The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Palo Alto

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Palo Alto

If it's your first trip to Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto. 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 Palo Alto. 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 Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto for your first trip!

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

Garden Court Hotel

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $416 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 520 Cowper Street, Garden Court Hotel has great rooms from $416 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. It has a terrific 9.00 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 1 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love laundry services, golf, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and laundry facilities at this relaxing hotel. Nothing says relaxation like having room service delivered.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


Nobu Hotel Palo Alto

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $671 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Palo Alto
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Nobu Hotel Palo Alto which has nice rooms starting at $671. Offering room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 180 Hamilton. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers mountain views, child care, laundry services, city views, and laundry facilities which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1 miles from the city center. The restaurant serves delicious food, too.

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


The Creekside Inn

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $150 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

We found The Creekside Inn to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $150. 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 8.80 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 3400 El Camino Real. You'll also find parking, laundry services, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and a heated pool which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 1.6 miles from the center of town. The heated pool is comfortable, relaxing, and fun for everyone. 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
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Saltwater pool


The Clement Hotel - All Inclusive

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $1267 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Palo Alto
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool

With terrific rooms from $1267, The Clement Hotel - All Inclusive, at 711 El Camino Real provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and breakfast. Its terrific guest rating is 9.70 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers laundry services, golf, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, and city views. It's located just 1 miles from the city center, too. Make sure to set aside some time for swimming in the pool, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Private pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Westin Palo Alto

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $333 (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.
  • Heated pool

Westin Palo Alto has a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. The great rooms here start at $333 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 675 El Camino Real. Furthermore, it also offers parking, hiking, child care, laundry services, and golf, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 1.1 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. You'll enjoy unwinding in the hot tub, too.

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


Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $140 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.

The great guest rating of Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel is 8.30 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $140, and it's located at 4290 El Camino Real. We also love the a bar, hiking, child care, laundry services, and golf which are great for visitors. And since it's just 2.8 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. The pool bar here is a fun spot to relax while you unwind on your trip. 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
  • Room service
  • Spa
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Dinah's Garden Hotel

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $174 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Palo Alto
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

A cool place is Dinah's Garden Hotel because it has great rooms that start at $174. It has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and rooms with kitchens, it also earned a great guest rating of 9.10 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 4261 El Camino Real. Only 2.7 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, and free parking at this convenient hotel. It's always nice to have a kitchenette to cook some basic meals or have an easy breakfast. 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
  • Kitchen
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $205 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.

Hilton Garden Inn Palo Alto offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $205 (before taxes). It's located at 4216 El Camino Real and has earned a guest rating of 8.50/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, an indoor pool, and laundry facilities which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 2.5 miles from the city center. Having an indoor pool means that you can swim and have fun any time of the year. It's a great value, too, because it's less than the average price for first time trip hotels.

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


Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $248 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Palo Alto
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • Heated pool

Located at 625 El Camino Real, Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel has great rooms from $248 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. It has a terrific 8.20 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find a bar, parking, hiking, rooms with kitchens, and rooms with kitchenettes which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 1.1 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
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


Cardinal Hotel Palo Alto

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $230 (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.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Cardinal Hotel Palo Alto which has nice rooms starting at $230. Offering room service, a restaurant, parking, laundry services, and golf, it also has a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 235 Hamilton Avenue. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers city views, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, a 24-hour desk, and elevators to the upper floors. It's located just 1 miles from the city center, 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
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental


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

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


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

Palo Alto Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$309

After analyzing 16 first time trip hotels in Palo Alto, California, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $309. 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 Palo Alto.

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

  • 5-star hotels: $969
  • 4-star hotels: $375
  • 3-star hotels: $193
  • 2-star hotels: $177


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