Has anyone stayed at Tropicana?

[lalasmama]

I'm another one who doesn't believe she has "low" standards. Is Tropicana a 5-star hotel? Heck no. No one has claimed it is. Trip Advisor rates it as a 4/5. That even seems a bit high to me. But, you get what you pay for. You're paying $100-250 a night for a motel across the street from one of the most popular family destinations in the US. If you're looking for a place to stay, and choosing not to pay the $$$ for a Disneyland property, then don't expect the experience that comes with spending $$ instead of $$$....

 

[Minniekins]

We're coming to DL and staying at the Tropicana in May. And, we're really looking forward to it! I understand it's not the newest, most fancy hotel but that's okay - can't afford that anyway, lol. I love that it's directly, right across the street from the park! And, I think it's cool it's been there all along, too, kind of a retro feel to it!

I think it's funny, though, that with the numerous reviews I've found and read here, I've haven't seen many negative reviews, at all, which is strange if this place is really so awful. And, considering that many people don't hesitate to post negative experiences, that tells me something as well. Most all reviews have been positive and people enjoyed their stay enough to go back and even recommend it. Never seen it described as a dive. So, I agree with other posters, my standards are definitely not "low". I'm just looking for a decent, close place to stay that a good number of other guests recommend based on their personal experiences, and is budget friendly!

 

[MolonLabe]

What area are the executive suites located?

The very front. Balcony view of the parks.... sort of because all you can see is the very top of SM and Matterhorn.

I'm sorry, but no, I don't have low standards. The rooms we have been in are clean. Is it outdated? Yes. Is the lighting the best? No, it's old lamps with the yellow-y light bulbs that aren't amazing. But we returned from the park, got ready for the next day and went to bed, so it wasn't really an issue. It was *not* dirty on our trip in November. We weren't staying in a suite, just 2 standard double queen rooms. Shower size was not an issue for any of us. We had a couple in our party who were 6' and they had no issues with the shower. I had no issues with the shower either (5'3").

Height isn't an issue, width is. I pointed out I was 6'3" and 165# to give a reference as to my size. Athletic, not a wide bodied person. If I feel cramped, and can't wash my hair without my elbows hitting all the walls/door, it's an abnormally small shower. I can't speak to the dbl queen room, I believe some have a tub.

But there's no need to say others must have such low standards if their experience and opinion of the hotel is different than yours.

***I'm going to quote one post here, but the general theme was presented in multiple other posts-

Standards are... perception based. Many people on the Dis have lower standards, this doesn't mean they have low standards, they simply are lower than others. How many people here make excuses for the room sizes in the moderates and deluxes (in WDW for example) by saying things exactly as you (and others) have just said "we returned from the park, got ready for the next day and went to bed, so it wasn't really an issue." As one example of excuses and dismissals. Personally I'm tired of suffering in tiny rooms at WDW, it's why I rarely stay on property any more. As much as I love Contemporary I'm done with it but I'm digressing now.

The Executive Disney suite isn't a tiny suite in and of itself, it's two rooms and two bathrooms, my size issue was in relation to the bathroom in the master bedroom.

Clean is also a relative standard as well, what exactly does that mean? It's a variable scale and while the room isn't filthy, it doesn't "feel" clean, poor lighting, dingy carpet and walls / wall paper, old sheets, counters that should have been replace in the 90's probably. There is reason why they aren't putting in better lighting, lol.

As to noise, my complaints are BOTH from the road noise (which is barely muffled by the closed balcony door) AND the pipes running through the building from the room behind and/or over us (we're on the second floor).

The Dis Exc suite is listed for $229 a night on most non peak nights + taxes and fees + $12 a night parking fee, for that price and in this area I expect more.

Personally I'm pissed. I'd have spent the extra few hundred for the week and stayed at a DL hotel but I thought the extra space and being so close anyway would make this nicer, plus the retroish "tropicana" seemed cool at the time.

If this place was $50 a night or maybe even $75 a night I wouldn't be so critical because that's all it's worth but it's not so I'm basing my review on the $225 a night and for that price range, they get rated on that price point.

Someone mentioned it's star rating, I just checked TA and they list it as 2.5 stars out of 5. Should have looked closer at that.

 

[Self-Rescuing Princess]

Not to get to TMI, but I was able to fit my husband,myself and our daughter in the shower with no problem. We always bring a extra outlet strip wherever we go, no matter the hotel. But this one was better then any of the Best westerns we have stayed at in the area. We always request a second floor because we can open the window AND even with that we have never been bothered by noise. We travel with three adults and one child and have enough moving room. And believe me, we pack a lot. We have even had friends back and never had a problem.

It's all about what you expectations are vs what is real.

Frankly, this place has very nice customer service, the parking has never been a problem and we have come both early and late and self park, clean standard size rooms,It's quiet at night after the fireworks, and a good location that I feel safe in. All my boxes are checked and believe me I am very picky.

