The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Ocean City

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Ocean City

Ocean City, Maryland Ocean City, Maryland

If it's your first trip to Ocean City, Maryland 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 Ocean City. 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 Ocean City. 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 Ocean City 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 Ocean City 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 Ocean City for your first trip!

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

Grand Hotel Ocean City

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $309 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Ocean City
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 2100 N. Baltimore Ave., Grand Hotel Ocean City has great rooms from $309 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.30 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 1.1 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love rooms with kitchenettes, city views, a game room, an indoor pool, and free parking at this relaxing hotel. Getting room service delivered is always a nice luxury.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Playground


Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $203 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Hilton Suites Ocean City Oceanfront which has nice rooms starting at $203. Offering an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center, it also has a great guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 3200 North Baltimore Avenue. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers a bar, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.8 miles from the city center. You'll love relaxing in the heated pool after a busy day exploring.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Kitchen
  • Child pool
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
  • Kids' club


Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Ocean City

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $120 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Ocean City
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

We found Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Ocean City to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $120. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a casino, a restaurant, and a fitness center, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 1701 Baltimore Avenue. You'll also find a bar, rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and a hot tub which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.8 miles from the center of town. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun. 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
  • Kitchen
  • Child pool
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Castle in the Sand

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $210 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly

With terrific rooms from $210, Castle in the Sand, at 3701 Atlantic Avenue provides an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a bar, a kid-friendly buffet, and rooms with kitchens. Its terrific guest rating is 8.10 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers rooms with kitchenettes, city views, free parking, kids meals, and laundry facilities. It's located just 2.1 miles from the city center, too. The service at the restaurant is terrific, and so is the food.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Kitchenette
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Howard Johnson by Wyndham Ocean City Oceanfront

Motel with prices starting at $172 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Ocean City
  • Beach

Howard Johnson by Wyndham Ocean City Oceanfront has a great guest rating of 8.00 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a bar, pet-friendly rooms, and free parking. The great rooms here start at $172 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 2401 Atlantic Avenue 24th St and Boardwalk. Furthermore, it also offers bicycle rental, family rooms, a tour desk, air-conditioning, and a coffee shop, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 1.3 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Hyatt Place Ocean City Oceanfront

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $97 (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.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach

The great guest rating of Hyatt Place Ocean City Oceanfront is 8.80 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and breakfast. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $97, and it's located at 1 16th Street. We also love the laundry services, golf, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, and an indoor pool which are great for visitors. And since it's just 0.7 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. Everyone loves a nice indoor pool, and the one here does not disappoint! 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
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Courtyard by Marriott Ocean City Oceanfront

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $107 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool

A cool place is Courtyard by Marriott Ocean City Oceanfront because it has great rooms that start at $107. It has room service, a casino, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.70 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 2 15th Street. Only 0.7 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, city views, an indoor pool, and free parking at this convenient hotel. We always love being able to prepare simple meals in a hotel room, and the kitchenette here was teriffic. It's also less than the average price for first time trip hotels, so it's a great value.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Dunes Manor Hotel & Dunes Suites

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $149 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Ocean City
  • 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

Dunes Manor Hotel & Dunes Suites offers an outdoor pool, room service, a water park, a restaurant, and a fitness center which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $149 (before taxes). It's located at 2800 Baltimore Ave and has earned a guest rating of 8.60/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers a bar, rooms with kitchenettes, pet-friendly rooms, an indoor pool, and free parking which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.5 miles from the city center. Spending time at the water park is such a nice activity for kids and adults alike!

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Water park
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Residence Inn by Marriott Ocean City

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $99 (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
  • Heated pool

Located at 300 Seabay Lane, Residence Inn by Marriott Ocean City has great rooms from $99 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and rooms with kitchens. It has a terrific 8.60 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, golf, a free breakfast, and pet-friendly rooms which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 3.4 miles from the center of town. Don't forget that there's a kitchen in the room to cook your meals, 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
  • Kitchen
  • Free breakfast
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


DoubleTree by Hilton Ocean City Oceanfront

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $105 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Ocean City
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Beach

A great place to stay is DoubleTree by Hilton Ocean City Oceanfront which has nice rooms starting at $105. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 3301 Atlantic Avenue. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers a kid-friendly buffet, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, golf, and a hot tub. It's located just 1.9 miles from the city center, too. We love relaxing in a hot tub after a long day, and the one here is really nice. 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
  • Indoor pool
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Cape May, Wildwood Crest, Rehoboth Beach, and Wildwood.

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


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

Ocean City Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$144

After analyzing 39 first time trip hotels in Ocean City, Maryland, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $144. 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 Ocean City.

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

  • 4-star hotels: $203
  • 3-star hotels: $158
  • 2-star hotels: $137


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