Hojo Never Again!!!

[diznefreak]

I am sad to say i was sooooo upset with our stay at the HOJO for 2 nights Aug. 8-10. I will never stay there again. So sad because i was just telling all my friends how it was a great hotel off site.We have always stayed on Disney property but last December we stayed there with a pool view room and were pleased.We just were at the DLH for a week in May and decided to go for another quick trip since we have AP's.We decided to do the HOJO again.
I booked a pool view room with an annual pass discount online.I called in advance to let them know we would be arriving late. We arrived at 10 pm.We We were given a room in the very last building in the back by the pool.It was the very last room at the end of the hallway near the freeway.HORRIBLE! It had a supposed pool view.Our entry door faced the window that looked right out to the freeway. If you leaned over the balcony you could see the pool.TOO loud for me.I called the front desk twice to switch rooms and i was told because i had a discount i was assigned that roomThe girl was saying since i was payin 105 or whatever it wa and the room was normally 120 something that i have a discounted room an that is where i was assigned.I told her i called to let them know i was arriving late but she said it did not matter i was already assigned to the room and they were booked so we could not move!!! So don't use a discount they give you crappy rooms if i knew that i would have just went somewhere else.
When i checked out i told a woman at the desk i will not return because i do not agree with giving people the noisy rooms on the freeway b/c they had a discount.She said that is not right but that they give rooms based on a first come first serve basis.She said she was sorry we were not happy but to please come again.Yah-I don't think so!!!!
Sorry so long just had to vent!!!!
On Property for the next trip

 

[MATTERHORN]

Sorry to hear about your experience. I guess when you book a hotel that is close to a freeway, you have to take that chance that you might hear freeway noise. After all, somebody has to be in that room, right? I don't mean to sound un-sympathetic, but I work in a strip hotel in Vegas and for instance, everybody wants close to the elevator! Well there are only so many rooms that are and then you just get as close as you can get. If the hotel is booked, there is not much that can be done about it. Hope you change your mind in the future, but if not you will definitely still enjoy yourself on property!!! Hope it didn't ruin your whole trip and you still had fun.


Andrea

 

[diznefreak]

Hey no hurt feelings here. Our last stay we were in the same building and had a real pool view and since our rooms were on the other side of the hallway they cushioned the noise.It is just when i booked a pool view room i expected it to be more quiet and to not be on the freeway since the pools are in the center of the hotel.This room did not have the noise cushion of another room across the hall. there was just a window outside our entry door that looked at the freeway. I wasted money paying for what i thought was a pool view more quiet room in which i could of just stayed in a regular room facing the freeway.
We had fun in Disney just no sleep for me.We went back to San Diego for some rest before we headed back.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Our stay at the HoJo in June 2004 was fine because we got a quiet room. Yet I was somewhat disappointed in a way because it gets such great reviews on the dis and on tripadvisor. Then I realized that our 3 previous stays at the DLH had made it tough to switch. I also hated that walk up Harbor, especially after my son almost got run over by somebody barreling into the HoJo parking lot. To me it is an older hotel with nice big rooms, a nice staff and a WONDERFUL location. That should be enough I guess, but we missed the magic. Since we paid about $79 a night I was okay with the whole thing. But like you we usually stay onsite and that makes comparison hard to avoid. I would still maybe stay there again but would invest in one of those white noise machines in case I get a freeway room. I have recommended the HoJo before, especially to people who don't care about the whole onsite thing, so obviously we were satisfied with our stay enough to recommend it, but I don't think its quite as fabulous as others do. If I stay offsite again, I am trying the Candy Cane, Sheraton or if I could get a good rate I would definitely do the Hilton. Seems like whenever I check on the Hilton however, its more than Paradise Pier. I would love to find that perfect offsite hotel, where we weren't all having "onsite withdrawl" because the DLR's are so expensive. This is one of the reasons we go to WDW more now, cheaper onsite accomodations and since the airfare is pretty much the same for us it makes sense. But I still love Disneyland the best!

 

[Vanvmom]

Sorry to hear you had such a rotten experience. We've had those too! Once we went to Humbolt, CA for a wedding, and the hotel we'd reserved lost our reservation. We arrived after midnight, and they tried to tell us "the inn is full." We gave them our confirmation "letters" (they used letters instead of numbers at this place). Well, the letters we had happened to prove that we'd made our reservations through the hotel manager - so they had to find room for us. We slept the night in a conference room they'd placed 2 roll away cots in. It had a large mural of Emerald Bay in Tahoe on one wall. The wedding we went to was fun, and we've laughed for years about the fact that we were the only ones in Humbolt who'd been given a room with an occupancy of 200, a wet bar, and view of Lake Tahoe.

