Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [149]
Updated by Heather Stimmler-Hall
Winding staircases, flower-filled window boxes, concierges who seem to have stepped out of a 19th-century novel—all of these can still be found in Paris hotels, and despite the scales being tipped in favor of the well-heeled, overall there’s good news for travelers of all budgets. Increased competition means the bar for service and amenities has been raised everywhere. Many good-value establishments in the lower-to-middle price ranges have updated their funky ‘70s wallpaper and “Why should I care, Madame?” attitudes, while still keeping their prices in check. Virtually every hotel is now equipped with cable TV to meet the needs of international guests. Now it’s not uncommon for mid-range hotels to have a no-smoking floor, for inexpensive hotels to offer air-conditioning and buffet breakfast service, and even for budget places to have wireless Internet or an Internet terminal in their little lobbies. So, whatever price you’re looking for, compared to most other cities Paris is a paradise for the weary traveler tired of dreary, out-of-date, or cookie-cutter rooms. The best hotels still emanate an unmistakable Paris vibe: weathered beamed ceilings, vaulted stone breakfast crypts, tall windows overlooking zinc rooftops, and leafy courtyards where you can sit and linger over your daily croissant and café.
WHAT IT COSTS IN EUROS
FOR TWO PEOPLE
¢
under €80
$
€81–€120
$$
€121–€175
$$$
€176–€250
$$$$
over €250
Prices are for a standard double room in high season, including tax (19.6%) and service charge.
WHERE SHOULD I STAY?
ST-GERMAIN AND MONTPARNASSE (6E, 14E, 15E)
Neighborhood Vibe: The center of café culture and the emblem of the Left Bank, the mood is leisurely, the attractions are well established, and the prices are high.
Pros: A safe, historic area with chic fashion boutiques, famous cafés and brasseries, and lovely side streets. Lively day and night.
Cons: Expensive. Noisy along the main streets. The area around the monstrous Tour Montparnasse is a soul-sucking tribute to commerce.
THE QUARTIER LATIN (5E)
Neighborhood Vibe: The historic student quarter of the Left Bank, full of narrow, winding streets, and major parks and monuments such as the Panthéon.
Pros: Plenty of cheap eats and sleeps, discount book and music shops, and noteworthy open-air markets. Safe area for wandering walks.
Cons: Touristy. No métro stations on the hilltop around the Panthéon. Student pubs can be noisy in summer. Hotel rooms tend to be smaller.
MARAIS AND BASTILLE (3E, 4E, 11E)
Neighborhood Vibe: Cute shops, museums, and laid-back bistros line the narrow streets of the Marais, home to both the gay and Jewish communities. Farther east, ethnic eats and edgy shops.
Pros: Generally excellent shopping, sightseeing, dining, and nightlife in the super-safe Marais. Bargains aplenty at Bastille hotels. Several modern-design hotels, too.
Cons: The Marais’s narrow sidewalks are always overcrowded, and rooms don’t come cheap. It’s noisy around the gritty boulevards of Place de la Bastille and Nation.
MONTMARTRE AND NORTHEAST PARIS (18E, 19E)
Neighborhood Vibe: The hilltop district is known for winding streets leading from the racy Pigalle district to the stark-white Sacré-Coeur Basilica.
Pros: Amazing views of Paris, romantic cobblestone streets, easy access to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport.
Cons: Steep staircases, few métro stations, and Pigalle can be too seedy to stomach, especially late at night, when it can also be unsafe.
CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES AND WESTERN PARIS (8E, 16E, 17E)
Neighborhood Vibe: The world-famous avenue is lively 24/7 with cinemas, high-end shops, and nightclubs, all catering to the moneyed jet set.
Pros: The home to most of the city’s famous palace hotels, there’s no shortage of luxurious sleeps here.
Cons: