Closer to Rue St. Dominique (and the Seine)
Near La Tour Maubourg Métro Stop
Near Ecole Militaire Métro Stop
Map: Hotels near Luxembourg Garden
Map: Hotels & Restaurants in Montmartre
Near Charles de Gaulle Airport, in Roissy
Paris is a good hotel city. I’ve focused my recommendations on five safe, handy, and colorful neighborhoods: the village-like Rue Cler (near the Eiffel Tower); the artsy and trendy Marais (near Place de la Bastille); the historic island of Ile St. Louis (next door to Notre-Dame); the lively, Latin, and classy Luxembourg Garden neighborhood (on the Left Bank); and the less polished, less central, but less pricey Montmartre neighborhood. I recommend the best accommodations values in each, from €25 dorm beds to deluxe €500 doubles with all the comforts.
Before choosing a hotel, read the descriptions of the neighborhoods closely. Each offers different pros and cons: Your neighborhood is as important as your hotel for the success of your trip. For each neighborhood I also list helpful hints and a selection of restaurants and cafés (in the Eating in Paris chapter).
For lower rates or greater selection, look farther from the river (prices drop proportionately with distance from the Seine), but be prepared to spend more time on the Métro or the bus getting to sights.
I rank accommodations from $ budget to $$$$ splurge. The French use stars to rate hotels based on their amenities (indicated by asterisks in this book). For the best deal, contact hotels directly by phone or email. When you book direct, the owner avoids a commission and may be able to offer a discount. Book well in advance for peak season or if your trip coincides with a major holiday or festival (see the appendix). For some travelers, short-term, Airbnb-type rentals can be a good alternative; search for places in my recommended hotel neighborhoods. I also list a few rental agencies and give suggestions for sleeping near Paris’ airports. For more details on reservations, short-term rentals, and chain hotels in Paris, see the “Sleeping” section in the Practicalities chapter.
For accommodations in Versailles, Chartres, and Giverny, see those chapters. For Fontainebleau, see here; for Disneyland Paris, see here.
(7th arr., Mo: Ecole Militaire, La Tour Maubourg, Invalides)
Rue Cler, lined with open-air produce stands and cafés, is a safe, tidy, pedestrian street. It’s so French that when I step out of my hotel in the morning, I feel like I must have been a poodle in a previous life. How such coziness lodged itself between the high-powered government district, the Eiffel Tower, and Les Invalides, I’ll never know. This is a neighborhood of wide, tree-lined boulevards, stately apartment buildings, and lots of Americans. The American Church and Franco-American Center, American Library, American University, and many of my readers call this area home. Hotels here are pricey but considering the elegance of the neighborhood, it’s worth the added euros. And for sightseeing, you’re within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, Army Museum, Quai Branly Museum, Seine River, Champs-Elysées, riverside promenade, and Orsay and Rodin museums.
Become a local at a Rue Cler café for breakfast, or join the afternoon crowd for une bière pression (a draft beer). On Rue Cler you can eat and browse your way through a street full of cafés, pastry shops, delis, cheese shops, and colorful outdoor produce stalls. Afternoon boules on the Esplanade des Invalides or in the Champ de Mars park is a relaxing spectator sport (look for the dirt areas in the southwest corners of each; see “The Rules of Boules” sidebar in the Experiences in Paris chapter). The manicured gardens behind the golden dome of the Army Museum are free, peaceful, and filled with flowers (at southwest corner of grounds), and the riverside promenade along the Seine is a fine place to walk, run, bike, or just sit and watch the river of people stroll by.
Though hardly a happening nightlife spot, Rue Cler offers many low-impact after-dark activities. Take an evening stroll above or along the river through the parkway between Pont de l’Alma and Pont des Invalides. For an after-dinner cruise on the Seine, it’s a 20-minute walk to the river and the Bateaux-Mouches. For a post-dinner cruise on foot, saunter into the Champ de Mars park to admire the glowing Eiffel Tower or catch the summer sound-and-light show at Les Invalides. For more ideas on nightlife activities here, see here.
The American Church is the community center for many Americans living in Paris. It hosts interdenominational worship services every Sunday (traditional service at 11:00; contemporary service at 14:00), and free Sunday concerts (generally Sept-June at 17:30—but not every week and not in Dec, 65 Quai d’Orsay, Mo: Invalides, +33 1 40 62 05 00, www.acparis.org).
Open-Air Markets and Shopping: The Marché de Saxe-Breteuil is the neighborhood’s best farmers market and lasts longer than most. It runs along Avenue de Saxe from behind the Ecole Militaire building to Place de Breteuil (Thu and Sat until 14:30). You can also cross Champ de Mars park to mix it up with bargain hunters at the twice-weekly, sprawling Marché Grenelle, under the Métro, a few blocks southwest of the park on Boulevard de Grenelle (Wed and Sun 7:00-12:30, between Mo: Dupleix and Mo: La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle). Rue St. Dominique is the area’s boutique-browsing street.
Good grocery stores are common in this area. Most stay open until 21:00, but the Carrefour City grocery at the Ecole Militaire Métro stop is open until midnight.
Laundry: Launderettes are omnipresent; ask your hotel for the nearest. Here are three handy locations: on Rue Augereau, on Rue Amélie (both between Rue St. Dominique and Rue de Grenelle), and at the southeast corner of Rue Valadon and Rue de Grenelle.
Métro Connections: Key Métro stops are Ecole Militaire, La Tour Maubourg, and Invalides. The useful RER/Train-C line runs from the nearby Pont de l’Alma and Invalides stations, serving Versailles to the southwest; the Marmottan Museum and Auvers-sur-Oise to the northwest; and the Orsay Museum, Latin Quarter (St. Michel stop), and Austerlitz train station to the east.
Bus Routes: For stop locations, see the “Rue Cler Hotels” map.
Line #69 runs east along Rue St. Dominique and serves Les Invalides, Orsay, Louvre, Marais, and Père Lachaise Cemetery (see Bus #69 Sightseeing Tour chapter).
Line #63 runs along the river (Quai d’Orsay), passing near the Orsay Museum, and serves the Latin Quarter along Boulevard St. Germain to the east (ending at Gare de Lyon), and Trocadéro and areas near the Marmottan Museum to the west.
Line #92 runs along Avenue Bosquet, north to the Champs-Elysées and Arc de Triomphe (faster than the Métro) and south near the Army and Rodin museums to the Montparnasse Tower and Gare Montparnasse.
• Get over jet lag by 
taking my Rue Cler Walk (or 
download my free audio tour).
• Stroll the riverside promenade running from Pont de l’Alma east all the way to the Orsay Museum.
