The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Nelson

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Nelson

Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, New Zealand Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, New Zealand

Visiting Nelson, New Zealand 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 Nelson, we've compiled a list of the best hotels for first time visitors. We analyzed all of the hotels in Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson before. Also, guest ratings and reviews are also important to consider when choosing a hotel. Whether you're visiting Nelson for the first time, or you're a seasoned traveler, the best hotels in Nelson 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.)

The Hotel Nelson

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $64 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Nelson
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

Located at 40 Waimea Road, The Hotel Nelson has great rooms from $64 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.80 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.4 km from the city center, first time visitors will especially love mountain views, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, child care, and laundry services at this relaxing hotel. You'll enjoy relaxing while having room service delivered. The price of this hotel is less than average for first time trip hotels, which makes it a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Grand Mercure Nelson Monaco

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $80 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Grand Mercure Nelson Monaco which has nice rooms starting at $80. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 6 Point Road. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers mountain views, rooms with kitchenettes, child care, laundry services, and golf which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 5.8 km from the city center. You'll love relaxing in the heated pool after a busy day exploring. It's also less than the average price for first time trip hotels, so it's a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Chelsea Park Motor Lodge

Motel with prices starting at $83 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

We found Chelsea Park Motor Lodge to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $83. We loved that is has room service, hiking, mountain views, rooms with kitchenettes, and child care, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 214 Rutherford Street. You'll also find laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, a hot tub, and free parking which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.6 km from the center of town. Everyone loves a good hot tub, and this one is really nice. It's a great value, too, because it's less than the average price for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Trailways Hotel Nelson

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $85 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Nelson
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

With terrific rooms from $85, Trailways Hotel Nelson, at 66 Trafalgar Street provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and rooms with kitchens. Its terrific guest rating is 8.70 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers rooms with kitchenettes, child care, laundry services, golf, and free parking. It's located just 1.6 km from the city center, too. Make sure to set aside some time for swimming in the pool, too.

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


Cambria House Nelson

Bed & Breakfast with prices starting at $137 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

Cambria House Nelson has a great guest rating of 9.40 out of 10, and offers a restaurant, breakfast, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and a free breakfast. The great rooms here start at $137 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 7 Cambria Street. Furthermore, it also offers free parking, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, a tour desk, and a 24-hour desk, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 1.8 km from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. Having the delicious restaurant in the hotel is an added bonus.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Airport shuttle
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Boutique Hotel Warwick House

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $123 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Nelson
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

The great guest rating of Boutique Hotel Warwick House is 8.10 out of 10. This place has room service, scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking, and mountain views. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $123, and it's located at 64 Brougham Street. We also love the rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, golf, free parking, and horse riding which are great for visitors. And since it's just 0.5 km from the center of the town, the location is great, too. Being able to prepare food in the room is also very convenient.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Horse riding
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Luxury


The Honest Lawyer Country Pub

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $66 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Beach

A cool place is The Honest Lawyer Country Pub because it has great rooms that start at $66. It has room service, a restaurant, a bar, golf, and pet-friendly rooms, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 1 Point Road. Only 5.9 km from the city center, travelers will especially love free parking, kids meals, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and a tour desk at this convenient hotel. It's also less than the average price for first time trip hotels, so it's a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental


Joya Garden & Villa Studios

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $33 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Nelson
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

Joya Garden & Villa Studios offers rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and free parking which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $33 (before taxes). It's located at 49 Brougham Street and has earned a guest rating of 9.40/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers laundry facilities, bicycle rental, a tour desk, a multi-lingual staff, and a refrigerator which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.4 km from the city center. It's a great value, too, because it's less than the average price for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Refrigerator


Apex Motorlodge

Motel with prices starting at $79 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

Located at 16 Muritai Street, Tahunanui, Apex Motorlodge has great rooms from $79 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, snorkeling, hiking, and rooms with kitchenettes. It has a terrific 8.80 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find golf, free parking, horse riding, laundry facilities, and bicycle rental which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 3 km from the center of town. 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
  • Snorkeling
  • Horse riding
  • Airport shuttle
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


Arcadia Motel

Motel with prices starting at $68 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Arcadia Motel which has nice rooms starting at $68. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, hiking, rooms with kitchens, and rooms with kitchenettes, it also has a great guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 36 Golf Road. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers child care, laundry services, golf, a hot tub, and free parking. It's located just 3.6 km from the city center, too. Having a kitchen means that you'll be able to cook, which is very convenient when you're on the road. 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
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Saltwater pool


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Blenheim and Picton.

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


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

Nelson Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$84

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to Nelson, New Zealand. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in Nelson, New Zealand based on data from 39 hotels is an affordable $84. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Nelson.

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

  • 5-star hotels: $122
  • 4-star hotels: $97
  • 3-star hotels: $83
  • 2-star hotels: $24


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