Any Thoughts on the New Element Hotel?

[Nightshiftplanner]

I am looking at this hotel also for my August trip. Did you end up booking it? I was thinking about booking it and I can always cancel if it ends up getting bad reviews.

 

[VandVsmama]

Where is it located?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We thought about booking for CHOC Walk weekend, but it just looked a bit far. Maybe another trip when we won't be as tired. It looks like it will be located on the eastern side of GardenWalk -- over by the new JW Marriott.

 

[mel2014]

We have a booking there for 9/8 to 9/13, but we also have bookings at Desert Inn and Desert Palms while I wait for reviews to come in and also decide if we feel up for the walking. I've done the Google Street view of the walk and I do think that even though distance wise it's about the same as the hotels on the south side of Katella, the walk will feel longer because of the big empty field on Disney Way. On the plus side, it is also right on the Clementine ART line, which runs every 20 minutes and is very direct on the way to the park (on the way back it looks a bit more circuitous). We got a senior rate (travelling with MIL/FIL) of $137/night for two queen bed +sofabed studio rooms and there are no resort fees. That includes free breakfast with at least some hot food options and what was described to me as a 700 square foot pool, which seems fairly large compared to the motel pools on Harbor. Also, if you are interested in adjoining rooms, quite a few of their rooms will adjoin.

 

[Nightshiftplanner]

We have a booking there for 9/8 to 9/13, but we also have bookings at Desert Inn and Desert Palms while I wait for reviews to come in and also decide if we feel up for the walking. I've done the Google Street view of the walk and I do think that even though distance wise it's about the same as the hotels on the south side of Katella, the walk will feel longer because of the big empty field on Disney Way. On the plus side, it is also right on the Clementine ART line, which runs every 20 minutes and is very direct on the way to the park (on the way back it looks a bit more circuitous). We got a senior rate (travelling with MIL/FIL) of $137/night for two queen bed +sofabed studio rooms and there are no resort fees. That includes free breakfast with at least some hot food options and what was described to me as a 700 square foot pool, which seems fairly large compared to the motel pools on Harbor. Also, if you are interested in adjoining rooms, quite a few of their rooms will adjoin.

Thanks for the info, I am not familiar with the area at all. I am going back and forth between this and Springhill Suites. The price here is a bit better. I also looked at the satellite view and the walk looks the same distance. My kids (14, 12, 10) can handle a bit of a walk. Can anyone comment on if we would feel safe doing the walk at night?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Thanks for the info, I am not familiar with the area at all. I am going back and forth between this and Springhill Suites. The price here is a bit better. I also looked at the satellite view and the walk looks the same distance. My kids (14, 12, 10) can handle a bit of a walk. Can anyone comment on if we would feel safe doing the walk at night?

Do you mean the Springhill on the corner of Katella and Harbor? If so, that hotel is much closer to the parks. It is about a 10-15 minute walk straight up Harbor to the park entrance.

 

[Nightshiftplanner]

Do you mean the Springhill on the corner of Katella and Harbor? If so, that hotel is much closer to the parks. It is about a 10-15 minute walk straight up Harbor to the park entrance.

Yes, that's the one. Good to know, when I looked it up it said that the element was 0.3 miles from DL (main entrance) and the Springhill suites was 0.4 miles.

 

[teruterubouzu]

Thanks for the info, I am not familiar with the area at all. I am going back and forth between this and Springhill Suites. The price here is a bit better. I also looked at the satellite view and the walk looks the same distance. My kids (14, 12, 10) can handle a bit of a walk. Can anyone comment on if we would feel safe doing the walk at night?

Springhill is definitely a bit closer, but I stayed at the SunCoast Park Hotel which is very near where the Element will be. We walked to and from each day. It felt safe, but a bit isolated, so I probably wouldn't have wanted to do it at night by myself. I found out after the fact that we could have also taken the ART.

 

[mel2014]

Yes, that's the one. Good to know, when I looked it up it said that the element was 0.3 miles from DL (main entrance) and the Springhill suites was 0.4 miles.

