Desert Inn and Suites UPDATE

[BlueBayou]

We are planning a trip to DL the second or third week of December.

We have stayed the Hojos twice, Best Western Park Place Inn and the Park Inn International. Now that we have two preschool kids we are considering a suite hotel this time around.

When searching this site I came across information about the Desert Inn and Suites. I see that most people say it is a clean, affordable choice. However there are some issues with parking.

If anybody has anything to say about the Desert Inn and Suites on Harbor Blvd please post!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sher

 

[djm99]

Here is tripadvisor.com reviews on this hotel.

Dessert Inn and Suites

 

[dsnylndmom]

They are okay, just okay. I've stayed there before and I'm staying there next month, because I need a large room.

Have you checked out the suites at Park Inn? IF you really liked staying there before that might be the way to go.

 

[BlueBayou]

I haven't really thought of the park inn for a suite room because of the price. For our dates, a standard room at the Best Western Park Place and the the Park Inn are more expensive than the rate for a parlor suite at Desert Inn.

I have found a standard Hojo room using mousesavers that is the lowest price, but I am really thinking we may need the ability to shut the door on my two preschool kids when they are trying to sleep.

The last two trips we have taken with the kids, we have stayed suite style so we are a little spoiled.

Sher

 

[Piglette]

Maybe I've just been spoiled by WDW hotels, but I thought the Desert Inn & Suites was pretty icky. The pool was indoor and steamy. Tons of teenagers running around there and jumping in. Just not the best place for our smaller kids. We ate out for breakfast because there wasn't much there. We're not really picky about that, but there was nothing at all our kids would eat (essentially they had bread and sticky store-bought pastries). We had a van, and parking was tricky. And the room was only acceptable, at best. It has been a while, and things may have improved drastically since we've been, but you'd have to pay me a handsome sum to get me to stay there again.

I too have read that others liked it, which, of course, is why we selected it. The good reviews of this property make me distrustful of all DL off property hotels. So now, I can't figure out whether the Candy Cane really is as good as I read, or if it's just good compared to Desert Inn, which isn't saying much.

I promise I'm no princess. I spend so little time in the hotel that I never care too much where I am, as long as it's conveniently located. But after staying here, I care...

 

[lkohawaii]

We stay there whenever we go and it seems all of Hawaii seems to stay there too. We always see people we know from home there. The best thing about the parlor suite is that my DH can watch T.V. outside and the rest of us can sleep without light or sound coming in. I also like the fact that I can eat in that little parlor and don't have to have to worry about crumbs on my bed. My friends have always told me it's a place to sleep and no 5 star hotel. The breakfast is "sad" but hey, it's free. We usually don't leave the hotel on the days we go to DL so parking isn't a problem. It wasn't a problem for us unless we came in late. Hope this helps.
I think the Park Place inn is nicer but it's a half wall seperating the rooms so..it's not a seperate room and of course I think it's more expensive. People here have said the longer you wait for a room rate at the Desert Inn the more the price goes up. So, I book as soon as I think I'm going and cancel if I have too.

 

[eileenfk]

I have stayed at all 3 places you mention

Desert Inn
Park Place Best Western
Park Inn International

Considering only these three; I rate Desert Inn the worst, and Park Inn International the best.

- Eileen

 

[BlueBayou]

Okay, now I am getting very leery of the Desert Inn.

I really like the location and the idea of the extra room. I am so afraid that our 19-month-old will not be able to go to sleep in the same room with us. I just remember when my DD4 was 14-months old and we stayed at the Hojos. There was this little head that kept popping up in the pack-n-play and just kept laughing at us. My husband and I had to hide under our covers so she wouldn’t see us.

It sounds like from the posts that in comparison to the Park Inn and Best Western Park Place that we would have to give up a little bit of luxury at the Desert Inn in order to get some extra room.

I keep having to remind myself that traveling with the kids should be a little easier in the next year or two.

Now I just have to make up my mind about this trip.

Thanks to everyone who has given their take on the Desert Inn.

Sher

 

[cagmo]

We just returned from a 3 night stay at the Desert Inn in a parlor suite with our 2 kids (7 and 2). Here are my observations:

1. When you think Desert Inn, think 1.5*. Our room was clean with relatively new carpet. But the place is old, the mattresses are fair at best, and the furnishings are worn. The TV in the kids room was old and small. But, as advertised, we had a separate room for our kids, which made life bearable for nighttime and our 2 year old's naps.

2. The breakfast is pretty poor. Loaves of bread and sweet pastries, plus one kind of fruit (apples 2 days, oranges 1). We went to the grocery store and bought bagels and toasted those in their toaster. Drinks were orange juice, lemonade, milk, tea, and some really bad coffee.

3. The location is awesome. This is why you pick this hotel.

Overall, I paid about $75/night for a 2 room suite right across the street from DL. I would say that I got what I expected. After all, if the place was nice, it would -- given its location -- be a lot more expensive.

Don't stay here if you need a nice hotel or you don't need a suite. Stay here is you need a suite and you want to be right across the street from DL, but at a low price.

