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.)

1 Hotel San Francisco

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $407 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 8 Mission Street, 1 Hotel San Francisco has great rooms from $407 (before taxes). It offers room service, room service, a restaurant, a restaurant, and a fitness center. It has a terrific 8.80 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 1.9 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a fitness center, a bar, a bar, parking, and parking at this relaxing hotel. The service at the restaurant is terrific, and so is the food.

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


View hotels on the map:

Hotel Zoe Fisherman's Wharf

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $169 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Hotel Zoe Fisherman's Wharf which has nice rooms starting at $169. Offering room service, room service, a restaurant, a restaurant, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 425 North Point Street. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers a bar, parking, parking, laundry services, and laundry services which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 2.2 miles from the city center. You'll enjoy relaxing while having room service delivered. 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
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Family rooms


The St. Regis San Francisco

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $479 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to San Francisco
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Family-Friendly

We found The St. Regis San Francisco to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $479. We loved that is has room service, room service, a restaurant, a restaurant, and a fitness center, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 125 3rd Street. You'll also find a fitness center, a bar, a bar, parking, and parking which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 1.2 miles from the center of town.

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


Omni San Francisco Hotel

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $226 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

With terrific rooms from $226, Omni San Francisco Hotel, at 500 California Street provides room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. Its terrific guest rating is 9.00 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers child care, laundry services, golf, pet-friendly rooms, and city views. It's located just 1.5 miles from the city center, too.

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


Argonaut Hotel

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $282 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in San Francisco
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly

Argonaut Hotel has a great guest rating of 8.60 out of 10, and offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. The great rooms here start at $282 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 495 Jefferson Street. Furthermore, it also offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, a hot tub, and laundry facilities, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 2.3 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. You'll love relaxing in the hot tub at the end of the day, too.

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
  • Breakfast in the room


Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $160 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

The great guest rating of Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway is 8.40 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $160, and it's located at 1500 Van Ness Avenue. We also love the parking, hiking, laundry services, golf, and city views which are great for visitors. And since it's just 1 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too. The swimming pool is fantastic and lots of fun, 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
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Airport shuttle
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


Hotel Caza

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $160 (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.
  • Heated pool

A cool place is Hotel Caza because it has great rooms that start at $160. It has an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a bar, parking, and laundry services, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 1300 Columbus Avenue. Only 2.2 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love pet-friendly rooms, a game room, a pool table, an indoor play area, and laundry facilities at this convenient hotel. You'll love relaxing in the heated pool after a busy day exploring. 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
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Game room
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator


The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $231 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Family-Friendly

The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $231 (before taxes). It's located at 335 Powell Street and has earned a guest rating of 8.20/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, laundry facilities, and bicycle rental which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.1 miles from the city center.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $429 (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.

Located at 600 Stockton Street, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco has great rooms from $429 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. It has a terrific 9.10 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 1.4 miles from the center of town.

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


Taj Campton Place

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $210 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to San Francisco
  • 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 Taj Campton Place which has nice rooms starting at $210. Offering room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 9.00 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 340 Stockton Street. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and family rooms. It's located just 1.2 miles from the city center, too.

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


Also, take a look at the first time trip hotels in nearby destinations: San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Napa, and Santa Cruz.

For more terrific hotel ideas in San Francisco, make sure you also see Best Family-Friendly 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
$207

After analyzing 95 first time trip hotels in San Francisco, California, we found the average first time trip hotel price to be a remarkably economical $207. 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: $468
  • 4-star hotels: $188
  • 3-star hotels: $157
  • 2-star hotels: $133


Budget Your Trip
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