HOJO or Best Western Park Place

[Frollo27]

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Disneyland. We have narrowed our hotel choices to either HOJO (best price) or the Best Western Park Place (location). My parents and sister and brother-in-law will be joining us. My sister has a 3 year old and 1 year old.

We have read that many people like HOJO but in our case with my parents and the kids, would the Best Western be better since the walking distance would be shorter?

I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks,

Sam

 

[Leofoenget]

If you all want to share a room, I vote for Desert Inn and Suites. 4Q beds 2 bathrooms

 

[spacemermaid]

To me, walking a little bit further from Hojo's is worth it, as the beds there are much more comfortable, and the pools are bigger/better that the Park Place.

Though it *is* nice to be able to just walk across the street to the hotel, especially after a long day in the Park!

 

[JustAKid]

I second the vote for Desert Inn and Suites if you are interested in staying in "one room" (I believe it's two joined rooms, one with a sofa bed pull out). I have not found another off site hotel in the area that accomedates so many people. It is nearly the same distance as Best Western, give or take some steps. If you're going during colder weather they have an indoor pool. HOWEVER!!! If you have more then one vehicle, don't stay here. They make you park the other vehicle somewhere else and it's a hassel (so I've been told).

Seeing as how you didn't ask for my 2 cents, I'll answer your question. A lot of people will vote HoJo, but I think you should evaluate your family. Assuming you will be going back to the hotel for afternoon naps/down time, will the walk to and from HoJo be too much for your gang? Are you going at a time when you will be using the outdoor water features? Will you have your own vehicle, or would an on-site convience store be helpful? Will freeway noise be a complication (HoJos has a bit, although it's said that simply by turning the fan/air/heat on it's covered up and you can REQUEST to be put in a different area)? If you want to go cheapest, you want to go HoJo, it's that simple. If your family is more interested in convience and willing to splurge a little for it, BWPPI might be your better bet. It's a question that we really can't answer for you.

 

[HydroGuy]

I have stayed at both. You will not go wrong either way. When I stayed at HoJos the walked seemed a little far especially when you have to walk past a half dozen hotels/motels along the way. The walk back at night is especially far. But the rooms and hotel are nicer than BWPPI.

We stay at BWPPI these days because their mini-suites can handle 6 people and have mini-fridges and microwaves. Plus the walk is the shortest.

But HoJos has a nicer pool and grounds. So they are both good options.

 

[queenie82]

We stayed at BWPPI and NEVER EVER again will we stay there.
Pointless and irritating staff, poor quality rooms and maintenance (if they even know the meaning of the word)

Never stayed at HoJo but I would never recommend the BWPPI

 

[HydroGuy]

We stayed at BWPPI and NEVER EVER again will we stay there.
Pointless and irritating staff, poor quality rooms and maintenance (if they even know the meaning of the word)

Never stayed at HoJo but I would never recommend the BWPPI

When I have a bad experience with a hotel I react the same way. I would add that of all the reviews I see about BWPPI yours is not typical. I have stayed there three times myself. I hope you have better luck next time at a different hotel.

Heck, I just saw a bad experience posted on this forum that someone had at the venerable GCH. Until then I thought everyone loved the GCH.

 

[kailuagirl]

We stayed at BWPPI in June and about 7 years ago. Both times we didn't experience any problems. Love love love the location, it is so easy to go back and forth from the parks to the hotel. Never went to the pool either time, but it is small and the folks in it seemed to enjoy themselves. Fridge and micro is a plus. We didn't experience any bugs and housekeeping always did a good job. There is a decent size counter space near the sink which was handy to wash my baby bottles, etc. If you are a costco member you can get alittle discount on the room, just book it thru the costco web site. Good luck on your decision.

 

[Anater]

We stayed at the BWPPI a few years back for four nights. The hotel was clean and the location was wonderful. We're not hotel snobs by any means - location, safety and cleanliness are our top requirements. It was nice to walk back to the room with our four year old for an afternoon nap. Hojos sounds like a great hotel, I haven't stayed there but it gets great reviews. The BWPPI is definitely closer, I guess it depends on if your sister will be bringing her own stroller. Carrying a tired toddler back to the room any further than necessary can be exhausting!

 

[tinkermell]

HI, We just stayed at the Park Place for the first time in years, and we were pleasantly surprised. The room was very clean, and it looked like it had been remodeled since we had been there. The sink area is huge and I thought the beds were fine. The walk is the best. Check in was great too. Very nice, and called us later in our rooms to make sure everything was fine with our room.

I've also stayed at Hojos. I think it depends on which buildings as far as rooms go. I'v stayed in the newer buildings where everything is great, but one time stayed in the older ones, and they are pretty bad compared to Park Place in my opinion. One of them didn't even have an elevator. The pool for small children is great. My grandsons loved it. As Hydroguy says..........the walk can be long after spending a long time in the parks.

At the moment, if you had a choice, I think I would choose Park Place cuz of its location for the little ones and your feet. But if you think pool time is more important for the wee ones, than choose Hojos.

Have a great time!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I agree that you cannot make a bad choice. The Hojo has the grounds and the themed pool area but I know that for my father in law, that walk was tough on him. So next trip we stayed at the BWPPI and that location was hard to beat! I also thought the room was very nice (we had a mini suite), it had been recently updated, was super clean and had a great bathroom area with a separate sink area. The pool was not much and that was my only drawback (but hey, my kids had fun, they love any pool). I'll also add that at the BWPPI, you do get a free breakfast which is not gourmet, but its enough to get your day going and its included in your rate.

