11th Arrondissement of Paris: Best Hotels & Neighborhood Guide

👉 Jump to: Meet the 11th Arrondissement | Best 11th Arrondissement Hotels | Areas to Stay | Tips | FAQ

The 11th arrondissement is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris for almost any kind of leisure activity. From nightlife to unique boutiques, you’ll find it here! 

When I moved to Paris permanently, my first apartment was in the 11th. I loved the mixture of international restaurants, dynamic venues, and fun vibes. What was “hipster” in the 2010s has mellowed into what the French call “Bobo”: bourgeois bohemian. I always recommend this area for friends in their 20s and 30s, but it’s perfect for artsy souls at any life stage.

Another great thing about the 11th? It’s still a great bargain after all of these years! The hotels run the gamut from classically French to ultra-modern. They’re just east of the Marais, close to République or Bastille transit hubs. Yet you’ll pay far less than you would in the neighboring 3rd and 4th arrondissements. 

My overall pick in this area, the Hôtel Fabric, is the ideal hotel for visitors to the 11th. I spent time talking with their friendly staff recently and was blown away by the services they provide. The price point, at around $300 per night in the low season, is a great bargain for a high-end boutique hotel in Paris.

Even at my favorite luxury hotel in the 11th, Maison Bréguet, you can sometimes snag a room for under $400! Here, the huge variety of amenities and rooms – including a sumptuous duplex – bump it into the 5-star category.

If you like your classic Parisian chic to have a bit of a punk edge, guess what? The 11th’s the perfect place for you!

Meet the 11th Arrondissement: Paris’s Most Boho District

❤️ Why We Love the 11th: The 11th is my absolute favorite place to recommend to friends asking where to stay in Paris. On the Right Bank, it’s next to the Marais and has great transport links. But it’s much more residential than the single-digit neighborhoods. This means you’ll find incredible local food, nightlife, and more.

While most major Paris attractions are in other arrondissements, you won’t have any trouble getting there from the 11th. Meanwhile, the vibrant atmosphere in the 11th will keep you busy! Grab a drink at a punk, tiki, or 1950s-themed bar. Check out stores selling handmade ceramics, small-batch jewelry, and local crafts. Get beauty treatments, savor green spaces… the sky’s the limit!

I’m constantly in the 11th when I want to go out, shop, or just wander. I’ve had my hair done by an incredibly talented man working out of an old stable near Oberkampf. I’ve sipped coffee (with antihistamines) at the “cat cafe,” the Café des Chats, which lives up to its name. I’ve taken pottery classes here and rented out a bar for one of my book launches. I’ve even stepped into a Michelin-starred restaurant or two on a special occasion.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Who This Neighborhood Is For: If you’re looking for a neighborhood that balances residential life with nightlife, the 11th is perfect for you. If you want a chic hotel at a reasonable price, the 11th just might be where you should stay. And if you’ve seen the major Parisian sites and want a slice of life, boho style, the 11th is waiting!

The neighborhood may sound loud from that description. It can be. Streets with lots of bars and clubs include the Rue Oberkampf and Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud. Meanwhile, large boulevards can also be loud at night. And I absolutely wouldn’t recommend staying here during the Fête de la Musique (Paris’s annual music festival) without heavy-duty earplugs.

With that said, the area is also full of charming passageways and smaller streets with great hotels. The Les Deux Girafes, my favorite boutique hotel in the 11th, is in a small, quiet passageway. Basically? There are areas where young families live and areas where people go out. Look at Google Maps and search for your street name online before booking a hotel.

If you’re a returning younger visitor, this is a great place to live like a young Parisian. But it’s also a great place to stay if you’re coming for the first time. The transit connections mean you can reach most Paris museums in less than half an hour, for example.

In other words, if you’re looking for Paris’s Brooklyn? You’ve found it! 

📍 Areas in the 11th: The 11th, like all of Paris’s arrondissements, is separated into four quarters. They have an unusual organization: horizontal from north (République) to south (Bastille and Nation). From top to bottom, they are: 

• Folie-Méricourt
• Saint-Ambroise
• La Roquette
• Sainte-Marguerite

🚲 Getting Around the 11th: The 11th may not be as central as the single-digit arrondissements. But it is great for walking and wandering. However, getting by on foot here isn’t a great choice if you plan to see a lot of the city.

