I am making myself sick about worrying about the hotel we choose.

[mom4scrapbooking]

I know this is crazy. But we decided to go to Disneyland. We decided to look at all costs so we can go as cheap as possible with still having a good time. My husband got a great rate for the castle inn through his company. I thought that is good across the street with a little walk. Suite room with space. Sure let's go there. The reviews are terrible, people are even complaining about bed bugs. I can't cancel now as we went through a third party and it doesn't let you cancel the reservations. Some one please help and tell me all will be ok. I know you only go there to sleep as we are going to emmerce ourselves in Disney. Someone please share you rexperiences or comments for me. I leave in less than 2 weeks. Thanks so much!

 

[cmwade77]

I can honestly say that I have not stayed at Castle Inn. I have stayed at others near Disneyland that have had bad reviews and they have been ok.

That being said, most of these third party sites will help you if you arrive and find bed bugs and such.

Now there are some tricks that will help you get at least the cleanest room possible.

If you have a smart phone, have your web browser open to reviews on Trip Advisor, when the person asks for confirmation number out your phone where they can easily see it and then say hold on a second, let me pull that up from my email. This tends to give the impression that YOU will be writing your own review.

Dress nicely (not business nice though, just dressy casual, it is a tourist area).

Be nice when checking in.

 

[Amy&Dan]

It actually got some pretty decent reviews on Trip Advisor (and some bad ones but more good than bad from what I just read). I also noticed that the manager at Castle Inn responded to a lot of the good and bad reviews which tells me they do at least care. Maybe call the hotel directly and speak to the manager and tell him/her your worries. Seriously, it might mean they make sure you get a decent room since you are on the internet and they know you will likely post a review on here and other sites too. There must be some postives to the place to get the amount of good reviews they do receive. And its ranked about in the middle of all hotels in the Anaheim area.

All said, at this point, there is nothing you can do about it but try to relax and go in with an open mind. Take a look at your room before you unpack, check for bed bugs (which I do at any hotel I stay in, if you google bedbugs you can find info on how to check for them, they do leave telltale signs) and if the room is not good, ask to get another one.

I haven't stayed there, but our neighbors we have known for years go there every year. They swear by it and their kids for years thought the Castle Inn was the "Disneyland Hotel" since it was a castle!

And just a note for future reference, if you call a hotel directly and tell them that you saw a low rate on a third party site, most hotels will match that directly through them saving you the no cancellation headache. I had this happen a few years ago when I booked a non cancellable room through Expedia and my son got swine flu. Expedia did nothing, but the hotel did cancel it for me and told me to call them directly next time. Which I have since done with several places and I always get a better rate than their internet rate.

I think you will be fine, you will be at Disneyland after all! Good luck, I think many of us understand how easy it is to worry over your hotel choice but in the end, it almost always works out just fine.

 

[Mr Snappy]

...you get what you pay for.

 

[Amy&Dan]

...you get what you pay for.

Very supportive and reassuring to a fellow disboarder.

 

[Mr Snappy]

So, is it better to fill her full of expectaions that will never be fullfilled? I never said it won't be acceptable, but it is what it is...a cheap place to sleep.

or would you have me say "Yeah, its the same as the Hilton or GCH, don't stress"

 

[All American]

I know nothing about this hotel; however, I didn't want to read and run. I really hope that hotel turns out to be great for your trip.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

We have never stayed here, but our friends did a few years ago. I'm not going to sugarcoat and say all will be great. What I can tell you though is that they said it wasn't terrible but they wouldn't stay there again. They said it wasn't dirty but not real clean either. They did not have any bedbug or other pest problems. The hotel was basically a no frills place to sleep, and it's greatest asset was that it's located a walkable distance from Disneyland. They were willing to stay there at a rate they could afford at the time rather than to not go at all, and it sounds from your post that you too made a similar choice. Give your room the once-over when you get there, work out any problems with management, and then enjoy the parks. You won't notice much about the room when your eyes are closed.

 

[JDCLL]

Hello, I have not stayed at this hotel either...BUT I have learned that I should never trust the reviews that are posted about hotels.

I will tell you my experiences though. We are a very frugal family of five, in order to go to Disney we have to save and make it as cheap as possible.

In April, I bid on Priceline for a hotel and I got the Holiday Inn Anaheim Resort. I read the reviews and started noticing that people were complaining about all kinds of things. I was locked into going so I prepared myself for the worse. When we got there I was pleasantly surprised and found that that it was super nice and somewhere I would stay again.

