The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Gainesville

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Gainesville

Gainsville, Florida Gainsville, Florida

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

Hilton Garden Inn Gainesville

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $126 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.

Located at 4075 Sw 33Rd Place, Hilton Garden Inn Gainesville has great rooms from $126 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.50 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 4.2 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a kid-friendly buffet, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, and free parking at this relaxing hotel. We love the convenience of room service, and it's really nice here. 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
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $195 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Gainesville

A great place to stay is Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville which has nice rooms starting at $195. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.10 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1714 SW 34th Street. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, free parking, and laundry facilities which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 3 miles from the city center. Everyone loves a nice pool, and you won't be disappointed with this one.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms


Best Western Gateway Grand

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $232 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip

We found Best Western Gateway Grand to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $232. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.60 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 4200 North West 97th Boulevard. You'll also find parking, breakfast, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and golf which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 8.1 miles from the center of town. Unwinding at the restaurant after sightseeing is a nice way to end the day.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Hotel Indigo Gainesville-Celebration Pointe

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $329 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Gainesville
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

With terrific rooms from $329, Hotel Indigo Gainesville-Celebration Pointe, at 5020 SW 30th Lane provides an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and laundry services. 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 pet-friendly rooms, free parking, kids meals, laundry facilities, and air-conditioning. It's located just 7.1 miles from the city center, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


AC Hotel by Marriott Gainesville Downtown

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $184 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

AC Hotel by Marriott Gainesville Downtown has a great guest rating of 8.70 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. The great rooms here start at $184 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 151 NW 14th Street. Furthermore, it also offers a kid-friendly buffet, laundry services, kids meals, laundry facilities, and air-conditioning, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 0.9 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Laundry service
  • Refrigerator


Hampton Inn Gainesville

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $120 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Gainesville
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Hampton Inn Gainesville is 8.60 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a kid-friendly buffet, breakfast, and laundry services. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $120, and it's located at 4225 Sw 40th Blvd. We also love the a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, city views, free parking, and laundry facilities which are great for visitors. And since it's just 4.3 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. You'll love relaxing in the heated pool after a busy day exploring. 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
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Saltwater pool


Courtyard Gainesville

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $123 (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.

A cool place is Courtyard Gainesville because it has great rooms that start at $123. It has an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and laundry services, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 3700 South West 42nd Street. Only 4.3 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love free parking, a pool table, laundry facilities, air-conditioning, and a coffee shop 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
  • Outdoor pool
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Coffee shop


Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gainesville I-75

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $137 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gainesville I-75 offers an outdoor pool, room service, a fitness center, a bar, and breakfast which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $137 (before taxes). It's located at 3877 SW 37th Boulevard and has earned a guest rating of 9.20/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers laundry services, a free breakfast, free parking, laundry facilities, and air-conditioning which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 3.9 miles 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
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


Home2 Suites By Hilton Gainesville

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $150 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Gainesville
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at 2119 SW 13th St., Home2 Suites By Hilton Gainesville has great rooms from $150 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a fitness center, breakfast, rooms with kitchenettes, and a free breakfast. It has a terrific 9.00 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find pet-friendly rooms, free parking, laundry facilities, a multi-lingual staff, and air-conditioning which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 1.6 miles from the center of town. Having a kitchenette is a nice way for you to have some meals in the room, too. 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
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Kitchenette
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


Homewood Suites by Hilton Gainesville Gainesville

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $130 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.

A great place to stay is Homewood Suites by Hilton Gainesville Gainesville which has nice rooms starting at $130. Offering an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, breakfast, and laundry services, it also has a great guest rating of 8.00 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 3333 Sw 42Nd Street. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers golf, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, free parking, and laundry facilities. It's located just 4.2 miles 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
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Jacksonville, Ocala, and Lake City.

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


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

Gainesville Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$174

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to Gainesville, Florida. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in Gainesville, Florida based on data from 23 hotels is an affordable $174. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Gainesville.

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

  • 3-star hotels: $183
  • 2-star hotels: $158


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