Paris Hotel Recommendations/Feedback

I adore the Hotel Signature Saint Germain. I like the location which is near the more touristy parts of the 6th arrondissement but not right in the middle of it. There are lots of great restaurants and shopping nearby. The hotel's staff is excellent. It is part of the group of three hotels owned by a lovely family. I have not stayed there in a couple of years but I still stop by there and one of their other properties (the Hotel de Londres Eiffel) if I am in the neighborhoods to say hello -- that's how great the staff was.
Does the AirBnB on Ile St Louis have AC? If not, I would eliminate it automatically for a July stay.

I concur with the recommendation to have AC. I'd probably go with a hotel to guarantee there is AC. If you wanted to experience 2 different areas you could divide your stay between 2 of the hotel choices.

Thank you so far, yes the Airbnb does have AC, or at least the description says it does. Good idea with the hotel guaranteeing there will be AC, I hadn’t thought of that.

Agree with the AC in July (you can put this into your search filters), but if you find a place on Île St Louis with AC, that is my favourite location. It is near the very heart of Paris (which is Notre Dame), with easy access to both the Left and Right banks. The metro is very close by, on the Right Bank. On my first trip to Paris, we stayed in an apartment rental on Île St Louis and loved it. [Updated to add that I just read, after finishing my post, that the Île St Louis place has AC. That would be my choice, then, if the reviews are good and the place checks out on other sites.]

If you do rent an apartment, be aware of a couple of things: not all buildings have elevators. If the apartment is on an upper floor, there may be a lot of stairs to access it, in case that would be a problem for you. If there is an elevator (and be aware that the elevator would be tiny), the listing will usually say so. Note that, in Europe, the "first" floor is not the ground floor, but what we would call the second floor, so figure that into how many flights of stairs there would be.)

Paris restricts rentals, and they are supposed to be licensed, but, apparently, it is easy to throw a fake license number onto a listing, so, if you go through Air BnB, check that the apartment is listed on other platforms, as well (e.g. Booking.com, VRBO). You can usually do this by searching the descriptive heading of the place. Note that a number of rentals in Paris are not dedicated rental units, but places where the owners actually live (not while you're there), as they are limited in how many weeks per year they can rent for.

All your hotel choices are in good, central areas, and they all list air conditioning, but of those choices, #3 would probably be my second choice, just because it's closer to the Seine (my preference) and to a Metro station.

We have stayed at Bonsoir Madame on our past 3 trips and will again this autumn. Over the years, we have stayed in various parts of the 6th and this is our favourite. It is removed from the hectic Blvd St Germain area but close enough to Metro and bus stops, great food (including 2 superb boulangeries/patisseries within a block) and the Jardin du Luxembourg. The staff are excellent.

Claire, can you share the names of the restaurants you mentioned?

https://www.restaurant-georgette.fr/en/
We have had a few lunches here (we don’t eat big dinners out when we travel) and it was lovely. Delicious food and great staff.

https://www.breadandroses.fr/
Across the street and is both a restaurant and next door is their takeaway spot of delicious items, both sweet and savoury.

http://www.boulangerielaparisienne.com/boutiques/
Their Rue Madame location is a block away and we pick up breakfast items to enjoy.

Of course there are lots of spots a bit further away, some very touristy (with so-so food) and others that have better food such as Breizh Cafe for the traditional Brittany crepes.
https://en.breizhcafe.com/breizh-cafe-odeon

There are also excellent chocolatiers close by such as Jean Paul Hevin and Pierre Herme.

After so many visits to Paris, we now enjoy using the bus more than the Metro and there are several handy bus routes within 2-3 blocks.

And lastly the Marche Raspail is a few blocks away and a great spot to grab a few items for a picnic at the park. There are small fridges in the room which we use for cheese, yogurt and other small items.

I totally agree with everything JHK said - I love the Signature St. Germain and have stayed there every year since 2019 (excluding covid). I will be there again for 4 nights in September. Is it the least expensive? no. But it is ideally located for walking and the Metro, the rooms are always immaculate, and the staff couldn't possibly take better care of you. If you like to have a lazy breakfast, the downstairs room always has a great little buffet which is continuously restocked. It is located on a quiet side street, and just around the corner the 6th and 7th open their doors to you. You are also an easy walk to the Right Bank. Only one caution -- for 2 people for 8 days, do not select one of the Cosy rooms -- they are great for one person for a few days, but unless you want to stand on the bed so the other of you can get by, select one of the other rooms.

Whichever hotel you choose, have a wonderful anniversary!

Only one of these locations is actually in the 6th, Bonsoir Madame. It was newly renovated a couple years ago, has a spa on site, and the location is fabulous; quiet yet close to public transportation. Georgette is OK but I prefer the many restaurants on rue Cherche-midi, such as Le Petit Verdot or Paul Chêne, or even Chez Dumonet.

Hotel Signature is in the 7th, on rue Chomel which is a rather quiet location yet very near popular sites, such as the often overlook boutiques of Carré Rive Gauche. If you were to stay here, you would want to dine at least once at Les Botanistes, just next door.

The Hotel Le Relais du Louvre is top rated and probably the nicest of the properties you have on your list. I am sure the price reflects that. One of the best restaurants I have tried this year is the nearby Granite, a must if you stay at this hotel.

Airbnbs are a minefield of trouble: mostly illegal, prone to last minute cancellations, and subject to a host of other problems. I would stick to your hotel list.