• Relax in the flowery park at the southwest corner of Les Invalides, where Avenue de Tourville meets Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg.
• See the Eiffel Tower by day and by night from the park below and from across the river on Place du Trocadéro (dinner picnics are best). There’s a café with great tower views and fair prices in the park’s center where Rue de Grenelle crosses Champ de Mars.
• See the golden dome of Les Invalides in all its glory—at night. Choose from two good viewpoints: from the Esplanade between the monument and the river, or from the south side of the complex, along the greenway in the middle of Avenue de Breteuil. I’d do both.
• Take a Bateaux-Mouches cruise after dark (see here).
• Linger at a Rue Cler café and observe daily life.
Line #86 runs eastbound from the Eiffel Tower on Avenue Joseph Bouvard, then along Avenue de la Bourdonnais to St. Sulpice (and the Sèvres-Babylone shopping area), and along Boulevards St. Germain and Henry IV to the Marais, the Bastille, and east to the Bois de Vincennes.
Line #80 runs on Avenue Bosquet, crosses the Champs-Elysées, stops near the Jacquemart-André Museum, and serves Gare St. Lazare.
Line #28 runs on Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg and serves Gare St. Lazare to the north and Gare Montparnasse to the south.
Line #42 runs from Avenue Joseph Bouvard in the Champ de Mars park, crosses the Champs-Elysées at the Rond-Point, then heads to Place de la Concorde, Place de la Madeleine, Opéra Garnier, and finally to Gare St. Lazare—a slow ride to the train station but less tiring than the Métro if you’re carrying suitcases.
Taxi: You’ll find taxi stands just off Place L’Ecole Militaire and near the intersection of Avenue Bosquet and Rue de Grenelle.
Many of my readers stay in the Rue Cler neighborhood. If you want to disappear into Paris, choose a hotel elsewhere. The following hotels are within Camembert-smelling distance of Rue Cler.
$$$$ Hôtel du Cadran,**** a well-placed boule toss from Rue Cler, is modern and très stylish, with a wine bar in its lobby, designer rooms, and free access to a spa. The hotel has rooms in two locations a block apart. The main hotel has 40 tight rooms (“superior” rooms worth the extra euros), and their 12-room annex has larger rooms, though you’ll sleep well in either (RS% includes big breakfast—use code “RICK,” 10 Rue du Champ de Mars, +33 1 40 62 67 00, www.cadranhotel.com, resa@cadranhotel.com).
$$$ Hôtel Relais Bosquet*** is a fine and well-run hotel in an ideal location, with comfortable public spaces and smartly configured rooms that are large by local standards and feature effective darkness blinds (RS%—use code “RSDEAL,” good but pricey breakfast buffet with eggs and sausage, 19 Rue du Champ de Mars, +33 1 47 05 25 45, www.hotel-paris-bosquet.com, hotel@relaisbosquet.com).
$$$ Grand Hôtel Lévêque,*** recently updated, has a terrific location on Rue Cler and good rooms but unappealing public spaces and a less engaged staff (29 Rue Cler, +33 1 47 05 49 15, www.hotel-leveque.com, info@hotelleveque.com).
$$$ Cler Hotel*** is an eager-to-please boutique hotel with appealing decor, a small outdoor patio, and a killer location right on Rue Cler. Rooms are well designed; those fronting Rue Cler come with some early morning noise as shopkeepers begin their days (RS%, 24 bis Rue Cler, +33 1 45 00 18 06, www.clerhotel.com, contact@clerhotel.com). The helpful owners also run the sharp $$$ Hôtel la Canopée,*** on a quiet street near the Champs-Elysées, with 25 modern and tastefully decorated rooms and a pleasing patio (RS%, Mo: Miromesnil, 15 Rue de Penthièvre—see “Champs-Elysées Area” map on here, +33 1 86 22 21 21, www.hotelcanopee.com, contact@hotelcanopee.com).
$$ Hôtel de la Motte Picquet,*** at the corner of Rue Cler and Avenue de la Motte-Picquet, is an intimate and modest little place with 16 compact yet comfortable-enough rooms. The terrific staff makes staying here a pleasure (RS%—use code “STEVE-SMITH,” family rooms, good—and free—breakfast served in a minuscule breakfast room, 30 Avenue de la Motte-Picquet, +33 1 47 05 09 57, www.hotelmottepicquetparis.com, book@hotelmottepicquetparis.com).
$$ Hôtel du Champ de Mars*** is a top choice, brilliantly located just 30 yards off Rue Cler. This plush little hotel has a small-town feel from top to bottom. Single rooms are well priced, and double rooms are snug but lovingly kept by hands-on owner Céline. It’s popular, so book well ahead (continental breakfast only, 7 Rue du Champ de Mars, +33 1 45 51 52 30, www.hotelduchampdemars.com, reservation@hotelduchampdemars.com).
$$ Hôtel Beaugency*** has 30 smallish but well-configured rooms, most with double beds, and a lobby that you can stretch out in. It’s a good value on a quieter street a short block off Rue Cler (free breakfast for Rick Steves readers, 21 Rue Duvivier, +33 1 47 05 01 63, www.hotel-beaugency.com, infos@hotel-beaugency.com).
$$$ Hôtel de Londres Eiffel**** is a fine value and my closest listing to the Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars park. Here you get immaculate, warmly decorated rooms (several are connecting, for families), welcoming public spaces, and a terrific staff that can help with sight reservations and more. It’s a bit less convenient to the Métro but very handy to buses #69, #80, and #92, and to RER/Train-C: Pont de l’Alma (RS%—use code RSNMP, some Eiffel Tower view rooms, 1 Rue Augereau, +33 1 45 51 63 02, www.londres-eiffel.com, info@londres-eiffel.com, helpful Arnaud and Adrien).
$ Hôtel de la Tour Eiffel** is a fair budget value (yet prices can skyrocket at peak times) on a quiet street near several of my favorite restaurants. The rooms are simple but have air-conditioning (breakfast deal arranged with nearby café). The six sets of connecting rooms are handy for families (RS%, 17 Rue de l’Exposition, +33 1 47 05 14 75, www.hotel-toureiffel.com, hte7@wanadoo.fr).
$ Hôtel Eiffel Kensington** is a very simple place close to the Eiffel Tower offering basic comfort and an indifferent staff (some partial Eiffel Tower views, no air-con but ceiling fans, 79 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, +33 1 47 05 74 00, www.hotel-eiffel-kensington.com, hotelkensington@gmail.com).