Never fear, though! There are tons of Métro lines running through and near the 11th. At République, you’ll find Métro lines 3, 5, 8, 9, and 11. At Bastille, you’ll find 1, 5, and 8. And at Nation, you’ll find 1, 2, 6, and 9. Beyond that, there are many stations within the neighborhoods themselves. Bus service, including night buses, is excellent here.

The 11th is also central enough that you won’t have any trouble getting around Paris by taxi or rideshare. 

Intrigued? You should be! With that in mind, here’s what you should know about where to stay in the 11th arrondissement.

Best Places to Stay in the 11th Arrondissement

If you only have time for a quick glance, these are my top hotel picks: 

• 🏆 Best Overall Hotel – Hôtel Fabric, Saint-Ambroise 
• 📍 Best Location – Le Petit Beaumarchais Hotel & Spa, La Roquette
• 💎 Best Luxury Hotel – Maison Bréguet, La Roquette
• 👨‍👩‍👦 Best for Families – Hôtel Saint Martin Bastille, Folie-Méricourt
• 🛎️ Best Boutique – Les Deux Girafes, Saint-Ambroise
• 💆🏻‍♀️ Best Hotel with Spa – Boutet Bastille Hotel Paris, Sainte-Marguerite
• 🖼️ Best Décor –La Maison Gobert Paris Hotel Particulier, La Roquette
• 🌳 Best Sustainability – Hôtel Exquis, La Roquette
• 🛏️ Best Budget – ibis Paris Bastille Faubourg St Antoine, Sainte-Marguerite

Unlike many other Parisian neighborhoods, you’ll find that most double rooms in this area come at a reasonable rate. Consider 300 to 500 euros a night a good estimate for a room in a great hotel. Of course, you can always increase your spending for bigger and better rooms! The 11th is a great place to get more space at bargain prices.

But before you pick a hotel, consider which neighborhood in the 11th is right for you. Here’s a deep dive into each of the four quarters.

Areas to Stay in the 11th Arrondissement

Folie-Méricourt

👉 Best Area For Nightlife | ✨ Best Folie-Méricourt Hotels: Le Général Hôtel • Le Clark Hotel • Hôtel Saint Martin Bastille

About 10 years ago, I spent a few weeks staying with a friend in Folie-Méricourt. I have never gone out so much in my life! I also haven’t experienced a better time, better drinks, or better music more consistently. Years later, the area has maintained its energy. While it’s a bit pricier than it used to be, what isn’t? You’ll still find great bargains here.

Folié-Méricort is the northernmost quarter in the 11th. It’s bordered by the Rue du Faubourg du Temple in the north and Rue Oberkampf (and Sainte-Ambroise) to the south. The Boulevard de Temple and Boulevard de Belleville bookend it in the east and west. 

The location here is great. You’ll find the transportation hub République in the northwest corner of the district. Meanwhile, the Marais is just across the Boulevard de Temple.

While this is an incredible area to stay for nightlife, it’s also home to the best hotel for families in the 11th! The Hôtel Saint Martin Bastille has a cozy atmosphere with tons of amenities. You’ll find an elevator and laundry service here. Importantly, the hotel also has two connecting double rooms. Each has two beds, making it a great choice for traveling families!

Pros of Staying in the Folie-Méricourt Neighborhood:

• Great nightlife
• Great food
• Excellent transport links
• Top-notch hotel options

Cons of Staying in the Folie-Méricourt Neighborhood:

• Some streets can be loud at night
• Areas to the east can be harder to access by public transport

Saint-Ambroise

👉 Best Area For Foodies | ✨ Best Saint-Ambroise Hotels: Hôtel Fabric • Les Deux Girafes • Verlain

Coming to Paris to eat? You can’t do any better than Saint-Ambroise. The neighborhood has everything from great street food to Michelin-starred restaurants. Vegans and vegetarians will do particularly well in this area!

You’ll find Saint-Ambroise between Folie-Méricourt and La Roquette (to the north and south). To the west is the Marais. And to the east is the famous cemetery, Père Lachaise. Though it’s technically in the 20th arrondissement, the graveyard is an easy walk from this area. And it’s fascinating to see the resting places of everyone from Oscar Wilde to Jim Morrison.

But Sainte-Ambroise is so much more than a place to come back to at the end of the day. Like its neighbors, it has great nightlife. What is it most known for, though? Its incredible mix of restaurants, from holes in the wall to Michelin-starred.

If you’re planning on eating in Saint-Ambroise’s buzzy restaurants, book early! This is particularly true for upscale places like FIEF and Maison (two of the best restaurants in Paris). By the time this publishes, even more places will have opened and be booked in seconds. The sooner you can make your reservations, the better!

