There is so much travel information available, it can be overwhelming. In my mini-guide to Paris, you’ll find everything to prepare for a trip on a single page – why you should go, where to stay and how to get there & around! Let’s go!
Why you should go – Paris is one of the most visited, most photographed and most recognizable city in the world with iconic sights like the Eifel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe or the Louvre – a Paris selfie without at least one of them wouldn’t be the same!
It’s also the perfect city for museum lovers – with 134 of them, there should be one for everybody. The Louvre, the world’s largest museum can keep you busy for days, keeping it interesting for repeat visitors to Paris.
And while it might sound like a cliche, Paris is just such a romantic city! A stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens, a love lock on a Seine bridge or leisurely glass of champagne in a sidewalk cafe or a fantastic dinner at one of the countless restaurants. Even the coffee spells “Love” here! Still not convinced – find more good reasons to go!
Where to stay – you don’t need any more convincing? Great, time to pick a place to stay! Paris is popular and pricey, so it pays to select carefully. Many of the most expensive hotels are in the heart of Paris, near the triangle of Arc de Triomphe, Louvre and Eifel Tower!
My personal favorite is Le Marais, with its great restaurants and bars, small boutiques and more locals than tourists! You can also get more of a neighborhood feel (and lower prices) around Montmartre or on the Left Bank – with great public transport you can get anywhere quickly and easily!
Budget Tip: If you don’t mind an area that looks a little rough around the edges, consider staying near one of the train stations – you’ll get a lot more for your money than in the nicer areas and are centrally located!
Below, I have compared hotels around my favorite area, Le Marais. All the major chains are represented, so you can use your hard-earned reward points or pick an independent hotel for a local touch! The prices listed are examples for off season (November) and high-season can be significantly more!
| Hotel | Category | Location | Price Category | Chain/Rewards | Points/Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les Bains | 5* | Marais | $$$$ | SPG | 20,000 |
| Renaissance Republique | 5* | Republique | $$$$ | Marriott | 40,000 |
| Du Louvre by Hyatt | 5* | Louvre | $$$$ | Hyatt | 20,000 |
| Crowne Plaza Republique | 4* | Republique | $$$ | IHG | 45,000 |
| Holiday Inn Gare de'l Este | 4* | Gare de'l Este | $$$ | IHG | 40,000 |
| Novotel Les Halles | 4* | Les Halles | $$$ | Accor | |
| Citadines Les Halles | 4* | Les Halles | $$$ | ||
| Les Tournelles | 3* | Marais | $$$ | ||
| Georgette | 3* | Marais | $$$ | ||
| Caron | 3* | Marais | $$$ | ||
| Hotel de Neuve | 3* | Marais | $$$ | ||
| ibis styles Republique | 3* | Republique | $$ | Accor | |
| Comfort Lafayette | 3* | Lafayette | $$ | Choice | |
| ibis Gare de Lyon Ledru Rollin | 2* | Gare de Lyon | $$ | Accor |
If you want a more local experience, consider renting an apartment with airbnb – you can stay in a neighborhood, get tips from your host and feel like at home! There are lots of stylish apartments in the heart of the Marais for less than a hotel!
If you are not a member yet, feel free to sign up through my airbnb link and you’ll get a $40 credit on your first trip (and I get a $20 credit – thanks)!
Getting there & around – Most international flights arrive into Paris’ main airport, Charles de Gaulle (CDG). A taxi will take about 40 minutes and cost EUR50-80! The RER train will cost EUR9 and take about 40 minutes to the Gare du Nord. The Roissybus costs EUR12 and takes about 1h to Opera!
The old airport, Orly (ORY), now serves mostly domestic flights and is closer to the city. A taxi into the city will take approx. 45 minutes and cost EUR30-45. The OrlyVal and RER train take about 1h for EUR10.90.
Some low-cost-carriers fly into Paris Beauvais (BVA) which isn’t really in Paris, but 80km away, so carefully what you book. You’ll need to take a bus to the Porte Maillot train station, which will take about 1h at a price of EUR16!
Once you are in Paris, public transport is great – there are RER train stations for longer rides and Metro stations for shorter ones. There are 14 Metro lines with over 300 stations, so its easy to get around from pretty much anywhere without having to walk too far! A single ride is EUR1.70 or you can buy a pack of 10 for EUR1.30 each.
If you book through the Agoda link in the table, you get the best Agoda price and I do earn a small fee for using the link – thank you for supporting the blog!