How To Choose The Best Hotel In Paris



Paris has always been at the forefront of the world's most visited cities by tourists. Even high prices and the tragic events of many years ago do not change the fact that crowds of tourists flock to the French capital every year.

And although getting to Paris is relatively cheap (for example, thanks to a combination of a cheap flight to Paris-Beauvais airport near Paris and a bus or train), finding accommodation will not be so easy. Or maybe otherwise - it will be easy, if only we had a large and preferably an unlimited budget. Otherwise, the search for accommodation will probably be about finding a compromise between price and conditions or distance.

How to choose a hotel

Given the popularity of the French capital, it's no surprise that the city has thousands of accommodations of all kinds, from hotel rooms to entire apartment rentals.

Prices in the best areas in Paris are high - often in the summer season (and not only) the cheapest comfortable housing for two can cost more than €100. Luckily, there are cheaper alternatives (about 50-60 euros per night) further from the center, and one of the most modern metro networks in the world helps get around the city. If you find accommodation near the metro station, regardless of the location in the city center, getting anywhere will be relatively easy.

Unfortunately, constant demand makes Parisian hoteliers a bit lazy. Conditions in hotels rated 6-6.5 and below on popular booking sites (on a scale of 10) can be really bad. From cold indoors outside of the summer months to problems with cleanliness. If you want to stay longer and plan to use public transport, sometimes it's better to find accommodation further away, but with better conditions.

Paris was not damaged during the war, like many European cities, so many overnight stays are in historic buildings - not always with an elevator, and sometimes with very small bathrooms.

It is worth following the rule, look for housing near the metro station. For other areas, you should always check other guests' comments about the area and safety, and check photos of the area on the Google Maps page.

A few rules to guide you when looking for accommodation in Paris:

  1. It is worth starting the search for housing early enough and not waiting for the last moment. Sometimes it's hard to find great deals a month early.
  2. If you only plan to stay in the very center, you should not look at the distance from specific attractions, because most of them can be easily reached by metro.

When choosing a hotel, it is important to adhere to several requirements. The hotel must:

  • be close to the sights you want to visit;
  • be small or large;
  • availability of suites for points or cash;
  • have their own restaurant and bar.

Paris is an expensive destination, so making the most of your points, as well as your elite benefits or co-branded credit card benefits, can really make or break your travel budget.

The Marriott Bonvoy portfolio includes almost two dozen hotels.

IHG Rewards Club offers solid deals, from the Holiday Inn brand to the Crowne Plaza and two InterContinental hotels.

World of Hyatt has fewer hotels in Paris than Marriott or IHG, but you can choose from:

Where to look for accommodation in Paris

The center of Paris is divided into 20 districts or districts (French arrondissement). The layout of the districts resembles a spiral that starts at the western end of the Ile de la Cité and continues clockwise.

Each district is assigned a number from 1 to 20. Districts also have textual names that are associated with important buildings within their boundaries (eg Hôtel-de-Ville, Panthéon or Opéra). However, it is worth remembering that the Parisians themselves use the numerical names of the districts.

The strict center is formed by circles from 1 to 11, and the rest are in the outer circle. Roman numerals are often used when writing district numbers.

For Parisians, an equally important division of the city center is the right and left (north and south) banks of the Seine. The northern part is considered more party and diverse, and the southern part is more calm, although there is, for example, the famous Sorbonne.

Each of the districts is different from each other. The central regions offer the most attractions for tourists. The northernmost part is very diverse and party-oriented, while the southern part today is mostly residential areas.

The best neighborhoods to look for housing are the neighborhoods with the lowest numerical values ​​that are in the very center. These areas are so small that you can easily move between them on foot. When looking for housing, the aspect of comfort is also important. Staying in the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement), you can safely walk even late in the evening. In some areas further northeast, we may feel less comfortable when we return after dark.

Unfortunately, prices in most central areas are very high and can exceed the budget of most Polish tourists. However, it is worth keeping an eye on the booking sites in anticipation of a promotional offer.

Budget accommodation

Unfortunately, if you care about the proximity of the most important attractions and quality, there must be an appropriate budget for a trip to Paris. Fortunately, there are more budget options that will allow you to save money and at the same time be at a reasonable distance from the center.

Perhaps the most famous budget chain in Paris is Hotel F1. An example of this is the HotelF1 Paris Saint Ouen Marché Aux Puces, located quite centrally in the 19th arrondissement, just north of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. The price for a double room per night is often under $50, but the rooms do not have a private bathroom. The comfort of the rooms is also not the highest - sometimes in the comments you can find the statement that it is plastic. Despite this, few people complain about the cleanliness.

Better conditions (but also higher prices) can be found at the F1 Paris Porte de Châtillon, located in the 14th arrondissement (south side of the Seine). In this case, there are also rooms with a private bathroom, but they are definitely more expensive than those that only have access to a shared bathroom.

Staying overnight outside of the city center could theoretically be a cheaper option, but it does have its downsides. The biggest of these is the requirement to use the RER commuter rail, which runs less frequently than the subway and is famous for its frequent strikes.

An overnight stay outside the city center seems ideal for those traveling by car. In this case, it is enough to make sure that the hotel has parking spaces.

How to get free nights by signing up for hotel programs

Where to start if you do not have much money, but you dream of spending the night in a five-star hotel from time to time?

I think it's worth keeping an eye on promotions, for example, in several of the largest hotel chains. Then prices in Accor and Hilton hotels can be reduced by up to 50%. It also pays off to participate in loyalty programs, even if we don't use them too often.

Thanks to regular promotions, such as Accelerate in the IHG Rewards Club, even for 2-3 nights in inexpensive hotels, we manage to gain a fairly large number of loyalty points, which we then exchange for free nights. Last year, as part of this promotion, new members of the program received a voucher for a free night at any IHG hotel in the world for just two stays, even in the cheapest IHG hotels (that is, somewhere from $50 per night).

Frequently Asked Questions

How to choose a hotel in Paris?
Read carefully all the tips in this article, it will help you choose a great answer in the French capital. But also do not forget about your intuition.
What factors should be considered when choosing the best hotel in Paris, and how can travelers make an informed decision?
Factors include location, proximity to attractions, budget, hotel amenities, guest reviews, and the type of experience desired (e.g., luxury, boutique, budget). Researching and comparing options online can help make an informed decision.



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