These listings are within three blocks of the intersection of Avenue de la Motte-Picquet and Boulevard de la Tour Maubourg.
$$$$ Hôtel de Latour-Maubourg**** owns a peaceful manor-home setting with 17 plush, mostly large and wonderfully traditional rooms, a small patio, and free spa for clients (across from La Tour-Maubourg Métro station at 150 Rue de Grenelle, +33 1 47 05 16 16, www.latourmaubourg.com, info@latourmaubourg.com).
$$$ Hôtel les Jardins d’Eiffel*** is a big place on a quiet street, with formal service, a peaceful patio, and a spacious lobby. The 81 rooms—some with partial Eiffel Tower views, some with balconies—offer a bit more space and quiet than other hotels (parking garage, 8 Rue Amélie, +33 1 47 05 46 21, www.hoteljardinseiffel.com, paris@hoteljardinseiffel.com).
$$$ Hôtel de l’Empereur*** is red-velvet plush and delivers smashing views of Invalides from many of its fine rooms. All rooms have queen- or king-size beds, are well designed with hints of the emperor, and are large by Paris standards (a few good family rooms, 2 Rue Chevert, +33 1 45 55 88 02, www.hotelempereurparis.com, contact@hotelempereur.com).
$$$ Hôtel Muguet*** is sharp, quiet, well located, and reasonable, with tastefully appointed rooms and a helpful staff (some view rooms, 11 Rue Chevert, +33 1 47 05 05 93, www.hotelparismuguet.com, contact@hotelparismuguet.com).
These listings are a five-minute walk from Rue Cler, near the Ecole Militaire Métro stop or RER/Train-C: Pont de l’Alma.
$$$ Inwood Hotels has three sister hotels in this neighborhood; all are ****, well located, and offer top comfort and professional service—for a price (be clear about cancellation policies before booking). Public spaces and rooms are polished. The first two offer Rick Steves readers free breakfast; use www.inwood-hotels.com for booking at all three. Hôtel la Bourdonnais, near the Champ de Mars park, is the largest of the three and closest to the Eiffel Tower with tower views from several of its plush and comparatively spacious rooms (113 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, +33 1 47 05 45 42, labourdonnais@inwood-hotels.com). Hôtel le Walt has a nice interior courtyard terrace (37 Avenue de la Motte-Picquet, +33 1 45 51 55 83, lewalt@inwood-hotels.com). Hôtel le Tourville is the most intimate and a lovely place to stay (6 Avenue de Tourville, +33 1 47 05 62 62, letourville@inwood-hotels.com).
$$$ Hôtel Eiffel Turenne*** is a good choice with sharp, well-maintained rooms, a pleasing lounge, and a service-oriented staff (20 Avenue de Tourville, +33 1 47 05 99 92, www.hoteleiffelturenne.com, reservation@hoteleiffelturenne.com).
$$$ Hôtel le Cercle-Tour Eiffel,*** a few steps from Champ de Mars park and the Eiffel Tower, is well run with stylish public spaces, plush and bigger-than-average rooms with modern accents, and a very narrow elevator (free breakfast for Rick Steves readers who book direct, 117 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, +33 1 47 05 42 30, https://hotelcercleparis.com, contact@hotelcercleparis.com).
$$$ Hôtel de la Paix,*** run by the same folks as the previous hotel, is a small place buried on a quiet lane. It has tasteful rooms with tight but good bathrooms and five true singles (free breakfast for Rick Steves readers who book direct, 19 Rue du Gros Caillou, +33 1 45 51 86 17, https://hotelparispaix.com, contact@hotelparispaix.com).
$$ Hôtel Duquesne Eiffel,*** a few blocks farther from the action, is handsome, hospitable, and reasonably priced. It features a welcoming lobby and staff, a streetfront terrace, and comfortable rooms—some with terrific Eiffel Tower views (RS%; big, hot breakfast—free for my readers; 23 Avenue Duquesne, +33 1 44 42 09 09, www.hotel-duquesne-eiffel-paris.com, hotel@hde.fr).
Those interested in a more central, diverse, and lively urban locale should make the Marais their Parisian home. Once a forgotten Parisian backwater, the Marais—which runs from the Pompidou Center east to the Bastille (a 15-minute walk)—is now one of Paris’ most popular residential, tourist, and shopping areas. This is jumbled, medieval Paris at its finest, where stone mansions sit above trendy bars, antique shops, and smart boutiques. The streets are an intriguing parade of artists, students, tourists, immigrants, and baguette-munching babies in strollers. The Marais is also known as a hub of the Parisian gay and lesbian scene. This area is sans doubt livelier and edgier than the Rue Cler area.
In the Marais you have these sights close at hand: Carnavalet Museum, Victor Hugo’s House, Jewish Art and History Museum, Pompidou Center, and Picasso Museum. You’re also a manageable walk from Paris’ two islands (Ile St. Louis and Ile de la Cité), home to Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle. The Opéra Bastille, La Coulée Verte Promenade-Park, Place des Vosges (Paris’ oldest square), the Jewish Quarter (Rue des Rosiers), the Latin Quarter, and nightlife-packed Rue de Lappe are also walkable. Strolling home (day or night) from Notre-Dame along Ile St. Louis is marvelous.
Most of my recommended Marais hotels are less expensive than those near Rue Cler and are located a few blocks north of the Marais’ main east-west drag, Rue St. Antoine/Rue de Rivoli.
Tourist Information: The city’s main TI is in the north side of the Hôtel de Ville (daily 10:00-18:00, 29 Rue de Rivoli).
Services: Most banks and other services are on Rue de Rivoli, which becomes Rue St. Antoine as it heads east.
Markets and Shopping: The Marais has three good open-air markets. These include the sprawling Marché Bastille, along Boulevard Richard Lenoir, on the north side of Place de la Bastille (Thu and Sun only, Mo: Bastille); the Marché d’Aligre on Place d’Aligre (closed Mon, Mo: Ledru-Rollin); and Paris’ oldest covered market, the Marché des Enfants Rouges, at 39 Rue de Bretagne, a 10-minute walk north of Rue de Rivoli (closed Mon, Mo: Filles du Calvaire or Temple). For market details, see the Shopping in Paris chapter.
A Monoprix with a basement grocery is near the St-Paul Métro stop (Mon-Sat 9:00-21:00, shorter hours Sun, 71 Rue St. Antoine). BHV is a major department store next to Hôtel de Ville.
Laundry: Launderettes are scattered throughout the Marais; ask your hotelier for the nearest. Here are three that you can count on: at 40 Rue du Roi de Sicile, on Impasse Guéménée (north of Rue St. Antoine), and on Rue du Petit Musc (south of Rue St. Antoine).
