How to pick a neighborhood to stay in..

Jennie, I always use Rick's Guidebooks to pick which area of the city I want to stay in. They have good Maps and descriptions of the various neighborhoods, including Hotel (most Hotels operate on a B&B basis) and Restaurant listings. I look for an area that's convenient to transportation and relatively close to the main sights that I want to see. For example, that's one reason I usually stay in the Rue Cler area of Paris and the Termini area of Rome.

Jennie, You won't find many true b&bs in the bigger cities- not many even in the larger towns. b&bs tend to be found in smaller towns and villages and out in the country. However, you can find small hotels (often family owned and operated). These will often include breakfast in their rates, but be certain to ask before booking if it is not made clear. We like to stay in an area close to transporation and good restruants as well as central to the things we want to see. This is often in the city center (ex.= London- Victoria, Covent Garden, etc.; Salzburg- in or near old town;Edinburgh- Princes St. or near the Royal Mile)or near the train station if we're not staying but one or two nights (York for example).

Toni and Ken have said it so well that all I can do is second their recommendations. Look for centrally located small hotels featured in Rick's books, which are arranged by neighborhoods. If you can't find anything cheap enough, consider looking in Let's Go guidebooks or perhaps staying at hostels. Keep in mind that whereas American cities after World War II tended (until recently) to have decay at the center and gradual improvement as you went farther out, European cities have always been the reverse. In Paris, for instance, the worst slums are in the remote suburbs and the most expensive homes line the great boulevards. Don't have any fears about being deep in the city center.

You may also consider whether you want a quiet neighborhood to come back to in the evening or a neighborhood with lots of night life.

Our advice is similar. We want to be close to city center and on top of local transportation. Not terribly concerned with the feel of the neighborhood since we will spend little time in the neighborhood. Now, if we were staying for a week or so, then the selection criteria could be a little different.

As cheesy as it may sound but I do not think I would know how to tackle Europe if it weren't for my Rick Steves guidebooks. I research all the hotel's he suggests. I read what people say about the guidebook recommendations on this site. I look at tripadvisor. So far I really have not been let down by Rick's suggestions. Rick has a book, Europe through the Backdoor, which helps those just starting out when it comes to planning for Europe. I also watch his shows which also helps too, on PBS or rented at the local library

´b&bs tend to be found in smaller towns and villages and out in the country.I should point out that the termbed and breakfastis not commonly used on the continent unless the owner is trying to appeal specifically to Americans. The equivalent terms in Europe would be some translation of ´guesthouse, or ´pension´, or `auberge´ in France. Some small hotels are also quite similar to a b&b. I´ve stayed in plenty of establishments that called themselves an auberge in French cities. They´re not limited to small towns.

I agree that using the Rick Steves books are good for picking a neighborhood. But I don't agree that you can't find a B&B in the large cities. They are there. The key thing is that most B&Bs aren't going to have fancy multi-lingual websites. Some don't even have a website. You'll need to know the name for a B&B in the local language (for example, in French it's Chambre d'Hote) and might even need to search a phone directory. Do a search on Chambres d'Hotes Paris and I'm sure you'll find plenty. (Sorry I don't know any Italian to help you with Rome)

I would start by getting several guidebooks at the library. Rick offers a fairly limited selection, others offer many more options but are likely to be somewhat out of date. Check out their recommended lodging using tripadvisor.com. The reviews will give you an idea whether it's a decent place and whether the neighborhood is a problem or not...............If nothing stands out, I usually pick based on price and access to public transportation.

Usually I pick a place that is near the train station so I can minimize hauling my luggage around..... In Paris I pick a neighborhood away from the train stations. So far, I've mostly stayed in the neighborhoods recommended in the RS books, and in Rick's recommended hotels.......In Rome I like the area north of the train station (Termini) or the Repubblica area not far away. Either area is about a 10 min. walk from Termini.