Meanwhile, Saint-Ambroise is home to my favorite hotel in the 11th arrondissement, the Hôtel Fabric. I personally met two members of its front desk staff, and they couldn’t have been more helpful. 

The upscale industrial-chic décor is perfect for the area and reflects the building’s history as a textile factory. The hammam, spa, breakfast, cocktails, and reasonable price (think around $350 in the low season) all make this a great choice. 

If you love boutique hotels – and quirky stays – Les Deux Girafes is my favorite for both in the area. The staff are super friendly, the courtyard rooms are incredibly peaceful, and the rooms are surprisingly large for Paris!

Pros of Staying in the Saint-Ambroise Neighborhood:

• Incredible selection of restaurants and bars
• Fun and varied activities and attractions
• Great bargains at chic and friendly hotels
• Interesting architecture and many narrow streets

Cons of Staying in the Saint-Ambroise Neighborhood:

• Some streets can be loud at night
• Restaurant and amenity prices vary significantly

La Roquette

👉 Best Area For Shopping | ✨ Best La Roquette Hotels: Maison Bréguet • La Maison Gobert Paris Hotel Particulier • Hôtel Exquis • Le Petit Beaumarchais Hotel & Spa

If you’re a Chanel-Cartier-Hermès shopper, hop on the metro and hit up the 8th arrondissement. But if you’re a handmade-locally sourced-vintage shopper? La Roquette is where you need to be – now!

Between Saint-Ambroise and Sainte-Marguerite, La Roquette has great amenities that make it convenient. Dropping down to Bastille on its eastern end, it’s also incredibly well connected by transport. My first “grown-up” apartment in Paris was here, on the Rue de Charonne. The value for a comparatively big space was incredible!

I could spend the rest of this article listing great buys I’ve made in the Roquette area, but I’ll let you discover your own great purchases. Suffice it to say, I’ve found everything from my favorite dress to novelty throw pillows here. And loved every minute of looking for them!

By no means is it the only great store in the 11th, but the Maison Béguin is one of my favorites. It’s an eclectic blend of ceramics, vintage posters and clothing, contemporary homeware, and other delights. I’ve bought everything from 1950s French ads to a bargain pair of secondhand Ralph Lauren pants here. It epitomizes what’s great about shopping in the area.

Though my starter apartment wasn’t luxurious, the best luxury hotel in the 11th is here: the Maison Bréguet. I love this hotel so much that I’ll come work in its café/bar area. The ambiance is that nice! Great location, great spa, great restaurant. Truly, this is the best place to spoil yourself in the area. 

That’s far from your only choice, though. In a district with steep competition, La Maison Gobert Paris Hotel Particulier gets my vote for best décor. Its charming antique details and lovely terrace make it an absolute beauty. Meanwhile, if sustainability is important to you, the Hôtel Exquis is EU Ecolabel certified. It also offers off-season rooms at under $200.

Finally, Le Petit Beaumarchais Hotel & Spa gets my vote for best location. Just steps away from Bastille and its many buses and subways, you’re connected to the entire city. The spa is also great, with a sauna and salt pool!

Pros of Staying in the La Roquette Neighborhood:

• Great markets
• Wide variety of boutiques
• Vibrant nightlife

Cons of Staying in the La Roquette Neighborhood:

• Can get rowdy at night
• Less “polished” than other areas

Sainte-Marguerite

👉 Best Area For Budget Travelers | ✨ Best Sainte-Marguerite Hotels: Boutet Bastille Hotel Paris • ibis Paris Bastille Faubourg St Antoine • Hôtel Folie

The Sainte-Marguerite area offers a lot of the same benefits as the 11th’s other quarters. You’ll get great food and lodging at great prices. Here, the prices tend to be even lower: it’s farther from central Paris, on the eastern side of the district. But that means bargains for you. And it doesn’t necessarily limit your access – the transport hubs of Bastille and Nation are bustling.

The southernmost quarter of the 11th, Sainte-Marguerite is La Roquette neighbor. It ends roughly at the Nation subway and intersection to the east. To the south, you’ll find the more residential 12th arrondissement. This is great for markets, local hangouts, and day trips from the Gare de Lyon.

The area is fairly residential, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! I’ve tried gong sound baths just around the corner from Nation in the 20th. I’ve bought exciting vintage pieces here. And I’ve eaten in restaurants from almost everywhere in the world here.