We stayed in a hotel in Monterey over Thanksgiving once, and the local construction people knocked out electrical power to half of the hotel. Yes, we were in the half with no power as of 2am Thanksgiving morning. Even with a complaint letter sent to their corporate headquarters, the cost of our stay was not discounted. They did send a coupon good for one night's stay in their hotel (Tues - Thur only, not good during holidays or special event weeks).

On a happier note... we've stayed in rooms all over the DL area, and never had a bad room at the Candy Cane Inn (and we've been in many rooms all over that hotel as well).

 

[CalGal]

I appreciate this thread. I've never stayed at HoJos due to its proximity to the freeway. I've been tempted to try it based upon the reviews, but would not consider it if there is any risk of being in a room next to the freeway. I am particularly disturbed that your AP "discount" was treated as an opportunity to book a downgraded room. More than ever now, I'm inclined to try Candy Cane or perhaps BWPPI before HoJos.

Amy&Dan -- I find the rates at the Hilton and Marriott fluxuate tremendously based upon the conventions and availability at the time. I've booked Hilton when it's 1/2 the price of the PPH, but also seen times when the rates are higher than the PPH.

 

[CdnDisneyFan]

Why don't you email Willie Simpson, Sales Manager at the HoJo william.simpson@hojoanaheim.com with your concerns, he is great about trying to rectify problems, he's a great guy.

Jules

 

[amyup]

I just wanted to reply that it is unfortunate that you received a freeway room when you booked a pool room but I do not think it was due to using the discount. I have used the Entertainment card discount many times, which is heavily discounted $45 a night and have never received a freeway room. We are actually always bumped up to a Home Office room (which is slightly larger than standard). I think it was mainly due to late check in and a rude counter person. I agree on it being the pits to stay there if you get on the freeway side!

 

[c&m]

I've never tried the HOJO...had been meaning to, but always ended up somewhere else. I do know how it feels to stay in a room that you had high hopes in and ended up disappointed. I do hope that your time at DL/DCA was fabulous though.

We've stayed at the Paradise Pier, Hyatt, Anaheim Marriott, and the Anaheim Hilton. The BEST was the Hyatt's kidsuite, which was an amazing room. I also loved their free shuttle and the fact they were located adjacent to the Target, where I picked up our way cheaper bottled water and snacks.

The absolute WORST was the Hilton. I had once attended a conference and had passed through the Hilton's lobby, thinking it was wonderful. Was I fooled, because the magnificent lobby was where it all ended. If you can get an Executive floor room, then you're fine and probably would have no complaints; however, if you get a standard room, you'd be better off staying at the Marriott, Sheraton or CCI. Also, a lot of their "Disney view" rooms are a bit of a joke. In our "Disney view" room, for instance, you had to really stretch your neck out to see it. The Hilton rooms are run-down and the bathrooms are TEENY TINY, where the bathroom door almost bangs into the toilet when you open it, and the tiles are brown with grout. All I can say is never again at the Hilton.

 

[MATTERHORN]

AMY&DAN - You made some great points. I do recommend the Hojo, but to people that clearly don't care about the onsite experience. It is hard to go back, and even though some say it's the same walk as PP or DLH (not taking the monorail) It's still not the SAME walk. There is something fun and exciting to me about walking through DTD to get to the parks! I think you were right when you said that it's hard to go back offiste for some. I will do it if it's the only way I can go, of course!

I agree that I have yet to find that perfect offsite hotel that I can leave the park at night not wishing I was onsite. It hasn't happened yet, but I hope to try the Candy Cane soon and hope that it will happen for you too!


Andrea

 

[munchkinsmom]

I agree with Amyup that it may have been due to a late check in. We use the HOJO on a regular basis with their AP discount and have gotten really nice rooms away from the freeway side every time. We always get to the hotel to check-in pretty early, though.

Sorry you had a disappointing experience. A similar experience (the problem wasn't freeway noise, though) happened to us at one of the DLR hotels. Hopefully your next visit to Disneyland will be more pleasant.

 

[caimakale]

I am used to staying in "nicer" hotels. After coming up from a very nice room in San Diego, we walked into the HoJo and I was immediately disappointed. The room smelt like an old nursing home, the orange curtains, yellow bedding, and pink & blue tiled bathrooms are horrible. There was a leak in the ceiling, their two "queen" beds are actually only full size. I know because I measured. I got put in a two story building which was a joke because there was no elevator and I had to lug 10 bags of luggage up a tiny staircase. The laundry room is ghetto (at least the one I seen was).

