The 69-room Hotel Edouard 7 is an upscale, fashionable property that's a 10-minute walk from the Louvre. This boutique hotel, once the historic home of Edward VII, was renovated in 2013 and feels fresh, young, and feminine, with its seven floors named and decorated with a gemstone theme. The sleek rooms -- some look out onto the magnificent Opera Garnier -- have ivy-covered Juliet balconies and offer free Wi-Fi. There is a sun-lit restaurant and a sexy blue bar on-site. A small fitness center, a rarity for a boutique property in Paris, has a few machines and free weights under a skylight. Two spacious conference rooms are equally stylish, furnished with lucite chairs. For a more traditional hotel in the same area, guests might try the Hotel du Louvre.

Hotel des Grands Boulevards is gorgeous boutique hotel on the Right Bank, in a commercial area full of bars and brasseries. Housed in a French Revolution-era building slightly set back from the Boulevard Poissonniere, the 50-room hotel stands out for its sleek design that subtly nods to the court of Marie Antoinette. Rooms feel like chicly pared-down boudoirs, with handmade beds with satin sheets, bathrobes/slippers, and excellent minibars. Pastel bathrooms come with a variety of upscale beauty products (think Sachajuan shampoo and Malin+Goetz lotion). The glass-roofed restaurant opens for every meal and specializes in elegant French/Italian cuisine, and The Shell cocktail bar is open nightly until the wee hours. The nearby Hoxton, Paris is another super-chic design hotel with a buzzier scene and comparable rates.

The budget-friendly Hotel Tiquetonne has 45 simple, homey rooms at shockingly low prices. A few blocks north of Les Halles on a pedestrian street filled with hip restaurants and boutiques, it's off the Rue Montorgueil, known for its street market. The Tiquetonne is within walking distance of three metro stations, although Etienne Marcel is the closest. The Centre Georges Pompidou and the Marais are within a 10- to 15-minute walk, as is Notre Dame Cathedral. Rooms are no-frills simple but are bright and clean. Some rooms share bathrooms (guests can use a clean, shared hallway shower for a fee), and none have TVs, but the place is comfy, and has free Wi-Fi.

The 61-room Hotel Brighton is a redone 19th-century building right in the heart of Paris's 1st arrondissement, very close to Tuileries, the Louvre, and most of Paris's top tourist attractions. Business travelers and tourists will both find this upscale hotel ideally located and atmospheric; the strong old Paris vibe is enhanced by the hotel's antique furnishings and paintings, but also fun, with bright, modern pops of color to remind guests this is a 21st century establishment. Just note that there may be a wait for the elevator, and the hotel lacks property features some may expect from this category, such as a fitness center and full-service restaurant.

This 26-room basic but contemporary hotel is a stand-out choice for two reasons: reasonable room rates, and the location! The property is situated in the prime 1st arrondissement of Paris, within steps of Le Louvre and Tuileries Gardens; guests will be hard-pressed to find a more affordable option in this area. Though hotel itself certainly falls into the budget category, it's more modern than some may expect. Rooms are small and lack big hotel amenities, and some show wear and tear (we spotted a small hole in one wall), but they have fresh bedding, flat-screen TVs, small desks, and up-to-date bathrooms. Free Wi-Fi is available, sometimes, and a small business area can assist when it's down (which is often). For more living space, the hotel does offer apartments (studio, large flat and duplex size) that come with lounge/dining areas and full kitchens. This section of the hotel does not have an elevator so be prepared to climb. Guests can start the day with espresso and free newspapers in the stylish breakfast room decorated with exposed stone walls.

With 37 rooms and stylish contemporary decor, this upper-middle-range Best Western feels more boutique than chain hotel. Its convenient central location is a highlight, situated around the corner from the Louvre and a metro station. Rooms, though a bit small (fairly standard for Paris), are decked out with flat-screen TVs, Nespresso machines, and minibars. Bathrooms feature walk-in rainfall showers and Nuxe toiletries, but entry-level rooms have tiny bathrooms. A breakfast buffet is available for a fee, as is room service continental breakfast. Other than a business corner in the lobby, 24-hour lobby bar, and free Wi-Fi throughout the property, there's not much else in terms of features. For larger rooms at around the same rates, the nearby Citadines Les Halles Paris offers studio apartments with kitchenettes, plus it has a small fitness center. 

The 25-room Hotel Gramont Opera Paris is conveniently located within walking distance of a number of traditional attractions in Paris; the Louvre, Les Halles, and the Jardin des Tuileries are all within a 20-minute walk. As such, it is a popular tourist spot, despite slightly small rooms (though small rooms are common in Paris). Rooms are stylish and serene, with contemporary toile wallpaper, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, and minibars, but some guests have noted signs of wear and tear. The Metro is nearby and Wi-Fi is free (but spotty).

Golden Tulip Opera De Noailles is an upper-middle-range, 56-room venue set in the heart of Paris' bustling 2nd arrondissement. Numerous kooky and kitsch pieces of modern art produced by the group Cracking Art are scattered throughout the lobby, though hallways and rooms can feel a little flat in comparison. The property is a bit short on facilities, but a tiny sauna and gym are something, and the fireplace lounge is a charming touch. All in all, it’s a fun, quirky hotel with a sought-after central location and, often, high rates to match.

The grandeur of the Hotel Normandy’s historic 19th-century building fits perfectly with its surroundings; it is ideally located steps from the Louvre in the 1st arrondissement, the site of some of Haussmann’s most magnificent Parisian architecture. Unfortunately the hotel has seen better days, and many have noted that, despite the large rooms and palatial interior architecture, the hotel features visually antiquated decor and peeling paint. There may also be mechanical quirks related to the hotel’s age; some visitors have noted that outdated electrical wiring may make fans -- supplied in place of air-conditioning in some rooms -- an impossibility at night. The hotel claims to be undergoing renovation; some of these circumstances may change.

The quirky and aptly named Hotel Crayon by Elegancia is a three-pearl boutique-style property in the historic first arrondissement, within walking distance of the Louvre and the Palais-Royal. The hotel, reminiscent of an artist's guest house, is vibrantly colorful and playful. Its 26 rooms, while small, have a fresh whimsical style that mixes retro and modern decor. Rooms come with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, perfume diffusers that allow guests to choose the room's scent, and free Wi-Fi. Travelers seeking a more traditional hotel might want to compare rates at the Hotel Louvre Sainte Anne -- about a 10-minute walk from Hotel Crayon.