To me, and I think it is what most say is the standards..
Motel = Exterior Hallways, parking in the center/edge of the Motel so cars can park near the rooms (easier to pack/unpack the vehicle) One or two stories tall, no elevator, basic room and low priced.
Full service Hotel = One that comes with Valet Parking, Bell Caps, Room Service, Business facilities including Conference Rooms, Bar and restaurant(s), Front Desk staffed 24 hours a day. Large rooms with more than a bed, say a working desk and sitting area. Nice grounds and pool/spa area. Exercise equipment. More expensive, and expect lots of extra fees such as parking, Wi-Fi, a resort fee.
Now, we have the Limited Service Hotels, which is the most popular category in the travel business in the US currently. And it has morphed into different styles, I think a good example of a Limited Service Hotel is the holiday In Express, the best of a 4-star Holiday Inn, but without Valet, Bell Caps, restaurants and food service, etc. But still interior hallways, large rooms with desk and sitting area, and add a nice free breakfast, a fridge and microwave in the room, less fees (Free Wi-Fi, free or low cost parking, grounds aren't as fancy, no pool or limited pool area. And a lower priced point, basically focused on a travelling businessperson.
And now we have the new sub-category, the "Extended Stay-Apartment" style of a Limited Service Hotel. I think the first major player in the category is the Residence Inn, though a lot of other brands now service the market. These Hotels come with a full kitchen and pots, pans, dishes, larger rooms with bedroom area separated, and sometimes even with doors separating the areas. (This is important for a travelling businessperson who want to work out of their room, such as bringing a client over to go over plans, etc. Not very business like to have a bed in the area
Focused on folks and families that need a place for a week or so to stay. By far, this is the market that the new Hotels being built in the Anaheim Resort District are focusing on. Lower prices (many offer a lower weekly rate), limited maid service, sometimes not even daily.
So there are not many Full Service Hotels in the area, the Three Disney Hotels, the Sheraton Park, Marriott and Hilton next to the Convention Center, and the Red Lion across the street. The Holiday Inn on Manchester south of Katella. Also farther away , the Hyatt Regency in Garden Grove at Harbor and Chapman. And 4 planned ones (4th Disney Hotel, JW Marriott, the Anabella property, and the Anaheim Plaza property. IMHO, these properties are primarily focused on the Convention Center business, but Happy to serve those visiting
Disneyland as a secondary market.
But we now have the Quality Inn property on Manchester, the former Bergstrom property becoming an Element Hotel, the former Flakey Jakes becoming a Cambria, Arena Inn becoming a Hampton Inn, so a move to nicer Limited Service Hotels near the new Disneyland Eastern Gateway project. Also add the proposed expansion/rebuilding of the park Vue Inn from a Motel to a Limited Service Hotel. (will have underground parking and interior corridors, and more levels - plans double the amount of rooms at the site).
And even a new project on the east side of Interstate 5 that will focus on the Olympic Sports training complex, but also will market to the Disneyland Guests.
Folks are voting with their wallet, and many don't see the need for things like Valet Parking, Bell Caps and room service as part of their stay.
and I need recommendations for somewhere affordable (hah! I mean affordable for Disney standards) that's close enough that I could walk to the parks. Looking at the moderate level good neighbor resorts...are any better than others? I don't care much about pools/extras, just somewhere to sleep that doesn't make my skin crawl. Any suggestions?
