The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Irvine

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to Irvine

Are you looking for a hotel for your first trip to Irvine, California? With plenty of activities and sites, this is a great destination for first-time visitors. So if you're deciding where to stay on your first trip to Irvine, don't worry, we've got you covered. We've analyzed the hotels in Irvine to find out which are the best for first timers based on price, amenities, location, reviews, and guest ratings. In this guide, we'll be showcasing the best hotels for first-time visitors in Irvine, taking into consideration all of these important factors. Whether you're traveling solo, with family, or with friends, there's a hotel that caters to every traveler's needs to make the most of your first trip here. So, if you're visiting Irvine for the first time, the hotels below will be great options, as many of them have pools, breakfast, and plenty of comforts to help you relax. So, here they are, the best hotels in Irvine for first time visitors.

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

Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $242 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Irvine
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

Located at 7955 Irvine Center Drive, Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum has great rooms from $242 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a bar, parking, and laundry services. It has a terrific 9.00 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 4.4 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love city views, a hot tub, a spa, mini-golf, and laundry facilities at this relaxing hotel. That hot tub is terrific after a long day of sightseeing.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


View hotels on the map:

Element Irvine

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $185 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Element Irvine which has nice rooms starting at $185. Offering an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, snorkeling, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 9.00 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 17662 Armstrong Avenue. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers parking, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and a free breakfast which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 2.1 miles from the city center. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun. 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
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Private pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


Marriott Irvine

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $243 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Irvine
  • Heated pool

We found Marriott Irvine to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $243. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and snorkeling, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.00 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 18000 Von Karman Avenue. You'll also find a bar, parking, hiking, child care, and laundry services which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 1.8 miles from the center of town. We love the convenience of room service, and it's really nice here.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Horse riding
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Courtyard by Marriott Irvine John Wayne Airport/Orange County

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $157 (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.
  • Heated pool

With terrific rooms from $157, Courtyard by Marriott Irvine John Wayne Airport/Orange County, at 2701 Main Street provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and snorkeling. Its terrific guest rating is 8.00 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers a bar, parking, child care, laundry services, and a hot tub. It's located just 1.3 miles 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
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


AC Hotel by Marriott Irvine

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $200 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

AC Hotel by Marriott Irvine 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 $200 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 3309 Michelson Drive. Furthermore, it also offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, laundry facilities, air-conditioning, and a 24-hour desk, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 1.2 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
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Refrigerator


DoubleTree by Hilton Irvine-Spectrum

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $190 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Irvine
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.

The great guest rating of DoubleTree by Hilton Irvine-Spectrum is 8.50 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and snorkeling. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $190, and it's located at 90 Pacifica. We also love the a bar, parking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, and a hot tub which are great for visitors. And since it's just 4 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator


Hilton Garden Inn Irvine/Orange County Airport

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $153 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Heated pool

A cool place is Hilton Garden Inn Irvine/Orange County Airport because it has great rooms that start at $153. It has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 2381 Morse Avenue. Only 1.7 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love parking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, an indoor pool, and laundry facilities at this convenient hotel. The indoor pool at this hotel is very nice, and is a great place to unwind and relax on your trip. 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
  • Parking
  • Indoor pool
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Sonesta Irvine John Wayne Airport

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $145 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Irvine
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Heated pool

Sonesta Irvine John Wayne Airport offers a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, parking, and laundry services which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $145 (before taxes). It's located at 17941 Von Karman Avenue and has earned a guest rating of 8.10/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, an indoor pool, laundry facilities, and bicycle rental which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.8 miles from the city center. It's always nice having a heated pool to relax in. It's a great value, too, because it's less than the average price for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Parking
  • Indoor pool
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator


Homewood Suites by Hilton Irvine John Wayne Airport

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $198 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at 17370 Red Hill Avenue, Homewood Suites by Hilton Irvine John Wayne Airport has great rooms from $198 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a fitness center, parking, hiking, and laundry services. It has a terrific 9.00 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find golf, pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, a game room, and a pool table which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 2.5 miles from the center of town.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis


Staybridge Suites Irvine - John Wayne Airport By IHG

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $162 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Irvine
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

A great place to stay is Staybridge Suites Irvine - John Wayne Airport By IHG which has nice rooms starting at $162. Offering an outdoor pool, a fitness center, snorkeling, parking, and hiking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1660 Barranca Parkway. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, golf, and pet-friendly rooms. It's located just 2.6 miles from the city center, too. Don't forget that there's a kitchen in the room to cook your meals, 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
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Game room
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Also, take a look at the first time trip hotels in nearby destinations: San Diego, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Santa Monica, and Carlsbad.

For more terrific hotel ideas in San Diego, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly Hotels in San Diego, Best Luxury Hotels in San Diego, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in San Diego, Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in San Diego, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in San Diego, Best Hotels for One Week in San Diego, Best Hotels for One Night in San Diego, Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in San Diego, Best Party Hotels in San Diego, Best Hotels for Scuba Diving in San Diego, or Best Business Hotels in San Diego.


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

Irvine Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$186

Travelers to Irvine, California will have a large number of terrific first time trip accommodation options with a variety of great prices. The price of first time trip hotels here can vary by amenities, dates, and the neighborhood. Based on thorough data from 15 first time trip hotels, their average price is a very reasonable $186. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Irvine.

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

  • 4-star hotels: $218
  • 3-star hotels: $178


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