Advantages: warm in summer, romantic, architecture, street cafes
Disadvantages: street entertainers wanting money for nothing, Hotel Favart

...My boyfriend and I travelled by Eurostar to Paris last summer and I can truly say it was the most wonderful holiday we have ever experienced. Disneyland Paris was the first stop and it is far more attractive than its American counterparts. We had to take the metro to Paris and carrying our luggage up four flights of escalators was a struggle, but it was worth it. Our first hotel was a great disappointment - Hotel Favart. It was a total dump and we were only allowed to leave and cancel our reservation after I flooded the lobby with tears. A very fast taxi journey took us to Hotel California on Rue de Berri, just of the Champs Elyesse. I will never forget turning the corner at the Place De la Concorde and seeing the Arc de Triomphe for the first time. Forget the Eiffel - Paris is about architecture and the Arc is incredible. I could go... Read review

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Advantages: Central, cheap, quiet
Disadvantages: Small rooms, no on -site restaurant

...This Hotel is close to the centre of Paris, and at less than £20 a night is a marvellous find. Close to many of the grands magasins, as well as hundreds of colourful individual shops, it is a perfect base from which to explore Paris. Although the hotel rooms were not the most spacious ever encountered, all were en-suite and cleaned thoroughly everyday. Covered in posters from various 'spectacles', and with a parrot in residence in the foyer, l'Hotel des Arts was truly welcoming and well worth visiting. Local restaurants - of many different nationalities - were cheap and the friendliness of this part of Paris cannot be underestimated. Although the hustle and bustle of Parisian life was at the end of the street, the enclosed nature of the road meant that noise wasn't a problem. All in all a cheap, friendly place to stay in Paris... Read review

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Advantages: beautiful city, lots to do
Disadvantages: expensive, ignorant French people

...won. I boarded at London’s Waterloo, after navigating ‘the tube’ and travelled to ‘Paris Gare du Nord’. I must say I found the train station a little daunting, it was so big and open. We nearly got a little lost but thankfully the other half is a better navigator. Once outside the station I was hit by the streets, so crammed. We got into a taxi and I used my knowledge of the French language, although a little rusty, to ask the driver to take us to the hotel. After putting my life in the hands of what I can best describe ‘a mad French man’ I arrived at the hotel, a little shaky and swearing never to go in a car again, in my life. Not that the French are bad drivers, far from it, it’s just the streets of Paris are so busy that it pays to be a little erratic. Patients is not a virtue... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful sites.
Disadvantages: Only suitable for a weekend.

...Quite honestly, Paris is the most beautiful city that I have ever been to. During our holiday, we travelled around Northern France and our first stop was in Paris for three nights. We stayed in a moderately priced hotel in the 9th district (Just be careful booking hotels - our one was described as being in a lively area, which turned out to be a red light district!). Anyway, it was very central to Paris and we could easily travel to all the sites we wished to using the metro. This was an excellant service and there are stops at, or not far from each of the historical sites that visitors would wish to view. I would suggest buying a book of 10 tickets, as this worked out very cheaply and lasted us three days. The people in Paris are reasonably friendly. It is quite important that you try to communicate in French. The majority... Read review

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Advantages: cheap and efficient
Disadvantages: don't forgetthe joys of walking

.... The jouney into Paris takes 20-30mins, and connects well with the metro lines at Chatelet les Halles. Watch out for the impressive Stade de France on your way. COACH Personally I can't stand being stuck on a coach for 6-8 hours, but for some this is the cheapest way to travel, and I suppose you get to see a lot of the scenery and rural France on your way. National Express link with Eurolines at London Victoria, and the latest prices I saw were upwards of 38GBP. One big advantage is that your drop off point is in the Opera district, right in the heart of the city, but this really depends on the location of your hotel. CAR With the state of traffic in Paris' city centre I wouldn't reccomend travelling by car. I suppose it would be useful if you planned to stay outside of Paris and commute in to sightsee, and my experience of french autoroutes... Read review

