Where to Stay in Paris – A Local’s Guide to the Best Arrondissements

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Choosing where to stay in Paris can feel like a really big decision. And it can be! There are 20 arrondissements, hundreds of incredible hotels, and an endless number of opinions online about which neighborhood is “the best.” Here is the truth – there is no right or wrong answer, it really depends on your travel style and budget. And if you make the wrong choice, Paris is a city you can come back to again and again, and again. This guide is my honest, personal take on the best places to stay in Paris – based on years of living here and planning trips for others – broken down by who each arrondissement is right for and the specific hotels I would recommend in each one.

How to Choose Where to Stay in Paris

Paris has 20 arrondissements numbered 1 through 20, spiraling outward from the center of the city like a snail shell. Most visitors only need to think about five or six of them. The rest are residential neighborhoods that are wonderful to live in and genuinely interesting to explore, but not where you want to base yourself for a trip to Paris.

The single most important piece of advice I can give you about where to stay in Paris is this – on your first trip, stay as central as possible. The city is walkable in a way that surprises most people, and being within easy reach of the major arrondissements means you spend your time actually experiencing Paris rather than commuting across it. On your second trip, you can afford to venture further out, and that is when the city really starts to reveal itself and where I think Paris really shines.

The arrondissements in this guide cover the full range of what Paris has to offer from the most iconic and central addresses to the neighborhoods where locals spend their time. Each one has a distinct personality, a distinct hotel scene, and a distinct reason to choose it over the others. Not sure which one is right for your trip? I can help you figure that out – book a France “auditing” call or a full, custom itinerary service.

Bucket List Things to Do in Paris (from Someone Living in Paris)

1st Arrondissement “Louvre” – The Most Central Address in Paris

If you want to be in the absolute heart of Paris, think walking distance of the Louvre, the Palais Royal, the Tuileries Garden, and the Seine… the 1st is where to stay. It is the most central arrondissement in the city and the one that makes the most logistical sense for a first visit. It is not my favorite neighborhood in Paris (the streets around the Louvre can feel more crowded and overpriced than local) but the convenience is unmatched and the sense of being in the middle of everything is hard to replicate anywhere else.

Recommended Hotels in the 1st Arrondissement

le meurice

One of the great palace hotels of Paris – Le Meurice, a Dorchester Collection property – sits on Rue de Rivoli with direct views over the Tuileries Garden and has a two Michelin star restaurant – Restaurant Le Maurice Alain Ducasse – under chef Amaury Bouhours. The interiors are modeled after Versailles with gilded ceilings, marble floors, antique mirrors, and the kind of old-world grandeur that makes you feel like you have stepped into a different century entirely. The Salvador Dalí suite is one of the most extraordinary rooms in any hotel in the world. If you are going to splurge on one night in Paris, this is the address.

NOLINKSI paris

Nolinski Paris is a sleek, contemporary five-star hotel just off the Palais Royal. It’s quieter and more intimate than Le Meurice but every bit as well located. The spa and indoor pool are a highlight, the restaurant is excellent, and the design manages to feel truly Parisian rather than generic luxury. A strong choice for those who want the 1st arrondissement without the full palace hotel formality.

3rd & 4th Arrondissements “Le Marais”

Le Marais is the most characterful central neighborhood in Paris and the one I recommend most enthusiastically to first time visitors who want to be central but with more personality than the 1st. Split across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements on the Right Bank, it is one of the oldest and best-preserved parts of the city. You have medieval streets, 17th-century mansions, and the most beautiful square in Paris – Place des Vosges – all within a few blocks of each other. It is also the Jewish quarter, which means this is where you’ll find the best falafel in the city and the most electric Sunday energy of any neighborhood in Paris.

During the day it is one of the best neighborhoods in Paris for walking around. There are countless galleries, concept stores, the Carnavalet Museum, the Picasso Museum, and the Marché des Enfants Rouges (the oldest covered market in Paris) in Le Marais. At night the restaurant scene is excellent. It is truly the neighborhood that has everything!

Recommended Hotels in Le Marais

le grand mazarin (4th arrondissement)

A beautifully designed boutique hotel in the heart of Le Marais, Le Grand Mazarin is always a favorite of my clients when I send them here. The hotel has warm interiors, excellent service, and one of the best locations in the neighborhood. Plus, it’s one of my top recommendations in my complete guide to the best luxury hotels in Paris.

le pavillon de la reine (3rd arrondissement)

Le Pavillon de La Reine is one of the nicest hotels in Le Marais. In a coveted location tucked behind the Place des Vosges on one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, sits this 17th-century mansion. The entrance is through a discreet door that opens onto a flower-filled courtyard – completely private and hidden from the square itself. There are 34 rooms and suites with wood-beamed ceilings, antique furnishings, and fireplaces, a spa with a Jacuzzi and hammam, and the kind of quiet that is nearly impossible to find this close to the center of Paris. For a romantic trip to Paris, this is where I’d stay!

les bains paris (3rd arrondissement)

One of the most interesting hotel addresses in Paris, Les Bains Paris is a former 19th-century bathhouse that was later one of the most legendary nightclubs in the city, frequented by Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Michel Basquiat in its heyday. It’s since been transformed into a 5-star boutique hotel with 39 beautifully furnished rooms and suites, a spa in the original vaulted bathhouse space, a legendary bar and nightclub still operating in the basement, and one of the most acclaimed restaurant addresses in the 3rd.

