Best off-site hotel for 25th Anniversary trip?

[ZCarroll]

I'm kind of at a loss... usually I travel with the family so our needs are very different for just the two of us and a shorter stay. It seems like none of the hotels I'm looking at appear all that nice but I guess it might not matter since we will be at the parks all day for the most part but I still would prefer something a little more special if at all possible? I'm thinking we may just end up going with something across the street, but I'd definitely be willing to stay further and use Uber or something if it means having a more 'upgraded' experience. Reading reviews and looking at the hotel websites, I just really cannot tell because everyone's expectations are so varied to begin with and everything seems geared towards larger groups with a couple of queens and sofa or bunk beds. I really don't like the idea of a door opening to the outside but it seems like most of the places across the street are that way? Thank you so much for any help or insight with this. This will be my first "romantic" trip to Disneyland so I'd really love to find a hotel experience in line with that if I can!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Is having inside corridors your only requirement? What else do you want? Here are some suggestions for you to look at:
Candy Cane Inn -- yes, the doors open to the outside, but the Premium Rooms are nice, breakfast delivered to the room every day, bathrobes, amenities basket, free parking, great customer service, clean, private shuttle, about 8-10 minute walk to the parks, very nice property (well kept up)
Hilton, Sheraton Park, Hyatt OC -- these are actual hotels with inside corridors. The Hilton and Sheraton are walking distance (about a 20 minute walk to the parks), but you also can walk to the TS lot to take the free shuttles. The Hyatt OC is about a mile south of the parks on Harbor -- an easy Uber/Lyft ride.
The Hotel Indigo on Katella -- we get good reviews on this hotel -- it isn't fancy, but for couples getting away, it works well.
See if any of those fit the bill, then come back with any questions!

 

[SteveH]

I've had two stays at the Sheraton. One Labor Day 2018 and this past summer for a week. Our summer stay was good though when temps outside got hot the A/C didn't keep up with our room, but that was about the only negative. My stay over Labor day was in a King bedroom and it went perfect. If I was going to go with just my wife and I it would be high on our list as staying on Disney property is just more then we car to spend. Compared to our room, my colleges that stayed at the Hilton next door did not have any amazing reviews of it.

The guys on the DIS Disneyland podcast are going to review the Hyatt House (corner of Katella & Harbor) but I think that is next week. The photos of it look pretty good so you might listen into their discussion.

Here are a few photos of the the King bedroom at the Sheraton.

 

[dieumeye]

If you’re not staying onsite but want a hotel that’s an upgrade from the other hotels in the area, there’s a JW Marriott opening near DL in April 2020. It should be very nice. So that’s an option if your travel dates are after it opens.

 

[ZCarroll]

Thank you so much for the input! I definitely want someplace that has at least a sink and mirror separate from the toilet. Breakfast isn't a priority just because we are vegan so probably won't be able to take complete advantage of that option, although oatmeal and fruit would be a nice bonus. I mainly was hoping to find something with a nice special atmosphere. For some reason I had ruled out CCI earlier, maybe because of the outside doors but I thought the rooms also looked basic and old? I was looking at Camelot or Castle Inn though, are those less nice than Candy Cane? I like the balconies at Sheraton -thank you so much for the photos! So it's truly walkable? 20 minutes definitely sounds doable for me, but much more than that I start to get antsy/impatient. I'm sensitive to mold and my husband is sensitive to pet dander so would prefer something not musty and no pets.... I'm actually really excited by the idea of being extra close and just walking, but on the other hand this is one trip where I don't think we will be taking any breaks so paying less for something nicer a little further away might actually be better. I'm really not sure what I want I guess, heh! I'm intrigued by the penthouse option with floor to ceiling window views of the fireworks at the Holiday Inn Express, but I suspect the view won't really be all that grand in reality and we will probably be at the parks then in any case so I'd probably rather spend less to have more to spend at DL.

Oh, our anniversary is in February so unfortunately we will miss the new hotel.

 

[bardays]

If you’re not staying onsite but want a hotel that’s an upgrade from the other hotels in the area, there’s a JW Marriott opening near DL in April 2020. It should be very nice. So that’s an option if your travel dates are after it opens.

That's a great idea! I look forward to the new Westin too!