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Advantages: Cultural and Romantic
Disadvantages: People aren't too friendly

...I recently visited Paris for the first time and I have to say what a great city it is. Here is my brief guide to the most romantic city in Europe. FIRSTLY: If you’ve never been to Paris then I suggest you do three things as soon as you get there. Firstly get yourself a map of the city. You can probably get one of these from your hotel although it might be a good idea to get one before you go. Secondly get a travel card. For around £15 you can get a 2 day pass that gives you unlimited use of public transport around Paris. Thirdly take a guided open top bus tour of the city. This’ll give you a good idea of what’s about and you can decide how you want to spend your time. PEOPLE If you don’t know any French, then I suggest taking a phrase book. The French people are more friendly if you make an effort to speak... Read review

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Advantages: Location, price, atmosphere
Disadvantages: None

...Very comfortable and tastefully decorated rooms with exposed stone walls and tapestries. Great price out of high season and a wonderful position. There is a cafe/bar just across the street for breakfast. (I would never take breakfast in a Paris hotel, they are often over-priced and questionable quality.) Easy walking distance to the bars and restaurants of the Left Bank, also Notre Dame, the Sorbonne, Jardin du Luxembourg and the Marais. Maubert Mutualité Metro station only 50 metres away for easy access to all other Paris attractions, although the road up to the hotel is quite steep if you are carrying heavy luggage. For local interest, there is a lively street market in Place Maubert and the local shops are a delight of colours and tastes. A super location for exploring the history of Paris as well as sipping an aperitif... Read review

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Advantages: Value for money
Disadvantages: High demand

...Everyone has heard of Ibis hotels, but not many people are aware that they serve other countries worldwide, such as France. Ibis Paris Roissey Charles de Gaulle Paris is a modern 4-storey building which was built with tourists in mind in the 1980s. This hotel is perfect for any occasion, whether you're staying the night before/after your flight, or looking for somewhere to stop-over to visit Paris city centre! Situated 2.5km from the CDG airport, this 304 room hotel is perfect for families on a budget. The prices are standard for Ibis htoels, with a room costing between 66-84 Euros (£45-56) during the week - depending on the time of year and 66 Euros (£45) at weekends. Although this may seem quite a lot for an airport hotel, its a lot less than other hotels in the are are charging, and you have to bear in mind the demand for hotels... Read review

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Advantages: Great value for money, great location and easy access
Disadvantages: None

...This hotel is great value for money. Situated very near to Montmartre it is an ideal base for seeing Paris on a budget. With good Metro access (Porte de Clignancourt) is only a couple of minutes walk, it is easy to get to from any of the main railway stations and easy to reach all of the attractions of Paris by Metro or bus. In the immediate area, there is a special bus service that will take you up the hill to Montmartre for a visit to the Sacre Coeur and the Place due Tertre where artists still gather. Then hop back on the bus to go to down the hill to the Place Pigalle, location of the Moulin Rouge. A Paris Visite travel card (available for 1 to 5 days) will give you travel on buses, Metro and trains across all of Paris. With many other attractions in the area, the Hotel Ornano is well situated for great bars and bistros, just... Read review

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Advantages: Courteous drivers; Easy to use municipal hire scheme
Disadvantages: Sometimes velib 'stations' are full (or empty)

...was clearly a bit too much, and so instead they made their way around the outside. Some stopped at each exit from the roundabout, waiting for a gap so they could carry on their circumnavigation. Others, however, simply kept moving around the outside, and here the cars didn't try to nip round in front, or intimidate behind, but stopped. Waited. Then carried on. I'd seen enough. I just had to try some of this Parisian cycling, and fortunately Paris has an answer for anyone who doesn't happen to have a bike with them, or a hire shop just outside their hotel. They have the Vélib. For those who haven't head of the Vélib this is essentially a bike hire scheme with a difference, launched in mid-2007. It's certainly not the first of its kind in the world, nor in Europe. Actually, it's not even the first in France, but it does seem to have captured... Read review

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