6th Arrondissement “Saint-Germain-des-Prés”

The 6th is my favorite arrondissement in Paris for a reason and I spend more time here than almost anywhere else in the city. Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the most classically Parisian neighborhood in the city – the one that looks and feels exactly like what you imagined Paris would be before you arrived. Bookshops spilling onto the pavement, bistros with red banquettes, the Jardin du Luxembourg a few blocks south, and intellectual energy that has been drawing writers, artists, and philosophers to this part of the Left Bank for centuries.

It is an excellent base for both first time visitors and repeat visitors equally. The location is central without feeling chaotic, the restaurant scene is one of the best in the city (I have a whole section dedicated to it in my guide to the best restaurants in Paris) and the pace is slower and more comfortable than the Marais or the 1st. For those who want to feel like they are actually living in Paris rather than just passing through it, this is the arrondissement I would point you towards.

Recommended Hotels in the 6th Arrondissement

mandarin oriental lutetia

For the most complete luxury hotel experience in the 6th arrondissement, think full spa, multiple restaurants, and the polished service of the Mandarin Oriental brand – the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia is where you want to stay. Located on the corner of Boulevard Raspail and rue de Sèvres, steps from Le Bon Marché (the most beautiful department store in Paris) and within easy reach of everything Saint-Germain has to offer. It’s often referred to as “the grand dame” of Left Bank luxury hotels. 

Relais christine

Built on the foundations of a 13th-century abbey, Relais Christine is one of the most extraordinary hotels in Paris. The hotel is a gated, 16th-century mansion on a narrow street between the Seine and the Boulevard Saint-Germain with a private flower-filled courtyard that makes you feel like you’re in the French countryside (rather than the center of one of the busiest cities in Europe). There are 48 rooms and suites with high ceilings, French country decor, and fireplaces, a fabulous spa with Guerlain products, and the kind of warm, personal service that makes you feel like a guest in a very beautiful private house. It’s one of the great boutique luxury hotels in Paris!

7th Arrondissement “Palais Bourbon” – The Eiffel Tower Neighborhood

The 7th is one of the most residential, elegant arrondissements in Paris with wide Haussmann boulevards, grand government buildings, and a slower neighborhood pace than the busier central arrondissements. It is home to the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay, Les Invalides, and the rue Cler market street, and it sits directly across the Seine from the 8th and the 16th, making it surprisingly central despite feeling removed from the tourist bustle.

It is a particularly good choice for first time visitors who have the Eiffel Tower at the top of their list – there is something special about being able to walk to the tower rather than commute to it, and some of the hotel rooms in this arrondissement have views that are impossible to find anywhere else in Paris. The restaurant scene is good rather than great (I have a few favorites in my guide to the best restaurants in Paris) but the neighborhood more than compensates with its beauty and calm. With all of that being said, the 7th is not one of my favorite neighborhoods and I’d only choose it if you have an interest in staying in one of the big hotel names or want to be near the Eiffel Tower.

Recommended Hotels in the 7th Arrondissement

j.k. place paris

J.K. Place Paris is a 29-room five-star townhouse near the Musée d’Orsay and the Seine, and is one of the most beautifully designed boutique hotels in Paris. The interiors are Italian-influenced and opulent with custom furniture, one-of-a-kind antiques, and each room decorated differently so every stay feels like a fresh experience. It’s offers the kind of intimacy that feels like staying in a very beautiful private home in one of the most elegant arrondissements in Paris… versus staying in a hotel.

le narcisse blanc hôtel & spa

Le Narcisse Blanc is a five-star hotel on one of the most elegant avenues in the 7th. True to its neighborhood, the hotel aims to be a place of absolute discretion with a spa, hammam, heated pool, and beautiful rooms. It’s perfect for those who want the elegance of the 7th without the tourist-facing energy of other Eiffel Tower hotels. 

8th Arrondissement “Élysée” – The Golden Triangle

The 8th is the most prestigious arrondissement in Paris, and by far the most luxurious place to base yourself in the city. The Champs-Élysées, Avenue Montaigne, Avenue George V, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Grand Palais are all located in the 8th. The haute couture houses like Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès are all within walking distance. If your Paris trip is built around luxury shopping, fine dining, and the sense of being at the absolute pinnacle of the city, the 8th is where you want to be.

As a local, in my opinion, it’s not the most characterful neighborhood in Paris (and it’s a neighborhood I often try to avoid). The streets around the Champs-Élysées are swarming with tourists, but the hotel options here are among the finest in the world and the address itself carries a weight that nowhere else in Paris quite matches. The Golden Triangle formed by Avenue Montaigne, the Champs-Élysées, and Avenue George V is the epicenter of Parisian prestige, and staying within it puts you at the center of everything the luxury version of Paris has to offer.