Métro Connections: Key Métro stops in the Marais are, from east to west: Bastille, St-Paul, and Hôtel de Ville (Sully-Morland, Pont Marie, and Rambuteau are also handy). Métro connections are excellent, with direct service to the Louvre, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, and La Défense (all on line 1); the Rue Cler area, Place de la Madeleine, and Opéra Garnier/Galeries Lafayette (line 8 from Bastille stop); and four major train stations: Gare de Lyon, Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, and Gare d’Austerlitz (all accessible from Bastille stop).
Bus Routes: For stop locations, see the “Marais Hotels” map.
Line #69 on Rue St. Antoine takes you eastbound to Père Lachaise Cemetery and westbound to the Louvre, Orsay, and Rodin museums, plus the Army Museum and Rue Cler, ending at the Eiffel Tower (see the Bus #69 Sightseeing Tour chapter).
Line #87 runs down Boulevard Henri IV, crossing Ile St. Louis and serving the Latin Quarter along Boulevard St. Germain, before heading to St. Sulpice Church/Luxembourg Garden, ending at Musée d’Orsay. The same line, running in the opposite direction, brings you to Gare de Lyon.
Line #96 runs on Rues Turenne and Rivoli, serves Ile de la Cité and St. Sulpice Church (near Luxembourg Garden), and ends at Gare Montparnasse.
Taxi: You’ll find taxi stands on the north side of Rue St. Antoine (across from St. Paul church), on Place de la Bastille (where Boulevard Richard Lenoir meets the square), and behind the Hôtel de Ville on Rue du Lobau (where it meets Rue de Rivoli).
(3rd and 4th arr., Mo: Bastille, St-Paul, or Hôtel de Ville)
$$$$ Hôtel le Pavillon de la Reine,***** 15 steps off the beautiful Place des Vosges, merits its stars with top service and comfort and exquisite attention to detail, from its melt-in-your-couch lobby to its luxurious rooms (free access to spa and fitness room, parking, 28 Place des Vosges, +33 1 40 29 19 19, www.pavillon-de-la-reine.com, contact@pdlr.fr).
$$$ Hôtel Bastille Spéria*** is situated a short block off Place de la Bastille, offering impersonal service and good comfort in a happening location. The 42 rooms have designer decor and are relatively spacious; rooms on the sixth floor have the most character (1 Rue de la Bastille, Mo: Bastille, +33 1 42 72 04 01, www.hotelsperia.com, info@hotelsperia.com).
$$$ Hôtel St. Louis Marais*** is an intimate and sharply managed little hotel that sits on a quiet street a few blocks from the river. The handsome, well-priced rooms have character and spacious bathrooms (1 Rue Charles V, Mo: Sully-Morland, +33 1 48 87 87 04, www.saintlouismarais.com, marais@saintlouis-hotels.com).
$$$ Hôtel Castex*** is a well-located choice—on a quiet street near Place de la Bastille—with narrow and tile-floored rooms that could use a facelift. Their system of connecting rooms allows families total privacy between two rooms, each with its own bathroom (free buffet breakfast for Rick Steves readers, just off Place de la Bastille and Rue St. Antoine at 5 Rue Castex, Mo: Bastille, +33 1 42 72 31 52, www.castexhotel.com, info@castexhotel.com).
$$$ Hôtel Jeanne d’Arc*** is a lovely but pricey hotel that’s ideally located for connoisseurs of the Marais who don’t need air-conditioning. In the lobby, artful decor meets stone walls and oak floors; rooms are thoughtfully appointed, and corner rooms are wonderfully bright in the City of Light. Rooms on the street can have some noise until the bars close (family rooms, some view rooms, 3 Rue de Jarente, Mo: St-Paul, +33 1 48 87 62 11, www.hoteljeannedarc.com, information@hoteljeannedarc.com).
$$$ Hôtel de Neuve*** is a small, central, and basic place in need of some TLC. They serve high tea in the afternoon and offer decent rates. Twin rooms come with tub-showers and are a bit larger (behind the Monoprix at 14 Rue Neuve St. Pierre, Mo: St-Paul, +33 1 44 59 28 50, www.hoteldeneuveparis.com, bonjour@hoteldeneuveparis.com).
$$ Sully Hôtel,* right on Rue St. Antoine, is a basic, cheap place run by affable Monsieur Zeroual. The rooms are bare bones and bathrooms can be musty but it’s a fair budget value in this neighborhood. Two can spring for a triple for more room (family rooms, no elevator, no air-con, no breakfast, 48 Rue St. Antoine, Mo: St-Paul, +33 1 42 78 49 32, www.sullyhotelparis.com, sullyhotel@orange.fr).
¢ MIJE Youth Hostels: The Maison Internationale de la Jeunesse et des Etudiants (MIJE) runs two classy, old residences, ideal for budget travelers who are at least 18 years old or traveling with someone who is. Each is well maintained, with simple, clean, single-sex (unless your group takes a whole room) one- to ten-bed rooms. The hostels are MIJE Fourcy (bigger and louder, dirt-cheap dinners available with a membership card, 6 Rue de Fourcy, just south of Rue de Rivoli) and MIJE Fauconnier (no elevator, 11 Rue du Fauconnier). Neither has double beds or air-conditioning. Both have private showers in every room—but bring your own towel or buy one there (includes breakfast, required membership-€3 extra/person, Wi-Fi in common areas only, rooms locked 12:00-15:00). They share the same contact information (+33 1 42 74 23 45, www.mije.com, info@mije.com) and Métro stop (St-Paul). Show up by noon or call to confirm a later arrival time.
(4th arr., Mo: St-Paul, Hôtel de Ville, or Rambuteau)
These hotels are farther west, closer to the Pompidou Center than to Place de la Bastille.
$$$ Hôtel Caron de Beaumarchais*** transports you to the 18th century, with a small lobby that’s cluttered with bits from an elegant old Marais house. If you want traditional French decor, stay here. Located on a busy street, it’s well cared for, filled with character—and popular, so book well ahead (12 Rue Vieille du Temple, +33 1 42 72 34 12, www.carondebeaumarchais.com, hotel@carondebeaumarchais.com).
$$$ Hôtel de la Bretonnerie*** makes a fine Marais home. Located three blocks from the Hôtel de Ville, it has a warm, welcoming lobby and helpful staff. Its 30 good-value rooms are on the larger side with an antique, open-beam warmth (family rooms, one free breakfast for Rick Steves readers who book direct, no air-con, between Rue Vieille du Temple and Rue des Archives at 22 Rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie, +33 1 48 87 77 63, www.hotelparismaraisbretonnerie.com, hotel@bretonnerie.com).
