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The Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in Wilmington

Where to Stay if You've Never Been to Wilmington

Wilmington, NC Wilmington, NC

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

Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington Downtown/Historic District

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $177 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Wilmington
  • Family-Friendly
  • Heated pool
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Located at 229 North 2nd Street, Courtyard by Marriott Wilmington Downtown/Historic District has great rooms from $177 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, scuba diving, and a bar. It has a terrific 8.10 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. Only 0.9 miles from the city center, first time visitors will especially love parking, laundry services, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and a heated pool at this relaxing hotel. The service at the restaurant is terrific, and so is the food.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Parking
  • Family-Friendly
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Bicycle rental
  • Heated pool
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


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Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington/Mayfaire

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $162 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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A great place to stay is Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington/Mayfaire which has nice rooms starting at $162. Offering an outdoor pool, a fitness center, scuba diving, a bar, and rooms with kitchens, it also has a great guest rating of 9.00 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 6732 Swan Mill Road. This convenient hotel is also nice because it offers rooms with kitchenettes, laundry services, golf, pet-friendly rooms, and a hot tub which visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 6.5 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
  • Kitchen
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Kitchenette
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Hampton Inn & Suites Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach-Landfall Park

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $166 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Wilmington
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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We found Hampton Inn & Suites Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach-Landfall Park to be a great place to stay, and the price starts at $166. We loved that is has an outdoor pool, a pool bar, room service, a fitness center, and scuba diving, and it also has a terrific guest rating of 8.70 out of 10 from previous guests. It's located at 1989 Eastwood Road. You'll also find snorkeling, a bar, hiking, rooms with kitchenettes, and child care which travelers will love. And this fun hotel is just 7.2 miles from the center of town. We always love having a pool, and the one here is really nice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Snorkeling
More Great Amenities
  • Pool bar
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Hiking
  • Kitchenette
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
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Hampton Inn Wilmington-University Area/Smith Creek Station

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $128 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect Hotel to Make the Most of Your First Visit
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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With terrific rooms from $128, Hampton Inn Wilmington-University Area/Smith Creek Station, at 124 Old Eastwood Road provides an outdoor pool, room service, a fitness center, a bar, and laundry services. Its terrific guest rating is 8.70 out of 10 from previous guests staying here. New visitors will really like this amazing hotel which also offers pet-friendly rooms, free parking, laundry facilities, bicycle rental, and family rooms. It's located just 4.7 miles from the city center, too. The pool here was very nice, relaxing, and fun. 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
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Element Wilmington

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $185 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Great Hotel for First Time Visitors
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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Element Wilmington has a great guest rating of 8.60 out of 10, and offers an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and rooms with kitchens. The great rooms here start at $185 before taxes and depending on the season. It can be found at 1055 International Drive. Furthermore, it also offers laundry services, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, free parking, and laundry facilities, which is nice for first time visitors. Just 6.7 miles from the city center, this fantastic hotel is a terrific choice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Kitchen
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
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Hotel Lela Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

4-star Hotel with prices starting at $131 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Visit to Wilmington
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 4-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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The great guest rating of Hotel Lela Wilmington, Tapestry Collection by Hilton is 8.90 out of 10. This place has an outdoor pool, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and laundry services. Prices for the terrific rooms are from $131, and it's located at 5001 Market Street. We also love the pet-friendly rooms, free parking, laundry facilities, air-conditioning, and a 24-hour desk which are great for visitors. And since it's just 3.7 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
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Free parking
View Prices and Reviews


Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $182 (before taxes) - See All Prices
A Good Stay for Your First Trip
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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A cool place is Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center because it has great rooms that start at $182. It has a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, parking, and laundry services, it also earned a great guest rating of 8.90 out of 10 from people who have stayed here before. It's found at 501 Nutt Street. Only 1.1 miles from the city center, travelers will especially love pet-friendly rooms, city views, laundry facilities, air-conditioning, and a 24-hour desk at this convenient hotel.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Parking
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Microwave
View Prices and Reviews


Hampton Inn Wilmington-Medical Park

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $120 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for Your First Time in Wilmington
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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Hampton Inn Wilmington-Medical Park offers an outdoor pool, room service, a fitness center, a bar, and laundry services which we really like. The terrific rooms here start at $120 (before taxes). It's located at 2320 South 17th Street and has earned a guest rating of 8.90/10. This fun hotel is also nice because it offers free parking, family rooms, air-conditioning, a 24-hour desk, and a microwave which new visitors will enjoy. Also, it's just 2.2 miles from the city center. 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
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Free parking
  • Family rooms
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Residence Inn by Marriott Wilmington Landfall

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $144 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Perfect for First-Timers
  • High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.
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Located at 1200 Culbreth Drive, Residence Inn by Marriott Wilmington Landfall has great rooms from $144 (before taxes). It offers an outdoor pool, room service, a fitness center, a bar, and rooms with kitchens. It has a terrific 8.80 rating out of 10 from previous guests who have stayed here. You'll also find child care, laundry services, a free breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, and a hot tub which first time visitors will love. And this amazing hotel is just 6.6 miles from the center of town. We love relaxing in a hot tub after a long day, and the one here is really nice.

First Time Trip Hotel Amenities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Room service
  • Kitchen
  • Free breakfast
More Great Amenities
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Babysitting / Child Care
  • Laundry service
  • Pets allowed
  • Hot tub
  • Free parking
  • Bicycle rental
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


DoubleTree by Hilton Wilmington

3-star Hotel with prices starting at $121 (before taxes) - See All Prices
Among the Best Places to Stay for a First Visit to Wilmington
  • Great Value: the price is lower than average for 3-star hotels.
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A great place to stay is DoubleTree by Hilton Wilmington which has nice rooms starting at $121. Offering room service, a restaurant, a fitness center, a bar, and parking, it also has a great guest rating of 8.10 out of 10 from many previous guests. It's located at 5032 Market Street. Visitors will really like this fantastic hotel which also offers laundry services, a hot tub, an indoor pool, laundry facilities, and air-conditioning. It's located just 3.8 miles from the city center, too. The indoor pool at this hotel is very nice, and is a great place to unwind and relax on your trip. 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
  • Indoor pool
  • Airport shuttle
More Great Amenities
  • Restaurant
  • Fitness center
  • Bar/Lounge
  • Laundry service
  • Hot tub
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
View Prices and Reviews


Also, take a look at the first time trip hotels in nearby destinations: Myrtle Beach, Wilmington, Fayetteville, North Myrtle Beach, and Jacksonville.

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


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

Wilmington Average First Time Trip Hotel Price
$139

Visitors will find a large range of terrific first time trip hotel choices when planning a visit to Wilmington, North Carolina. The price of these first time trip hotels can vary according to location, type, and amenities. The average first time trip hotel price in Wilmington, North Carolina based on data from 28 hotels is an affordable $139. If you're interested in more information about hotels here, see our guide to hotel prices in Wilmington.

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

  • 4-star hotels: $152
  • 3-star hotels: $143
  • 2-star hotels: $119


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