Maybe Belleville isn't for all tourists, but between the Buttes Chaumont, interesting ethnic neighbourhoods, and real-Parisian-living feel of the neighbourhood, I recommend it. The hotel had free wifi (still too uncommon in European hotels), the room was clean if not a little small, and it was right on the metro. On the weekends, the square can get a little loud, but you didn't come to Paris to go to bed at 10, did you?