 

[lkohawaii]

BlueBayou-My advice to you is book the 2 hotels you plan to stay at and cancel the one you chose not to stay at. I know the hotels would probably like to kill me for saying this. Everytime we've gone to Desert Inn it's been sold out. Better to have a choice than no choice at all. Oh, and someone told me if conventions come in the price goes up.
If you think of it as a place to stay you'll be fine. If you're wanting a luxury hotel you're in the wrong place. Personally I can't beat that seperate room. You know that that parlor is just about wide enough to fit a sofa sleeper and maybe an end table. It's not a "room" unless you're going to go for a suite with 2 rooms...which from what I've seen are just 2 ajoining rooms. Maybe you could get that at the Park Place Place Inn as a compromise.
Someone also mentioned Del Sol Inn. I don't have personal experience but it seems clean from what people have told me.

 

[BlueBayou]

Thanks to everyone that has offered their opinion. We are still up in the air about where to stay. We are expecting to book something this weekend.

Right now it looks like it is between the Desert Inn and the Portofino Inn. I need to just make up my mind and do it before the rates go up.

Sher

 

[got2travel]

Have you checked with the Carousel Inn? They are my first choice on any trip and their suites are superior to Desert Inn. An actual second bedroom and bathroom, not just a sofa bed.

I've stayed at both, as well as others along Harbour and the only time I venture away from the Carousel is if it is booked.

 

[BlueBayou]

got2travel,

Thanks for the suggestion. I just checked with the Carousel Inn. The two bedroom is only avail for 2 of the days I need a room. Plus it is about twice as expensive. Darn! It looks very nice.

Sher

 

[BlueBayou]

It looks like we will be staying at the Desert Inn. After going back in forth, my DH finally pointed out that if we hated it we could always pack up and move to another hotel.

Sher

 

[dsnylndmom]

Back from our recent stay at Desert. We were pretty unhappy with it this time.

The rooms are really showing wear and tear, bad.

The tv in the parlor room was a joke.

Our Fridge wasn't even IN our room we had to have them bring us one.

There were no screens on the windows, third floor, with little kids.

The breakfast, defintely a joke.


We stayed there in 2001 and it wasn't so bad, this time it was ick.

Just giving you our honest opinion from our latest trip. I would much rather pay a tad more and Stay at Park Place Inn or Park Inn, my personal opinion.

 

[WDWPsychoALice]

Also try booking a place thru www.hotelkingdom.com !!!

 

[lkohawaii]

dsnylndmom- I'm debating between Desert Inn and Suites and the BWPPI. The biggest thing for me at the Desert Inn is the detached parlor. I've never been there during the hot months. Does the a/c go through to the parlor...assuming you got one. Any info would be appreciated. We stayed there Fall 2003 and the suites were o.k. The regular room my parents had was a bit to be desired. I hope it doesn't go down hill too much before summer. I haven't cancelled my BWPPI yet because of comments like yours. Thanks for posting. I agree with you about the breakfast.

 

[dsnylndmom]

dsnylndmom- I'm debating between Desert Inn and Suites and the BWPPI. The biggest thing for me at the Desert Inn is the detached parlor. I've never been there during the hot months. Does the a/c go through to the parlor...assuming you got one. Any info would be appreciated. We stayed there Fall 2003 and the suites were o.k. The regular room my parents had was a bit to be desired. I hope it doesn't go down hill too much before summer. I haven't cancelled my BWPPI yet because of comments like yours. Thanks for posting. I agree with you about the breakfast.

There was a wall fan sharing the wall seperating the parlor & bedroom. It was small and LOUD. My cousin it wasn't much help at all.

HTH
Tina

 

[BlueBayou]

I just wanted to let everyone know we just got back from a 5-night stay at the Desert Inn and Suites. We had planned on just 4 days and were able to extend our trip.

We found the room to be VERY clean. With a toddler that drops cereal on the floor and attempts to eat it before we can get it away from her, that is important to us. The furniture was a bit worn, but it was not a problem. It was by no means luxurious, but it worked well for us. Housekeeping even ordered our shoes for us in a corner.

The towels were not plush, but every day we got six towels, wash cloths, and hand towels without asking. They kept us supplied with soap and shampoo. We never had to ask for anything.

Tons of hot water. With two small kids, we have our water temp turned low at home. I had 4 of the warmest bathes I have had in years.

The breakfast was just toast, fruit, sweetrolls, coffee, milk and juice. That worked fine for us. Our girls would eat the oranges all day at the park.

The parlor room did get a little warmer than the bedroom with the air unit. There is a fan in the wall between the two rooms, but we could not use it. (My DD4 does not like the sound of hairdryers or humidifiers... so she would turn it off. It was not THAT loud, my daughter is just a little picky).

If you stood at the bedroom window and looked you could see the matterhorn (you couldn't lay in bed and see it). My DD4 loved it. She would go up to the window every morning and talk about it.

Overall we had a great stay. With two preschool kids with different sleeping patterns, we needed the suite style room. The motel is a nice, clean place to stay that is extremely close to the parks.

If you are looking for a "resort" feel, this motel is not for you. The Hojos comes closest to having a "resort" feel. Since we were not spending any non sleeping, resting time at the motel this was not a concern we had.

Sher

 

[lkohawaii]

BlueBayou-I'm glad you liked the hotel. I was kind of worried when I posted that I would be misguiding you. I too felt it was a good hotel and will stay there next June. I ready someone's post on here recently saying it was terrible so I was a bit leary. My only concern now that I'm going in the summer is how cool that front parlor will get with the heat. I've only gone during the fall and winter. Anyone have experience with the Desert Inn in the summer?