Paris Hotel Recommendations in the 1st or 2nd

Is this the first visit to Paris for all four of you? The reason I ask is bc I find the 1st arrondissement very commercial with little to no charm. There is also a dearth of good restaurants, unlike other arrondissements.

Nothing wrong with the 2nd arrondissement.

Also, as you may or may not know, the star system doesn’t work the same in Europe. It only refers to amenities, such as a bar, pool or spa, not necessarily the quality of the accommodations.

Thank you - this is the first time. I chose 1st because of proximity to Louvre as one of my party has trouble walking long distances. Thank you for your help

You might consider staying on the Ile St-Louis. It’s very central and is dripping with charm. It’s still an easy walk to the Louvre, but if your mobility-impaired friend decides to lay low for a day, she can still have lots to do very nearby, such as walking over to the Ile de la Cite and Notre Dame, or just sitting by the river people watching. Just a thought.

If someone in your party has mobility issues, I would choose a hotel with good bus access. The Metro is great, but requires climbing up and down stairs. You might also find a taxi useful at times since there are 4 in your party.

I've stayed on Ile Saint-Louis my last 2 trips to Paris. It is a lovely little neighborhood. However, if walking more than 10 minutes is an issue, I would not recommend staying there.

I would look for a hotel near useful bus routes in the 4, 5 or 6 arrondissements. Plenty of cafes and restaurants. The closer to the Seine, the better, IMO.

How many rooms and what is your nightly budget in Euros? What type of amenities do you need?

Also, note that the star system in France is not necessarily indicative of quality. It only signifies that a hotel offers certain amenities that you may or may not find useful.

If you stay on Ile St. Louis, you'll be right in the heart of Paris and about as centrally located as can be. It's right behind Notra Dame, a metro stop is close by, and there are several places to eat on the main street.

We've stayed at Hotel des Deux-Iles and were very pleased. They also have a sister hotel on the island., and there are a couple of other hotels on the island as well.

If you stay on the island, we can tell you about a great little place for breakfast for not too much money, as well as several other places to eat.

The Hotel du Louvre is a true 4 star. Lovely rooms. We do not do their breakfast buffet as there are so many more fun and less costly cafes. It has become a Hyatt property in recent years. Not inexpensive, but that would be true of a 4 star property.

Our last trip we stayed at Hotel Saint Louis on the island. We had a lovely room overlooking the street and the service was 5star. It’s a small hotel without much of a lobby and the breakfast room is below stairs. I loved the location and Parisian feel. https://www.saintlouisenlisle.com/

Meaningful hotel recommendations require your budget window in euros per night. How many rooms are you looking for? September is peak hotel season in Paris and booking a hotel now would not be too soon.

Are you looking for a quad room, 2 doubles, or rooms for each person or maybe a double and two singles? Also what does four star mean for you, specifically what amenities are you looking for at the hotel and as mentioned above what is your budget?

Go to Booking.com. You are looking for 7 nights in one hotel in a busy season and somewhat late to the game. I'm not sure you really have the luxury of putting in a great deal of research on hotels in general. Find out what hotels are even available and then focus on which would be the best among that selection.

Thank you all - especially those who recommended specific hotels they liked.

To clarify for those who needed more info - I was looking for 1 double and 2 singles - by four star I meant with air conditioning and an elevators. My budget was up to $10,000 for all rooms with breakfast . I know it’s the busy season and hotels are hard to come by . Through a recommendation of a colleague’s friend who lives in Paris I located 3 that met my criteria and had availability - one in the first and 2 in the second . I vetted with Trip Advisor but booked directly the hotel I chose . I will report back after my trip . Thank you again .