Clarion vs Red Lion Anaheim (convention not theme park visit)

[Lesley Wake]

I am all signed up for the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim in August 2020. I live about 45min-1hr from Anaheim, but think because of convenience and exhaustion it will just make more sense to stay close by. I used the SW booking website and have tentative reservations at both The Clarion Hotel and the Red Lion Hotel. I was wondering if people had any recent experiences there? The cost for each was the same. Clarion is slightly closer to the convention center, but only by a block or two. From photos it looks like Red Lion may be a bit nicer. It should just be me and I don't know how much time I will spend in the room, but I would like to be comfortable! I like Disney Tourist Blog's review listing and they said Clarion was outdated, but still well-maintained; they haven't reviewed Red Lion yet so I was hoping to get some other people's perspectives!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

There have been recent posts here about the Clarion from DISers who really like that hotel. Basic, but fine -- good rates. But friends who are regular DLR visitors stayed there for the last D23 Expo and said never again, even for the low rates. (And these are not pretentious, super picky people.) Soooo... based on that, I'd go with the Red Lion. Is there any way you can book both, stop by each this weekend, and cancel one?

 

[LizzyS]

I am all signed up for the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim in August 2020. I live about 45min-1hr from Anaheim, but think because of convenience and exhaustion it will just make more sense to stay close by. I used the SW booking website and have tentative reservations at both The Clarion Hotel and the Red Lion Hotel. I was wondering if people had any recent experiences there? The cost for each was the same. Clarion is slightly closer to the convention center, but only by a block or two. From photos it looks like Red Lion may be a bit nicer. It should just be me and I don't know how much time I will spend in the room, but I would like to be comfortable! I like Disney Tourist Blog's review listing and they said Clarion was outdated, but still well-maintained; they haven't reviewed Red Lion yet so I was hoping to get some other people's perspectives!

I have stayed at the Red Lion multiple times and it's a decent-enough hotel; I will stay there again because the price is right.

 

[Lesley Wake]

There have been recent posts here about the Clarion from DISers who really like that hotel. Basic, but fine -- good rates. But friends who are regular DLR visitors stayed there for the last D23 Expo and said never again, even for the low rates. (And these are not pretentious, super picky people.) Soooo... based on that, I'd go with the Red Lion. Is there any way you can book both, stop by each this weekend, and cancel one?

Yup, I have both currently booked. I have about a year to cancel, so enough time to check them out! Thanks for the idea though to actually go into the building - I will the next time I'm there!

 

[SteveH]

I was strongly considering staying at the Dead Lion (my nickname after the sold out and moved ownership) but after reading actual check-in reviews on Yelp I pulled a Nancy Regan and said "no" to many bed bug reports, and maintenance issues. I hope I'm wrong on that, but I think the Clarion is your better choice.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I have to disagree with some of the above posts...just did a nine day run the Clarion awhile that the Convention Center and had team split between CL and RL. Clarion was an absolute dive IMO. Bathrooms were dinghy, rooms were dirty, one of our guys had dirty underwear behind the chair...two people both had rashes...it was an absolute dump. Crews at the RL said it was only slightly better but not as dirty.

Client booked our rooms and we told them if that if they want us back next year they need to put us up at a different hotel or good luck with the project it was that bad of an experience for us...and all we needed was a clean best and shower as we were hardly in the rooms. We got neither.

I would spend the few extra bucks and look at Springhill Suites or Residence Inn right there...but based on your two options Clarion would not ever be a consideration ever again in my book.

We had 14 rooms split over the two properties for the 9 days so it was much more than just one or two of us being pretentious.

 

[avalon451]

What's your budget? You could probably get something decent that is closer and cleaner. The ones right at the crosswalk are usually basic but they pretty much have to be reasonably clean, because it's very competitive for business with them.

 

[LizzyS]

The OP is going to Celebration, so the target is the Convention Center, not the Esplanade.

Let me also add that I started pricing hotels closer to the Esplanade and they were more than I wanted to pay to stay off property. The only one I found that had similar pricing to Red Lion was the Desert Inn & Suites and, quite frankly, it looks and reviews like a dump. No thanks, I'll walk a little farther.

 

[Lesley Wake]

The OP is going to Celebration, so the target is the Convention Center, not the Esplanade.

Let me also add that I started pricing hotels closer to the Esplanade and they were more than I wanted to pay to stay off property. The only one I found that had similar pricing to Red Lion was the Desert Inn & Suites and, quite frankly, it looks and reviews like a dump. No thanks, I'll walk a little farther.

Yup! Don't care about being next to the parks. Maybe I could end up doing an evening there or something, but it's my first Celebration, so I have no idea! I'll probably hold onto these for a little bit - my friend did point out Hotel Indigo which can sometimes have better than convention rates, but they aren't in the block, so can't book until 1 yr out.

 

[DaveNinja]

Clarion = bad. It's the worst hotel/motel I've stayed at in the DL area.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I wouldn’t stay at either of these. We had a friend that stayed at red lion consistently. A few years ago they said it was their last time. If you book far enough out you can probably get a comparable rate somewhere else. We love homewood suites. Maybe the breakfast and full dinner (m-Th) would make the cost similar.

 

[ChrissyLou]

Have not stayed at either, but have "considered" both in the past, but as a frequent Trip Advisor visitor (and other review sites as well, including these boards) I don't know why someone would stay at either place when there are so many other options that are reasonably priced and in close proximity of the entrance that have earned positive reputations over time. I know reviews are subjective, but honestly I've never been steered wrong using TA. That being said some people aren't ever happy and could complain about the Grand Californian (and have -- and some have legitimate grievances) but I don't recall ever reading that someone thought the Grand as a whole was a dump.

When there are MANY, MANY really poor reviews declaring cleanliness issues, calling a hotel an absolute dump, etc., why chance it because there is an occasional good/decent review? I go with the majority and not the minority when it comes to hotel reviews. I think you can find a much more pleasant place to stay that has a good reputation and is reasonably priced. I've never stayed at the Alpine Inn, but that gets generally good reviews, as does the Camelot, we like the Sheraton Park (across from Red Lion - which gets both good/bad reviews, but we've always been happy there), there are several Best Westerns, we've stayed at two and would recommend either of the two we've stayed at, we're staying at the Hotel Indigo in September. I would simply encourage you to keep looking, I think you can do much better than the Clarion or Red Lion and you have plenty of time-good luck!

 

[LizzyS]

I don't like the pricing of most of the places closer to the entrance, personally. I generally book the hotel 6-8 months out when I'm planning our trips. If I'm staying offsite, I'm looking to save some bucks. Otherwise, if I'm looking to lay down some jing, I'm staying onsite, not at a nice offsite hotel.