North America / North America Hotels / United States of America Hotels / Santa Cruz Hotels /

The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Santa Cruz

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California Santa Cruz, California

Visiting Santa Cruz, California for the first time can be an exciting, yet overwhelming experience. With so many incredible hotels to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to stay. If you're deciding where to stay for your first visit to Santa Cruz, we've compiled a list of the best hotels for first time visitors. We analyzed all of the hotels in Santa Cruz based on price, location, amenities, guest ratings, and more to determine which would be the ideal places to stay for first timers. Whether you're here for just a few days or longer, these hotels offer the perfect combination of amenities, location, and price. For those visiting Santa Cruz for the first time, it's important to choose a hotel in a safe and convenient area to make the most of your first visit. You'll want to be close to the activities, shopping, and dining options, of course. When looking for hotels, consider the amenities they offer. Some hotels may have a fitness center, a bar or restaurant, a pool, or even a spa. All of these features can add to your overall enjoyment if you've never been to Santa Cruz before. Also, guest ratings and reviews are also important to consider when choosing a hotel. Whether you're visiting Santa Cruz for the first time, or you're a seasoned traveler, the best hotels in Santa Cruz for first-timers offer the perfect combination of comfort, convenience, and affordability. So, here's our list of suggestions for your next trip.

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

Hotel Paradox Autograph Collection

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $229 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

Located at 611 Ocean Street, Hotel Paradox Autograph Collection has great rooms from $229 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.40 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.6 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love parking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and laundry facilities at this relaxing hotel. Getting room service delivered is always a nice luxury.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Airport shuttle
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
View Prices and Reviews


Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Santa Cruz

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $192 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Santa Cruz
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Beach
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

A great place to stay is Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Santa Cruz which has nice rooms starting at $192. Offering an outdoor pool, a fitness center, scuba diving, snorkeling, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.50 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 2956 Mission St. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers a kid-friendly buffet, breakfast, hiking, laundry services, and golf which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.8 miles from the city center. Everyone loves a nice pool, and you won't be disappointed with this one. 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
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Horse riding
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Tennis
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Dream Inn Santa Cruz

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $377 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

We found Dream Inn Santa Cruz to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $377. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a bar, and parking, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.80 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 175 West Cliff Drive. You'll also find hiking, laundry services, golf, a hot tub, and laundry facilities which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.9 miles from the center of town. The heated pool is comfortable, relaxing, and fun for everyone.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Fishing
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


West Cliff Inn A Four Sisters Inn

Bed & Breakfast with prices starting at $309 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Santa Cruz
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

With terrific rooms from $309, West Cliff Inn A Four Sisters Inn, at 174 West Cliff Drive provides scuba diving, snorkeling, breakfast, hiking, and golf. Its terrific guest rating is 9.20 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers a free breakfast, a hot tub, free parking, bicycle rental, and fishing. It's located just 0.9 miles from the city center, too. You'll love relaxing in the hot tub at the end of the day, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Snorkeling
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
View Prices and Reviews


Seaway Inn

2-star Hotel with prices starting at $260 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Beach
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

Seaway Inn has a great guest rating of 8.20 out of 10, and offers room service, hiking, mountain views, pet-friendly rooms, and free parking. The great rooms here start at $260 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 176 West Cliff Drive. Furthermore, it also offers horse riding, bicycle rental, fishing, family rooms, and air-conditioning, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 0.9 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Horse riding
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Hyatt Place Santa Cruz

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $195 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Santa Cruz
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Heated pool
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

The great guest rating of Hyatt Place Santa Cruz is 8.40 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a bar, parking, and breakfast. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $195, and it's located at 407 Broadway Ave. We also love the laundry services, a free breakfast, a hot tub, laundry facilities, and a heated pool which are great for visitors. And since it's just 0.6 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
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Heated pool
View Prices and Reviews


Beach Street Inn and Suites

Inn with prices starting at $236 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

A cool place is Beach Street Inn and Suites because it has great rooms that start at $236. It has an outdoor pool, room service, parking, hiking, and rooms with kitchenettes, it also earned a great guest rating of 9.00 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 125 Beach Street. Only 0.8 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love laundry services, a hot tub, laundry facilities, family rooms, and a heated pool at this convenient hotel. We always love being able to prepare simple meals in a hotel room, and the kitchenette here was teriffic.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Mission Inn Santa Cruz

Inn with prices starting at $165 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • Beach
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

Mission Inn Santa Cruz offers breakfast, a free breakfast, a hot tub, a spa and wellness center, and free parking which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $165 (before taxes). It's located at 2250 Mission Street and has earned a guest rating of 8.40/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers family rooms, a multi-lingual staff, air-conditioning, a 24-hour desk, and a microwave which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.2 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
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Ocean Pacific Lodge

Motel with prices starting at $160 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Santa Cruz
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

Located at 301 Pacific Avenue, Ocean Pacific Lodge has great rooms from $160 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, a hot tub, and free parking. It has a terrific 8.40 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find laundry facilities, family rooms, air-conditioning, a 24-hour desk, and wheelchair-accessible units which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 0.7 miles from the center of town. 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
  • Beach
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
View Prices and Reviews


Carousel Beach Inn

Motel with prices starting at $157 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 2-star hotels.
  • Beach
View Prices on Kayak
See Location

View more photos

A great place to stay is Carousel Beach Inn which has nice rooms starting at $157. Offering hiking, free parking, family rooms, air-conditioning, and a 24-hour desk, it also has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 110 Riverside Avenue. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers a microwave, a refrigerator, balconies, landmark views, and private parking. 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
  • Beach
More Great Amenities
  • Hiking
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Monterey, San Jose, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Palo Alto.

For more terrific hotel ideas in Santa Cruz, make sure you also see Best Beach Hotels in Santa Cruz, Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in Santa Cruz, Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Santa Cruz, Best Hotels for One Week in Santa Cruz, or Best Hotels for One Night in Santa Cruz.


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

Santa Cruz Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$220

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to Santa Cruz, California. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in Santa Cruz, California based on data from 17 hotels is an affordable $220. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Santa Cruz.

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

  • 4-star hotels: $303
  • 3-star hotels: $228
  • 2-star hotels: $196


Budget Your Trip
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. On this website you can also find travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
About BudgetYourTrip.com
Share This Page

Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.