Though I don’t usually recommend driving in Paris, this is one area where it’s slightly easier than usual. You’re slightly closer to the edge of the city and can get out without passing through the city center. This makes Sainte-Marguerite more car-friendly than the most central Parisian districts.

It doesn’t surprise me that the best hotel spa in the 11th is here: Boutet Bastille Hotel Paris. Their spa center has a sauna, indoor heated pool, and Turkish bath. That’s a ton of amenities. And it’s particularly impressive that the hotel is Green Key sustainability certified!

You’ll also find the 11th’s best budget hotel here, the ibis Paris Bastille Faubourg St Antoine. As a traveling 20-something, I stayed at ibises throughout Europe. This one, with its terrace and great location, is special. And prices fall pretty close to $200 in the off-season!

Pros of Staying in the Sainte-Marguerite Neighborhood:

• Great bargains on hotels, restaurants, and amenities
• Largely residential feeling
• Fascinating street art and green spaces
• More driveable than many central Parisian neighborhoods

Cons of Staying in the Sainte-Marguerite Neighborhood:

• Fewer attractions, particularly to the east
• Less likely to live up to images of “typical” Paris

Tips & Things to Know about the 11th Arrondissement

#1 – Keep an Eye Out for Public Art

The 11th arrondissement is listed as the “best area for an artsy atmosphere” in my Where to Stay in Paris guide – for a reason! From a steampunk horse to alleys of street art, random portraits on buildings to chalk messages on the sidewalk, culture lives in the streets here. Look for it!

#2 – Prepare to Live Like a Local

I love the 11th for being fun and accessible. But I also love it for long-term stays. It’s home to lots of Parisians, many of whom can’t afford the more visited single-digit central arrondissements. And this means that the bakeries, grocery shops, “locals,” and everyday amenities are top-notch.

#3 – Seek Out Green Spaces

The 11th may not seem like the best choice if you love nature. But it can surprise you! There are green patches throughout its quarters. Small garden squares open to the public aren’t uncommon. Meanwhile, to the south, you’ll find the Coulée Vert, an elevated green walkway that will take you to the huge Bois de Vincennes.

#4 – Experience the Culture

The culture in the 11th might not include the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay. But it can be so much more fun, especially for returning visitors! The Atélier des Lumières light shows, the Cirque d’Hiver’s performances, and the live music at many local venues are just a few places to start.

#5 – Wander!

The 11th is one of my favorite places to wander away from the crowds of central Paris. It can get busy in parts, of course. But you can also find calm, peaceful passageways and picturesque cobblestones. With pop-ups, limited-time events, and other passing pleasures, you can be sure that something in the 11th is always changing.

#6 – Try Local Markets

From the Marché Bastille to the Marché Charonne, Marché Belleville to Marché Père Lachaise, you won’t lack open-air markets. Be sure to check hours, which can be strange. And don’t expect any produce you buy to last as long as its supermarket equivalent!

#7 – Expect the Unexpected

The 11th’s small moments of strangeness are part of why I love it so much. The cat café where you can visit with a huge variety of cats, is just one of the quirky neighborhood fixtures. This isn’t the luxury-branded areas of western Paris. The 11th delights in its unique features!

FAQs

Is the 11th arrondissement a good place to stay in Paris?

The 11th arrondissement is a great place to stay in Paris. It’s particularly good for 20- and 30-something travelers. However, it’s also great for those looking for fun nightlife and bargains near central Paris.

What is the 11th arrondissement famous for? 

The 11th arrondissement is known for its bars, food, and nightlife. In my opinion, it should also be famous as a great place to stay!

How does the 11th arrondissement compare to other arrondissements?

The 11th arrondissement is one of the safest in Paris. It has fewer international visitors and feels more local than arrondissements 1-8. And it has great public transportation.

What are the best things to do in the 11th arrondissement?

The best things to do in the 11th arrondissement are sampling its restaurants, bars, and music. It’s also a great location for shopping, walking, and exploring!

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Thanks for exploring the 11th arrondissement with me! Curious about other areas of the city? Check out my hotel & area recommendations in Paris, then dive deeper into each area:

• 1st Arrondissement
• 2nd Arrondissement
• 3rd Arrondissement
• 4th Arrondissement
• 5th Arrondissement
• 6th Arrondissement
• 7th Arrondissement
• 8th Arrondissement
• 16th Arrondissement
• Montmartre District