Anyone ever stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, Garden Grove?!?

[simba_one]

Hello all ,

So we're currently looking at hotels for next summers vacation and we're now interested in the Holiday Inn Express in Garden Grove - http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/ggrca. It's either this or the Holiday Inn & Suites (other thread). Can't be doing with staying in Anaheim and not staying at my favourite hotel the Hyatt Regency O.C. so we're going to stay there for one week and another hotel for two.

I've read a few reviews on it (the Holiday Inn Express that is) and it seems real nice. A lot of people say that even though it's not rated any better than a few of the hotels closer to the DLR it does seem better. How people want to stay as close to the Magic as possible so the hotel know they can get away with cutting a few corners?!?

So anyone ever stayed there? Any info. you can give me? No detail too small. What's the road that it's on like? I've had a look on Terraserver and it looks like more of a residential area but with hotels either side of it.

Any help/info. would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dis-happy]

Be careful, there are some not so nice (even downright scary) areas of Garden Grove. However, I haven't lived there in awhile, so can't comment directly about the hotel you are thinking of. Just wanted to give you a heads up though.

 

[xmelissax]

I agree. I wouldn't say Garden Grove is scary, but definately not a nice town and not somewhere I'd want to stay on vacation. I live really close by and don't like going there.

 

[simba_one]

What's up with Garden Grove then?! Got me worried now. Obviously you know best 'coz I'm not even from CA but from what I saw of it last year it looked nice. Looks can be deceiving though I guess.

Thanks for letting me know though guys. I sure wouldn't wanna stay in an area which has a bad reputation. Any further info. would be appreciated though.

 

[xmelissax]

If you're looking for a hotel that is nice by a bit further, hence a bit cheaper maybe than the hotels right next to Dland I know of three I can suggest. One is in Fullerton, one is in Anaheim right on the border of Orange. Sheraton Four Points Fullerton/Anaheim, the Ayres Inn Anaheim, and Embassy Suites Anaheim. The Sheraton, and Embassy Suites both offer complimentary shuttles to Disneyland.

 

[got2travel]

I've stayed at the HI Express in Garden Grove. I didn't feel that the area was bad at all. If I remember correctly it was more of a business area than residential.

The hotel is fairly new so it is still in very good condition. The rooms were nice sized, clean and comfortable. There is a small pool, nothing fancy, but my son spent a lot of time in it. The breakfast was good, a little more than your typical continental, I love the cinamon rolls that are the trademark of HI Express. There is a shuttle to Disneyland, but you only had 2 or 3 choices in the morning to go, then a few choices in the evening to come back. There was no option if you wanted to take an afternoon break. We ended up driving, so you might need to factor in the $10 DL parking fee when making your choice of hotel. If it were closer, I would stay there again. But since it is so far off, I'd rather stay somewhere else. I only ended up there because of a last minute trip and everything else was booked. I used Priceline and got the HI Express.

 

[simba_one]

If you're looking for a hotel that is nice by a bit further, hence a bit cheaper maybe than the hotels right next to Dland I know of three I can suggest. One is in Fullerton, one is in Anaheim right on the border of Orange. Sheraton Four Points Fullerton/Anaheim, the Ayres Inn Anaheim, and Embassy Suites Anaheim. The Sheraton, and Embassy Suites both offer complimentary shuttles to Disneyland.

Thanks so much for those recommendations! The Ayres Inn looks nice. And only a bit pricier than some of the others we've been looking at. Online rate is $90 a night. Not bad. A few bad reviews out there about how there's a lot of problems with rude staff and room-changing though. And how it faces a hostel with smashed windows or something.

I've stayed at the HI Express in Garden Grove. I didn't feel that the area was bad at all. If I remember correctly it was more of a business area than residential.

The hotel is fairly new so it is still in very good condition. The rooms were nice sized, clean and comfortable. There is a small pool, nothing fancy, but my son spent a lot of time in it. The breakfast was good, a little more than your typical continental, I love the cinamon rolls that are the trademark of HI Express. There is a shuttle to Disneyland, but you only had 2 or 3 choices in the morning to go, then a few choices in the evening to come back. There was no option if you wanted to take an afternoon break. We ended up driving, so you might need to factor in the $10 DL parking fee when making your choice of hotel. If it were closer, I would stay there again. But since it is so far off, I'd rather stay somewhere else. I only ended up there because of a last minute trip and everything else was booked. I used Priceline and got the HI Express.

Sooo confused!! The majority of reviews I've read have been good and you say it's good but locals say the location leaves much to be desired and is "scary". Oh and we always drive to the parks anyway so parking is always accounted for into our spendings.

So, I'm STILL searching. The ones xmelissax recommended look good though. I dunno... I must've looked at like 100 hotels these past couple of weeks. My search continues.

 

[got2travel]

There are some questionable areas of Garden Grove but the hotel is in a nice area. The drive from DL to the hotel does not take you anywhere near the "bad" areas. I don't think the other posters were speaking directly about the area of the hotel, just an opinion of Garden Grove in general.

 

[xmelissax]

When I stayed at the Ayres I didn't encounter any rude staff or room changes, maybe I got lucky. I also didn't face a hostel with smashed out windows? My room just faced the parking lot which was quite nice for a parking lot,haha.

 

[Uuaww]

My roommate is from Garden Grove, and it is not a nice area, a lot of thugs and gangs, avoid it at all costs.

 

[simba_one]

Think we're gonna go for HI behind Disney now. There for two weeks and the Hyatt for one. Or 10 days at the Hyatt and 11 at the HI.

Thanks for all the help though guys. I sure wouldn't want to be staying in an undesireable area for two weeks. And we'll save $7 a day and on two rooms for two weeks that'll add up and we'll be able to spend the money on things that really matter.

 

[tinagirl]

As stated above, I think people were questioning the safety of Garden Grove, not the hotel in general.

The hotel is in a business area, in a fairly major thoroughfare part of town. My guess is you would have a car. Not a place to be walking, but not a bad hotel by any stretch.

I think you will be happy at the one next to Disneyland.

My pick has always been the Holiday Inn in Buena Park, and I've never had any problems, and almost always gotten a free room upgrade to king suite, even though I book it on Priceline for $50!

I think it may be due to the fact that we stay there when we do back to back Angels baseball weekends (Saturday & Sunday game) and don't want to drive back home in between, so perhaps the fact that we are walking in with an Angels jersey on may help us out a bit. Local OC folk love them angels.

 

[pr surfer]

If you time it correctly, you can get the Crowne Plaza in Garden Grove for the same price as the HI-Ex