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Where to stay (travelling with 2 year old to Paris for the first time)

Hello

I know this question must have been asked several times but wanted your help specific to my case as we will be travelling with my 2 year old. We (me, wife and 2 year old) will be visiting Paris from 2nd to 5th of June and wondering what would be the best place to find a hotel. I have been searching for the last 2 days and I am completely confused as every article, blog, forum etc say a different thing. I was originally planning to rent a car but many have suggested not to do so as traffic/parking can be a big pain and have been advised to either take uber or metro. We would like to stay in an area with parisian feel with cafes, squares etc that we can walk up but at the same time accessible (via metro or walk) to the major tourist attractions. I am thinking around $150-200 budget and the preference is to have a small kitchenette but it is not mandatory. I would appreciate if you can atleast the arrondisement to focus on if you are unable to recommend hotels, etc.

Thanks

Posted by
5447 posts

I'm not sure how many hotel rooms would have a kitchenette. Very few, I think. If that is important, then you would likely need to look for an apartment. But again, I'm not sure how many would rent for only 3 nights. You could check Airbnb, though.

The usual recommendation is to find accommodations in central Paris, for ease of travelling to the major sights. This would be the 1st-5th arrondissements. I'm partial to the 5th ( the Latin quarter.) Many really like the Marais district. But with your budget, you may have to look further afield. The trade off for lower room rates will be the somewhat longer metro commutes to the major tourist sights. You can check sites like booking.com, where you can filter for your price point and preferred locations.

No matter how close to the center of town you are, you will need to spend some time travelling n the metro- it's unavoidable. You just won't be able to walk to every sight. Buy a carnet ( a strip of 10 individual tickets.

I would heed the advice about not renting a car while you are staying in Paris. It would be a MAJOR headache. If you need a car when you leave Paris, rent it from an agency on the edge of the city.

Posted by
490 posts

Do not rent a car.

Just about any hotel can accomodate a two year old, they put a cot in the room.

Try hotel Beaumarchais...central location, you can walk to many sights...
or Hotel Hor in the 10th...

Hurry you are running out of time...

Enjoy!

Posted by
490 posts

Do not rent a car.

Just about any hotel can accomodate a two year old, they put a cot in the room.

Try hotel Beaumarchais...central location, you can walk to many sights...
or Hotel Hor in the 10th...

Hurry you are running out of time...

Enjoy!

Posted by
1806 posts

A 2 year old needs some space to move around. And a kitchen is definitely a plus when you have a toddler.

You're booking kind of late at this point for an early June stay, and you are also not going to be in Paris for very long (many apartment rental agencies only deal with those who stay for a minimum 5 to 7 days).

Sure, you can try an apartment rental agency, or you could consider upping your budget and looking at some of the apart'hotels, like Citadines, and get yourself a studio or 1 bedroom unit with a cot or pull-out sofa for the kid. But in your price range, I'd suggest you consider looking at staying in one of the family rooms at a hostel. Benefits are you have not only access to a kitchen to eat breakfast, pack a lunch or make a simple dinner for your child at whatever time he/she needs to be fed, but a hostel also will give you access to common area lounges with plenty of room for your kid to move around. You also will find most hostels provide some sort of coin-op washer/dryers on site (helpful with a small child).

Read reviews of any hostel you might consider on sites like hostelworld.com and see what others have to say about the rooms, location, amenities and the overall atmosphere. Steer clear of the ones where reviewers rave about partying. Know that some hostels (particularly those in the Hosteling International chain) tend to attract lots of school groups so again, see what reviewers have to say. But many families love booking a private room in a hostel - and hostels are more frequently squeezing in en-suite bathrooms inside rooms wherever they can. Even if a family room is booked, some hostels have triples or quad dorm rooms with their own private bathroom. If you happen to find a quad that looks like it would work, you can always just pay the cost of the extra bed you won't need just to ensure you have the entire room all to yourself. You'd likely still be well within your nightly budget and you could probably stay somewhere a little more central rather than commute a longer distance.

If you still prefer a hotel, check Accor hotels (Ibis, Mercure, etc.) to see what options they have in your desired price range.

Posted by
565 posts

Ditto absolutely everything Ceidleh said. I haven't taken my little ones to Paris yet but they have stamped passports! Planning a trip soon. I've got a 1 (almost 2) and 3 year old we drag everywhere. For a few days and just one baby, we could get away with a hotel room. Having a kitchen and a separate bedroom even with just one was a huge asset, two a necessity. Laundry facilities has always been important. I've never done the hostel thing but it sounds like a great option and I wouldn't hesitate to use that myself. We always rent apartments now. Our kids are out of strollers a bit early but if you still use one, we found that having access to an elevator if on upper floors was a must. Lugging even the lightest umbrella stroller along with the baby and everything else is a nightmare! As far as arrondisemont's go, I absolutely love the 3rd. Lots of young families. Noticed lots of babies welcomed. We stayed in the 4th the last three times and the 3rd(multiple), 7th and 5th prior. All nice and have their charms. The area around the canal reminds me of a French Brooklyn. Lots of fun.

Posted by
8569 posts

The 5th or 6th near the Luxembourg Gardens or Tuilleries are great with a toddler as those parks are so nice. But there are little pocket parks with toddler toys all over Paris (there is one beside Notre Dame for example). It is nice to have a kitchenette with a small child. Consider an aparthotel like Citadines where with a one bedroom apartment you would be able to put the baby down at night and still have separate social space for the parents to enjoy a glass of wine and some cheese together. These districts are also within an easy walk of about 60% of the major things you probably want to see.

A car is a terrible idea in Paris; it would be like having an anchor around your neck and totally inconvenient. Most of our friends in Paris don't even own a car; they rent one if making rural vacation trips. Public transport is great and you can use a stroller on the buses. Metros involve lots of stairs.

Posted by
2 posts

Thanks all for your advise. Based on your suggestions above, I looked for apartments and found one on vrbo near notredame for 160 per night and has a lift. Lift/elevator suggestion above definitely helped as many did not have one and that was probably the reason why they were cheaper. That area seems to be equidistant to most attractions and super close to sienne. Hope it turns out good.