Paris Accommodations...2 nights--near the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower?

The sights you have listed are all central Paris in very expensive neighborhoods. The "cheapest" would be to the south of the Orsay but that's still the 5th which is quite pricey! If it's only for two nights, I say just splurge! When we want to have a very Parisian experience we stay at the Hotel du Pantheon - it was just remodeled so I can't speak to its current style but it's cute and cozy, just up the street from Luxembourg Gardens at the south end of the Latin Quarter, and about 10 - 15 mins walk to Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle. The Louvre is about a 20 min walk away and you'll want to take a tube to the Eiffel Tower - or take about a 35 - 40 minute walk. Although walking in Paris is one of the joys of that city!

Well Scott, if you stayed in the 6th, closer to river then further from river , you could walk to all the sites mentioned, at least I could and I am middleaged lady who is not particularily fit but loves to walk! At this point hotels will not be booking rooms,, but many will have their rack rates displayed ( which is the maximum they would charge for a room) .. you may find when they open up booking they may have specials. I have no idea what you consider expensive or cheap.. I find I can always find a decent room for less then 120 euros.. but some people enjoy more amenities then I need or want, or expect a larger room.
I like clean, central, a/c for summer/ prefer a mini fridge in room, and a decent bathroom. I prefer bathrooms with showers only as shower tub combos can sometimes end up being hand held shower heads and you are expected to sit and shower.. Anyways , you can look at these few hotels, the rates at this point are likely not accurate but will be close. Hotel Eugenie( the shower only rooms have roomier bathrooms I think, but rooms are not large in general) This is in the 6th , right on border with 5th Hotel de la Place du Louvre, I love this hotel, its on a quiet side street right by Louvre, but only 1/2 block to Seine and Pont Neuf. I would suggest you NOT book the duplex room as it has two levels and the bathroom is upstairs from the bed area which I did not like,, I have stayed in the Club and Superior rooms and they are all one level I really liked them . This hotel also offers a very rare commodity .. coffee and tea makings in the room. Rates right now for august dates are ranging 125-135 ,, ( August is a deal month) so I imagine for next March you can get a decent price if you book far engouh in advance.

Many hotels don't book till 4-6 months out, which is probably what you're seeing. March isn't a high-demand month, you shouldn't have trouble getting a room if you reserve next winter. I agree with others that a Left Bank hotel in the St-Germain area would be most central to what you want to see, the closer to the river the better. The ET is off pretty far west of anything else on your list. Of course proximity costs, but consider the time and cost of getting to your destinations from farther out.

I notice that some hotels say there is no availability online for next March, but do show rooms available in December. I'm thinking they only book 6 months out? Does that sound correct? I don't think this is a hard and fast rule, but I've noticed that rates are sometimes not posted for the following year - and therefore booking not made available - because the hotels reserve the right to raise their room rates from one year to the next. Of course, they wouldn't want to let people book far in advance and then have to tell them the rates have been increased. People would really get angry about it if they did! I see it with European hotels, but also with hotels in tourist area in the U.S., especially seasonal (like beach) areas in the Hamptons, the Jersey Shore, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, even the Catskills and the Adirondacks.

The Hotel Londres Eiffel will book more than a year out. It is less than two block from the Eifel Tower and a short metro or bus ride to any of the other sites. It is clean, nice, has a decent French breakfast (although a little pricey), and friendly English speaking staff. Rick Steves tours often stay there. My husband and I will be staying there again next year.

Thanks for the great advice, everyone. Great leads that I'll be looking into as the bookings open up.