About two years ago we stayed at a Travelodge near Disneyland that I got off Expedia, I read the reviews and they were very good....I was so excited that we got a cheap hotel and the reviews were really good. I was wrong. The room was dingy, dirty, and rundown.

What I'm trying to say is don't trust the reviews....Many people will complain about the stupidest things, they want a five star resort in a 2-3 star hotel.

Do a check for bed bugs when you get in the room. Leave all luggage on luggage racks or tile/laminate floors. Many upscale resorts that are 4-5 stars also have complaints of bed bugs if you look at their reviews. It's a common problem. Remember that many times people will just get mad at the hotel because they were charged for something or their stay wasn't the best so they will claim bed bugs because it's something that will really hurt the hotel. I also heard that if you leave a cup of vinegar at the bottom of the bed the bugs will come to it and you can then see if there are in fact bed bugs in the hotel.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Argento]

...you get what you pay for.

Amen

 

[Disney Dreams]

...you get what you pay for.

So, is it better to fill her full of expectaions that will never be fullfilled? I never said it won't be acceptable, but it is what it is...a cheap place to sleep.

or would you have me say "Yeah, its the same as the Hilton or GCH, don't stress"

I have no problem with your initial comment, IF you have first-hand knowledge to back it up.

Have you stayed there?
Do you know that it's not worth much?
Do you know anything about it?

If you can offer more than trite sayings to a poster looking for input, it would be very helpful.

OP, I know nothing about the motel you are asking about, but if you have that feeling in the pit of your stomach for valid reasons (not just a random hunch), I always say to listen to it.

HTH,
Dreams

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I know this is crazy. But we decided to go to Disneyland. We decided to look at all costs so we can go as cheap as possible with still having a good time. My husband got a great rate for the castle inn through his company. I thought that is good across the street with a little walk. Suite room with space. Sure let's go there. The reviews are terrible, people are even complaining about bed bugs. I can't cancel now as we went through a third party and it doesn't let you cancel the reservations. Some one please help and tell me all will be ok. I know you only go there to sleep as we are going to emmerce ourselves in Disney. Someone please share you rexperiences or comments for me. I leave in less than 2 weeks. Thanks so much!

Looking at the reviews on Trip adviser, I would conclude that the Castle has at least some rooms that are in need of a refurb. I would conclude the TV and equipment in at least some of the rooms is outdated and possibly the decor as well. Most of the people reported clean rooms. And that is what I'm really worried about. I can deal with out dated. I can deal with needs a refurb. I can deal with a old fashioned tube TV rather than flat screen. I can't deal with an unclean fleabag. I would expect a bare bones hotel. But I would expect good service though minimal. I'd expect a fairly small pool. Please let us know how it is.

 

[mommaU4]

I haven't stayed there so I can't speak on that property directly, but I am sure it will be fine. All you need is a decent clean place to sleep. Do a check of the room as others have suggested. Keep in mind more people are likely to write a review if they've had a negative experience than a positive one. It's just easier to complain than to think of writing a review when everything goes well, kwim?

As for getting what you pay for....not always true. I've been to places that were well reviewed, and definitely "pricey", only to be disappointed in the accommodations and service. Likewise I've stayed at some cheap places while road tripping across the U.S. that made me wonder if Norman Bates was going to be waiting behind the desk to check us in, and it turned out to be quite lovely. You just never know.

Good luck! Don't stress beforehand. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and deal with whatever happens when you get there.

 

[KateDrake]

I've also never stayed at the Castle, but I do have a lot of experience using TripAdvisor, and I often find that the things people complain about are no big deal. For example, my husband and I booked our "babymoon" at an all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico through a company we'd used before. I got on TripAdvisor, and was dismayed to find that the luxury resort we were supposedly staying at was getting reviews of 2 stars or less.
Well, we arrived at the resort, and it was awesome! Yeah, it was a little farther out of town than some, but it was still right on the beach. And the air conditioning in some of the common rooms wasn't the greatest, but that was because many of them had open walls for views of the ocean. It was really very nice, and we loved staying there. As I read more of the reviews, I noticed that people were complaining about dumb stuff, like that some of the staff didn't speak very good English. Well, it is a foreign country, so what were they expecting? And they also complained that all they served was Mexican food, which wasn't much of a shock to me, as we were in Mexico.... So I think people just expect too much sometimes. I know my sister-in-law is like that. She expects every hotel she stays at to be like the ones she sees in movies, and is disappointed with what she can get for $85 a night. Just set your expectations low, and you'll probably be fine!

