Hi,
Looking for recommendations on which districts we should look for when getting a hotel or b&b.
We found two good ones in the 5th and 13th district. I've never been to Paris - I've heard the 5th is good, but not familiar with the 13th.
Also, I've been told to avoid the 10th district.
Thanks!
The 5th would be a good choice, and there's nothing wrong with the 13th either. Sounds like you know the 5th, the Latin Quarter. Parts of the 13th are more residential in character than the 5th. Either could be a good choice.Rick's favorites (for sleeping) are the 7th and the 4th, but you're allowed to consider other areas. :) We've heard here that a few travelers have had less than ideal hotel experiences in the 10th, apparently because they unknowingly located themselves near the railway in the northern half of the 10th.
Karen,
I'm not sure which Arrondisement Rue Cler is located in, but that's one area I would certainly recommend! There are a number of good Hotels in that area, good access to the Ecole Militaire metro stop, interesting restaurants and good ATM access. I stayed at the Grand Hotel Leveque and quite enjoyed my visit there. Another "favourite" RS Hotel is the Hotel de Champs du Mars, which is also in the same area.
From the Rue Cler area, it's an easy walk (about 15 minutes as I recall) to the Eiffel Tower. There's also an SNCF Boutique in that area, in the event you need tickets or reservations for trains.
Happy travels!
Rue Cler is in the 7th.
Karen , there are many nice areas ( arrondissmonts) to stay in .
I like the 6th ( St Germain ) , the 5th( Latin Quarter) , the 4th ( Marais) are also nice enough.
When I was on a RS tour this summer , we did not stay in the 7th( Rue Cler area) , we stayed in the 14th which was a first for me( I usaully like 4, 5 , and 6 best) , but was a great area also .. I don't think you there is any one best area frankly.
It really is helpful to check out the transport options closest to where you are staying, it is super convenient to be near a metro and RER ,, although the RER is not as important.
Also, if you are the type who wants to walk everywhere and not use metro or buses much, then I think it is best to stay closer to the river, and nearer to Notre Dame, between Musee Orsay on Left Bank and Boulevard St Michel which traverses Latin Quarter and ST Germain .
I have never heard about avoiding the 10th, thats news to me.
I was told there are some good budget hotels in the 13th, I was going to stay there a few years ago with a friend who is Chinese, she said she had friends in China Town we could stay with , and that it was in the 13th, but I can't verify that though as she ended up not coming and I ended up staying somewhere else. I did look up a few places on tripadvisor.com in the 13th though and they looked decent and area seemed to have good reveiws( I didn't want to stay with her friend , but I agreed to stay near her friend).
I stayed in the 10th for several weeks and found it to be a great area. Never had any problems walking around the neighborhood on my own (even late at night). Some people deem the area "seedy" because there are a couple porn shops mixed in with the other retail (mostly around the train stations), but for the most part the 10th is a neighborhood made up of white and blue collar Parisians, small restaurants, cafes, bakeries, shops and easy access to all kinds of transit (Gare du Nord & Gare de L'Est, RER and several metro stops) that will take you to just about any place you need to go in and around Paris.
If you do a search on this board, I believe another poster who lives in Paris recently listed a description of each neighborhood in Paris that may be of some help to you when choosing where to look for a hotel.
Lots of areas of Paris are wonderful. Our first choice would be the 6th, as close to the river as possible.
Karen - I stayed in the 7th for my last trip - loved being so close to the Eiffel Tower.
I found this info to be helpful -- http://www.parisnet.com/parismap.html
I agree with the above posting regarding the Rue Cler. We stayed there in early April of this year at the Champs d Mars. The room was very clean and the greek resturant around the corner was fabulous(recommended in RS). We walked to the Tour Eiffel, only 10 minutes away, the evening we checked in and it was snowing - truly magical. I think the neighborhood gives you the feeling of being a local.
Bon Voyage!
I am not a fan of the rue Cler area, too dull and too many Americans carrying RS books. I like the 6th and the western part of the 5th, but my most favorite area of all is Ile St. Louis (the little island behind Notre Dame) and Hotel de Lutece. We just spent a week there and loved it. Ile St. Louis is magical and a little town all in itself. Surrounded by the Seine river and charming, nice people, great cafe's, restaurants, shops, post office, bakeries, vegetable shop with the best fresh squeezed OJ in the world, pharmacy, Berthillon ice cream, and a metro stop close by at Pont Marie. We all like different things and different places, but this area is my personal favorite. I think most anywhere in the 1st through the 9th arrondissement, and even higher, is a safe bet. I hope you enjoy no matter where you choose!
Susan: Thank you for sharing your insights about the Rue Cler area, which I can tell you are shared by some Paris locals who go there and see what you have reported. It is being called, by Parisians I am told, Rue Rick Steves. It's a charming area but there is so much more to Paris than Rue Cler. Hopefully people here will go beyond what is described in a mere book and discover their own Europe Through the Back Door, and that might well include the Isle St Louis you have so sensitvely described. There is a reason millionaires, who have choices, choose to live there.
Absolutely,, to think I had travelled to Paris for many years and never even heard of Rue Cler till Rick Steves showed it on his t.v show, then put it in his books.
Some how I enjoyed Paris anyways,, LOL ( I am kidding folks, you can live a life time in Paris and never walk down that street and still you will have a wonderful time)
There are many beautiful areas of Paris, but Rue Cler is home away from home for us. We have stayed at the Hotel Leveque in the past and have been pleased, but stayed at the Hotel Valadon this past time and loved it.