If your sister is going to use a stroller for both kids than the Hojo is a winner and I am sure that water playground would be a hit. And as long as your inlaws are in good health and can walk, the walk isn't that bad but as Hydroguy said, when you walk by about five hotels on your way, well suddenly it seems longer than it is!

Another one I'll mention is the Tropicanna. We also like that one and the pool area is very nice with a huge hottub. It also has some prettier landscaping touches and the parking lot is a bit easier (if you have a car) than the BWPPI which has a very tiny, cramped parking lot. It also has a free breakfast and is right next door to the BWPPI.

 

[mareed]

For those who have stayed at BWPPI, did you have an upper floor? We stayed there and were on the ground floor opening up to the parking lot (exterior corridors). It was horrible! We heard car doors, car alarms, & people outside the room all night long! We always travel with a sound machine and had it turned up all the way, but it couldn't cover up the erratic, very loud noises right outside our room. We had no car on that trip and actually considered moving down to our usual HoJo after one night and just rolling our suitcases down the street. We stuck it out for that trip and the location was convenient being right at the cross walk, but we'll be back at HoJo for our upcoming trips!

So, I wonder if BWPPI may be OK if you're on an upper floor, but I can personally say it's lousy on the first floor.

My vote is definitely for HoJo. I assume with a 1 & 3 year old that they'll be in a stroller, and the slightly longer walking distance is worth it for the nicer room at the HoJo. Given that the HoJo is cheaper, I'd definitely choose it!

 

[HydroGuy]

For those who have stayed at BWPPI, did you have an upper floor? We stayed there and were on the ground floor opening up to the parking lot (exterior corridors). It was horrible! We heard car doors, car alarms, & people outside the room all night long! We always travel with a sound machine and had it turned up all the way, but it couldn't cover up the erratic, very loud noises right outside our room. We had no car on that trip and actually considered moving down to our usual HoJo after one night and just rolling our suitcases down the street. We stuck it out for that trip and the location was convenient being right at the cross walk, but we'll be back at HoJo for our upcoming trips!

So, I wonder if BWPPI may be OK if you're on an upper floor, but I can personally say it's lousy on the first floor.

My vote is definitely for HoJo. I assume with a 1 & 3 year old that they'll be in a stroller, and the slightly longer walking distance is worth it for the nicer room at the HoJo. Given that the HoJo is cheaper, I'd definitely choose it!

We have always had the mini-suites and I think those are all 2nd and 3rd floor. We have always been up and opposite side from Captain Kidd's restaurant. I can see how ground floor could be worse.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Yes, I was on an upper floor as well in our mini suite and it was nice and quiet. I can imagine being on the first floor might not be as quiet, but that would hold true at any motel with exterior corridors. And of course some of the Hojo rooms are on the dreaded freeway side and those can be noisy as well. But for sure at BWPPI, you have exterior corridors that face a parking lot.

 

[mareed]

Yes, I was on an upper floor as well in our mini suite and it was nice and quiet. I can imagine being on the first floor might not be as quiet, but that would hold true at any motel with exterior corridors. And of course some of the Hojo rooms are on the dreaded freeway side and those can be noisy as well. But for sure at BWPPI, you have exterior corridors that face a parking lot.

We requested an upper floor at BWPPI, but of course someone has to get the ground floor and it was all that was available during our stay. I admit that while I've stayed at HoJo many times, it's never been on the freeway side, but we have 2 upcoming trips booked there in their relatively new KidSuite which are all on the freeway side. From my reading of comments from others, it sounds like the freeway noise would be more like constant white noise and since we sleep with a white noise machine anyway rather than silence, I'm hoping that we'll be fine with it. Our first HoJo stay dealing with the freeway side will be at the end of Dec, and I'll definitely write back and share my comments!

It was the sporadic car doors, car alarms, & people walking by & talking right outside our (exterior) door that was so annoying at BWPPI. I definitely agree that this would hold true with the ground floor anywhere with exterior corridors!

 

[Crazy4Pooh]

We stayed at the HOJO last year and although it was nice the freeway was definately a downer. The walk was fine but then again it was just my DH and myself. We are headed for BWPPI in October and will write a review after our stay. We thought location, location, location.



Me (47) DH (39)

 

[mvf-m11c]

We stayed at both HOJO this month and BWPPI last december.

I like HOJO because of castaway cove and the entertainment rate for the rooms. The pool is so great for the kids and the entertainment rate saves us alot of money. The downside is the location, it is right next to i-5 and can be noisy, but it wasn't noisy when we were in our room. It is a longer walk, just about 8 min to the park entrance, but it is seems longer when we go back to the hotel late at night.

BWPPI has the best location to walk to the dlr, right next to the crosswalk on harbor blvd. We just walk a few minutes to the park and back from a long day. I don't like about it is parking the car, it is so tight and you have to get there early for check-in to get a spot and it is also right next to captain kidd's restaurant where they also share the parking area. The pool is not to big.

If I went without any children, I would stay at BWPPI because I don't go swimming that much and I would prefer a shorter walk to the park.

 

[kirstie101]

We just got back from another stay at BWPPI....we stay there for the location. Being that close comes in really handy with a toddler. That being said, when she's a bit older I want to try HOJO just for their pool area. For now we'll stock with BWPPI though. Now if the price difference is a big one, and for me thats $20 a night or more, then go with the cheaper one.