$$$ Hôtel Beaubourg*** is an excellent value on a small street in the shadow of the Pompidou Center. The place is surprisingly quiet, and the 28 plush and traditional rooms are well appointed with colorful touches (bigger doubles are worth the extra cost, 11 Rue Simon Le Franc, Mo: Rambuteau, +33 1 42 74 34 24, www.hotelbeaubourg.com, reservation@hotelbeaubourg.com).
$$$ Hôtel de Nice,*** on the Marais’ busy main drag, features a turquoise-and-fuchsia “Marie-Antoinette-does-tie-dye” decor. This character-filled place is littered with paintings and layered with carpets, and its 23 Old World rooms have thoughtful touches, though bathrooms are tight (reception on second floor, 42 bis Rue de Rivoli, +33 1 42 78 55 29, www.hoteldenice.com, contact@hoteldenice.com).
$$$ D’Win Hôtel** is a better value in the thick of the Marais, with a helpful staff and 33 relatively spacious and quiet rooms (family rooms, no elevator, 20 Rue du Temple, +33 1 44 54 05 05, www.dwinhotel.com, contact@dwinhotel.com).
$$ Hôtel du Loiret*** has a basic lobby but rents good rooms with tight bathrooms at fair rates (no air-con, expect some noise, 8 Rue des Mauvais Garçons, +33 1 48 87 77 00, www.hotel-du-loiret.fr [URL inactive], hotelduloiret@hotmail.com).
(4th arr., Mo: Pont Marie)
The peaceful, residential character of this river-wrapped island, with its brilliant location and homemade ice cream, has drawn Americans for decades. There are no budget deals here—all the hotels are three-star or more—though prices are respectable considering the level of comfort and wonderful location. The island’s village ambience and proximity to the Marais, Notre-Dame, and the Latin Quarter make this area well worth considering. The following hotels are on the island’s main drag, Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, where I list several restaurants (see here in the Eating in Paris chapter). For nearby services, see the Marais neighborhood section; for locations, see the “Marais Hotels” map, earlier in this chapter. There are no Métro stops on Ile St. Louis; expect a 10-minute walk to the closest station—Pont Marie—or a bit farther to Cité. Bus #69 works well for Ile St. Louis residents.
$$$$ Hôtel du Jeu de Paume**** occupies a 17th-century tennis center. Its magnificent lobby and cozy public spaces make it a fine splurge. Greet Lemon (luh-moe), le chien, then take a spin in the glass elevator for a half-timbered treehouse experience. The 30 rooms are carefully designed and tasteful, though not particularly spacious (you’re paying for the location and public areas). Most rooms face a small garden courtyard; all are pin-drop peaceful (apartments for 4-6 people, 54 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, +33 1 43 26 14 18, www.jeudepaumehotel.com, info@jeudepaumehotel.com).
The next two places share the same hands-on owner and comfort. $$$$ Hôtel de Lutèce*** has a welcoming wood-paneled lobby and cozy rooms. Rooms on lower floors have high ceilings. Twin rooms are larger and the same price as doubles; there are a few good triple rooms (65 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, +33 1 43 26 23 52, www.hoteldelutece.com, bonjour@hoteldelutece.com).
$$$ Hôtel des Deux-Iles*** has a fun lobby and rents lovely green-hued rooms with a few true singles. It’s cheaper than the Lutèce—you can’t go wrong in either place (59 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, +33 1 43 26 13 35, www.deuxiles-paris-hotel.com, bonjour@hoteldesdeuxiles.com).
$$$ Hôtel Saint-Louis*** blends character with modern comforts. The sharp rooms come with warm wood floors and exposed beams. Rates are reasonable...for the location (some rooms with balcony, 75 Rue St. Louis-en-l’Ile, +33 1 46 34 04 80, www.saintlouisenlisle.com, isle@saintlouis-hotels.com).
This neighborhood revolves around Paris’ loveliest park and offers quick access to the city’s best shopping streets and grandest café hopping. Hotels in this central area run the gamut from cheap sleeps to pricey boutique places. Sleeping in the Luxembourg area offers a true Left Bank experience without a hint of the commotion of the nearby Latin Quarter tourist ghetto. The Luxembourg Garden, Boulevard St. Germain, Cluny Museum, Place St. Sulpice, and Latin Quarter are all at your doorstep, and Place St. Michel is a 15-minute walk away. Here you get the best of both worlds: youthful Left Bank energy and the classic trappings that surround the monumental Panthéon and St. Sulpice Church.
Having the Luxembourg Garden as your backyard allows strolls through meticulously cared-for flowers, a great kids’ play area (see the Paris with Children chapter), and a purifying escape from city traffic. Place St. Sulpice presents an elegant, pedestrian-friendly square and quick access to some of Paris’ best boutiques (see the Shopping in Paris chapter). You’re near several movie theaters (at Métro stop: Odéon), as well as lively cafés on Boulevard St. Germain, Rue de Buci, Rue des Canettes, Place de la Sorbonne, and Place de la Contrescarpe, all of which buzz with action until late.
It takes about 15 minutes to walk from one end of this neighborhood to the other. Most hotels are within a five-minute walk of Luxembourg Garden.
Services: The nearest TI is across the river at the Hôtel de Ville (daily 10:00-18:30, 29 Rue de Rivoli).
Markets: The colorful street market at the south end of Rue Mouffetard is a worthwhile 10-to-15-minute walk from these hotels (closed Mon, five blocks south of Place de la Contrescarpe, Mo: Place Monge).
• Pass oodles of time at Luxembourg Garden, sitting in a green chair with your feet propped up on the pond’s edge.
• Join the locals at the only café on Place St. Sulpice for a morning coffee or afternoon drink.
• Stroll Rue Mouffetard day or night, and stop for a drink on delightful Place de la Contrescarpe.
• Window shop the boutiques between Sèvres-Babylone and St. Sulpice (described on here).
• Spend too much for a coffee at a grand café and watch the world go by (see “Les Grands Cafés de Paris,” here).
• Follow my Left Bank Walk and find Voltaire’s favorite café (Café le Procope, now a restaurant), or savor a drink at your author’s favorite—Café la Palette.
• Ponder France’s history in the Panthéon.
Bookstore: Find a full selection of secondhand English-language books, including mine, at San Francisco Book Company (17 Rue Monsieur le Prince). Abbey Bookshop is crammed with English-language books, many by Canadian authors (29 Rue de la Parcheminerie, Mo: Cluny La Sorbonne). For details on these bookstores, see here.