 

[MolonLabe]

Ok so TWO bathrooms in the Dis Exc suite. One has a normal tub, I'm not talking about that one.

I'm talking about the other bathroom in what can I only describe as the bathroom off the bedroom with a king sized bed.

I just took this picture 10 seconds ago-

 

[Angel Ariel]

Clean is also a relative standard as well, what exactly does that mean? It's a variable scale and while the room isn't filthy, it doesn't "feel" clean, poor lighting, dingy carpet and walls / wall paper, old sheets, counters that should have been replace in the 90's probably. There is reason why they aren't putting in better lighting, lol.

Are the countertops old? Yep. Could they be updated? Sure. But that doesn't make them not clean. The color scheme of the room is overall is blah and dark, yep, I agree. But that doesn't equal dirty. I understand that you're saying that it doesn't "feel" clean to you - but, IMHO, when talking about reviewing a hotel it's quite important to be very clear about the cleanliness of a room.

There's ways to express that the room feels dark and gloomy without bringing cleanliness into it. IMHO, cleanliness isn't subjective. A room is either clean or it's not clean. How the lighting and color scheme makes a room feel is not cleanliness. Atmosphere? sure. Cleanliness, no.

(FWIW, The sheets and such aren't "old." They were replaced in 2010 or 2011. We were staying at the Tropicana at the time they were changing out all of the linens and furnishings. I can't remember if they changed the carpeting then as well...I'd have to look at my pictures from the trip we took before that and then that one to be sure.)

Height isn't an issue, width is. I pointed out I was 6'3" and 165# to give a reference as to my size. Athletic, not a wide bodied person. If I feel cramped, and can't wash my hair without my elbows hitting all the walls/door, it's an abnormally small shower. I can't speak to the dbl queen room, I believe some have a tub.

All of the rooms I've ever been in at the Tropicana, both double queen and king bed rooms, have had a tub and shower. We have never stayed in a suite, so I obviously have a different experience than you in that regard. I believe in this situation the shower stall that you have is the uncommon arrangement, not the common one.

Standards are... perception based. Many people on the Dis have lower standards, this doesn't mean they have low standards, they simply are lower than others. How many people here make excuses for the room sizes in the moderates and deluxes (in WDW for example) by saying things exactly as you (and others) have just said "we returned from the park, got ready for the next day and went to bed, so it wasn't really an issue." As one example of excuses and dismissals. Personally I'm tired of suffering in tiny rooms at WDW, it's why I rarely stay on property any more. As much as I love Contemporary I'm done with it but I'm digressing now.

The Executive Disney suite isn't a tiny suite in and of itself, it's two rooms and two bathrooms, my size issue was in relation to the bathroom in the master bedroom.

As for this, I think expectations (different than standards) play a part. This hotel wasn't originally built with suite rooms. It's a 1950s/1960s motel. They've renovated since to make suites, but how they manage to do that in the limited space they have is going to be different than, for example, the Courtyard Theme Park Entrance that was just built as that hotel had suites in its original design. The website states specifically that the executive suite is a shower stall only room, which definitely makes me think this is the uncommon arrangement. I'm sorry it didn't work out well for you on this trip, but it looks like there are other suite options that have full tubs that might have worked out better for you.

The Dis Exc suite is listed for $229 a night on most non peak nights + taxes and fees + $12 a night parking fee, for that price and in this area I expect more.

And, for me, the bolded is I think the main point. When it comes down to it, no matter how the Tropicana dresses itself up, it's still a 1950s/1960s era motel. We paid $119/night for our double queen room, and I believe that's entirely fair for the quality of the accommodations and the location of the hotel.

Personally I'm pissed. I'd have spent the extra few hundred for the week and stayed at a DL hotel but I thought the extra space and being so close anyway would make this nicer, plus the retroish "tropicana" seemed cool at the time.

If this place was $50 a night or maybe even $75 a night I wouldn't be so critical because that's all it's worth but it's not so I'm basing my review on the $225 a night and for that price range, they get rated on that price point.

Someone mentioned it's star rating, I just checked TA and they list it as 2.5 stars out of 5. Should have looked closer at that.

I can understand being unhappy with spending what you did/night, and I'm certainly not trying to tell you not to feel how you do - you're perfectly entitled to feel how you feel! But the comment about "how low [others'] standards must be" and how "it doesn't make any sense" weren't necessary. Most people who stay at the tropicana are paying MUCH less than 225/night, and that probably has a lot to do with the difference in opinion. If I'd paid $225 for my double queen room at the Tropicana, I might feel similarly...paying $119/night, as I did, I have a different opinion of the value.

Look, I'm not saying the Tropicana is flawless. It certainly isn't. And no one would have likely batted an eye if you hadn't made comments about how low others' standards must be. I'm sorry your stay isn't what you wanted it to be, truly. I hope the rest of your trip goes better, and you enjoy your time at Disneyland.