 

[bardays]

Thank you so much for the input! I definitely want someplace that has at least a sink and mirror separate from the toilet. Breakfast isn't a priority just because we are vegan so probably won't be able to take complete advantage of that option, although oatmeal and fruit would be a nice bonus. I mainly was hoping to find something with a nice special atmosphere. For some reason I had ruled out CCI earlier, maybe because of the outside doors but I thought the rooms also looked basic and old? I was looking at Camelot or Castle Inn though, are those less nice than Candy Cane? I like the balconies at Sheraton -thank you so much for the photos! So it's truly walkable? 20 minutes definitely sounds doable for me, but much more than that I start to get antsy/impatient. I'm sensitive to mold and my husband is sensitive to pet dander so would prefer something not musty and no pets.... I'm actually really excited by the idea of being extra close and just walking, but on the other hand this is one trip where I don't think we will be taking any breaks so paying less for something nicer a little further away might actually be better. I'm really not sure what I want I guess, heh! I'm intrigued by the penthouse option with floor to ceiling window views of the fireworks at the Holiday Inn Express, but I suspect the view won't really be all that grand in reality and we will probably be at the parks then in any case so I'd probably rather spend less to have more to spend at DL.

Oh, our anniversary is in February so unfortunately we will miss the new hotel.

not a romantic hotel, but the courtyard Theme Park Entrance is very nice and I am picky!

 

[ZCarroll]

not a romantic hotel, but the courtyard Theme Park Entrance is very nice and I am picky!

Good to know... I am *very* picky myself and I'd actually ruled out the courtyard because I thought it was geared more towards young kids and was worried about noise but that's actually silly of me since my husband has hearing loss and I usually sleep with ear buds in any case. I think having an uber picky approved hotel would trump most everything else for me. Oh... how was the water pressure? Low water pressure would be a deal breaker for me since I like to take quick showers.

 

[bardays]

Good to know... I am *very* picky myself and I'd actually ruled out the courtyard because I thought it was geared more towards young kids and was worried about noise but that's actually silly of me since my husband has hearing loss and I usually sleep with ear buds in any case. I think having an uber picky approved hotel would trump most everything else for me. Oh... how was the water pressure? Low water pressure would be a deal breaker for me since I like to take quick showers.

Hmmmm I don't recall the water pressure, but there is a shower and a bathtub/shower in a separate room . I imagine it would be good? As for kids, yes, they are there, but I never heard them. Going back next week, I will pay attention to the kid noise.
Our kid is a teenager and he went nowhere near the waterpark/pool but he loves it as it is so close to the entrance. DH and I did enjoy a glass of wine by the firepit one night.

 

[carouselDL]

If you're looking for a romantic getaway, I'm not sure Castle Inn is the best choice? For a 2-star motel, I think it's great: it's clean, it's a 10 minute walk to the parks, housekeeping made towel animals for me, and I'm a sucker for the castle theming in the front lol. But you have to set your expectations for a 2-star motel, with exterior corridors. (It does have a sink and mirror separate from the toilet and shower, and the water pressure was fine.)

 

[ZCarroll]

If you're looking for a romantic getaway, I'm not sure Castle Inn is the best choice?

It's something about the castle theme itself actually that feels romantic to me... I love the stained glass, armor, dark wood, but I guess it doesn't really carry over to the rooms themselves and I didn't realize it had external corridors. I'd love something with waterfalls and lots of greenery and drinks by a fire pit sounds very lovely (there's probably something like that in downtown disney though, correct? I actually have never really 'visited' downtown disney!)

 

[ParkHopper1]

Good to know... I am *very* picky myself and I'd actually ruled out the courtyard because I thought it was geared more towards young kids and was worried about noise but that's actually silly of me since my husband has hearing loss and I usually sleep with ear buds in any case. I think having an uber picky approved hotel would trump most everything else for me. Oh... how was the water pressure? Low water pressure would be a deal breaker for me since I like to take quick showers.

Courtyard is the nicest off site walkable property IMO. While geared towards families, does not feel overrun by kids. Much nicer than ever the full service Hiltons and Marriott over by the convention center IMO.

Fairfield Inn and the Holiday Inn Express are also nice(er) properties. All the rest is just an unimpressive cheap bed and shower IMO and if I am not in one of the three I mentioned, I am on site.

In the bity further walk category (15 min or so) the Springhill Suites and Residence Inn by the convention center are nice new properties....although I found the Springhill Suites to be a rather loud hotel with what felt like "thin" walls.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Thank you so much for the input! I definitely want someplace that has at least a sink and mirror separate from the toilet. Breakfast isn't a priority just because we are vegan so probably won't be able to take complete advantage of that option, although oatmeal and fruit would be a nice bonus. I mainly was hoping to find something with a nice special atmosphere. For some reason I had ruled out CCI earlier, maybe because of the outside doors but I thought the rooms also looked basic and old?...