Métro Connections: Métro lines 10, 12, and 4 serve this area (10 connects to the Gare d’Austerlitz train station; 12 serves Gare St. Lazare, Gare Montparnasse, and the handy Concorde Métro station; and 4 runs to the Montparnasse, Est, and Nord train stations). Neighborhood stops are Cluny La Sorbonne, Mabillon, Odéon, Sèvres-Babylone, and St-Sulpice. RER/Train-B (Luxembourg station is handiest) provides direct service to Charles de Gaulle airport and Gare du Nord trains, and access to Orly Airport via the Orlybus (transfer at Denfert-Rochereau) or via Orlyval trains (transfer at Antony RER/Train-B station).
Bus Routes: For stop locations, see the “Hotels near Luxembourg Garden” map.
Lines #86 and #87 run eastbound through this area on or near Boulevard St. Germain, to the Marais (#87 continues to Gare de Lyon). Bus #87 runs westbound along the river (on Quai du Montebello) to the Orsay Museum; #86 runs westbound on Rue des Ecoles, stopping on Place St. Sulpice and continuing to the Eiffel Tower and Rue Cler area.
Line #63 provides a direct connection along Boulevard St. Germain west to the Rue Cler area (stops at Place St. Sulpice westbound), serving the Orsay and Marmottan museums along the way, and east to Gare de Lyon.
Line #96 stops at Place St. Sulpice southbound en route to Gare Montparnasse and runs north along Rue de Rennes and Boulevard St. Germain into the Marais.
Line #70 runs along Rue de Sèvres, connecting Sèvres-Babylone and St. Sulpice with the Pompidou Center and the Hôtel de Ville.
(6th arr., Mo: St-Sulpice, Rennes, Sèvres-Babylone, Mabillon, Odéon, or Saint-Germain-des-Prés; RER/Train-B: Luxembourg)
These hotels are all within a block of St. Sulpice Church and two blocks from famous Boulevard St. Germain. This is nirvana for boutique-minded shoppers—and you’ll pay extra for the location.
$$$$ Hôtel de l’Abbaye,**** a lovely refuge just west of Luxembourg Garden, is a find for well-heeled connoisseurs of this area. The hotel’s four-star luxury comes with some attitude but includes refined lounges inside and out, with 44 sumptuous rooms and every amenity, often at competitive rates (10 Rue Cassette, +33 1 45 44 38 11, www.hotelabbayeparis.com, reception@hotelabbayeparis.com).
$$$$ Hôtel le Récamier,**** romantically tucked in the corner of Place St. Sulpice, is a polished place with designer public spaces, elaborately appointed rooms, a courtyard salon serving guests complimentary tea and treats in the afternoon, and très professional service (connecting family rooms, 3 bis Place St. Sulpice, +33 1 43 26 04 89, www.hotelrecamier.com, contact@hotelrecamier.com).
$$$$ Hôtel Luxembourg Parc**** faces Luxembourg Garden on a busy street but delivers refined and elegant peace inside with its polished lounges, lovingly furnished rooms—many with beamed ceilings—and a staff that is eager to help (fitness room, 42 Rue de Vaugirard, tel. 33 1 53 10 36 50, www.hotelluxparc.com, booking@hotelluxparc.com).
$$$ Hôtel Saint-Paul,*** on a quiet street with a right-in-the-thick-of-things location, fills an old mansion with colorful, wallpapered, and wood-beamed rooms that are large by Paris standards (43 Rue Monsieur le Prince, +33 1 43 26 98 64, www.hotelsaintpaulparis.com, contact@hotelsaintpaulparis.com).
$$$ Hôtel Relais St. Sulpice,**** burrowed on the small street just behind St. Sulpice Church and well managed by friendly Mirko and Emmanuel, houses a cozy lounge and 26 artsy rooms, most surrounding a leafy glass atrium. Street-facing rooms get more light, but those on the courtyard are quieter (sauna free for guests, 3 Rue Garancière, +33 1 46 33 99 00, www.relais-saint-sulpice.com, sulpice@designhotelst.com).
$$$ Hôtel la Perle*** sits in the thick of lively Rue des Canettes, a block off Place St. Sulpice. This well-run hotel is built around a central bar and atrium and offers comfortable and traditional rooms, many with wood beams (14 Rue des Canettes, +33 1 43 29 10 10, www.hotellaperle.com, booking@hotellaperle.com).
$$ Hôtel Bonaparte*** is an unpretentious and welcoming place wedged between boutiques a few steps from Place St. Sulpice. The hotel’s decor is simple, rooms are spacious by Parisian standards, and the staff is very helpful (61 Rue Bonaparte, +33 1 43 26 97 37, www.hotelbonaparte.fr, reservation@hotelbonaparte.fr).
(6th and 7th arr., Mo: Sèvres-Babylone or St-Sulpice)
$$$ Hôtel Signature St. Germain-des-Prés,**** on a quiet street just steps from the trendy Sèvres-Babylone shopping area, feels as chic as its neighboring boutiques. The friendly staff takes great care of its guests with 26 colorful and tastefully decorated rooms, several with balconies. There are good rooms for families and some wonderfully large “prestige” rooms that can sleep three (RS%, 5 Rue Chomel, Mo: Sèvres-Babylone, +33 1 45 48 35 53, www.signature-saintgermain.com, info@signature-saintgermain.com).
$$$ Hôtel le Petit Chomel*** sits a few doors down, offering the same great location, good rates, and comfort. Expect warm public spaces, very helpful staff, and decor with a country-French accent (RS%, 15 Rue Chomel, +33 1 45 48 55 52, www.lepetitchomel.com, info@lepetitchomel.com).
$ Hôtel Jean Bart** feels like it’s from another era—prices included. Run by smiling Madame Lechopier and her daughter Laureanne, it’s a rare budget find in this neighborhood, one block from Luxembourg Garden. Beyond the dark lobby, you’ll find 33 suitably comfortable rooms with creaking floors, some with tight bathrooms (includes breakfast, no air-con, 9 Rue Jean-Bart, +33 1 45 48 29 13, www.hoteljeanbart.com, hotel.jean.bart@gmail.com).
