The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in San Francisco

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to San Francisco

San Francisco, California San Francisco, California

If it's your first trip to San Francisco, 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 San Francisco. 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 San Francisco. 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco for your first trip!

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

Argonaut Hotel a Noble House Hotel

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $283 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 495 Jefferson Street, Argonaut Hotel a Noble House Hotel has great rooms from $283 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. 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 laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, a hot tub, and laundry facilities 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
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Luxury


Omni San Francisco

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $221 (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 Omni San Francisco which has nice rooms starting at $221. Offering room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 9.30 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 500 California Street. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers child care, laundry services, golf, pet-friendly rooms, and city views which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.5 miles from the city center. Having the delicious restaurant in the hotel is an added bonus.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms


Hilton Parc 55 San Francisco

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $155 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to San Francisco
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

We found Hilton Parc 55 San Francisco to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $155. We loved that is has room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.10 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 55 Cyril Magnin Street. You'll also find child care, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and a hot tub which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.9 miles from the center of town. The room service is especially nice after a long day. 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
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


The Donatello Hotel

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $210 (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.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

With terrific rooms from $210, The Donatello Hotel, at 501 Post St provides room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. Its terrific guest rating is 8.80 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers rooms with kitchenettes, child care, laundry services, a hot tub, and a pool table. It's located just 1 miles from the city center, too. Having a kitchenette is a nice way for you to have some meals in the room, too. It's a great value, as the price is less than the average for first time trip hotels.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator


The Westin St Francis San Francisco On Union Square

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $201 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in San Francisco
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

The Westin St Francis San Francisco On Union Square has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10, and offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. The great rooms here start at $201 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 335 Powell Street. Furthermore, it also offers child care, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and kids meals, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 1.1 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. 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
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Hotel Zephyr

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $193 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

The great guest rating of Hotel Zephyr is 8.20 out of 10. This place has a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $193, and it's located at 250 Beach Street. We also love the a game room, a pool table, an indoor play area, table tennis, and laundry facilities which are great for visitors. And since it's just 2.3 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. 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
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Game room
  • Table tennis
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop


Hotel Zeppelin San Francisco a Viceroy Urban Retreat

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $175 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to San Francisco
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

A cool place is Hotel Zeppelin San Francisco a Viceroy Urban Retreat because it has great rooms that start at $175. It has room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and laundry services, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.20 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 545 Post Street. Only 1 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love pet-friendly rooms, a game room, a pool table, laundry facilities, and bicycle rental at this convenient hotel. 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
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Game room
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop


Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $165 (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.

Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $165 (before taxes). It's located at 555 North Point Street and has earned a guest rating of 8.14/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers parking, child care, laundry services, golf, and pet-friendly rooms which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 2.2 miles from the city center. 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
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Refrigerator


Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $470 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 222 Sansome Street, Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero has great rooms from $470 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. It has a terrific 9.11 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find child care, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and a spa which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 1.6 miles from the center of town.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Breakfast in the room


Hilton San Francisco Union Square

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $155 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to San Francisco
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

A great place to stay is Hilton San Francisco Union Square which has nice rooms starting at $155. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.00 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 333 O'Farrell Street. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers parking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and a hot tub. It's located just 0.9 miles from the city center, too. It's always nice having a heated pool to relax in. 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
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


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

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


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

San Francisco Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$218

After analyzing 101 first time trip hotels in San Francisco, California, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $218. 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 San Francisco.

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

  • 5-star hotels: $501
  • 4-star hotels: $211
  • 3-star hotels: $202
  • 2-star hotels: $133


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