The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Minnesota

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to Minnesota

If it's your first trip to Minnesota for the activities and sightseeing, then you're in for a treat. But the biggest question is often where to stay for a first time visitor to Minnesota. With so many amazing hotels to choose from, it can be tough to make a decision to make the most of your first trip here. That's where we come in! In this comprehensive guide, we'll help you find the best hotels for first-timers in Minnesota. After analyzing all of the hotels based on price, location, amenities, ratings, and more, we have come up with our list of the best hotels in Minnesota for first time visitors. We'll cover everything you need to know about these hotels, including the amenities, location, prices and ratings. So, whether you're traveling solo, with family, or as a couple on a romantic getaway, you'll find the perfect hotel if you've never visited Minnesota beofre. So check out these terrific hotels, many of which have sparkling swimming pools, delicious restaurants, and top-notch amenities, along with the perfect balance of comfort, location, and affordability. So, let's get to it and discover the best hotels in Minnesota for your first trip!

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

Courtyard by Marriott Rochester Mayo Clinic Area/Saint Marys

Rochester, Minnesota
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $148 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Minnesota
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at 161 13th Avenue Southwest, Courtyard by Marriott Rochester Mayo Clinic Area/Saint Marys has great rooms from $148 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, an outdoor pool, room service, room service, and a restaurant. It has a terrific 8.80 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 176.4 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a restaurant, a fitness center, a fitness center, a bar, and a bar at this relaxing hotel. We love an indoor pool because you can enjoy it any time of the year.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Parking
  • Indoor pool
  • Indoor pool
  • Airport shuttle
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Hot tub
  • Microwave
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Refrigerator


View hotels on the map:

The Berkman

Rochester, Minnesota
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $197 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is The Berkman which has nice rooms starting at $197. Offering an outdoor pool, skiing, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 9.00 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 217 14th Avenue Southwest. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers parking, hiking, rooms with kitchens, laundry services, and golf which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 176.4 miles from the city center. Having a kitchen in the room is a great way to make meals and save money, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Skiing
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Game room
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Private pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Hewing Hotel

Minneapolis, Minnesota
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $335 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

We found Hewing Hotel to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $335. 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 9.00 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 300 Washington Avenue North. You'll also find parking, pet-friendly rooms, city views, a pool table, and bicycle rental which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 99.4 miles from the center of town. The restaurant serves delicious food, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool


Holiday Inn Express & Suites Brainerd-Baxter By IHG

Baxter, Minnesota
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $171 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Minnesota
  • Heated pool
  • Heated pool

With terrific rooms from $171, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Brainerd-Baxter By IHG, at 15739 Audubon Way provides room service, room service, a water park, a water park, and a restaurant. 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 restaurant, a fitness center, a fitness center, a bar, and a bar. It's located just 9 miles from the city center, too. Everyone loves a good hot tub, and this one is really nice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Room service
  • Water park
  • Water park
  • Child pool
  • Child pool
  • Indoor pool
  • Indoor pool
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Refrigerator


Quarterdeck Resort

Nisswa, Minnesota
3-star Resort with prices starting at $186 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

Quarterdeck Resort has a great guest rating of 8.80 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, skiing, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. The great rooms here start at $186 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 9820 Birch Bay Drive Southwest County Road 77. Furthermore, it also offers hiking, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, golf, and pet-friendly rooms, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 14.8 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. We always love being able to prepare simple meals in a hotel room, and the kitchenette here was teriffic.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Skiing
  • Kitchen
  • Horse riding
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Park Point Marina Inn

Duluth, Minnesota
3-star Hotel with prices starting at $153 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Minnesota
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

The great guest rating of Park Point Marina Inn is 9.20 out of 10. This place has skiing, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and hiking. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $153, and it's located at 1033 Minnesota Avenue. We also love the laundry services, city views, a hot tub, an indoor pool, and free parking which are great for visitors. And since it's just 108.9 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Skiing
  • Indoor pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Playground


The Marquette Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

Minneapolis, Minnesota
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $164 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

A cool place is The Marquette Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton because it has great rooms that start at $164. It has room service, room service, a restaurant, a restaurant, and a fitness center, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 710 Marquette Avenue. Only 99.9 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love a fitness center, a bar, a bar, parking, and parking at this convenient hotel. You'll enjoy relaxing while having room service delivered.

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


Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $151 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Minnesota
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $151 (before taxes). It's located at 1300 Nicollet Mall and has earned a guest rating of 8.40/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, an indoor pool, and bicycle rental which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 100.1 miles from the city center. The heated pool is comfortable, relaxing, and fun for everyone.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Indoor pool
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Elliot Park Hotel, Autograph Collection

Minneapolis, Minnesota
4-star Hotel with prices starting at $191 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at 823 5th Avenue South, Elliot Park Hotel, Autograph Collection has great rooms from $191 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. It has a terrific 9.30 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, bicycle rental, and air-conditioning which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 100.3 miles from the center of town.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Refrigerator


Hotel Crosby

Stillwater, Minnesota
2-star Hotel with prices starting at $281 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

A great place to stay is Hotel Crosby which has nice rooms starting at $281. Offering room service, a restaurant, a bar, rooms with kitchens, and rooms with kitchenettes, it also has a great guest rating of 9.20 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 232 Main Street North. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers laundry services, city views, a hot tub, free parking, and bicycle rental. It's located just 107.9 miles from the city center, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Kitchen
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


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


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

Minnesota Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$146

After analyzing 199 first time trip hotels in Minnesota, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $146. Naturally, this destination has many fantastic first time trip accommodation options with a variety of prices. The price will vary by the hotel's amenities, available dates, and the general location. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Minnesota.

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

  • 5-star hotels: $522
  • 4-star hotels: $168
  • 3-star hotels: $143
  • 2-star hotels: $132


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