The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Washington

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to Washington

The Lincoln Memorial during the Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington, D.C. The Lincoln Memorial during the Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington, D.C.

Visiting Washington, District of Columbia 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 Washington, we've compiled a list of the best hotels for first time visitors. We analyzed all of the hotels in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington before. Also, guest ratings and reviews are also important to consider when choosing a hotel. Whether you're visiting Washington for the first time, or you're a seasoned traveler, the best hotels in Washington 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.)

Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington D C Georgetown

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $196 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Washington
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Located at 1250 22nd Street Northwest, Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington D C Georgetown has great rooms from $196 (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 1.1 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love a kid-friendly buffet, breakfast, laundry services, a free breakfast, and pet-friendly rooms at this relaxing hotel. The indoor pool at this hotel is very nice, and is a great place to unwind and relax on your trip.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Breakfast included
  • Free breakfast
  • Indoor pool
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kid-friendly buffet
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Game room
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Hotel Zena

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $187 (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.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Hotel Zena which has nice rooms starting at $187. Offering an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center, it also has a great guest rating of 8.40 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 1155 14th Street NW. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers a bar, parking, rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 0.7 miles from the city center. Don't forget to spend some time at the terrific pool bar where you can unwind and relax. 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
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Refrigerator


Holiday Inn Washington-Central/White House

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $114 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Washington
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.

We found Holiday Inn Washington-Central/White House to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $114. 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 8.40 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 1501 Rhode Island Ave Nw. You'll also find parking, laundry services, a game room, kids meals, and laundry facilities which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 0.9 miles from the center of town. The restaurant serves delicious food, too. 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
  • Laundry service
  • Game room
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Breakfast in the room


Viceroy Washington DC

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $208 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool

With terrific rooms from $208, Viceroy Washington DC, at 1430 Rhode Island Ave Nw provides an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a restaurant, and a fitness center. Its terrific guest rating is 8.30 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers a bar, parking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, and city views. It's located just 0.9 miles from the city center, too. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Heated pool
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


Willard InterContinental Washington

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $274 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Washington
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 5-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Willard InterContinental Washington has a great guest rating of 9.20 out of 10, and offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. The great rooms here start at $274 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 1401 Pennsylvania Ave Nw. Furthermore, it also offers child care, laundry services, golf, pet-friendly rooms, and city views, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 0.2 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice. Getting room service delivered is always a nice luxury.

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


InterContinental - Washington D C - The Wharf

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $222 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

The great guest rating of InterContinental - Washington D C - The Wharf is 8.90 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a casino, and a restaurant. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $222, and it's located at 801 Wharf Street. We also love the a fitness center, a bar, parking, laundry services, and golf which are great for visitors. And since it's just 1.4 miles from the center of the town, the location is great, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Casino
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Fishing
  • Breakfast in the room


Westin Georgetown Washington D C

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $160 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

A cool place is Westin Georgetown Washington D C because it has great rooms that start at $160. It has an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.70 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 2350 M Street N.W.. Only 1 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love parking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and laundry facilities 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
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Refrigerator


Rosewood Washington D C

5-star Hotel with prices starting at $656 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Washington
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

Rosewood Washington D C offers an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and parking which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $656 (before taxes). It's located at 1050 31st Street NW and has earned a guest rating of 9.60/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers rooms with kitchens, rooms with kitchenettes, child care, laundry services, and pet-friendly rooms which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 1.5 miles from the city center. Don't forget that there's a kitchen in the room to cook your meals, too.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Kitchen
  • Spa
  • Indoor pool
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental


Yours Truly DC

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $186 (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.
  • Family-Friendly

Located at 1143 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Yours Truly DC has great rooms from $186 (before taxes). It offers room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking. It has a terrific 8.30 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, cooking classes, and table tennis which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 0.9 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
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Table tennis
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


Hilton Washington DC National Mall

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $148 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Washington
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • Family-Friendly

A great place to stay is Hilton Washington DC National Mall which has nice rooms starting at $148. Offering an outdoor pool, room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar, it also has a great guest rating of 8.30 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 480 L'Enfant Plaza. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers parking, laundry services, pet-friendly rooms, city views, and car rentals. 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
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Bicycle rental
  • Coffee shop
  • Refrigerator


Also, take a look at the First Time Trip hotels in nearby destinations: Baltimore, Arlington, Alexandria, and Fredericksburg.

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


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

Washington Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$196

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to Washington, District of Columbia. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in Washington, District of Columbia based on data from 105 hotels is an affordable $196. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Washington.

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

  • 5-star hotels: $402
  • 4-star hotels: $172
  • 3-star hotels: $158
  • 2-star hotels: $146


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