Five Stars

Hotel de Vendôme: 1, Place Vendôme 75001 Paris. +33 (0)1 55 04 55 00. The Hotel de Vendôme is Located in the Place Vendôme, the temple of Parisian jewelry, haute couture, antique dealers, and art galleries, and is in walking distance to Opéra, the Louvre Museum, Tuileries Gardens, and Les Halles.

Le Burgundy Paris: 6, rue Duphot 75001 Paris. +33 (0)1 42 60 34 12. Located in the heart of Paris, near Madeleine, Place de la Concorde, Tuileries Gardens, and the Louvre Museum; this hotel offers modern, refined, and luxurious rooms; a spa and fitness club; and a Michelin starred restaurant.

Four Stars

Au Manoir Saint-Germain: 153, boulevard Saint-Germain 75006 Paris. +33 (0)1 42 22 21 65. The entrance on Saint Germain boulevard, right next to the famed Lipp brasserie, makes the hotel ideal for those who dream of being steeped in the life of the Saint Germain de Prés district.

Hotel 7 Eiffel: 17 bis, rue Amelie 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 45 55 10 01. Between the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides, an elegant hotel on the Left Bank in Paris, the 7 Eiffel hotel welcomes its guests in a setting of contemporary luxury.

Three Stars

Hotel de la Paix: 19, rue du Gros Caillou 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 45 51 86 17. Ideally located just a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower and tucked away in a quiet little street, the Hôtel de la Paix offers visitors to Paris a fantastic base to visit the French capital.

Hotel Excelsior Latin: 20, rue Cujas 75005 Paris. +33 (0)1 46 34 79 50. Centrally located in the Latin Quarter, near the Luxembourg Garden, the Sorbonne University, Panthéon, and Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Two Stars

Hotel Eiffel Turenne: 20, avenue de Tourville 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 47 05 99 92. Located just steps away from the Place de l’Ecole Militaire (Military School Square), near the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, rue Cler, rue de Commerce.

Odessa Montparnasse: 28, rue d’Odessa 75014 Paris. +33 (0)1 43 20 64 78. Set near the foot of the Montparnasse Tower, this welcoming hotel is close to the Luxembourg Gardens, the Saint-Germain-des-Près and Latin Quarter districts, with convenient access to the metro. Rooms at the Odessa are simple, cozy and well equipped.

Hostels

St. Christopher’s Inn Gare du Nord: 5, rue de Dunkerque 75010 Paris. +33 (0)1 70 08 52 22. Newly built large hostel with modern amenities conveniently located near the Gare du Nord train station.

Paris has always been synonymous with haute cuisine, and though this is still true today, the city’s restaurant scene is defying old-school tradition for modern – both in French cuisine as well as more international options.

Near SAI Office

Café Varenne: 36, rue de Varenne 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 45 48 62 72. A perfect spot to catch a little sun at one of its few outside tables, this café serves better than average brasserie quality food off chic Rue du Bac.

Au Pied de Fouet: 3, rue Saint Benoit 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 42 96 59 10. Dating back more than 150 years, the tiny restaurant with a quaint upstairs seating area doesn’t accept reservations as it’s always full. Good prices and the cuisine is good quality yet simple.

Le Square: 31, rue Saint-Dominique 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 45 51 09 03. Great on a sunny day, the restaurant’s terrasse faces a calm and quiet part of the city, overlooking the Sainte-Clotilde Basilica.

Near the American University of Paris

PTT Petite Brasserie: 52, rue Cler 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 45 51 94 96. Step back in time to classic Parisian chic in this Brasserie which serves simple and copious food.

Les Cocottes: 135, rue Saint-Dominique 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 45 50 10 28. Cocottes, or casseroles, is the theme of this hearty French cuisine-themed restaurant not far from the Eiffel Tower.

l’Ami Jean: 27, rue Malar 75007 Paris. +33 (0)1 45 50 10 28. Popular and somewhat expensive address for those looking for high-quality French gourmet cuisine, restaurant patrons can observe the chef preparing the food in the open kitchen.

Near Paris College of Art

Le Relais Gascon: 6, rue des Abbesses 75018 Paris. +33 (0)1 42 58 58 22. French Cuisine from the Southwest Basque region. Great huge salads topped with cheeses, meat, and fried potatoes and great gateau basque dessert.

Le Fantôme: 36, rue de Paradis 75010 Paris. +33 (0)9 66 87 11 20. Interesting decorations and ambiance in this simple corner restaurant where children are welcome and old-fashioned arcade games keep them entertained.

Le Tire-Bouchon: 118, rue la Fayette 75010 Paris. +33 (0)1 48 24 58 46. Modern bistro with elegant decorations. A great place to try their special version of the croque monsieur or other typical French dishes.

Near Paris American Academy

Au Port du Salut: 163, rue Saint-Jacques 75005 Paris. +33 (0)1 46 33 63 21. Evening romantic wine bar and restaurant with nightly live music in an intimate setting.

Bouillon Racine: 3, rue Racine 75006 Paris. +33 (0)1 73 20 21 12. A beautiful Art Nouveau French restaurant that dates back to 1906 and a Bouillon, which is an ancestor of today’s Parisian brasseries.

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements with a layout in the shape of a snail where the first two arrondissements are in the center of the city and wind out from there in a circle pattern.

Resources:

PARISINFO: Great source for general Paris information including transportation, attractions, hotels, walks and tours, events, museums, restaurants, etc.

TimeOut Paris: Offers up to date information on art, culture, and going out.

Fnac Tickets: Find tickets for concerts, musical events, sporting events, theater, dance shows, etc.

Paris Museum Pass: A pass that gives you access to a network of more than 50 museums in Paris without waiting in line. You have the option of choosing either 2, 4, or 6 consecutive days.

Tours:

Bateaux Mouches: A one-hour boat ride along the Seine is a good way to take in a different view of some of the well-known monuments in Paris such as Notre Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower.

Discover Walks: Discover Walks offers free walking tours covering several areas of Paris. A €10 tip per person is recommended at the end, although not mandatory.

Tickets & Passes:

The first Sunday of the month all of the museums in Paris are free but be prepared to wait in long lines.

Transportation: 

The best option for tourists is to purchase the Paris Visite (1, 2, 3, or 5 consecutive day pass), which gives unlimited access to metro, bus, and RER zones 1-2 in Paris.