Now don't get me wrong, many people are fine with these things, and to each his own, but I too was extremely disappointed when I seen it, after reading all of the rave reviews it has here.

Fortunately, I talked to the people at the Grand Californian, they were able to get me in a night early (only had to spend two nights at the hojo), and they upgraded my room at no cost for the duration of my stay.

My opinion ... the HoJo definately gets a thumbs down.

 

[karylrocks]

I think that people might be expecting too much by comparing it with nicer properties. It is rated only 2 diamonds from AAA, and I almost always avoid those myself. Many of the properties around DL are old, and refurbishing can only do so much. They still get so much business and can keep their rates up because of the proximity. I would think you could get a much nicer room for the price by going a couple of miles away.

 

[savs]

The absolute WORST was the Hilton. I had once attended a conference and had passed through the Hilton's lobby, thinking it was wonderful. Was I fooled, because the magnificent lobby was where it all ended. If you can get an Executive floor room, then you're fine and probably would have no complaints; however, if you get a standard room, you'd be better off staying at the Marriott, Sheraton or CCI. Also, a lot of their "Disney view" rooms are a bit of a joke. In our "Disney view" room, for instance, you had to really stretch your neck out to see it. The Hilton rooms are run-down and the bathrooms are TEENY TINY, where the bathroom door almost bangs into the toilet when you open it, and the tiles are brown with grout. All I can say is never again at the Hilton.

'


My family and I were at the Hilton and loved it!!! Below is a picture of our room, which is a Disney view (see picture below) and we only paid $119.00 a night, which was worth it. My family had a wonderful time there and would reccomend it to anyone.

 

[brenda1966]

Oh dear -- I just reserved a room at HoJo so reading this is causing me some concern! I'm paying about $100 a night (mousesaver's rate) for a regular room there and I don't know if I'm not finding good rates in the area because I am booking so late or because I don't have AAA.

I think we'll be fine at HoJo's -- we've stayed at Super 8's before and aren't inclined to spend more than $100 a night for a room since all we do is sleep there. I'd love to stay onsite but just can't justify the expense and I don't like hotel hopping -- checking in and out of different ones is time consuming so even a night or two onsite is out.

Any advice on how to get a better rate? Any advice on where to stay in San Diego? We'll be there 2 nights and don't need anything fancy, just clean and safe.

 

[disneymommyof2]

We stayed at the HOJO last June. Our experience was okay. I thought it was a nice enough hotel. But like many others have mentioned, it's hard to stay somewhere else when you're used to staying on Disney property. My first choice would always be the Disneyland Hotel, but if finances don't allow it (as they didn't on our last trip), I would definately stay at HOJOS again.

 

[susan bailey]

Brenda 1966 - We also had reservations at the Hojo for Aug 24-28 but when I checked back on the Disneyland website, we were able to get into the Disneyland Hotel for $149!

 

[savs]

Any advice on where to stay in San Diego? We'll be there 2 nights and don't need anything fancy, just clean and safe.

I can't be of much help here, but we just spent 3 nights at the Hyatt Islandia in San Diego. It cost more then what you are looking at spending, but it was a very beautiful hotel to stay at. Very clsoe to Sea World, Mission Beach and had a beautiful view of the bay/ocean.

 

[LuvTigger]

Any advice on how to get a better rate? Any advice on where to stay in San Diego? We'll be there 2 nights and don't need anything fancy, just clean and safe.

You may want to look at Dana Inn & Marina. It's reasonably priced (for San Diego), and it's very convenient to Sea World. It's right on the marina, which is nice. It's more like a motel than a hotel, with several buildings, I think mostly 2 or 3 story, and a pool in the center. It's been a while since my last stay, but it was clean and safe.

Another option is Priceline, especially if you don't really care which area of San Diego you stay in. We got the Westin Horton Plaza for $90 last year. We still had to pay $25 for parking, but even that was cheaper than booking Dana Inn, and it was VERY nice! It was also convenient being right next to Horton Plaza for shopping and a nice dinner.

(Side note: I've stayed at HoJo several times with good experiences. I think I had the same freeway room as OP, and it was a little annoying, but we didn't let it spoil our trip. For us, it was just the luck of the draw. It was the absolute only room available.)

 

[Disneyland_emily]

Well I still love Hojos


-em