The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Monterey

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to Monterey

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If it's your first trip to Monterey, California 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 Monterey. 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 Monterey. 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 Monterey 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 Monterey 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 Monterey for your first trip!

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

Portola Hotel & Spa

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $307 (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

Located at 2 Portola Plaza, Portola Hotel & Spa has great rooms from $307 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, scuba diving, and snorkeling. It has a terrific 8.40 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.1 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a bar, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and a hot tub at this relaxing hotel. We love relaxing in a hot tub after a long day, and the one here is really nice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snorkeling
  • Spa
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator


InterContinental The Clement Monterey

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $359 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is InterContinental The Clement Monterey which has nice rooms starting at $359. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 750 Cannery Row. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers parking, child care, laundry services, golf, and a hot tub which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.9 miles from the city center. Getting room service delivered is always a nice luxury.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Family rooms


Hotel Abrego

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $241 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Monterey
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

We found Hotel Abrego to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $241. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.60 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 755 Abrego Street. You'll also find laundry services, golf, a hot tub, laundry facilities, and bicycle rental which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.4 miles from the center of town. Make sure to set aside some time for swimming in the pool, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Private pool
  • Refrigerator


Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $149 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

With terrific rooms from $149, Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa, at 700 Munras Avenue provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Its terrific guest rating is 8.50 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers hiking, child care, laundry services, golf, and pet-friendly rooms. It's located just 0.3 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
  • Spa
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator


Monterey Marriott

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $331 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Monterey
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

Monterey Marriott has a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. The great rooms here start at $331 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 350 Calle Principal. Furthermore, it also offers parking, hiking, child care, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 0 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. You'll love relaxing in the heated pool after a busy day exploring.

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


Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $419 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

The great guest rating of Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa is 9.00 out of 10. This place has room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $419, and it's located at 400 Cannery Row. We also love the hiking, child care, laundry services, golf, and a hot tub which are great for visitors. And since it's just 0.9 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $308 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Monterey
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Beach

A cool place is Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa because it has great rooms that start at $308. It has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.00 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 1 Old Golf Course Road. Only 1.2 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love parking, child care, laundry services, golf, and pet-friendly rooms at this convenient hotel.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


The Stevenson Monterey

Motel with prices starting at $107 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

The Stevenson Monterey offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, hiking, mountain views, and golf which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $107 (before taxes). It's located at 675 Munras Avenue and has earned a guest rating of 8.00/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers city views, free parking, family rooms, a heated pool, and a multi-lingual staff which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.3 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
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Hiking
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator


Spindrift Inn

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $328 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 652 Cannery Row, Spindrift Inn has great rooms from $328 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, scuba diving, parking, and breakfast. It has a terrific 8.90 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find hiking, laundry services, a free breakfast, city views, and laundry facilities which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 1.1 miles from the center of town.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Holiday Inn Express Monterey - Cannery Row

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $339 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Monterey
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

A great place to stay is Holiday Inn Express Monterey - Cannery Row which has nice rooms starting at $339. Offering breakfast, laundry services, golf, a free breakfast, and city views, it also has a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 443 Wave Street. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers free parking, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, family rooms, and a multi-lingual staff. It's located just 0.9 miles from the city center, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: San Jose, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara.

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


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

Monterey Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$216

After analyzing 34 first time trip hotels in Monterey, California, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $216. 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 Monterey.

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

  • 4-star hotels: $353
  • 3-star hotels: $269
  • 2-star hotels: $159


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