Park Vue Inn or Hojo

pinkhart

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Hi,
Need some help deciding between the Park Vue Inn and Hojo.
My heart says Hojo but the practical aspects of the PVI such as breakfast etc and proximity to the parks are attractive.
It will be me, DH, DD12 and DD14. We will be travelling in August so will def. be using the pool and we will be staying 5 nights. We won't have a car.
Thanks!
 
I'll start by saying I have not stayed in either, but will be staying in both in Sept so done a bit of research. I think if your heart is saying HoJo then go for it, your girls at their age should handle the walk fine.
 
I'll start by saying I have not stayed in either, but will be staying in both in Sept so done a bit of research. I think if your heart is saying HoJo then go for it, your girls at their age should handle the walk fine.

If you remember I would love hear what you think of them both when you get back :)
I am planning ahead for August 2014!
 
Really, I'd probably let price be the determining factor. I love HoJo's, but their prices have started to get out of hand lately. I've never stayed at PVI, but their proximity and food options are attractive. HoJo's is great, and I love the quiet pool at the back. The water play area is made for kids much younger than yours - you'll probably be at the main (quiet) pool at the back.

-Bob
 


Really, I'd probably let price be the determining factor. I love HoJo's, but their prices have started to get out of hand lately. I've never stayed at PVI, but their proximity and food options are attractive. HoJo's is great, and I love the quiet pool at the back. The water play area is made for kids much younger than yours - you'll probably be at the main (quiet) pool at the back.

-Bob

I think that's what I'll do. I don't really want to pay more than $160 or so and looks like the HoJo may price itself to high in August.
 
I had the same problem making ressies a few months ago. I had them at HOJO's for around $135 a night, we have never stayed here before and I really liked the cool pool area for the kids but I ended up cancelling and booking at the park vue, which we have stayed at before twice because it saved us money in the long run. I got a park vue room for about the same price (around $10 price diff) but we always use the free breakfast (there are 5 of us) The food keeps us full until lunch and save us some cash. I also liked the fact that they offer free light dinner meal which we will have to make an effort to try a few times-they did not have this the last time we stayed there. I also have read they have cookies and water bottles and stuff for the guests in the lobby too and it is a closer walk if we want to take breaks.
Plus we are doing the last two days at the Disneyland hotel so the kids will have the waterslides and pool there to relax in.

I would like to try HOJO's if we could get it for a good rate. The pool area looks fun for the kids but it would have to be a good enough rate that if we bought our own breakfast we would not be paying more than the hotels with the free food! To bad they did not offer bf.
 
I can offer my opinion but I have noticed my views on PVI tend to differ from most, so again this is my personal view.
We stayed in the 2Q-kitchenette suite on the ground floor at PVI last August for 2 nights.
We have since stayed at HoJos as follows:
Sept '11-2Q
Nov '11, Jan '12 & April '12- Kids Suite

I love HoJo. I would never stay at PVI in again. Yes, the location is great. We go back to our hotel for a mid-day break. But we are walking so much that honestly the extra 5 min (or whatever) to HoJo is acceptable.
What I didn't like about PVI:
Food was awful- inedible. Granted HoJo doesn't offer food onsite, but I couldn't factor in the "price" of the food from PVI to offset the room price (which for our stay was actually MORE expensive than what we have paid at HoJos since by about $20-40/night)
Service- I didn't like that they charged my CC one night in advance. I didn't like that they photographed my DL when we checked in. I have read other stories of people having issues getting refunds. Apparently they have a poor BBB rating (but I can't confirm this- check yourself)
Pool- It was in the parking lot. Not a fan esp compared to HoJos pools/play area
Noise- we were on the ground floor and we could hear people talking as they were walking outside, late at night.
Interior- it was not what I consider hotel room "clean", the furniture was chipped in places. Bathroom in our suite wasn't "clean" either.

Those are the main things. Just my two cents!
 


