When my creative friend and blogger, Amanda of Presque Perfection, wrote a blog post on where to stay in Paris based on arrondissement I was so thankful! I’ve been linking her article out left and right- and if you’ve been one to ask me where to stay, you’ve gotten her article as an answer!

I certainly don’t want to reinvent the wheel or steal her thunder- because she’s got some gems in there! You’ll still want to what arrondissement to stay in as a resource when booking your Paris getaway.

However, I want to present a few of my favorite places to stay by neighborhood (and don’t worry, I’m not going over all of the neighborhoods in the city!). Deciding where to stay in Paris can be a daunting task. Too many hours spent on AirBnB and Booking.com? I’m hoping my favorite neighborhoods give you some insight on where you’d like to stay in Paris!

Narrowing down the neighborhood you want to stay at in Paris will lessen your hotel or apartment rental search by hours! And when you know the must have experiences in the city of light it’ll be that much easier to decide on where to stay!

Where to Stay in Paris

Ile St Louis (4th arrondissement)

This neighborhood is quite small compared to some others, and gives you an amazing location! When staying in the Ile St Louis neighborhood you are walking distance from nearly every attraction, however I don’t believe the area feels overly touristy.

This small island on the Seine gives you an amazing hub for your Paris excursion and has a great mix of restaurants, bakeries, and shopping. If you’re looking for some night life, but a quiet place to rest your head this is the perfect place as it’s largely residential.

The bonus of staying here? In case these weren’t enough ‘pros’ for your list you’ll also be surrounded by beautiful architecture. Paris’ architecture is one of my favorite aspects of the city. It serves as a huge inspiration source for me!

Montemartre (18th arrondissement)

Said to be the most romantic part of Paris the streets leading up to the Sacre Couer are stunning. I’d have to agree about this being the most romantic area! You might have seen La Maison Rose in photos across the internet and books. It’s a beautiful rosey pink building with ivy growing perfectly on it. That’s the image most people associate with Montemartre.

And while many streets are romantic and just how you’d picture there are some less desirable areas, so check out Google Street view of hotels in this area before you book! I’ve made that mistake before and it could have easily been avoided by reading a bit more reviews and looking at the street view on Google.

Overall, it’s an amazing area to stay in- delicious food, picturesque old shops, rich in art, and did I mention food? Also there are plenty of places to stroll around and discover. I’ve stayed in Montemartre the most when visiting Paris because I love the city views from the church and the romantic vibe of the area.

Saint Germain (6th arrondissement)

A upscale part of Paris synonymous with Hemingway and a five star experience. Stay here for a truly luxury Parisian stay. It’s a beautiful area of Paris and also home to one of my favorite gardens, the Luxembourg Gardens. It has an old century feel with the architecture, historic buildings and churches, and traditional street cafés.

Saint Germain is also a cultural center with food from all parts of the world. Although, I’m not entirely convinced it’s all authentic. You’ll also find lots of art, high end dealers, boutiques, and more casual art shops.

Champs-Élysées (8th arrondissement)

Probably an overlooked area other than the main shopping road, Grand Palais, and the l’Arc de Triomphe. However, it is also another art center with attractions such as Musée Galleria, Palais de Tokyo and Petit Palais. So don’t totally discount this area to stay in!

Where to stay in Paris might be as easy as choosing the Champs-Élysées area!

The Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement)

Classic Paris is all I can truly say about the Latin Quarter. It neighbors the upscale St. Germain des Pres. The Latin Quarter is basically St. Germain’s little less trendy sister. While there are plenty of tourists in this area it never seems to bother me.

There are extremely old windy streets, shops on shops on shops, and some seriously good food. You know by now, I’m extremely food motivated! It’s also home to some great monuments such as the Pantheon.

If it’s your very first trip to Paris I would highly recommend staying in here or Ile St Louis.

Le Marais (3rd/4th arrondissement)

Two words- night life! If you’re looking for a trendy yet chic area for a fun Paris experience with your husband look no further than Le Marais. It’s not only hip to the kids it’s a beautiful area with plenty of parks, courtyards, and shopping too.

To top it off Le Marais is home to the historic Jewish district so you won’t be disappointed in the culture of the area. Do yourself a favor and grab a falafel!

This is also a highly LGBT friendly area and thus it sports plenty of gay bars. There are more of these in the South of Le Marais. So if you’re wanting a little bit quieter of experience just stick to the north of the neighborhood.

What to do in Paris

So once you decide where to stay in Paris the next step is always the question of what to do. I’ve put together my 36 hours in Paris itinerary in case you have little time in the city. It’s also a great start to any Parisian excursion and will get your wheels turning!

I’ve also written the must have experiences in Paris!