastille Day with a big parade that, of course, attracts lots of people. In addition, a tradition for this holiday is the Bals des Pompiers (Firemens Ball) that are basically all-night parties held at local fire stations on July 13 and 14 (I would say there's a little drinking going on at these!). They are technically free but it is expected that you make some donation at the site. Check the website (www.parisinfo.com - the 2014 info is not up yet) for more info including specific information as to which stations are open on what night. Also, the Tour de France bicycle race ends in Paris on July 27 on the Champs Elysees which draws large crowds. I would definitely make reservations now at wherever you are going to stay if you plan to be in Paris around these dates. Have fun!

Posted by
7 posts

Thanks for the heads up on the events! That sounds fun. We actually plan to be in Paris July 4th-8th, then we are heading to Amsterdam!