which arrondissement to stay?

Hi!

This is my first time visiting Paris. I am traveling alone. I also work for a specific hotel chain and receive a discount for staying within the chain, not all hotels within the chain gives out discounts for employees. I found a hotel in the 11th near the Bastille that does give out the discount. I read reviews about the hotel and they seem very favorable, including the fact the posters stated they felt safe staying there. I spoke to my friend who has been to Paris and I mentioned staying in the 11th. She said it was %26quot;a little out there.%26quot; So I am rethinking this whole 11th thing and staying somewhere closer like the 6th but I will not get a discount price and I am not sure of the safety factor. What is your thoughts? I mean money is important but, I rather spend the extra money to have a better trip beigng closer to everything instead of being in the boonies. Or does is really matter? Is the 11th really out there? Also, if you think I should stay in the 6th which hotel? Or should I stop obsessing and just go...lol

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If your hotel in the 11th is a nice hotel, stay there. If it%26#39;s just basic and ordinary and you like to stay up late and enjoy the night life, it may be easier to stay in the 6th or somewhere close to that area.

The way I look it: I think a good location is important but if I can stay in a nice hotel and it%26#39;s a little out of the way, it%26#39;s worth it, especially if it is a good 3 star or 4 star hotel. Many times the great locations have the most expensive hotels and I can only afford the cheap ones so I sacrifice the extra comfort with a great location. Sometimes I%26#39;ll find a good cheaper rate with a great hotel that%26#39;s in the popular location so it works out well.

The disadvantage sometimes is that the popular locations can have noticable street noise when you sleep so there is an advantage of the being a little out of the way in the quieter non touristy parts but this is not always the case of course.

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katkat777,

The location you stay in is determined in part by the cost,

the type of neighborhood you enjoy, the transportation

and convenience to what you would like to see and do.

Many people visiting Paris for the first time enjoy staying

in either the 5th (Latin Quarter) or (6th St. Germain des Pres).

The neighborhoods have charm and chraracter with a

variety of shops and restaurants. You can easily walk

throughout most of the Left Bank and over the bridges

to Isle de la Cite, Isle de St Louis and the Right Bank; right from your doorstep. Should you want to travel afar you will find Metro stations within a few minutes walk.

A sample in the 5th and 6th comes to mind:

Luxembourg Park

D%26#39;Orsay Museum

Sorbonne

Cluny Museum

Rodin Museum

Pantheon

rue Mouffetard

If a hotel you are considering is anywhere where

noise could be a problem on the street, ask if

they have a courtyard (I have made this arrangement

for September in the 6th) and book on that basis.

If they do not, get a room on the next to the top

floor in a multistory building. I did that in 2002 and 2003

in the 5th and had no problem with street noise.

It is nice to go out for the day, come back for some rest

at your hotel close by, clean up and go out for the evening

without a ride on the Metro during the commute on the

way to your hotel and coming back after your evening

out on the way back to your hotel. If you stay close

in you%26#39;ll avoid 3 metro trips each evening.

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We stayed in the 7th and the 4th during our visit. Both are very nice and I think overall Paris is quite safe.

Conclusion, just go!!

:-)

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Bastille has changed a lot in the last ten years and is now very lively with many cafes and restaurants (catering mostly to a younger crowd). It is a little bit %26quot;out there%26quot; yes, but you can go and sightsee during the day and then come back for dinner or drinks or whatever and it would be fine. Gare de Lyon is also very animated - restaurant Train bleu is worth a visit - and so is Avenue Daumesnil and la Promenade Plantee, at least during summer months. From the 11th you can walk to the 5th and 4th. Paris is designed in such a way that one side of a street can be in the 6th and the other side in the 14th. I guess you should look at a map and not just at numbers.

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I like the 6th. I%26#39;ve stayed at the Hotel L%26#39;Observatoire, near the Jardin Luxembourg and loved it. Room was decent size and bathroom just as big as room. There are lots of boutique hotels in the 6th. Do internet research with a good map by your side. That%26#39;s the best way to figure out where you are in relation to public transport and major sights.

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Hi Thanks for all of your imput. I have decided to stay in the 11th. I read from the reviews that the metro is only a five min. walk from the hotel and I figure I can go where I want to in the day and head back at nite. So I have stopped obessing and made up my mind..lol..Thanks again for all of the help!!