Unlike WDW, at DL there really is no need to stay at the DL resorts unless you really want to immerse yourself in the whole Disney experience. There are so many hotels and motels that cover the perimeter of the parks with much better rates.
Howard Johnson Anaheim is a very popular choice across the street from the DL/CA front gate. They have a new waterplay area and Entertainment book rates as low as $59 per night. Go to tripadvisor.com and you'll find great reviews for this Hojo. We're probably going to stay there this summer.
For us, we like the Garden Grove hotels (i.e., Hilton Garden Inn, Embassy Suites South, Hampton Inn, Hyatt Orange County, etc.), and some of those hotels also provide a free hot breakfast. We've only splurged once staying at a
Disneyland resort, but we've never had the need to do that again since the hotel options are so many and there are many deals to be had.
But, if this is your first time at Disney and you really want to splurge, the Paradise Pier, Disneyland Hotel and the Grand California Hotel are great places. Though the GCH is probably the better choice out of the three. There is an entrance to the GCH from the CA park, which I think is very convenient.
Happy planning!