I can offer my opinion but I have noticed my views on PVI tend to differ from most, so again this is my personal view.
We stayed in the 2Q-kitchenette suite on the ground floor at PVI last August for 2 nights.
We have since stayed at HoJos as follows:
Sept '11-2Q
Nov '11, Jan '12 & April '12- Kids Suite

I love HoJo. I would never stay at PVI in again. Yes, the location is great. We go back to our hotel for a mid-day break. But we are walking so much that honestly the extra 5 min (or whatever) to HoJo is acceptable.
What I didn't like about PVI:
Food was awful- inedible. Granted HoJo doesn't offer food onsite, but I couldn't factor in the "price" of the food from PVI to offset the room price (which for our stay was actually MORE expensive than what we have paid at HoJos since by about $20-40/night)
Service- I didn't like that they charged my CC one night in advance. I didn't like that they photographed my DL when we checked in. I have read other stories of people having issues getting refunds. Apparently they have a poor BBB rating (but I can't confirm this- check yourself)
Pool- It was in the parking lot. Not a fan esp compared to HoJos pools/play area
Noise- we were on the ground floor and we could hear people talking as they were walking outside, late at night.
Interior- it was not what I consider hotel room "clean", the furniture was chipped in places. Bathroom in our suite wasn't "clean" either.

Those are the main things. Just my two cents!

Eek. I was planning on staying at PVI this fall for the first time. This does not sound good. You say that these views aren't typical. I'm wondering if anyone else shares them? I don't need fancy, but I do want clean and I'd like breakfast to be edible.
 
Hi,
Need some help deciding between the Park Vue Inn and Hojo.
My heart says Hojo but the practical aspects of the PVI such as breakfast etc and proximity to the parks are attractive.
It will be me, DH, DD12 and DD14. We will be travelling in August so will def. be using the pool and we will be staying 5 nights. We won't have a car.
Thanks!
Hi there! I just stayed at HoJo in the Kids Suite, we had a great rate with the Ent Card at $129, but for 2014 who knows what'll happen! :goodvibes
Anyway, my kids are 10 & 12 and they were not thrilled about the kids pool, they had fun for 10 minutes and that was it. If your kids are 12 and 14 NOW, in 2 years they will certainly outgrow that.
The quiet pool is in a pretty location, surrounded by trees, that beats a parking lot I guess.
The walk. As other posted, after so much walking in the parks a little bit more is not such a difference, but it depends how active are you.
I have to admit that for us it wasn't a real difference all the hotels from the PVI to the HoJo, they all seemed close enough.
 
I do hate the pvi swimming pool, It is a relaxing nice area and it is in the parking lot and hate that they charge one night at the time of booking (the last two times years ago they did not do this).
I have read mixed reviews on pvi but we have not run into any bad experiences here so far.
It is so hard to pick a hotel. We are going in July, Oct and Dec. and I am trying to book a hotel for the fall/winter and find myself changing my mind on
things constantly. I have sat here for hours a day researching places and booking and cancelling due to reviews. It is so darn hard!!!!!:confused3
 
Eek. I was planning on staying at PVI this fall for the first time. This does not sound good. You say that these views aren't typical. I'm wondering if anyone else shares them? I don't need fancy, but I do want clean and I'd like breakfast to be edible.

I have seen detailed info here about what they serve for breakfast. I am a healthy eater, and this didn't cut it for me.

Cleanliness is sooo subjective. I can't say i saw things like hairs or serious dirt. the carpets (which have been criticized in the past) were new. I can't remember if my feet got dirty walking around, but the kitchenette floor was dirty and stained in places.

I would say the HoJos rooms we'd had since then felt 30-40% "cleaner" overall. Just my opinion, again. And all rooms (and housekeeping staff) aren't the same.
 
It is so hard to pick a hotel. We are going in July, Oct and Dec. and I am trying to book a hotel for the fall/winter and find myself changing my mind on
things constantly. I have sat here for hours a day researching places and booking and cancelling due to reviews. It is so darn hard!!!!!:confused3

LOL This is probably why we are loyal to HoJos. Besides PVI we stayed at Desert Inn & Suites and I hated that too. There aren't a lot other places with suites thankfully...we don't have many options!
 
