The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Lake Forest

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Lake Forest

Are you looking for a hotel for your first trip to Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest, don't worry, we've got you covered. We've analyzed the hotels in Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest for first time visitors.

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

Hilton Garden Inn Lake Forest Irvine Spectrum CA

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $167 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Lake Forest
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at 23131 Lake Center Drive, Hilton Garden Inn Lake Forest Irvine Spectrum CA has great rooms from $167 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.70 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 2.2 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love parking, a kid-friendly buffet, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and golf at this relaxing hotel. It's always nice to have a kitchenette to cook some basic meals or have an easy breakfast.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Courtyard Foothill Ranch Irvine East/Lake Forest

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $217 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Courtyard Foothill Ranch Irvine East/Lake Forest which has nice rooms starting at $217. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 27492 Portola Parkway. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers laundry services, a hot tub, free parking, kids meals, and laundry facilities which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 2.6 miles from the city center. After a busy day, the heated pool is a nice place to unwind.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


Best Western Plus Irvine Spectrum Hotel

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $131 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Lake Forest
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.

We found Best Western Plus Irvine Spectrum Hotel to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $131. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a kid-friendly buffet, and breakfast, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.20 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 23192 Lake Center Drive. You'll also find laundry services, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, and free parking which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 2.1 miles from the center of town. Having the delicious restaurant in the hotel is an added bonus. 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
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Playground


Staybridge Suites Irvine East/Lake Forest

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $155 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

With terrific rooms from $155, Staybridge Suites Irvine East/Lake Forest, at 2 Orchard provides an outdoor pool, a fitness center, breakfast, rooms with kitchens, and laundry services. Its terrific guest rating is 8.90 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, free parking, and laundry facilities. It's located just 2.1 miles from the city center, too. We always love being able to cook meals in a hotel room, and the kitchen here was a nice touch. 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
  • Kitchen
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Lake Forest

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $151 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Lake Forest
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Lake Forest has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a fitness center, laundry services, and a free breakfast. The great rooms here start at $151 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 20768 Lake Forest Drive. Furthermore, it also offers a hot tub, a spa and wellness center, free parking, laundry facilities, and family rooms, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 1.5 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun. 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
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Los Angeles, Anaheim, Carlsbad, Long Beach, and Ontario.

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

Lake Forest Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$164

Travelers to Lake Forest, 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 5 first time trip hotels, their average price is a very reasonable $164. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Lake Forest.

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

  • 3-star hotels: $180
  • 2-star hotels: $141


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.