What hotel to stay as first timer in Paris?

Go to Travelzoo.com, hotel.com, etc. There are several hundred 4 star or 5 star. These is always a map. Pick one. Most people here don't use four or five star hotels.

The Marriott right on the Champs is pretty incredible. The location, hotel, food and the comforts of the US (i.e., bed, pillows, etc). Not too many European beds give me a good night sleep....

My husband and I stayed on the Ile St. Louis last May. It was a great central location and near to everything in the heart of Paris. Our room was on the 5th floor. of the Hotel De Lutece. Our room was not too big but plenty of space for us with a nice sized bathroom. We were afraid that the noise on the street below might bother us at night but it didn't. This was our second time in Paris....the first time we went we stayed near the Eiffel Tower and enjoyed that as well but felt in that arrondissement we were so far away from the center of Paris. We had to take the metro anytime we went anywhere. This past trip last May we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go and it was so nice seeing the scenery as we walked the streets of Paris from location to location. Hope this helps!

Thank you everyone for the replies!

The Telegraph UK offers some useful hotel reviews in its city guides, and leans more to the luxury end.
How about these ...
Right Bank (Champs Elysees) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/paris/hotels/hotel-mathis/
Right Bank (Tuileries) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/paris/hotels/hotel-la-tamise/
Latin Quarter http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/paris/hotels/hotel-atmospheres/

If I imagine what it would be like to have a lot of money and time to spend in Paris, and I didn't know the area, I sometimes think about the Shangri La, thusly:

http://www.shangri-la.com/paris/shangrila/

The better rooms there have private balconies overlooking the Eiffel Tower, and the establishment is happy to cater to your every wish. It's almost like a cruise liner :P

The star system in France is different than in the US. It isn't so much an indication of level accommodation (luxury) and service as it is an indication of amenities. For example, one and two star hotels generally do not have elevators while three star hotels do. There are many three star hotels that are just as nice and with the level of service you would expect at a 4 or 5 star hotel in the US, but they are generally smaller and probably less expensive. So, if you are looking for a hotel with good beds and nice bedding, an elevator, modern ensuite bathrooms, and concierge service, a three star could fit the bill, though there probably won't be a restaurant, bar, workout room, shops or pool.

You didn't state your budget, but I'd opt for staying here, if you could:
http://www.pavillon-de-la-reine.com/fr/

I agree with the Pavillon de la Reine suggestion above and also suggest Hotel d'Aubusson http://www.hoteldaubusson.com/fr/.