Best Hotel for Single

[Boo Bear]

Hey! I'll be living in Santa Barbara beginning in July and I was wondering which hotels you all recommend for one person. I love the Disney magic about the WDW resorts and wouldn't mind paying extra a couple of times for a DL hotel but ONLY if it has the magic like the WDW resorts. Otherwise, which off property hotels are the best. When I go to any Disney property, I like to pamper myself. I'd prefer the nicest hotel thats decently priced. Believe it or not, I'm almost as overwhelmed trying to figure out the best way to approach DL as I was with WDW. I wish there were more forums of DL on here!

Thanks everyone!

Bridgette

 

[DebbieB]

I've gone to DL as a single and prefer to stay at one of the onsite hotels. I stayed at Homewood Suites once, it was fine but kind of a pain to wait for busses to and from DL. I've also stayed at Paradise Pier & Grand Californian, it's much easier to just walk back to your hotel.

 

[Sherry E]

Of the 3 DLR hotels, "nicest" and "has the Disney magic" may be two different things. I am one of those stay on-site sorts of people. I have never been to WDW, but I love staying onsite at DLR because I love to be immersed in full Disney mode from beginning to end, and staying at one of the hotels is all part of the experience for me. However, lots of folks on the DIS swear by the off-site hotels because of their convenient location and much lower prices. People seem to love HoJo's a lot and sometimes you can get a great Entertainment Rate there.

So back to the 3 DLR hotels...the nicest one (considered the luxury hotel) is probably the Grand Californian. It is reminiscent of sort of an elegant mountain chalet, with dark wood and dim lighting, comfy couches and chairs in the lobby, a piano player, grandfather clock in the lobby, high ceilings and a fireplace. But it does not have a lot of obvious Disney touches. The Hidden Mickeys are hard to find and it is just not oozing in that Disney feeling. BUT, that said, the location is part of the lofty price one pays to stay at the GCH, because it is so convenient to the entrances of both DL and DCA - in fact, it has its own private entrance to DCA that any guests of the 3 hotels can use.

The Disneyland Hotel is probably what you would want for the Disney magic. Although many folks say that the DLH is sort of run down and in need of a revamping, it is the original Disney hotel and it has lots of Disney touches. You can find lush waterfalls and a koi fish pond, miniature remote-controlled Jungle Cruise boats, various Mickey statues, a wall of old Disney memorabilia - it's just cool. It is cheaper than the GCH and slightly more expensive than the PPH. Also, it is located right at the tail end of Downtown Disney, but you can choose to take the Monorail into DL if you prefer that over walking the course of DTD.

The Paradise Pier Hotel is newer and shinier than the DLH, and it is a perfectly fine place to stay (being the cheapest of the 3 DLR hotels), but it lacks the sprawling grounds of the DLH or the GCH, so there is not much to it. There is a Goofy statue in the lobby, and little touches of the sea/beach/surf theme in the rooms and along hallways, with cute pastel coloring, but it is pretty basic. I stay there when I can't afford the DLH or the GCH because I like to be onsite. The PPH is across the street from the 2 parks, but you can use what we call the 'short-cut,' and cross the street, walk through the GCH lobby and onto DTD for the path to the parks' entrances, so in that case, PPH does not seem AS far away.

Staying onsite/being a guest at any of the 3 hotels provides you (1) with access to the DCA entrance in the GCH, as well as (2) use of Magic Morning (early entry) on whatever days it is offered, and (3) the nifty service of having your purchases in the parks sent back to your hotel so you don't have to schlep them around with you or rent an expensive locker - a service I have used many times and it was great for me, becase I am a klutz and I hate to carry extra things with me if I don't have to.

 

[Boo Bear]

Wow thanks Sherry E! Does anyone have any feedback about non DLR hotels?

 

[charmama4]

I' have stayed at the Fairfield which is about a 5-10 minute walk to the entrance to the parks. The beds are incredible comfy, rooms are roomy, airy, and clean!! You have Mc. D's and Millies restuarant right out front. Pool is sparkly clean and has poolside towels for convience. Staff was way helpful.

If I wasn't staying at the DLH this time around, my family and I would be at the Fairfield. Loved it there.

 

[roxy72]

Congratulations on moving to Santa Barbara! Well, in a few months anyways. I live in the area, so if you have any questions about SB, feel free to ask.

As a single person at a hotel, I would probably recommend something on-site. Personally, I cannot afford it so I've stayed at local 3.5 star hotels. Priceline has some good deals, but the downside to that is the fact that you cannot choose which hotel you will stay in. Last time I was in the Hilton, and for my upcoming trip I will be at the Doubletree. I already am dreading the 1 mile walk just to get to the park! So I'd recommend that you stay on-site, if you can afford it, and enjoy the 24/7 Disney immersion!

 

[ukstitch]

I stayed in the Anaheim Camelot Inn & Suites as a single last October and that was fine - the bed was fairly comfy and the room was nice enough, plus the hotel was easily within walking distance of the parks.

I'm booked into HoJo's this December (also as a single) - it's a little further but it worked out cheaper this time compared to the Camelot and I also like the idea of staying at a hotel with only interior corridors (coming from Europe and DLRP, exterior corridors are very rare here, so I prefer interior where possible).

 

[peppermint]

I would definitely stay at the DLH if I could afford it. Sometimes you can get some pretty good deals there last minute, though. Nothing off-site is as magical or as nice, imo. I mean, they're fine, but it's not quite the same.

Roxy72, FYI - there's a shuttle you can use at the Doubletree. It's only once an hour, but you don't have to walk. A cab is 12 bucks. It's a nice hotel for the Priceline cost. I really like it.

 

[bumbershoot]

When traveling as a solo female, I would prefer a proper hotel to a motel. So that's the onsite places or HoJo, for closer places. The walk to hojo isn't that much further from the esplanade to the onsite hotels, and you're always with tourists or commuters, so it's not scary.

I stayed at the Carousel on a solo trip and sure, it's closer, but it's got those exterior corridors, and I was jumpy and nervous while there, day and night. I felt too vulnerable. Which is odd, b/c I'm a seasoned solo traveler, I've wandered the French Quarter by myself on TWO solo New Orleans trips, but I just felt really exposed staying at a motel vs a hotel.

There are other hotels, like the Hilton, but HoJo is closer, when talking about offsites.

 

[roxy72]

I would definitely stay at the DLH if I could afford it. Sometimes you can get some pretty good deals there last minute, though. Nothing off-site is as magical or as nice, imo. I mean, they're fine, but it's not quite the same.

Roxy72, FYI - there's a shuttle you can use at the Doubletree. It's only once an hour, but you don't have to walk. A cab is 12 bucks. It's a nice hotel for the Priceline cost. I really like it.

I'm staying at the Doubletree in Anaheim, not Orange. The one in Orange offers a shuttle, but the one in Anaheim doesn't (at least according to the gal who picked up the phone when I called).