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

[kirstie101]

I haven't stayed there but my sis and her hubby have and they thought it was fine and said they plan on staying there when they go again. Dont make yourself sick with worry. It will be ok. ALL hotels can have bedbugs. Check for them as soon as you get to your room. If you see evidence of bed bugs, ask for a different room. You'll be ok.

 

[Here4mydisneyfix]

We NEVER stay at expensive hotels, our budget just won't cover that kind of expense...to be honest, even if it did, I still think we'd probably choose to stay at off-site cheapies! lol We really just see it as a place to sleep, and it seems crazy to us to spend sooo much extra for a bed when we'll be there for so little time! Rather spend that money on fun stuff! Heck, even if the beds are not the most comfortable on the planet, full days at DL have a way of making you tired enough to not even care if you are sleeping outside on the pavement!
While we have not stayed at the Castle, (we have considered it, but found cheaper places) we have stayed at LOTS of other places around the area that are rated pretty terribly, and they have always turned out just great! I do always check for bedbugs first before anyone comes into the room, but bed bugs could even be at 5 star hotels! Heck, they have been finding them in movie theater seats! It's not just a low star motel problem.
I find that the super low reviews are either from very, very picky people who expected a 5 star luxury hotel for $50 a night, or sometimes people have a bad experience with the staff and then EVERYTHING gets thrown into a bad light for them after that. How many hundreds of people stay at these places every day? And how many reviews are there?? The fact of the matter is that the ones who have something negative to say will almost ALWAYS review because they want to shout to the world that they've been wronged, while most people who had a perfectly pleasant stay will not remember to review, as there was no issue.
Just look at the positives, 1. you are going to Disneyland!!! (and seriously, the huge majority of your time will be spent there), 2. your kids will think it is AMAZING that you are staying in your very own CASTLE!! and 3. when you are tired, you are super close to your hotel so you and your family can crash! It's just a place to sleep, ok? Not worth the undue stress. Try not to worry, it will be great!!

 

[brenda1966]

Our girl scout leader stayed there last December with her parents and spouse and children. They thought it was just fine. Granted, I don't think they used the pool. They did walk to the parks each day.

Relax and enjoy your trip!

 

[wannagoback]

I have stayed there twice and both times were completely pleasant stays! (and really good deals too, which made it even better!)

Would it be my first choice? No. But it was everything we needed and the price we wanted.

Have fun!

 

[T0rrent]

As others have stated, give the room a once over before you unpack. If their are any issues, call up the front desk and point it out and let them know you would like your room changed. Also keep in mind when it comes to review sites, people are more inclined to leave a review if they are unhappy instead of happy, and more often then not they will exaggerate the claim.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

travel lodge on disney drive was good, and I have read some bad things about castle inn but also some good things. I did as another poster said see the manger answered some the bad reviews. Id say just call and try to talk to them. They may try to make sure you get a good room and dubble check for bed bugs if you tell them "I am on line alto i write reviews for where I stay and I really hope this one isn't as bad as I am reading about.

For the one with the snappy post. He is new only 14posts. He hasn't learned how we on the dis on the disney land side of the boards are so friendly and nice yet. give him time he will learn
We try to be positive with our responses here

 

[darph nader]

We stayed there 5 years ago. My wife and DD got there a day before I did. The first room didn't 'go over' so well. (bugs)

They got a suite at the front of the motel,,big enough,but the AC and traffic noise was LOUD. Try and get a room at the back of the motel.

 

[mom4scrapbooking]

Thank you everyone! You guys know how to make someone feel better. I appreciate all the advise. I will definitely do a sweep of the room before I go in. I will research bugs so I can understand what to look for and ask for another room. Again I am there just to sleep. As I will be enjoying the beauty and magic of Disneyland.

 

[kailuagirl]

I have never stayed there, but I believe there are a few people here who like in there. Can't remember who, but I know there are, so maybe they'll see them as give some input. My friend stayed there last March and had no problems at all, it was her and her 3 kids. I truly hope you have a magical time and find a perfectly clean, stress free room. Don't stress, you are going to Disneyland!!! Think about the positive and do check out the room before you unpack and ask for another one if needed.

