Desert Inn vs Tropicana

[ballarinamom]

We have both booked but we will save almost 50% if we stay at the Desert Inn. And they will gaurantee adjoining rooms where Tropicana said they will do their best. Anyone have opinions on the Desert Inn?

 

[BlueBayou]

We have stayed in a parlor suite at the Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites twice (maybe three times) and really liked it. It is nothing fancy... but extremely clean. I have never stayed in a standard room.

The staff there was always wonderful to us. In fact our youngest got croup the the day before we were supposed to go one year. I called the hotel directly and they let us slide our vacation back a day (Arrival and departure) - NO CHARGE.

This year the parlor suites we normally book are not avail all of the days of our trip. That, combined with a Get Away Today package deal that benefits our school - led us to book the Tropicana for the first time. We have done the Camelot twice - including last year - which is a sister property and liked it just fine. We have also done HOJOs and Best Western Park Inn - Both of those we would also book again.

So I am interested in the responses you get about the Tropicana.

 

[ballarinamom]

I have had great responses in the past which led us to book the Tropicana originally. But we will save $ if we fly in a night earlier and by switching the hotel we will save more $ and get an extra day. The Desert Inn staff has been really helpful so far

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

I have stayed at the desert inn this yr in march and may and it is a nice place nothing fancy but good.
The cont breakfast is nothing great but better then nothing just dont expect much and it will be fine.

I was going to stay there in oct this yr but couldn't pass up the 59 dollar rate at the hojo

 

[JadeDarkstar]

i was gona stay there this oct but got hojos ent rate. i had a suiet reserved 100 night id say if you are saving half then switch you will be close to the park and I have read alot good reviews about desert inn. good luck

 

[silence]

We really like DI&S, we've stayed here several times.

This last trip we stayed in a standard room vs. the suite. It was just as clean and nice, and we actually liked having a table & chairs, vs. the couch with fold out, as we brought the breakfast back to our room.

NOTE: the standard rooms are all located at the back of the hotel, furthest away from the street.

If it weren't for the ENT RATE at HoJo, we'd be back at DI in a heartbeat.

 

[BlueBayou]

NOTE: the standard rooms are all located at the back of the hotel, furthest away from the street..

You know that is what I thought - just based on walking around the grounds one day.

That was a factor in my decision to do Tropicana since instead of a standard room at ADI&S - but I didn't I wasn't sure that the standard rooms were in the back.

 

[ballarinamom]

HOJO is just a little too far for DMIL to walk- arthritic knees. We have the "suite" that's actually just two adjoining rooms but it's $139 the first three nights and $159 for the last three nights for the two rooms together. We are going the week/ weekend before Thanksgiving. So you are saying we should be prepared to be in th back of the property?

 

[silence]

So you are saying we should be prepared to be in th back of the property?

If you are staying in a standard room at DI then yes, all of there non-suite rooms are in the very back of the hotel.

I specifically requested a room close to the street, but was advised at check in that all standard rooms are at the back of the property.

I do want to note that, it was very pretty back there, there is a court yard between the buildings and the walk wasn't near as bad as I had expected. We arrived at the right time, we got a parking spot way in the back as well.

 

[BlueBayou]

HOJO is just a little too far for DMIL to walk- arthritic knees. We have the "suite" that's actually just two adjoining rooms but it's $139 the first three nights and $159 for the last three nights for the two rooms together. We are going the week/ weekend before Thanksgiving. So you are saying we should be prepared to be in th back of the property?

No - the 'suites' are up front. It is all the standard rooms that are in a cul-de-sac like area in the back. But in the back still still very close. It is a small motel not a huge hotel complex.

 

[Denton]

Another note about the rooms at the Desert Inn:

Our room with one King sized bed was also at the front of the property and it was directly over the breakfast room. It took one minute to walk from the room to the crosswalk.

 

[crasher11]

No - the 'suites' are up front. It is all the standard rooms that are in a cul-de-sac like area in the back. But in the back still still very close. It is a small motel not a huge hotel complex.

Here is a picture of the room areas of the Tropicana Inn, the suites are just out of veiw as they are at the front of the hotel. We have stayed there twice and when we go back in 2009 we will stay there again. The location of the hotel is an easy walk to the front gates of DL.

 

[mariezp]

I have spoken up on behalf of DI&S so many times I feel like I should be on their payroll! Public relations, maybe....

Anyway, we will be staying with them for our 8th time in November. As my teenage son puts it, "It's traditional." If I ever tried to change I fear I would have a mutiny on my hands. Here are some of the reasons my family enjoys staying there:

• Proximity to the park. We take midday breaks everyday which can add up to a lot of additional walking.
• Plenty of space. We like lots of room for everyone to spread out, especially the kids at the end of a long day. We always get the largest suite and have an extra bed which means we have enough room if we decide to invite someone else to come along with us. (which has happened on 3 occasions) Plus the girls can go to bed early in one room while the guys stay up late without bothering each other. By the same token, the girls can get up early and let the guys sleep in.
• 2 BATHROOMS!
• Reasonable rates, especially if you book well in advance.
• Refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots and hairdryers.
• Convenience store located downstairs where we can buy Dr. Pepper, Frappuccinos and other goodies we miss from home.
• My son likes the separate living area to claim for his own private space to set up his laptop.
• We enjoy the 3 tvs and pay per view movies. We can all watch what we want or in the evenings we can all gather in one room to enjoy pizza and a movie.

All of our stays have always been pleasant and we have never had any problems. As mentioned previously, they are nothing fancy but they are a clean place to sleep and shower. We don't spend much time in our rooms so I would rather stay for a reasonable rate at DI&S than spend excess funds for a room I will barely even see. Just leaves me more to spend on souvenirs and dining out.

 

[BlueBayou]

crasher11 - Thanks for posting the picture of the Tropicana. It is nice to see a shot that is not a publicity pic. It helps since I am nervous having booked it over the DI&S - a place that we really like.

 

[ballarinamom]

Mariezp, which suite do you book? We are getting the family suite which isn't a suite at all. It's just two standard rooms with an adjoining door. As I said before this is the only way to be gauranteed adjoining rooms

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We like the Tropicana, but would consider staying at the Desert Inn. I think both are fine choices. From what I've seen, I'm guessing the Tropiciana probably has a better pool area though.

 

[ballarinamom]

Since we will be there late November, I like that the DI has an indoor heated pool

 

[crasher11]

crasher11 - Thanks for posting the picture of the Tropicana. It is nice to see a shot that is not a publicity pic. It helps since I am nervous having booked it over the DI&S - a place that we really like.

BlueBayou,

I can't compare the two because we have never stayed at DI&S, So I really don't know if there is a huge difference. As I posted before we love the location, the staff was great and the rooms clean. There is a small shop at the front of the hotel that provides about everything that most of us forget at home plus groceries, beverages and this and that. The pool area is very nice including a big hot tub that is very nice to soak your tired DLR warn out body in, oh it felt so good on the feet...LOL

Here is a pic of our room:

 

[blutes]

Just got back from DI &S yesterday..was in a standard room. 201 at the front of the hotel..we were right above the breakfast room but heard no noise.
was a good stay...beds are comfortable and rooms are clean..
only minus was the lights at night..the room was never dark with all the security lights on..
I have also stayed at a room in the back and it is very quiet there and not so much light..

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I stayed at a standard room in DI & S in December and a standard room in Tropicana in February. Frankly, I thought they were both more or less the same. I would stay at either one again as they're both equally close to the parks. If it's substantially less money to stay at one over the other, then by all means stay at the one that is a lot less money. I felt there was very little difference between the two hotels.