The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Goa

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to Goa

Goa, India Goa, India

Visiting Goa for the first time can be an exciting, yet overwhelming experience. With so many incredible hotels to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to stay. If you're deciding where to stay for your first visit to Goa, we've compiled a list of the best hotels for first time visitors. We analyzed all of the hotels in Goa based on price, location, amenities, guest ratings, and more to determine which would be the ideal places to stay for first timers. Whether you're here for just a few days or longer, these hotels offer the perfect combination of amenities, location, and price. For those visiting Goa for the first time, it's important to choose a hotel in a safe and convenient area to make the most of your first visit. You'll want to be close to the activities, shopping, and dining options, of course. When looking for hotels, consider the amenities they offer. Some hotels may have a fitness center, a bar or restaurant, a pool, or even a spa. All of these features can add to your overall enjoyment if you've never been to Goa before. Also, guest ratings and reviews are also important to consider when choosing a hotel. Whether you're visiting Goa for the first time, or you're a seasoned traveler, the best hotels in Goa for first-timers offer the perfect combination of comfort, convenience, and affordability. So, here's our list of suggestions for your next trip.

(Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars.)

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Goa

Benaulim, Goa
5-star Resort with prices starting at $290 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

Located at Calwaddo Benaulim Salcete, Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Goa has great rooms from $290 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. It has a terrific 9.20 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 38.5 km from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a bar, a kid-friendly buffet, child care, laundry services, and cooking classes at this relaxing hotel. Getting room service delivered is always a nice luxury.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Child pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Table tennis
  • Bicycle rental
  • Private pool
  • Tennis
  • Coffee shop
  • Playground
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Kids' club


Goa Marriott Resort & Spa

Panaji, Goa
5-star Resort with prices starting at $251 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors

A great place to stay is Goa Marriott Resort & Spa which has nice rooms starting at $251. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center, it also has a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at P.O. Box 64, Miramar. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers a bar, a kitchen, a kid-friendly buffet, rooms with kitchenettes, and child care which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 23.1 km from the city center. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Child pool
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchen/Kitchenette
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Table tennis
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Kids' club


Grand Hyatt Goa

Bambolim, Goa
5-star Hotel with prices starting at $362 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Goa
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

We found Grand Hyatt Goa to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $362. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.70 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at P.O. Goa University. You'll also find a bar, child care, laundry services, cooking classes, and a hot tub which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 21.5 km from the center of town. We love relaxing in a hot tub after a long day, and the one here is really nice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Indoor pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Kids' club


Osborne Resorts

Calangute, Goa
2-star Resort with prices starting at $19 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

With terrific rooms from $19, Osborne Resorts, at Near St Anthony's Chapel Gauravaddo provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and laundry services. Its terrific guest rating is 9.20 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers free parking, a pool table, car rentals, laundry facilities, and bicycle rental. It's located just 25.8 km from the city center, too. Having the delicious restaurant in the hotel is an added bonus. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Private pool


Presa di Goa Calangute

Calangute, Goa
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $70 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Goa
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

Presa di Goa Calangute has a great guest rating of 9.00 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and child care. The great rooms here start at $70 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 353/1 Arais Wado. Furthermore, it also offers laundry services, cooking classes, a child pool, free parking, and kids meals, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 23.9 km from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Child pool
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Breakfast in the room


Vivanta Goa Panaji

Panaji, Goa
5-star Hotel with prices starting at $120 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

The great guest rating of Vivanta Goa Panaji is 8.90 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $120, and it's located at Off D B Bandodkar Road Opp Kala Academy St Inez Junction. We also love the child care, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and a spa and wellness center which are great for visitors. And since it's just 21.6 km from the center of the town, the location is great, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Coffee shop


Cidade De Goa - IHCL SeleQtions

Panaji, Goa
5-star Resort with prices starting at $158 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Goa
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.

A cool place is Cidade De Goa - IHCL SeleQtions because it has great rooms that start at $158. It has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at Vainguinim Beach. Only 24.4 km from the city center, travelers will especially love a bar, a kid-friendly buffet, child care, laundry services, and a spa and wellness center at this convenient hotel. Don't miss the pool bar which offers drinks and a fun area to unwind.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Child pool
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Table tennis
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis
  • Coffee shop
  • Playground
  • Kids' club


Fort Tiracol Heritage Hotel

Arambol, Goa
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $166 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Pool

Fort Tiracol Heritage Hotel offers a pool, room service, a restaurant, snorkeling, and a bar which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $166 (before taxes). It's located at Tiracol and has earned a guest rating of 9.30/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers hiking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, free parking, and car rentals which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 36.9 km from the city center.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Airport shuttle
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Luxury


The Crown Goa

Panaji, Goa
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $97 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors

Located at Bairo Alto Dos Pilotos Jose Falcao Road, The Crown Goa has great rooms from $97 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center. It has a terrific 8.01 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find a bar, child care, laundry services, city views, and a hot tub which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 20.4 km from the center of town.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Child pool
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop


Renzo's Inn

Calangute, Goa
2-star Hotel with prices starting at $27 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Goa
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

A great place to stay is Renzo's Inn which has nice rooms starting at $27. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and laundry services, it also has a great guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at E/139, Adventure Street, Opp Kamath Holiday Home, Phase II, Gauro Vaddo. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers free parking, car rentals, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and a tour desk. It's located just 25.6 km from the city center, too. We found the price of this hotel to be a great value because the price is less than average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Calangute, Candolim, Panaji, Canacona, and Betalbatim.

For more terrific hotel ideas in Goa, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Goa, Best Beach Hotels in Goa, Best Cheap Hotels in Goa, Best Luxury Hotels in Goa, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Goa, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Goa, Best Hotels for One Week in Goa, Best Hotels for One Night in Goa, or Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in Goa.


How much do hotels for first-time visitors cost in Goa?

Goa Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$69

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to Goa. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in Goa based on data from 49 hotels is an affordable $69. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Goa.

The average prices of our suggested first time trip hotels by star rating:

  • 5-star hotels: $236
  • 4-star hotels: $66
  • 3-star hotels: $57
  • 2-star hotels: $26


Budget Your Trip
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. On this website you can also find travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Share This Page

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.