The Marais (3rd and 4th arrondissements) is the most exciting central neighborhood — boutiques, galleries, great restaurants, and the Jewish Quarter. Saint-Germain (6th) is classic Parisian elegance at a price. Bastille (11th/12th) offers more local character and better value. Montmartre (18th) is charming but hilly and requires more metro use.
Budget hotels cluster in the 10th, 11th, and 13th arrondissements. For the classic Paris hotel experience, look for a boutique in Haussmann buildings with wrought-iron balconies. Avoid the immediate surroundings of Gare du Nord for solo travelers late at night.