 

[pixiewings71]

We stayed there, we are a family of 4, once we took friends of our DD's so we were a family of 6 for the weekend. We will NEVER EVER EVER stay there again, even if it gets a complete remodel there is NO WAY we will ever stay there again. It was easily the second worst hotel I have ever stayed in and the worst in the DL area. Our room was dirty (dirty floors, the tub was dirty (hairs and not the long kind from your head!!), we had 4 towels for 6 people, we had no extra blankets at all. We called the front desk after we checked in to ask for "extra" towels and blankets, we were told they would "have to see what they could do" I said "we have 6 people on our reservation but only got 4 towels, please send 2 more towels so we each have 1 to use", again I was told "I'll have to see", the counter staff then hung up. DD15 (12 or 13 at the time) called to ask if they had WiFi, same lady answered, she literally screamed at my DD, I was across the room and heard her as clearly as if I was on the phone, her response was "does our check in info indicate we have that?! NO it does not so NO we don't have WiFi, let ALONE FREE!" DD never asked if they had free WiFi, she simply asked if there was WiFi. Ok, so we shrug it off and walk to the parks, it's farther than we like to walk but we did it anyway just to see if we wanted to drive the rest of our weekend. It wasn't a horrible walk but we basically drove the rest of the weekend. LOL The room was cold (we went in Feb), there were cracks around the door (normal in an older motel so we expected that) and they were only able to find us 1 extra blanket, luckily I carry some in the minivan so we used the one provided by the motel and we gave the girls the extras from the van. We didn't get the "extra" towels......the next morning we got up to to the parks, the girls didn't take showers but DBF and I did so I called to ask for "extra" towels again when housekeeping was close by, we don't get our rooms cleaned unless we are there for more than 3-4 days so we didn't expect to get a cleaning, that's why I asked specifically for 2 more towels....again......we did that via phone. The pool at CI is heated and the girls wanted to take a swim break, even tho it was raining they wanted to swim, so we walked back to the motel (DBF went to get water from Target), got to the room, the girls changed and I looked for "extra" towels, yup, there were none, they didn't give us 2 more towels, so we went to the pool and I went to the front desk to ask (again) for "extra" towels, I was nice every time I asked, I did not get rude at all, I was told again to my face, at the front desk "I'll have to see what I can do" I asked her to look at my reservation and see that it did indeed say we have 6 people in the room (which it did) and asked her again, why we were not being provided with a towel for each guest? She said "you may have to share"......excuse me????? I let her know that was not acceptable and that the pool didn't have towels either, I asked for 4 pool towels to be delivered to us at the pool (we were not the only people in the pool area, despite the rain, they didn't have towels either) and let her know there were others there as well. She sighed in my face, rolled her eyes and said "fine, I'll send pool towels out" I left and went to the pool area. I was out there for quite a while with the girls, pool towels NEVER arrived, DBF did and I told him I had again asked for "extra" towels for the room and I had also asked for pool towels and had not received them, so he went to the front desk and asked for pool towels again, he was given 2 and she said "I told someone to take towels out there but if they don't do it I can't force them, I mean it's raining, WHO swims in the rain?" Really?????? By now I'm annoyed, how many times have I asked for towels???? So we get the girls out so we can go back to DL and head back to the room, pass a maid cart on the way to the room (she had already been on our floor) and help ourselves to some "extra" towels so we can ALL shower and have clean towels to dry off with. Now, I don't mind using a towels a few days in a row, but I won't share one with someone else! lol The rest of our stay was fine (we were there Friday to Monday, these issues occurred Friday and Saturday), once we simply helped ourselves to the towels we needed from the maid cart. And just so you know, we only took the 2 we felt we should have had in the room anyway. After we returned I sent an email to the manager (via their website) and let him know everything that happened, we heard absolutely nothing back, not 1 thing, not a "sorry you had problems, I'll address it with my staff", not a "too bad so sad", nothing! And THAT is the main reason we won't go back. Not because of the other issues so much, but because the manager ignored my email, that is not customer service IMO, I didn't ask for anything from the manager, I just wanted acknowledgment of the problems we had with the front desk staff, she was quite simply rude.

 

[chrissiecutie]

Alright...I've read through most these comments and here's my .02 cents.

I am a former Guest Services Manager for a large-ish hotel chain. So perhaps I can offer some helpful input??

1. Yes, call the hotel directly and ask to speak with the manager. Lay it ALL out there & tell them your concerns. If the hotel manager listens and takes your concerns seriously...well, this is a very good thing. At least now you know they care, right?

2. Think about what would make this hotel "acceptable" to you & your family. When speaking with the manager, tell them what you need. Be very specific. If they have recently remodeled rooms, ask for one of these. If noise is a concern, ask for a quiet, top floor room. If cleanliness is an issue, ask to inspect the room with the manager prior to moving all your luggage into it. Many hotels have a "stack" of brand new pillows & bedding that is switched out when the old linens become too worn. Ask to have brand new ones put on before your arrival.