Recommended Hotels to Stay in the 8th Arrondissement

foquet’s paris

Foquet’s Paris is the last major luxury hotel in Paris still owned by a French family. As you could expect, it has a legendary address on the Champs-Élysées (since 1899), and has a famous brasserie and café on the ground floor. The hotel has 101 rooms and suites decorated by Jacques Garcia, a Decorté spa, and the Joy restaurant for a more intimate dinner away from the Champs-Élysées energy.

la réserve

The most intimate palace hotel in Paris, La Réserve has 40 rooms and suites in a meticulously restored Haussmannian mansion. All rooms come with butler-service, silk wall coverings, oak herringbone parquet, velvet drapes, and Carrara marble bathrooms. There’s a Michelin-starred restaurant – Le Gabriel, a cozy library cocktail lounge, and a spa that is consistently rated among the best in the city. For those who want full palace hotel luxury without the scale of a Le Bristol or a George V – this is where you want to stay.

le bristol paris

One of the great palace hotels of Paris, Le Bristol Paris is an Oetker Collection property on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, steps from the Hermès flagship store and Avenue Montaigne. The 88 rooms and suites are decorated in 18th-century French style with extraordinary attention to detail, the rooftop swimming pool is one of the most beautiful in Paris, and the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Epicure under chef Éric Fréchon is one of the finest dining experiences in the city. There is also a resident cat named Fa-Raon who roams the hotel freely (which should tell you something about the warmth of the place despite its grandeur). It’s the most luxury hotel experience in the 8th.

18th Arrondissement “Montmartre”

The 18th is for the repeat visitor. The visitor who has done the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower and the palace hotels and now wants to experience the Paris that Parisians actually live in. Montmartre is one of my favorite parts of the city and the neighborhood I spend the most time in outside of Saint-Germain. It sits high on a hill above the rest of Paris with cobblestone streets, vine-covered walls, artists’ studios, the best wine bars and neighborhood restaurants in the city, and views over the rooftops that remind you why people have been coming here for centuries. Picasso lived here. Van Gogh lived here. And yet somehow, once you get past the tourist crowds around Sacré-Coeur and into the quieter streets of the actual neighborhood, it still feels like a village.

It is not the most convenient base for a first trip… the Louvre is a Metro ride away rather than a walk… but for anyone who has already seen the major sights and wants to spend a few days feeling like they actually live in Paris rather than visiting it, the 18th delivers that experience better than almost anywhere else in the city. The restaurant scene is extraordinary and the neighborhood energy on a weekday morning, when the tourists have not yet arrived and the locals are buying their bread and their coffee, is one of the great simple pleasures of being in this city.

Recommended Hotels in the 18th Arrondissement

A quick note… the 18th is not a palace hotel arrondissement. The hotels here are boutique hotels with tons of character. You won’t find the 5-star luxury hotels here that are found in the other neighborhoods mentioned.

hôtel particulier

Hôtel Particulier is one of the finest hotel in the 18th and one of my favorite boutique hotel experiences in Paris. A stunning private mansion tucked between the chic Avenue Junot and the lively rue Lepic, with just five suites each designed by a different artist (meaning no two rooms look alike)… every stay feels like a one of a kind stay. Hôtel Particulier has a hidden cocktail bar, a beautiful private garden, and an excellent restaurant. It’s the kind of hotel that feels like a secret, even though it is not.

terrass hotel

Terrass Hotel has been a Montmartre landmark since 1911 with 92 rooms designed as artists’ dressing rooms with studio lamps, directors’ chairs, travel trunk storage, and metro tiles in the bathrooms that nod to the neighborhood’s history. The real draw is the rooftop – a panoramic terrace with unobstructed views over the entire city, from the Eiffel Tower on one side to the rooftops of Montmartre on the other. It’s one of the best views in Paris from any hotel at any price point!

First Time in Paris? Where I Would Send You

If you have made it this far and still are not sure where to book, here is the simple version. On your first trip to Paris, stay as central as possible. The 1st, Le Marais, or the 6th will all put you within easy reach of everything you came to see. If you want grandeur and convenience, choose the 1st, 7th or 8th. If you want character and energy, choose Le Marais. If you want to feel like you are living a slower, more elegant version of Paris, choose the 6th. If it’s your first trip to Paris, check out my 3-day itinerary for first time visitors.

On a repeat visit, once you have seen the major sights and want to experience the city the way Parisians do, head to the 18th. It requires a little more effort to get around but it rewards you with a side of Paris that most visitors never see.

And if you still are not sure, and want to schedule a video call or want help putting together an itinerary around wherever you decide to stay, I would love to help you plan it.

At the end of the day, yes, the arrondissement you choose impacts your trip. But what impacts your trip more is getting out, walking the streets, eating well, and letting the city show you what makes it special. Wherever you stay, you will find a version of Paris worth falling in love with… and if you do not get to everything this time, that is exactly what your next trip is for.

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