You're finally taking that dream trip to the City of Light. Or maybe you're a Paris-obsessed francophile who visits every year, and the enticement of a youthful new president (Emmanuel Macron is the youngest in French history) has ensnared you.
After a difficult year for tourism following another high-profile terrorist attack, Paris has reclaimed its spot as one of the most popular cities in the world. In fact, the number of hotel overnights in January reached a 10-year high for the month.
Paris is a laboratory for experimental hotel concepts and creative design, and the world's largest market for Airbnb.
No matter your personality type, you'll find lodgings that are pinch-yourself perfect. Here is Washington Post's guide:
Backpackers: Did you know you can camp in the heart of Paris? Not far from Montparnasse, the former Saint-Vincent-de-Paul hospital is being repurposed into an "eco-neighborhood" in the 14th arrondissement. In the meantime, the vast verdant site is home to Les Grands Voisins, a community-centric project with cafes, nonprofit organizations, artists' studios, organic gardens and even its own campground, with tents and cute cabins such as the popular La Cahute, a mobile miniature maison crafted in Brittany.
Two-person tents cost 22 euros a night (about $25) and are available until Oct. 1, but take note that this is the final season.
Hostels aren't just for backpacking 20-somethings. FIAP hostels welcome both groups and individuals, young and old alike, and offers community-center ambiance with a cafe and rotating exhibitions. Generator Hostel made a splash when it debuted as a "poshtel" in 2015, with the idea that affordable rooms don't have to compromise on style or comfort. Between Belleville and Menilmontant, the beautifully designed Les Piaules hostel offers a panoramic rooftop terrace and free WiFi.
---
Penny-pinchers: Can you find a Paris bolthole for less than 150 euros a night? Oui, and they're not fleabags, though keep in mind that Paris hotel rooms can be quite small. In addition to the aforementioned hostels, you'll find affordable rates and friendly service at the Hotel Mayet, which is within walking distance - along the lovely rue du Cherche-Midi - of the bustling heart of Saint Germain. The Grand Hotel Leveque has developed a word-of-mouth reputation as a great budget option in the Eiffel Tower area; an added bonus is its location on the rue Cler, a wonderful market street in the shadow of La Dame de Fer.
Across the river, in a nontouristy area of the ninth arrondissement, the Hotel du Temps is a small neighborhood hotel with soul; the rooms are stylishly decorated with a vintage, 1950s look.
Not far from the Jardin des Plantes, the Hotel La Demeure has a welcoming, friendly vibe. Flavie+Paul, a young Parisian design duo, created a colorful, playful ambiance with the modern decoration and space-saving elements in the guest rooms. Note that this family-owned hotel plans to upgrade from a three-star to a four-star establishment, so room rates are likely to change. Also note that the Elegancia Hotels group has a number of stylish boutique properties, such as the Hotel Crayon and the Hotel Crayon Rouge, that won't break the bank.
---
History buffs: There's no shortage of history-steeped hotels in Paris: Le Meurice, where Salvador Dalí walked his pet ocelots; L'Hotel, where a dying Oscar Wilde said "either the wallpaper goes or I do."
Some of the most interesting of them are newly reconverted buildings with legendary past lives. Say the word Molitor and Parisians will spin tales of bronzed bodies frolicking in the summer sun. Dedicated in 1929, the famous Art Deco pool complex was where the first bikini had its debut. Today, it's a hotel with a Clarins spa and rooftop garden terrace as well.
In the hip third arrondissement, Les Bains is the cool kid on the block. It was city's first spa (Proust took the waters), then in the 1970s became a Philippe Starck-designed nightclub where Andy Warhol, David Bowie and Jean-Michel Basquiat danced on the famous checkerboard dance floor. Today, it's a five-star hotel tucked behind a Haussmannian facade with a Bacchus bust, a nod to its hedonistic history.
And within the next few years, LVMH will open an ultraluxurious Cheval Blanc hotel inside a historic department store, La Samaritaine, overlooking the Seine.
---
Homebodies: In Paris, you can choose to bed down in a vacation-rental apartment or perhaps play house in a pied-à-terre overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Companies such as Paris Perfect offer more than 100 apartments in various neighborhoods, complete with hotel-style services. Request a fully stocked refrigerator, breakfast delivery, or souffle-cooking classes with chef Philippe Excoffier, who used to work as the head chef at the American Embassy. Founder Madelyn Willems stresses the importance of having round-the-clock Paris staff available to help guests. The jewel in the crown is 25 Place Dauphine, tucked away on a picturesque square on the Ile de la Cite, the island that is home to Notre-Dame Cathedral. For years, backpackers flocked to a squalid little hotel - a total dive with communal bathrooms - called the Hotel Henri IV. This prized property fell on hard times, its beams rotting, desperate for some TLC, until Paris Perfect saved it with a restoration overseen by Gabor Mester De Parajd, France's chief architect of historic monuments. Now, it's home to six apartments with state-of-the-art kitchens.
Airbnb users are spoiled for choice in Paris, where the offerings run the gamut from shared rooms to sprawling luxury apartments. The world's largest community-driven hospitality company has also rolled out a portfolio of bookable local experiences; think bike tours, wine tastings and private guitar concerts. When picking your crash pad, a few tips: analyze the reviews; use Google Maps' "street view" technology to assess the neighborhood (and make sure you're not on a loud, heavily trafficked boulevard); and ask your host what floor the apartment is on. Is there an elevator? If you don't see certain amenities in the listing, be sure to ask. Coffee addicts won't want to wake up - mon Dieu! - without access to a coffee machine.
Part 2: Not these type of travellers? Do not stress, part 2 shares the other four types of travellers.