We just checked out of the Desert Inn yesterday morning after a 7 night stay! We had a C-2 suite (parlor, 2 bedrooms each w/2 queens and 2 bathrooms). The size of the room was perfect for the 5 of us (my husband, me, 2 boys - 10 and 13 and my sister). We put my sister in the smaller bedroom w/my 13 year old. DH, me and the 10 year old took the larger bedroom. Having 3 TVs was great during breaks. The boys could watch their cartoons or NASCAR racing in the parlor while the rest of us had quiet time in the bedrooms.
You can't beat the location right next to the crosswalk and the Cold Stone right next door is a nice place to stop after leaving the parks. We didn't use the breakfast much. We brought our own cereal, Pop Tarts, etc. and ate in the room. The fridge was turned up a little too high and our milk froze so we did get milk from the breakfast room until ours thawed. I used the microwave everyday for instant oatmeal.
We had a few little maintenance issues but they were always taken care of immediately. When we were moving in, the maintenance guy said he had to fix a loose toilet seat which he did quickly. Apparently, the housekeeper had notified him when she did the cleaning. We also told him one of the remotes needed batteries and he brought it back within 10 minutes in working order. Both toilets got clogged at some point (boys, what can I say?). We left a note on one before leaving one morning and called about the other the next day. Both times we returned to find everything working again.
I really didn't like the indoor pool. It's hot and humid in there and the place is like an echo-chamber for screaming kids! Some kids were screaming as loud as they could just for fun. I would let the boys swim while I sat and tried to read but finally I gave up. It was just too noisy. I would rather have an outdoor pool area that's a little bigger so people can spread out more. The only plus was that I didn't have to worry about the boys getting sunburns!
We ended up getting a great parking space in the carport area and we didn't have to move the car for 7 days. I did see people coming in late and having to park on the ramp to the garage or run into the office to ask where to park. We had stayed there before and knew we wanted a covered space for the week. We made sure to arrive before 3:00 p.m. last Sunday and there were just a few carport spaces free at that time.
I would consider staying here again. The room was a nice size and generally in good repair. The staff was friendly and efficient. The people trying to sell timeshares out front are extremely annoying but that's not the hotel's fault. For our next summer trip, we will probably find a place with an outdoor pool.
Hope this helps anyone who's considering staying at Desert Inn.
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