3. When you call the manager to speak with them about your concerns, if they do not seem to really care, then politely hang up. Wait about a week & call back to cancel. Most folks think that these reservations can not be cancelled but that's really not true. In cases of emergency, they can. And most companies (Priceline, Expedia etc) and most hotels are more then happy to help you out. You have a decent chance of getting a credit to use towards future travel from Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz, etc. Since it's these companies that actually charge your card, then I would start here. If they aren't willing to work with you, then call the hotel to have them cancel it. They can cancel it, they just don't want to. But whatever you do, don't tell them you are cancelling because you're concerned that the hotel is too dirty. Normally, I would not advise that you lie...but if they knew the real reason you wanted to cancel, then they would never do it for you. Just be polite, explain one of your kiddos has become seriously ill or your family pet had an emergency trip to the vet and you won't be taking your trip as planned. If neither will cancel- call your credit card company. Dispute the charge, file a claim, do whatever you need to do. You do NOT have to pay for a service you won't be using.

To the other poster who suggested pulling up your reservation on your smartphone, while directly in front of the hotel staff....well...IMO, this really won't do anything for you. This assumes that the staff care, this assumes that they are paying attention to what you're doing ON your smartphone and this assumes they are smart enough to connect you being on the internet with you posting a negative comment. This approach makes alot of assumptions....better off to just face the issues head on.

The thing with most reviews is that people only post them when they've had a really great experience or a really bad experience. You don't find too many that post middle of the road reviews. They are certainly there, but you have to search through all the others to see them. So you do have to take these reviews with a grain of salt. Perhaps there were cobwebs in one room & someone is deathly afraid of spiders. So this would obviously skew how they perceive the hotel. Perhaps someone had a really great customer service experience so no matter what condition the hotel was in, this experience made up for it....you get my point. And remember that it's all relative. A dead bug on the floor might totally gross out one person while another, would just pick it up and flush it and move on.

And my other piece of advice is regarding those on this board & this thread really, that have personally stayed at this hotel. I would try PM'ing them and asking them specifically what they liked or didn't like. If it's something you can live with or you know you will have a problem with, then this may really help you. I would definately trust the reviews of the DISers more then those on TripAdvisor.

 

[lk2500]

Also keep in mind when it comes to review sites, people are more inclined to leave a review if they are unhappy instead of happy, and more often then not they will exaggerate the claim.

This.

 

[lk2500]

...you get what you pay for.

Even the on site hotels have had bed bug problems.

 

[SomeDude78]

Even the on site hotels have had bed bug problems.

This ^ ... all hotels can have bed bugs, so I'd throw that consideration out the window. I travel a bunch for work (and am a hotel snob to boot) and there's just no way to know about bed bugs ahead of time, so don't worry about what can't be controlled. The Rodeway Inn to the Ritz Carlton can have bed bugs, it's what they do about an infestation that matters. And despite what anyone tells you, there's nearly no way to determine if any are present ahead of time. You can look for stains, look for the bugs themselves, look for bite marks, etc., but the only way to positively ID one is to snatch a bug or its eggs and look at it under a microscope, something that's a pretty tall order.

I have no experience with the Castle Inn but doubt it will be as bad as it's made out to be honestly. Sounds and looks (from online pics) like an inexpensive place to rest your head at night, which is pretty much what you were going for, right?

I agree with a previous poster that if it really bothers you (talking to the OP here), you can almost certainly call the third party agency and ask to be rebooked. EVERYTHING -- and I do mean EVERYTHING -- in the world is negotiable and if you ask nicely I'd bet they'll accommodate you. Maybe with a small rebooking fee or what not but it's a business and it's in their best interests to have happy customers. When asking for concessions, special bargains, or things that are "technically" not possible, the key is to explain the situation to hopefully garner some sympathy, be nice, and implicitly suggest that it's in the other party's best interests too. I've seldom seen a situation where that doesn't work ... applies to rebooking airline tickets, renewing DLR APs at previous prices , medical insurance denials of coverage, Ticketmaster, pretty much anything under the sun, trust me

I do agree with Mr. Snappy that you get what you pay for though. Perhaps the particular post on the matter was a bit terse, but I think the gist is legitimate. The point is to head in with the right expectations and you'll be fine ... pixiewings71's post on the service issues encountered are indeed a bit disheartening, but service is honestly the most hit or miss part of any hotel stay, restaurant experience, and so on. If that had happened to me, I would frankly also swear off the property for life. But there's no guarantee it'll happen to you. I'd say to not worry about it and focus on the fact that you'll be enjoying DLR soon and will have a place to sleep and re-energize, however basic it may wind up being. Hey there's a lot worse in life that can happen than going to DLR and staying in basic accomodations, right?