Those are pretty accurate estimates. If you map to the center of the Esplanade, the Element is .8 miles and the Springhill is .7.
https://goo.gl/maps/yRaS2ZWpW8jfD3AY7https://goo.gl/maps/1p9N7TfPJE8CpZy26
For the cost savings, to me, an extra .1 mile each direction isn't a big deal, especially since your party is all old enough that Uber and Lyft are viable alternatives to walking, in addition to ART (hint, as far as I noticed, the McDonald's on Harbor doesn't have a no Uber/Lyft pick up sign, so pop in to grab a drink at the end of the night and pick up your Uber/Lyft from there as a much more convenient option than the over-crowded drop-off/pick up lot). I think the issue is mainly psychological, that the walk appears to be longer because there are no landmarks along the way that make it feel as if you're getting closer until you hit Harbor. If it were just our immediate family (9 and 11 year old) I'd definitely be staying at the Element over Desert Inn and Desert Palms. Our issue is that my MIL has hip problems, FIL has back problems and we're also travelling with SIL/DIL who will have a 1 and 4 year old, so they can't use Uber/Lyft, which is why I'm thinking a closer option may work better for us, although Desert Palms is really only .2 miles closer and the Desert Inn, while close, very spacious and clean, has those dreadful hard beds, a mediocre breakfast and the super-chlorine laden tiny indoor pool.


Here's the ART route and schedule if you're interested in checking that out (note, they apparently haven't updated their map since Hilton bought the Country Inn from Radisson and turned it into the Suncoast):
https://rideart.org/routes-and-schedules/clementine-line/

 

[Nightshiftplanner]

Those are pretty accurate estimates. If you map to the center of the Esplanade, the Element is .8 miles and the Springhill is .7.
https://goo.gl/maps/yRaS2ZWpW8jfD3AY7https://goo.gl/maps/1p9N7TfPJE8CpZy26
For the cost savings, to me, an extra .1 mile each direction isn't a big deal, especially since your party is all old enough that Uber and Lyft are viable alternatives to walking, in addition to ART (hint, as far as I noticed, the McDonald's on Harbor doesn't have a no Uber/Lyft pick up sign, so pop in to grab a drink at the end of the night and pick up your Uber/Lyft from there as a much more convenient option than the over-crowded drop-off/pick up lot). I think the issue is mainly psychological, that the walk appears to be longer because there are no landmarks along the way that make it feel as if you're getting closer until you hit Harbor. If it were just our immediate family (9 and 11 year old) I'd definitely be staying at the Element over Desert Inn and Desert Palms. Our issue is that my MIL has hip problems, FIL has back problems and we're also travelling with SIL/DIL who will have a 1 and 4 year old, so they can't use Uber/Lyft, which is why I'm thinking a closer option may work better for us, although Desert Palms is really only .2 miles closer and the Desert Inn, while close, very spacious and clean, has those dreadful hard beds, a mediocre breakfast and the super-chlorine laden tiny indoor pool.


Here's the ART route and schedule if you're interested in checking that out (note, they apparently haven't updated their map since Hilton bought the Country Inn from Radisson and turned it into the Suncoast):
https://rideart.org/routes-and-schedules/clementine-line/

Thanks so much for your insight! I didn't even know about ART before this. We are also going to an Angels game and I see we can use ART for this as well. We will have a car, but it seems like less of a hassle. I'm thinking if we book at Element we will walk in the morning and take ART at the end of the day.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Yes, that's the one. Good to know, when I looked it up it said that the element was 0.3 miles from DL (main entrance) and the Springhill suites was 0.4 miles.

The Springhill on the corner of Katella and Harbor is a super convenient location. It is above the 24/7 CVS, across the street from the 24/7 Walgreens (and there is a Starbucks next to that!), across from a 7-11, and just down the block from a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. it is a well lit and busy intersection, so you feel quite safe walking at all hours. If you find that you forgot to pack anything or need some snacks, sundries, or basic groceries, this location is great.