Paris sightseeing. Best location

Kind of a loaded question :-). Really depends on what you are looking for. But if it is a general logistics question, pretty much any arrondissement that is central. From there, it depends on your goals. You will probably need to supply more info.

Glenn.

Any of the single digit Arrondissements will work fine. We all have our particular likes and dislikes. I like the 7th, others like the 5th or 6th, many stay in the 3rd. As long as you are near a Metro stop you can get anywhere.

Are you looking at any hotels in particular?

I like the 9th, around Saint-Georges. Several metro lines, Gare St-Lazare and RER within walking distance, as well as Opera Garnier, Galeries Lafayette and Place Vendome and the now trendy Rue des Martyrs. Easy access to Montmartre with Bus 40, close to Gare du Nord.

I prefer to stay in the Place de la Republique area, at the intersection of 3rd, 10th, 11th arrondissements. It has no outstanding tourist sites itself but is a very lively neighbourhood with easy access to the Canal St-Martin for strolling. Its advantage is underground: a major Metro station with five different lines intersecting. Tourism sites are scattered around the city and the Republique station's alternatives can speed up your daily travels.

@Southam:
Any Hotel recommendations in the Pl. de la Replique area for a family of three?

what did you think of Rick's suggestions and recommendations in his guidebook (hint, hint)?

Staying on Ile St. Louis is as centrally located as one can be. We've stayed at the Hotel des Deux-Iles and will do so again. There are a couple of other hotels on the same street. Cross the river and you will be in the Marais -- cross it the other way and you'll be in The Latin Quarter. Walk to the end of the island, cross the bridge, and you'll be at the back of Notre Dame -- such as it is now as some of the immediate area is closed off. The Metro is near enough that getting anywhere is not a problem. If you stay there we can tell you about a great breakfast place nearby as the hotel breakfast seems a bit overpriced for what it includes.

@TC:
Could you tell me the name of the breakfast place you recommend? My wife and I will be staying at the Hotel des Deux Iles next week!

@zjandress, As you exit the hotel, cross the street to the opposite sidewalk . Turn left and start walking. After a short walk you will pass the Cafe Med on the left hand side of the street. After that, on the right side of the street, is St. Regis. It is on the corner just where the street dead ends into another street. They have (or had) a good deal on juice, coffee, and a pastry. That's about all we ever want, but they do have other options. You can check out the location on Google Maps and can maybe even get a street view. Enjoy!

The St Regis cafe is the best! We stay at the Hotel St Louis en l’île & always grab breakfast there. I recall juice/coffee/croissant or tartine going for about 9 euro then. It’s also a good resource for a light dinner for that night when you’re just tired of eating yet another big meal. Last time we were there a few years ago we enjoyed watching what looked like a local family come in for dinner- clearly a family favorite in the neighborhood.

@TC
@Elizabeth

Thank you so much! We will definitely check out St. Regis.

Everyone is going to have their favorite. We liked the 6th the best. Maybe it was the location of our apartment but we walked to the Louvre, Notre Dame, The river and the night cruse at Pont Nuef, lots of dining choices, markets, we had a metro and an RER station within walking distance. We were smack dab between the river and Boulevard Saint Germain, which had Taxi, movie theaters, shopping etc.

We also like the 6th. Great metro and RER access. Oldest part of Paris with the old, charming streets. Easy walk to the Louvre, Orsay, St. Chapelle. Tons of shops and restaurants all around. We stayed at the Hotel Residences des Artes.

I have no data to support my theory that the parts of the 6th and 7th closest to the river are the easiest walk to and from sightseeing destinations, inside the curve of the river and more or less the center of the rough circle within the Peripherique. A more practical approach would be to look for a place near any Metro station where two or more lines intersect. A poster in another thread pointed out that the station at Place de la Republique, where the 3rd, 10th, and 11th meet, has five intersecting Metro lines, allowing you to head off in ten different directions, plus being a lively neighborhood with lots of food and drink options. But optimizing a hotel location is easy to overthink.

My first time in Paris I chose a transportation hub/Metro station as my area to stay at and that was near the Saint-Michel Notre-Dame Metro & RER Station. RER-B North/South & to and from CDG is located here, RER-C East/West along the Seine and to Versailles and Metro-4 North/South-ish through Paris. The station is in the 5th, but boarders other Arr. since it is near the Seine. Now that I am familiar with Paris & using the transportation systems, I try and stay in a different neighborhood each time. I just need a Metro stop a few blocks away & I am good.

Enjoy your trip.

My wife and I were there 5 years ago and stayed in the 3rd near Arts-et-Metiers, which was a great location for getting to sights. We are going back in a few weeks and staying near the Pompidou, at one of the hotels Rick suggested in his Paris book.
Another reason for staying in this area - we are vegan and there are a lot of vegan restos in this area. Favorites are Cloud Cakes, Cafe Ginger and Le Potager du Marais. I know Rick loves the Rue Cler area, but there are not a lot of vegan options in that area.

On several trips to Normandy where I stay in Paris on either end, I have stayed in the 8th/9th so I can be close to Gar Saint-Lazare for my train to Normandy, and then 6th from where there is a simple route to CDG and other things to see. But honestly, anywhere I stay, I just visit things closest to that place. There is so much to see that you can find things anywhere, and public transit can get you to somewhere else if need be. My preference for that is buses, because then I can sight see when getting from one place to the other.

I loved the 6th- but it was perfect for our site priorities. In any city I first mark where I’ll be spending time, anticipated dinners, etc and then see what areas are or are not ideal

I'll suggest a singular site you should not miss in your sightseeing program.....Pont Alexandre III, absolutely lovely.

kelrn6 Sorry to be slow replying to your question. i've stayed at several hotels near Republique (never on the noisy plaza itself). My favourite is the Ibis Republique, a few blocks towards the canal. Ibis is a big moderate-priced chain in a giant hotel corporation. This one is a make-over of an older building. It is modern inside, not charming, and always efficient. Staff have been consistently obliging and with breakfast supplied. As a permanent solo I can't comment on family accommodation but I've seen lots of youngsters with their adults.

This questions is similar to asking "What is the best flavor of ice cream?" Lots of different ideas and tastes about what is "best."