 

[pixiewings71]

This ^ ... all hotels can have bed bugs, so I'd throw that consideration out the window. I travel a bunch for work (and am a hotel snob to boot) and there's just no way to know about bed bugs ahead of time, so don't worry about what can't be controlled. The Rodeway Inn to the Ritz Carlton can have bed bugs, it's what they do about an infestation that matters. And despite what anyone tells you, there's nearly no way to determine if any are present ahead of time. You can look for stains, look for the bugs themselves, look for bite marks, etc., but the only way to positively ID one is to snatch a bug or its eggs and look at it under a microscope, something that's a pretty tall order.

I have no experience with the Castle Inn but doubt it will be as bad as it's made out to be honestly. Sounds and looks (from online pics) like an inexpensive place to rest your head at night, which is pretty much what you were going for, right?

I agree with a previous poster that if it really bothers you (talking to the OP here), you can almost certainly call the third party agency and ask to be rebooked. EVERYTHING -- and I do mean EVERYTHING -- in the world is negotiable and if you ask nicely I'd bet they'll accommodate you. Maybe with a small rebooking fee or what not but it's a business and it's in their best interests to have happy customers. When asking for concessions, special bargains, or things that are "technically" not possible, the key is to explain the situation to hopefully garner some sympathy, be nice, and implicitly suggest that it's in the other party's best interests too. I've seldom seen a situation where that doesn't work ... applies to rebooking airline tickets, renewing DLR APs at previous prices , medical insurance denials of coverage, Ticketmaster, pretty much anything under the sun, trust me

I do agree with Mr. Snappy that you get what you pay for though. Perhaps the particular post on the matter was a bit terse, but I think the gist is legitimate. The point is to head in with the right expectations and you'll be fine ... pixiewings71's post on the service issues encountered are indeed a bit disheartening, but service is honestly the most hit or miss part of any hotel stay, restaurant experience, and so on. If that had happened to me, I would frankly also swear off the property for life. But there's no guarantee it'll happen to you. I'd say to not worry about it and focus on the fact that you'll be enjoying DLR soon and will have a place to sleep and re-energize, however basic it may wind up being. Hey there's a lot worse in life that can happen than going to DLR and staying in basic accomodations, right?

This! Which is why I made sure to note that the main reason we decided never to return was the rudeness of the staff and not necessarily the hotel or room itself. Altho the room was dirty I've stayed in other hotels with rooms that were dirty and returned because the staff was responsive and attentive to our needs/requests.

 

[sheetz]

Yeah, from what I understand all hotels can and will get bed bugs because they are brought in by guests. What matters is how the hotel deals with the problem.

 

[SomeDude78]

This! Which is why I made sure to note that the main reason we decided never to return was the rudeness of the staff and not necessarily the hotel or room itself. Altho the room was dirty I've stayed in other hotels with rooms that were dirty and returned because the staff was responsive and attentive to our needs/requests.

Yep, I hear ya, I can be a bit of a hothead and a vengeful one at that ... if I had the experience you did at any hotel property, I wouldn't have been nearly as controlled about it or nearly as calm in my words, that's for sure I'll admit that I was sort of laughing reading about your experience, because that's seriously so outrageous it's comical, like jeez, can this be real?!?!? Let's hope the OP has a better ride than you did, preferably any staff that pulls the stuff they pulled on you either gets retrained immediately or, well, shown the door and finds a different career I've stayed in my fair share of 5-star hotels as well as 1-star properties, and as long as I have the proper expectations (and hotel staff don't deny me simple amenities like 1 towel per guest, sheesh!), I've seldom been disappointed. Fortunately the joy of DLR overcomes nearly anything else, so OP, just keep in mind that you're going to love DLR so forget the rest and have a great time!

 

[Argento]

Even the on site hotels have had bed bug problems.

Yep, not even the GCH has been spared the recent re-emergence of bed bugs. It's a problem for hotels of all stripes.

 

[Disney Dudette]

If it makes you feel any better, on raveable.com, it shows Castle Inn and Suites has had no reports of bed bugs in the last 12 months!!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Even the on site hotels have had bed bug problems.

Of course--it stands to reason that bed bugs can be brought to any motel-hotel....

The issue is what they do with that knowledge! I can promise you that an on site hotel will move heaven and earth to get rid of them (and they have the money to do that)---but the cheapey motels on Harbor...not so much. So you decide what works better!

The truth is, if you go with a good brand that has the financial back up to stand behind their name--then there is a difference as far as cleanliness and response to a problem. A small no-name motel just doesn't have the response power to some these problems.

As far as canceling a "non-cancel" reservation--it certainly can be done. I am here to help with that if anyone needs it!