Call the CCI to ask about vegan options with breakfast. The Premium Rooms are a very different deal from the regular rooms (even the deluxe rooms are much nicer than the regular rooms). The sink and mirror are separate from the toilet. CCI has a very nice way of making guests feel special. That's why they have such a great track record with return guests.
We really like the Sheraton Park, too -- that's our other go-to at DLR -- but that is a much larger hotel, so we don't get quite the same special customer service there (although we do get very good service there!). At CCI, we really feel like the staff is looking after us personally. For example, when we bring my parents, the shuttle drivers help them in and out of the shuttle every trip. That kind of extra personal touch is really nice and greatly appreciated.

 

[SteveH]

I like the balconies at Sheraton -thank you so much for the photos! So it's truly walkable? 20 minutes definitely sounds doable for me, but much more than that I start to get antsy/impatient.

The King room I had had a small balcony only for standing, however the room we had in July had a full balcony with 2 chairs, we sat our on it at night and even enjoyed fireworks one night, we were usualy in the parks. Having a pool view and a fireworks view, I would go with the pool view at the Sheraton. I found the noise from Harbo/Katella to be annoying, typical big city noises. But the pool side seemed much quieter. I think you can walk to Disneyland in under 20 minutes, Google says it's about 16 and that sounds about right. We did take the Toy Story shuttle once, but honestly I'm not sure it saved us that much walking.

 

[wowsmom]

I'm sensitive to mold and my husband is sensitive to pet dander so would prefer something not musty and no pets....

We used to stay at CCI and I agree with most of the opinions on it. It's a good location, nice grounds, has friendly staff, etc. But we stopped staying there because we always ended up in rooms that tended to smell like mold/mildew. Granted, I'm super sensitive to it and have a very sensitive nose - my DH didn't really smell it (but he can't smell most things). I haven't stayed there in a few years (maybe 4?) so perhaps things have been spruced up in that time? I think it was mostly due to the air conditioning unit, which is pretty common with older motels/hotels.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We used to stay at CCI and I agree with most of the opinions on it. It's a good location, nice grounds, has friendly staff, etc. But we stopped staying there because we always ended up in rooms that tended to smell like mold/mildew...

We've never had that problem in the Premium Rooms.

 

[wowsmom]

We've never had that problem in the Premium Rooms.

That's good to know. We stayed in premium rooms and deluxe rooms over the years, but it has been a few years since our last stay, so perhaps that's not an issue any more.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

That's good to know. We stayed in premium rooms and deluxe rooms over the years, but it has been a few years since our last stay, so perhaps that's not an issue any more.

If you ever notice it again, tell the management. They really do seem to want to know about these things so that they can fix them.

 

[bardays]

Courtyard is the nicest off site walkable property IMO. While geared towards families, does not feel overrun by kids. Much nicer than ever the full service Hiltons and Marriott over by the convention center IMO.

Fairfield Inn and the Holiday Inn Express are also nice(er) properties. All the rest is just an unimpressive cheap bed and shower IMO and if I am not in one of the three I mentioned, I am on site.

In the bity further walk category (15 min or so) the Springhill Suites and Residence Inn by the convention center are nice new properties....although I found the Springhill Suites to be a rather loud hotel with what felt like "thin" walls.

I'm

Good to know... I am *very* picky myself and I'd actually ruled out the courtyard because I thought it was geared more towards young kids and was worried about noise but that's actually silly of me since my husband has hearing loss and I usually sleep with ear buds in any case. I think having an uber picky approved hotel would trump most everything else for me. Oh... how was the water pressure? Low water pressure would be a deal breaker for me since I like to take quick showers.

I'm at the courtyard right now. Water pressure is not great in the sinks but the showers seem good

 

[ZCarroll]

Just wanted to report back that we ended up staying at the Camelot. I ruled out the Courtyard because all their rooms had bunk beds and seeing those would just make me miss my kids. The water pressure was awful! I definitely would've needed to use the tub faucet to properly wash my hair and showers took extra long in general because of the lack of pressure. I don't know how the pressure compares to other places though, perhaps they are all that bad. I was glad we didn't have a car, I don't think I would stay there with one, parking looked very tight and always full. We never checked out the pool, whenever we were there we were so exhausted we just crashed. The bed seemed comfortable but no blanket, I can't sleep without an actual blanket, fortunately the extra bedding for the chair pullout had a blanket. The room was very clean and spacious, but no closets or drawers, just open shelving and a rod to hang clothes in the sink mirror area which was also open to the room. It was nice having the sink and mirror area separate from the shower/toilet room, but I'd really love a separate toilet room. I guess ultimately it was nice being right across the street although I definitely would've been up for lyft/uber and staying someplace more "romantic" to actually relax at, but as far as I could tell I couldn't really find anything that was more than just a place to crash essentially in any case.