Help with Hotel choice

[luckyman_apd]

Ok, I thought I was all set with the Hojo. I have it booked for $125 a night plus tax for four nights June 27 to July 1st. But doing some research and price checking online, I'm leaning towards booking a room at the Hotel Manage. I can get if paid in advance for $81 a a night plus tax (and a parking fee per night which says $10 on their website for self park) After taxes and fees and parking, it's a savings of $167. I'm trying to decide if it's worth the extra 5 minutes of walking time I'm reading (is that accurate?) I'm grateful for all the help the Disboards has given me so far in the Disneyland section. I usually stick to the DVC forums as I'm a WDW vet.

I don't mind paying in advance and having it non refundable. Our plane tickets will be purchased this week and they are also non refundable, so if we have to cancel, I'm going to need to buy travel insurance anyway

I have two small kids (ages 2.5 and 6.5) and we will be using a sit and stand stroller for them. My six year needs to rest her legs a lot during our disney trips, so I'm not afraid of an extra few minutes of walking. (as long as it's accurate I can only gauge so much from google earth) Any opinions? I like the idea of a 24/7 pool, but the pirates cove does look like it would interest my kids.

Another comparison, The HoJo room is two queens, which will probably end up with each of us in a bed with a kid, and the Hotel Manage is a King Studio so it has a King bed with a pull out queen sleeper sofa. This will probably result with my 2.5 year old in the pull out sofa, with my daughter in the King bed between us (which is normal as she always manages to creep into our king bed at home in the middle of night).

I'm not trying to be a total penny pincher. I don't mind paying extra if it's worth it, so I need help to decide if the extra $ is worth it. Thanks in advance!

 

[Linaki]

I am no expert on this at all but I looked at both of them and felt HJ's was a better over all choice and reviews seemed better. I will be traveling alone with my two five year old grandsons so I want the most convienient place possible that's still reasonable.
How/where did you get the room for $125? We are going in early June and the rate on Hotels.com (and all the other sites) was about $159 for two queens.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Full disclosure: I am a big fan of the Hojo on Harbor Blvd. I haven't tried the Hotel Menage. Personally I would stick with the Hojo if the money isn't a problem. I think you will appreciate being a few minutes closer and having a little less walking even if more walking isn't a problem. Your kids are a great age for the Hojo water play area. I have read some decent reviews of Hotel Menage, but some of the reviews also note that the hotel has more of an adult vibe, good for couples for instance, and that noise is sometimes an issue. Hojo is comfortable, clean, and family-oriented.

 

[Cinderpamela]

That walk across the freeway overpass from Hotel Menage could be kinda scary... I mean there is a sidewalk and all, but its not very wide.

I would recommend sticking with the HoJo or just down from the Menage is the Anaheim Sheraton, and they have their very own dedicated shuttle which runs every 30 minutes and is only for their guests. I would do that hands down before The Menage. I was specifically looking because I too had been tempted by the pricing.

When we stayed at the Sheraton, the shuttle drove right past the Menage and I never saw anyone walking over that freeway overpass to and from that hotel. Not to mention that it is nestled right at the corner of a huge intersection (6 lanes each road) and the freeway (8 lanes I think) so constant traffic noise from all 4 sides.

 

[luckyman_apd]

I am no expert on this at all but I looked at both of them and felt HJ's was a better over all choice and reviews seemed better. I will be traveling alone with my two five year old grandsons so I want the most convienient place possible that's still reasonable.
How/where did you get the room for $125? We are going in early June and the rate on Hotels.com (and all the other sites) was about $159 for two queens.

Go to mousesavers.com. The HoJo is there "recommended" hotel and they give you a link. when you get the HoJo webpage, their is a discount code to put in. It's about 15% off I think. The room ends up being about $150 with taxes and fees, but still better than the hotels.com price.

Cinderpamela, thanks for the heads up about the overpass. I'm a litte uneasy with heights, and NOT VERY WIDE doesn't make me feel good about a stroller I'm comfortable with the HoJo, but anywhere you can save a few bucks can help. We have a summer beach vacation planned, and a WDW trip in Nov to pay for. This trip is kinda thrown in due to an unexpected work trip for my wife. So we are pinching the pennies, and picking up side jobs to pay for it all (exagerating a little), but $167 could buy a good meal or two instead eating junk.

 

[Linaki]

Thank you so much for the scoop on the discount through Mousesavers.com I really appreciate it.
I hope you have a great trip!!

 

[Maddie2]

Not to further confuse the subject, but have you checked out the Park Vue Inn? With your dates, you can get either a 2 queen room or a 1 queen with bunkbeds for a total of $604 (before taxes) - $156 (2 nights) and $146 (2 nights).

The PVI includes a full breakfast and a light supper (food budget savings!!), as well as free bottles of water, cookies and apples in the lobby 24/7. We were also given a welcome basket with fruit and wine and there is a fridge & microwave in the room .... PLUS .... it's even closer that Hojo! Parking is also included.

