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The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Santa Monica

Where to Stay on Your First Trip to Santa Monica

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica, California

Are you looking for a hotel for your first trip to Santa Monica, California? With plenty of activities and sites, this is a great destination for first-time visitors. So if you're deciding where to stay on your first trip to Santa Monica, don't worry, we've got you covered. We've analyzed the hotels in Santa Monica to find out which are the best for first timers based on price, amenities, location, reviews, and guest ratings. In this guide, we'll be showcasing the best hotels for first-time visitors in Santa Monica, taking into consideration all of these important factors. Whether you're traveling solo, with family, or with friends, there's a hotel that caters to every traveler's needs to make the most of your first trip here. So, if you're visiting Santa Monica for the first time, the hotels below will be great options, as many of them have pools, breakfast, and plenty of comforts to help you relax. So, here they are, the best hotels in Santa Monica for first time visitors.

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

Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $502 (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.
  • Heated pool
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Located at 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows has great rooms from $502 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.20 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, child care, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, and city views at this relaxing hotel. Getting room service delivered is always a nice luxury.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
View Prices and Reviews


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Viceroy Santa Monica

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $338 (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
  • Heated pool
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A great place to stay is Viceroy Santa Monica which has nice rooms starting at $338. Offering an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1819 Ocean Avenue. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers hiking, pet-friendly rooms, city views, a child pool, and bicycle rental which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.8 miles from the city center. 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
  • Child pool
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
View Prices and Reviews


Regent Santa Monica Beach

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $1134 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Santa Monica
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Heated pool
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We found Regent Santa Monica Beach to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $1134. 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 9.10 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 1700 Ocean Avenue. You'll also find parking, hiking, child care, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.7 miles from the center of town. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun.

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


Santa Monica Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $595 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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With terrific rooms from $595, Santa Monica Proper Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels, at 700 Wilshire Boulevard provides an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and scuba diving. Its terrific guest rating is 8.90 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers snorkeling, a bar, parking, hiking, and child care. It's located just 0.3 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
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Tennis
  • Breakfast in the room
View Prices and Reviews


Huntley Santa Monica Beach

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $396 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Santa Monica
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for first time trip hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
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Huntley Santa Monica Beach has a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10, and offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. The great rooms here start at $396 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 1111 2nd Street. Furthermore, it also offers hiking, laundry services, city views, a hot tub, and a spa, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 0.6 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. Everyone loves a good hot tub, and this one 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
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Breakfast in the room
View Prices and Reviews


Shore Hotel

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $279 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool
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The great guest rating of Shore Hotel is 8.80 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, snorkeling, and a bar. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $279, and it's located at 1515 Ocean Avenue. We also love the parking, laundry services, golf, pet-friendly rooms, and a hot tub 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
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Spa
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Breakfast in the room
View Prices and Reviews


The Pierside Santa Monica

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $306 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Santa Monica
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool
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Location on Map

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A cool place is The Pierside Santa Monica because it has great rooms that start at $306. It has an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.60 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 120 Colorado Avenue. Only 0.5 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love hiking, golf, pet-friendly rooms, bicycle rental, and family rooms 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
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Hilton Santa Monica Hotel & Suites

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $359 (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
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Location on Map

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Hilton Santa Monica Hotel & Suites offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and snorkeling which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $359 (before taxes). It's located at 1707 Fourth Street and has earned a guest rating of 8.40/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers a bar, parking, hiking, child care, and laundry services which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.6 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
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
View Prices and Reviews


Shutters On The Beach

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $757 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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Location on Map

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Located at 1 Pico Boulevard, Shutters On The Beach has great rooms from $757 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar. It has a terrific 9.20 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find parking, child care, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, and a hot tub which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 0.8 miles from the center of town.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Spa
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
View Prices and Reviews


Sandbourne Santa Monica, Autograph Collection

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $549 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Santa Monica
  • Heated pool
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Location on Map

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A great place to stay is Sandbourne Santa Monica, Autograph Collection which has nice rooms starting at $549. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and snorkeling, it also has a great guest rating of 8.20 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1740 Ocean Avenue. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers a bar, parking, hiking, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms. It's located just 0.7 miles from the city center, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
  • Parking
  • Horse riding
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Private pool
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room
View Prices and Reviews


Also, take a look at the first time trip hotels in nearby destinations: Los Angeles, Anaheim, Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Irvine.

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


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

Santa Monica Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$427

Travelers to Santa Monica, California will have a large number of terrific first time trip accommodation options with a variety of great prices. The price of first time trip hotels here can vary by amenities, dates, and the neighborhood. Based on thorough data from 24 first time trip hotels, their average price is a very reasonable $427. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Santa Monica.

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

  • 5-star hotels: $754
  • 4-star hotels: $373
  • 3-star hotels: $277
  • 2-star hotels: $196


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