Make sure you use a coupon code hojos to get the price lower. There are a few that work any time-like LKMC. These usually get you 15 percent off. With an annual pass you can get 20 percent off.
 
Here are some pics of the Park Vue Inn's pool. Yes, it is in the parking lot. But it is surrounded by a fence, and these pics are a few years old (so the plants on the fence have filled in more). We have never gone in the summer, but the few times we swam on our winter trips - my kids had a great time.
262292_1867674207075_1097653612_31563496_4163708_n.jpg

260249_1867674367079_2307521_n.jpg
 
I have seen detailed info here about what they serve for breakfast. I am a healthy eater, and this didn't cut it for me.

Regarding the Park Vue's breakfast....its definitely not something I would be happy about paying for at a restaurant. But we always take advantage of it before hitting the parks. I usually eat Raisin Bran, yogurt, fresh fruit, OJ and coffee. Healthy enough for me. My kids tend to pick the Fruit Loops, yogurt and waffles (which you toast yourself). My husband eats the omlettes (not great, but he doesn't mind them). The bacon is pretty gross. But for us it is such a great breakfast option. Its free (or included in the price of the room), super convenient, and fills us up - without overfilling us. Once we ate at the Rainforest Cafe, which was fun but expensive and WAY too much food. The PVI's breakfast is a perfect size to hold us over until an early (i.e. beat the crowds) lunch inside the parks. My kids never want to eat once we are in the parks anyway...they want to go on rides!

I should mention that the fresh fruit at their breakfast is usually apples and bananas. I have never seen melons or berries....its not a big fruit selection.

My parents stay at the Park Vue with us each year, and while they do the free breakfast some of the mornings, they love to walk up the street (toward Hojo's) and eat at Mimi's Cafe. Their breakfast choices sound really yummy.

Good luck deciding and have a great trip!
 
PVI's location simply can't be beaten.... I feel Hojo's is a little overpriced if your kids are too old for the pool... You can get a one bedroom suite for around $90 to $100 about the same distance away (towards Katella) with free parking, wifi and breakfast...

I just feel if you don't mind the Hojo distance then save some real dollars which you can use for meals...
 
Eek. I was planning on staying at PVI this fall for the first time. This does not sound good. You say that these views aren't typical. I'm wondering if anyone else shares them? I don't need fancy, but I do want clean and I'd like breakfast to be edible.

My advice is to look at the reviews for PVI on TripAdvisor. The people who like it tend to be the ones who have no issues in terms of booking, billing, or a problem with their room. If everything goes well, they tend to give very positive reviews. On the other hand, be sure to read the reviews that give the lowest ratings. Those people tend to have the same types of problems - their reservation was messed up or they were overbilled and refused a refund. You'll see the same trend - the manager or supervisor was never available when they went to the front office. The manager and supervisor were always "in a meeting" when the customer called after returning home. No one will discuss the billing issue with them. In one case, the manager ran away from a customer in the parking lot!

I had a major billing issue with PVI. After reading the TripAdvisor reviews with the lowest ratings, I was able to see the trend. We stayed there in 2007 and had a roach in our room. After hearing that they remodeled, we gave them another chance last year. They overcharged us for $150 and refused to even discuss it with us. The food was OK, but not great. The rooms are OK, but not great. We switched to the Ramada Maingate down the street and had a very good experience there.
 
We've stayed at both and will be staying at both again our next two trips. We're staying at Park Vue in October because a kid suite was not avail at HoJo. I was able to get the Ent pricing on a kid suite at HoJo in January.

While it IS nice to be so close when at Park Vue and the free food will save us some $$, I do chose HoJo over PV because it's nicer and we prefer the inside doors/elevators at HoJo to the outside doors/more noise at Park Vue.

It's been years for us though, and we haven't stayed in suites at either place yet. I'm also curious to see the changes both places have made since we stayed there.
 

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