I've been organizing a trip to Paris & Sicily (not covered by RS) and one thing that helped me decide where to stay in Paris was making a Google map that showed all the sights we were going to try and see in the brief time we will be there. Then I used the reviews on TripAdvisor to limit/sort hotels that were in my price range, had good reviews, and had other amenities that I wanted like wifi. Searched the Google maps for the addresses of the hotels and saw where they were in relation to the sights, and eliminated the ones that were further away. Now, I just have to choose between the hotels in the area I decided on!

When investigating a city I haven't been to before, I read through several guidebooks to get a feel for the locations of most of hotels, and which sites are located where. Then I figure out where WE would prefer to stay - we like being in livelier areas, within walking distance of restaurants and piazzas or other places where there are cafes and places to sit and have a drink. In Paris, for us it's the 6th arrondisement. We generally prefer to walk vs. taking public transportation, and I love being so close to Notre Dame. In Rome, we like being near Piazza Navona. In London, I knew we didn't care about shopping, so we stayed near the Russell Square / Bloomsbury area; it worked for us! There aren't a lot of B&Bs in big cities, as already mentioned. We prefer small, family-owned hotels, and usually don't use Rick Steves' recommendations. We did stay at a B&B last year in Florence, Italy, and liked it very much. One drawback to B&Bs, for us, is access to our rooms. Every place has its own way of doing things. In that B&B, we were given our own key, and could come and go as we pleased.

For Paris, I'd recommend staying in the 4th, 5th or 6th arrondissement. Those areas are the most central to all the sites. Rue Cler neighborhood, which Rick hypes to death, is far away from the most charming areas of Paris, imo.

I disagree with Susan. I just got back from Paris. My husband and I rented an apt.in the 7th. We loved the Rue Cler neighborhood! Yes, there were Americans around, but we dined and shopped with locals mostly. It was great to walk 5 mins. to the Eiffel tower each day. Also, buses & 2 metro stops were very close & accessible. I did my research through library books, Trip Advisor & references from people who stayed in Vacation in Paris apartments in the 3 different areas I was considering (4th, 5th, 7th). The people on this helpline were also fantastic resources! On our trip (16 days) we stayed in a family run hotel in London (Paddington), the same in St. Malo, France; B&Bs in Honfleur, Bruges & Brussels and the apt for 6 nights in Paris. Loved the diversity of experiences.

In Paris, we have stayed in the Marais, the Latin Quarter and even near the Place Bastille once. For our trip next May, we are traveling with a couple for the first time, so we are renting an apartment to give all of us some room and so we can go get things from the amazing markets in Paris and cook. So, when we began to look around at all the sites to find an apt, it was a challenge to make all 4 of us happy with a place. We ended up picking a place in the 15e, which is way off the tourist path, yet only 10 minutes to the heart of Paris on the metro. I'm thinking it will be a "back door" inside of Paris. Can hardly wait to go!

Busses and the metro are very accessible all over Paris. The rue Cler area is not more so than any other area.

We have just returned (today) from our German/France trip. Great to catch up with Jo and see some of her hidden gems in Frankfurt. We stayed in a Chambre d'Hote in the 15th androssiment in Paris. It was a fantastic experience. Rode the Metro like true Parisians (almost). Can highly recommend the charming Les Toits De Paris. Your hosts Matthieu and Sophie are great hosts. The breakfast in the family kitchen is worth the stay alone. Having lived in Paris all his life, Matthieu can point out places to go and see which many people might not be aware of.

Jennie - When I pick a neighborhood to stay, I look at cost and transportation availability. For London I like to stay in the Victoria Station or Paddington area. For Paris I like the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th.

My criteria is to find an area that is both convienent coming and going and to local transit to get around. Rarely will a place be so central that you can do all you want within walking distance. Or hotels in such places will be far too expensive. I look for a neighborhood that has some life and vitality so that I can dine or shop or just stroll just by walking out the front door. The RS books are good for finding such neighborhoods and tripadvisor can help narrow down hotel/B&B options from there.