(6th arr., Mo: Odéon, Cluny La Sorbonne, or Mabillon; RER/Train-B: Luxembourg)
The Hôtel Relais Médicis (between the Odéon Métro stop and Luxembourg Garden) may have rooms when others don’t.
$$$ Hôtel Victoire et Germain**** is a top choice a few steps off Boulevard St. Germain and Rue de Buci. Sleep here to be in the thickest of things. Rooms offer excellent comfort with Scandinavian accents under white beams (9 Rue Grégoire de Tours, +33 1 45 49 03 26, www.victoireetgermainhotel.com, reservation@victoireetgermainhotel.com).
$$$ Hôtel Relais Médicis**** is ideal if you’ve always wanted to live in a Monet painting. A glassy entry hides 17 rooms surrounding a fragrant little garden courtyard and fountain, giving you a countryside break fit for a Medici in the heart of Paris. This delightful refuge is tastefully decorated and permeated with thoughtfulness (family rooms, faces the Odéon Theater at 5 Place de l’Odéon, +33 1 43 26 00 60, www.relaismedicis.com, reservation@relaismedicis.com).
$$$ Hôtel des Marronniers*** is wonderfully situated on a quiet street and delivers Old World charm with modern comfort and a friendly reception from Yann. The atrium breakfast room, lovely garden courtyard, cozy lounges, and plush rooms make this worth booking well ahead (21 Rue Jacob, +33 1 43 25 30 60, www.hotel-marronniers.com, hotel-des-marronniers@orange.fr).
$$$ Odéon Hôtel*** welcomes guests with a large, linger-longer lobby-lounge. Dark hallways lead to Old World-style rooms with all the comforts (RS%—use code “RSDEAL,” 3 Rue de l’Odéon, + 33 1 43 25 90 76, www.odeonhotel.fr, odeon@odeonhotel.fr).
$$$ Hôtel Michelet Odéon*** sits in a corner of Place de l’Odéon with big windows overlooking the square. Rooms come with stylish colors but no frills, and the staff is impersonal (family rooms, 6 Place de l’Odéon, +33 1 53 10 05 60, www.hotelmicheletodeon.com, hotel@micheletodeon.com).
(5th arr., Mo: Cardinal Lemoine or Place Monge; RER/Train-B: Luxembourg)
See the “Hotel & Restaurants near Rue Mouffetard” map in the Eating in Paris chapter for location.
$$$ Hôtel des Grandes Ecoles*** is idyllic. A private cobbled lane leads to three buildings that protect a flower-filled garden courtyard, preserving a sense of tranquility rare in this city. Its 51 rooms are French-countryside pretty, reasonably spacious, and lovingly cared for. This romantic spot is deservedly popular; book ahead and don’t expect any deals (reserve ahead for pay parking, 75 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, Mo: Cardinal Lemoine, +33 1 43 26 79 23, www.hoteldesgrandesecoles.com, contact@hoteldesgrandesecoles.fr).
Those interested in a more SoHo/Greenwich Village-type locale should consider making Montmartre their Parisian home. While the top of Montmartre’s hill is terribly touristy, just below lies an overlooked workaday neighborhood happily living in the shadow of Sacré-Cœur.
Montmartre is a mix of young families, artists, and active seniors, and it is popular with the bobo crowd (bourgeois bohemian, French for “hipster”). Travelers staying here trade a central location and level terrain for good deals on hotel rooms and a lively atmosphere, especially in the evenings, when café terraces thrive and tiny bars spill crowds onto the narrow streets. Expect some ups and downs here on Paris’ lone hill.
Rue des Abbesses is the heart and soul of this area, starting at Place des Abbesses and stretching several blocks to Rue Lepic. Rue Lepic has good shops and services, but the lower you go the seedier it gets: Scammers and shady characters prowl the base of the hill after hours (along Boulevard Clichy and Boulevard Rochechouart, where you’ll find what’s left of Paris’ red light district). For fun nightlife, stick to the narrow streets uphill from Rue des Abbesses around Rue Durantin and along Rue des Trois Frères. For restaurant suggestions, see the Eating in Paris chapter.
Services: Several ATMs are located along Rue des Abbesses and on Rue Lepic.
Markets and Shopping: A Friday evening farmers market reflects this working-class neighborhood’s shopping needs (15:00-20:00, Place d’Anvers). On Saturday mornings, you’ll find a good organic market within reasonable walking distance (Marché des Batignolles, 8:30-14:00, 34 Boulevard des Batignolles). A Monoprix store is near the Blanche Métro stop on Boulevard de Clichy. Both Rue Lepic and Rue des Abbesses are peppered with épiceries, cheese shops, wine shops, delis, butchers, and bakeries.
Laundry: Self-service launderettes are located at 2 Rue Burq, 92 Rue des Martyrs, and 44 Rue Veron.
Métro Connections: Métro line 12 is the handiest (use the Abbesses stop and take the elevator, as it’s a long climb to the exit). Line 2 uses the Blanche, Pigalle, or Anvers stops but requires a four-block uphill walk to reach my recommended hotels. Avoid the sketchy Barbès Rochechouart Métro stop.
Bus Routes: At the base of the hill are several good bus options, but there’s only one bus line on the hill itself—bus #40, which connects Pigalle, Abbesses, and Place du Tertre in 10 minutes (4/hour).
Line #30 picks up at Place Blanche (direction: Hôpítal Européen Georges-Pompidou) and goes past Parc Monceau and the Jacquemart-André Museum, to the top of the Champs-Elysées and around the Arc de Triomphe roundabout, to the Trocadéro, then down to the Eiffel Tower.
Taxi: A taxi stand is near the Pigalle Métro stop on the corner of Rue Houdon and busy Boulevard Rochechouart; there’s also one near the top of the funicular.
(18th arr., Mo: Abbesses or Anvers)
$$$ Le Relais Montmartre**** is a spotless hotel with cushy public spaces, pastel paint, fair prices, and 26 cozy rooms sporting floral curtains. There are lots of helpful amenities and a quiet central courtyard (6 Rue Constance, +33 1 70 64 25 25, www.hotel-relais-montmartre.com, contact@relaismontmartre.fr).
$$$ Hôtel Littéraire Marcel Aymé,*** a stylish and somewhat pricey hideaway a few blocks below the Moulin de la Galette, has smallish but well-designed rooms (16 Rue Tholozé, +33 1 42 55 05 06, www.hotel-litteraire-marcel-ayme.com, contact@hotel-litteraire-marcel-ayme.com).
$$ Hôtel Basss,*** right on Rue des Abbesses, offers snappy modern rooms with pastel colors and trendy furniture. The hotel has big plans to renovate in 2024 (57 Rue des Abbesses, +33 1 42 51 50 00, www.hotel-basss.com, contact@hotel-basss.com).
$$ Hôtel Regyn’s Montmartre** is welcoming and ideally located on the lively Abbesses square, with 22 clean, comfortable, and modest rooms with floral wallpaper. Those in the front come with pleasant views and noise from the square, and those on the fourth and fifth floors have grand views to the Eiffel Tower (no air-con, great breakfast with ham, 18 Place des Abbesses, +33 1 42 54 45 21, www.regyns-montmartre.com, hotel.regynsmontmartre75@gmail.com).
$$ Hôtel Bonséjour Montmartre, run by eager Michel and his family, offers a mix of modern rooms and cheap basic rooms, all with new beds. The modern rooms have private bathrooms; the far cheaper ones maintain the Old World tradition of shared facilities—one shower for every two rooms (RS%, no air-con, 11 Rue Burq, +33 1 42 54 22 53, www.hotel-bonsejour.com, hotel-bonsejour-montmartre@orange.fr).