The only downside is that their pool isn't as fancy as Hojo's. We stayed at the PVI last year and really enjoyed it.

Have fun planning ... sounds like you have some great vacations this year!

 

[oumagic]

I have stayed at both. Hotel Menage was fine for our one night stay, but the walk is not fun. While it is only 5 or 6 minutes farther from HoJo, the overpass part is kind of a pain. It also is up and over the overpass and quite tiring at the end of a day. You can totally take the ART and I would recommend that if you choose to stay there for multiple nights.

We liked HoJo a lot and it is more of a family place. We like to eat breakfast in our room and if that is an option for you, I think that you would make up much of the savings by doing that at HoJo where it is not an option in Hotel Menage (no fridge/microwave).

We stayed in the King studio and it was fine, but the bed was not as comfortable as HoJo and we did not try the foldout couch. I wrote a review for Hotel Menage after we stayed there; I did not write one for HoJo but I agree with the positive reviews that are here.

The Hotel Menage does have a great view of the fireworks and the pool is open 24 hours. I will look at it again when my kids are older (teens) or my wife and I are there on our own. The walk from the HoJo was easier than Menage, and even the HoJo walk made me want to look at closer options on day 4-5 we were there. I understand everyone's budgets are different; I chose HoJo because it was much cheaper than our previous room at the Grand Californian but we were looking at $800 savings. Good luck with your decision and have fun

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=41212660&postcount=1

 

[BayAreaMom]

I am a huge fan of HoJos here! I think for the ages of the kids the playpool area is perfect. We have stayed there 3 times since Sept, and are going to be there next week. We really love the kids suites but also like the 2Q.

I have seen the Menage and was not impressed. Having to walk that extra distance over I-5 would be difficult. I would not want to go back mid-day. We find that HoJo is the max. distance we'd want to walk back for mid-day breaks. Its 7-10 minutes depending on how fast you walk and if you have to wait for the stoplight at Harbor.

I am not a fan of Park Vue Inn. I found our room (the 2Q suite with a mini kitchen) dirty, noisy, and the food completely inedible. The pool was really not comprable at all to HoJo. We would never stay there again. But, many people on here like it.

I think for us, we are willing to pay 20-30% more for a nice hotel room- interior walkways and elevators are a requirement. We also want a nice pool and the Hojos playpool is amazing. my daughter sometimes would rather be there than disneyland!

 

[pixiewings71]

I would suggest staying with the HoJo, have you checked their site for the Retro Rate? If not I suggest you do, it can be a big money saver.

 

[luckyman_apd]

No Retro Rate, but I'm ok with the Mousesavers.com discount. Looked at the Park Vue. It's at least $60 more with taxes and fees if you take the non refundable rate (hey the airfare is non refundable right?), but it does come with breakfast so we are considering it. Not good to hear you say the food is inedible. My kids aren't big of breakfast, but they do like a bagel and milk or juice. Better to get it for free rather than overpay, but still unsure. Kids would like the Pirate Cove, and we will DEFINITELY be taking a break in the afternoon.

 

[spacemermaid]

I've stayed at HOJO's, but not the Menage; I'd choose HOJO's over the Menage just based on the fact that every time I'm on the airport shuttle, passing it & the other hotels in that area, I think: "I'm SO GLAD I don't have to do that walk ". And that's just me, an adult with no kids...I'd hate to think how scary it'd be to do that walk with kids. Mind you, the hotels aren't in a bad or shady area by any means, there's just a much longer walk than from HOJO's, and it involves a freeway overpass.

 

[mouseymommy]

I may not be much help, but my priority when I pick a DL motel is location. Aside from safety, of course! When we were there a few weeks ago, my Dh and I looked at how far the HOJO seemed, and we both said "no way!" But we are Pooh sized, and we like being close after walking all day in the parks. I would choose Park Vue out of the Hojo, Menage, and Park Vue.

 

[Malcon10t]

My son has stayed at the Menege, and wasn't very impressed. They had a few issues (no hot water was the big one) and the walk was long. I would say it is probably 10 mins further (and uphill over the overpass) than Hojos. My preference would be Hojos. Beds are much nicer.

I wouldn't spend $100 more to stay at PVI either.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[luckyman_apd]

So I think I'm sticking with my reservation at the HoJo. If something comes along at the Park Vue that makes it really worth it, I think the Hojo is for us.

Booked my airfare last night, 3 rountrip DIRECT flights from Philly to LA for $170 per person each way. I couldn't pass that up, especially since the price for the same flights today are $240 each way. Since the flights are non refundable, my wife BETTER be going on this trip for work

I figured while I was at it with the non refundable airfare, I should priceline the rental car and save some money there. My $236 6 day rental I was able to slash to $157.14. Priceline ended up giving me a more preferred rental company than I already had reserved anyway. You can't beat $26 a day for a standard size rental car. I'm getting ansty, and June can't come fast enough!