 

[BrizMarc]

Check the room out before you unpack and if there is a problem ask for a clean room. End of the day you are only going to be sleeping in the room. You will be in the parks and eating out most of the time I assume. As long as you have a clean room to sleep in will be fine. Remember that the amount of people that post on websites is only a fraction of the people that stay in the hotels and people who have a bad experience are more likley to post than someone who has a good one. Your vacation will be fine.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I just hate it that you have this ill feeling. Sending a hug your way.....

My curiosity was piqued so I went to Trip Advisor to read the reviews, and I think they are pretty good. There was one recent review from someone who has stayed there before and they were happy again with their most recent visit.

This looks like a basic motel with minimal furnishings, but I think it looks pretty nice. It looks a lot like the motel we stayed at on Cape Cod! Based on the reviews, it sounds like the staff cares deeply about the guests. I think that is a positive sign. If something just doesn't seem right to you once you are there, ask for their help in resolving it.

Please, please, please try to think of all the magical moments you will be sharing with your family on this trip -- your kids' eyes will be wide with awe and joy. That is what I hope you can focus on now and what will remain with you long after you check out of the Castle Inn.

 

[zavandor]

Remember that the amount of people that post on websites is only a fraction of the people that stay in the hotels and people who have a bad experience are more likley to post than someone who has a good one

How true!
When reading reviews on Trip Advisor I never look at the global score, it's too much easy to manipulate it and complains ofter win on good reviews. This is especially true with lower category hotels, where people can just have the wrong expectation.
So here is my rules:
- is the same complain repeated in many reviews? It can happen that one or two people get a dirty or used room, so I don't mind for a few complain of that kind. Only if there are a lot of it there is a problem
- always look at the complain and understand if it's a problem for you. Is the pool too small? I never use the pool, so for me it's not a problem.
- look at longer reviews: one saying "it's terrible" and nothing else is not really helpful, he might just be angry for something or having a bad day. A long detailed review means someone spent a lot of his time to help others, so it will probably be more interesting to read
- don't use Trip Advisor: I know it's the most famous, but I think they let everyone post. I prefere Booking.com, since they let post only people who booked through them so they are sure that people stayed there. It's sad, but there are hotels who post fake reviews to increase own score and decrease others.

 

[CDanger]

I go down to DL and stay at motels for 2 nights at a time. While I have not stayed at the Castle Inn, I have stayed in far cheaper motels with worse reviews and all have been FINE. Not great, but not awful. I have found all front desk personnel to be friendly and accommodating...several even charged my iPhone for me when I forgot my charger.

The pools at these properties are hit or miss, so far out of 5 motels, 2 pools have been good enough to use. One claimed a hot tub which ended up being a boarded up pit in the middle of the stairwell.

The beds are also hit or miss. The general problem has been sagging in the center or hardness. The pillows tend to be pretty flat. Fortunately, DL beats you up and other than the first night when you are excited, you hardly notice it. At least I don't.

Compare the walking distance hotels to 'really nice motels.' Dated ones, at that. There really is nothing wrong with them, and if you encounter a problem, tell somebody about it. They will take care of it, or that can help initiate your process of changing hotels with the assistance of your 3rd party booker.

I would not stress out about this though, we have never been so disappointed with any of the properties so much that we felt like leaving. In fact, we are usually able to make light of any strange feature of the hotel and joke about it during our trip.

One last thing, TripAdvisor is a major tool in the hotel industry, more-so than you may actually believe. If you read their reviews, please take the time to submit a review after the trip. People get raises and people get fired because of reviews, and, especially if you had a positive or even neutral experience, the hotel deserves the recognition. Besides, its the least you can do for the free advice you read!

Anyhow, enjoy your trip down here!!! Welcome!!!

 

[Bungle]

Don't panic! I've learned that sometimes online reviews are just wrong. Years ago we stayed at super 8 on disneyland drive and at the time it had horrid reviews. We thought it was a fine place to stay. Not luxurious but not what the bad reviews were making it out to be either.
What I do is check the room when I arrive for any kind of bugs or uncleanliness and if its not up to par I ask for another room, or contact the third party you booked through.
Try not to worry, enjoy your trip.

 

[starshine514]

People have been reporting improvements to the Castle Inn lately. It has gone from my 'Never' list to my 'If the price was right' list. (Eden Roc is still on my 'Never' list btw.) Basically, I would now consider staying there.