These three places are located a few minutes from the terminals (outside the T-3 RER/Train-B stop and on the CDGVAL airport shuttle train loop). All have restaurants. For locations, see the map on here.
$$$ Novotel*** is a step up from cookie-cutter airport hotels (+33 1 49 19 27 27, https://novotel.accor.com, h1014@accor.com).
$$ Hôtel Ibis CDG Airport** is huge and offers standard airport accommodations (+33 1 49 19 19 19, https://ibis.accor.com, h1404@accor.com). There are several IBIS airport hotels to choose from—you want IBIS Terminal 3.
$$ Holiday Inn Express** is also a good value and close (www.ihg.com, reception@hiexpariscdg.com).
The CDGVAL shuttle train connecting the terminals with RER stations also serves several hotels at the airport.
The small village of Roissy-en-France (you’ll see signs just before the airport as you come from Paris) has better-value chain hotels with free airport-shuttle service (usually 4/hour, 15 minutes, look for navettes hôtels signs to reach these hotels). Most Roissy hotels list specials on their websites.
The following hotels are within walking distance of the town. $$ Ibis Budget Roissy CDG Paris Nord 2** is usually cheaper than the Ibis right at the airport (335 Rue de la Belle Etoile, +33 1 49 89 33 42, https://ibis.accor.com, h3515@accor.com). $$ Hôtel Campanile Roissy*** is a decent place to sleep, and you can have a good dinner next door at Hôtel Golden Tulip (Allée des Vergers, +33 1 34 29 80 40, www.campanile-roissy.fr, roissy@campanile.fr). $$$ Hôtel Golden Tulip Paris CDG*** has a fitness center, sauna, and good restaurant for the suburbs (11 Allée des Vergers, +33 1 34 29 00 00, www.goldentulipcdgvillepinte.com, info@goldentulipcdgvillepinte.com). The cheapest option is $ B&B Hôtel Roissy CDG,* where many flight attendants stay (17 Allée des Vergers, +33 2 98 33 75 29, www.hotel-bb.com).
To avoid rush-hour traffic, drivers can consider sleeping north of Paris in either Auvers-sur-Oise (30 minutes west of airport) or in the pleasant medieval town of Senlis (15 minutes north of airport). $$ Hôtel Ibis Senlis** is a few minutes from town (72 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, +33 3 44 53 70 50, https://ibis.accor.com, h0709@accor.com).
These two chain hotels are your best options near Orly. Both have free shuttles (navettes) to the terminals.
$$$ Hôtel Mercure Paris Orly Tech*** provides good comfort for a price (+33 8 25 80 69 69, https://mercure.accor.com, h1246@accor.com).
$$ Hôtel Ibis Orly Tech Aéroport** is reasonable and basic (+33 1 56 70 50 60, https://ibis.accor.com, h1413@accor.com).
Consider this option if you’re traveling as a family, in a group, or staying at least a few nights. Intrepid travelers around the world are accustomed to using Airbnb and VRBO when it comes to renting a vacation apartment. In Paris, you have many additional options among rental agencies, and I’ve found those listed below to be the most reliable. Their websites are good and essential to understanding your choices. Read the rental conditions very carefully. For more information on renting apartments, see the “Sleeping” section in the Practicalities chapter.
Short-term rentals are controversial in Paris. Locals fear that vacation rentals are driving up the cost of rent overall because fewer apartments are available for long-term use (owners make more money on short-term vacation rentals). Hotels claim vacation rentals are unfair competition, as hotel owners pay taxes and meet rigorous safety and accessibility regulations that apartment owners can avoid.
If you choose to rent an apartment, please respect your neighbors. Minimize noise in entryways and in your apartment after hours. Pick an apartment in one of the neighborhoods I recommend for hotels and restaurants. Use the helpful suggestions in these chapters and become a temporary local.
Most apartments come with Wi-Fi and cable TV; some include free local and international phone calls, air-conditioning (a godsend in summer), and washers and dryers. Be clear on exactly what your apartment has before booking.
Paris Perfect has offices in Paris with English-speaking staff who seek the “perfect apartment” for their clients and are selective about what they offer. Many units have Eiffel Tower views; most are air-conditioned and have washers and dryers (RS%, US toll-free +1 888 520 2087, www.parisperfect.com).
Cobblestone Paris Rentals is a North American-run outfit with years of experience offering furnished rentals in central neighborhoods. Typical amenities include Wi-Fi, coffee, tea, and washing machines, plus an English-speaking greeter who will give you the lay of the land (RS%—use code “RSPARIS”—plus two free river cruises, www.cobblestoneparis.com).
Home Rental Service has been in business for 30-some years and offers a big selection of apartments and bungalows throughout Paris at fair rates with no agency fees (easy to search properties by neighborhood, 120 Champs-Elysées, +33 1 42 25 65 40, www.homerental.fr, contact@homerental.fr).
Haven in Paris offers exactly that—well-appointed, stylish havens for travelers looking for a place to temporarily call home. Their fun blog, Hip Paris, is also worth checking out (US +1 617 395 4243, https://havenin.com).
Paris Home is a small outfit, with only two modest little studios and a one-bedroom unit, located on Rue Amélie in the heart of the Rue Cler area (see the “Rue Cler Hotels” map, earlier). Each has simple furnishings and laundry facilities. Friendly Slim, the owner, is the best part (no minimum stay, special rates for longer stays, payment by PayPal or cash only, free housekeeping service, +33 6 19 03 17 55, www.parishome2000.com).
Paris for Rent, a San Francisco-based group, has been renting top-end apartments in Paris since 1998 and offers a good selection throughout the city (US +1 866 4 FRANCE, www.parisforrent.com).
Cross-Pollinate is a reputable online booking agency representing B&Bs and apartments in a handful of European cities. Paris listings range from a small studio near the Bastille to a two-bedroom apartment in the Marais. Minimum stays vary from one to seven nights (www.cross-pollinate.com, info@cross-pollinate.com).
