New York Hotel or Sequoia Lodge ??

[martinacris]

Hello everyone...I just got back from spending 2 months with my parents in Venezuela..and I have not even finished ....but I DID book for this Christmas season ( by the way my DH has NO idea ...yet ... ..
While talking with the person who does the booking, I mentioned that I had been at the NPBC - Admiral Floor last year....he suggested the New York Hotel , which at that moment seemed fine.
We did like NPBC, but I just thought it would be nice to change.

SO....I booked the New York hotel, a standard room for 7 nights Dec. 26th until Jan 2nd ( crazy huh ???..but might as well take advantage that my DH can take those days off...and the 2 freet atkts due to airmiles...) for € 2250 ( already with the shareholder's discount). 2 adults, and 2 children, DD's 7 and 5) one of which is free since she is under 7.


The other prices he gave me were NewPort Bay CLub (Admiral Floor ) - 7 nights €2382....( always with shareholder's discount)


NOW...I tried to talk with my DH about what would be a great way to spend this DEc...and so on ..and so on....without mentioning that I had ALREADY booked...and he said that if we were to go the Seq.Lodge would be his choice...( aaaghhhh...)...not the New York. He said that the NY seemed cold and not friendly..( we did not visit it inside last time we were there).....SO...I called just to find out the prices...and they quoted:

Seq.Lodge. Montana room. Lake view € 2137 for 7 nights... ( with shareholders' discount)

NOW I have no idea what to do.... I have read reviews for both hotels ( NY and SeqLodge)...but don't know what to do. Is the NewYork really that cold as they say... is the SeqLodge as busy as the NPBC...? We did have dinner at the SeqLodge...and I remember my girls said...gee this hotel is sooooo brown !!!

The difference in €€€€ between both hotels is not too much...so my decision would not depend on that.

Personally, I thought the NY would be wonderful...very close to the village, not the the SeqLodge isn't...and the rooms look nice...

Any suggestions , ideas or comments would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks !!!

 

[tigger300686]

We stayed in Sequoia Lodge in june but i havent stayed at the new york, altho i would love to, as it looks really nice and i loved the feel of it when we had a nosey round. IMO for the time of year your going i think seqlodge would be nicer, it would be so nice at xmas i can imagine it would just have that extra xmasy feel with the open fire and decorations in that lodgey type of setting. We're going over new year ~staying at cheyenne but if i had the money i would gone for seqlodge~it just seems like a nice place to stay at xmas. I didnt think seqlodge seemed busy when we were there(only maybe at breakfast), we went to NPBC dinner one evening and had a look around and that hotel seemed alot busier and lot bigger then seqlodge.maybe it was because seqlodge has a more cosy feel to it.

 

[jillrobinson]

Hi Martinacris,
Good to hear from you again.

You'll remember that last time we stayed at the SL and I said I wasn't overly fussed on it, I can see where your girls are coming from - it is very brown. Anyway we've booked another short trip and although I've booked the Cheyenne, (my 2nd favourite hotel), I have to wait until Wednesday to find out if my request to upgrade to the SL has been successful, (travel group have used up their quota of rooms there but have put in a request for me), I've read everyone's reviews and I think that the "brown" will look absolutely fabulous with Christmas decorations and the big open fire will be an added bonus on the Winter evenings, so even though NPB is available and you know how much I love that hotel, I'm praying that on Wednesday I'm going to get a call to say that we're staying at the SL.

Have to agree with your DH and from the outside the NY doesn't appeal to me either but my sister thinks it looks fabulous. I'd like to go inside and have a look around, it's the only hotel I haven't been into, but I'm sure going by photographs I've seen it'll look fabulous at Christmas too and it is that little bit closer to the park, will you have a lakeview room there too?

It's a tough one, let us know what you decide.

 

[Cyrano]

I've never stayed in either but have walked through both in the mornings.
The HNY did not have appear to have the same buzz/chaos as SL.
The SL at Christmas time had more warmth with the log fire and lodge feel to it.

Both are excellent choices but at Christmas time my money with go with DH, sorry Martina

That said I would not be disappointed if someone told me instead of SL we were going to HNY

 

[martinacris]

Thank you all for your answers.. I still don't know what to do !! Jill, at NY the room is a standard one ( no lake view..the diff was about 200€...while at the SeqLodge I had thought of the montana, lake view..( I wonder if you really see the lake..or just the tall trees ??? ) Jill, where the rooms also very brown ??

Even if it's winter..I like to open the windows for a moment...so I believe that NY windows at hotel have a safety lock or something ( maybe I'm wrong)...while I think that the windows in SL do open...

The girls ( and us) like to take a nap in the afternoon in order to be able to last a bit until late...so it's nice to have a "nice and happy room" .

I'll let you know what I decide after all !!

P.S. My DH's first choice is the DLH !!!! ...of course he has NO idea how much I was quoted...( €3800.... )

 

[tigger300686]

We stayed in a montana room but not a lake view and we had a "tall tree" view, but if you pay for a lake view you will get a room with a direct view of the lake at the at the back of the hotel(well the front if your walking in form the lake side). The room wasnt very brown but did have dark furniture in it, if you look at www.photosmagiques.com on the photo gallery you will find some photos of the rooms for both hotels.(hope the link works), also the window did open in our room.
One more thing to add the pic of the room on this link of the ny hotel is of a one double bed so the a two double room may not be as spacious but you get the idea of what the rooms are like/theme etc(nice and light).

hope this helps

 

[jillrobinson]

As you'll see from the photos in tigger's link above, the furniture is very dark brown, the soft furnishings are more what I'd describe as Autumnal colours. There was nothing actually wrong with our room and my 2 DS's loved it, I would imagine a lakeview would be fabulous, with a view down the village and possibly the castle in the distance

Mind you if my DH set his heart on the DLH and I had 2 little girls, then I'd be very tempted to humour him and play down the cost.
Just imagine "gee this hotel is sooooo pink !!!" lol.

 

[Ware Bears]

The girls ( and us) like to take a nap in the afternoon in order to be able to last a bit until late...so it's nice to have a "nice and happy room" .

It's a hard decision to make but the New York should look "Christmassy" with the skating rink outside plus it is much closer to be able to pop back for a nap.

 

[martinacris]

Wel...after viewing all the photos...( thanks Fay.. ) ) I have changed the reservation to the Seq.Lodge , Montana, Lake view !! I saw all the diff photos, and I did like the NY better ( the rooms)...but since my Dh mentioned SL, and even commented on how well we had eaten at the REst at the hotel, ..I just called and changed.

Of course I did think about the pink hotel..., I even thought of a split stay...two diff hotels...but the price was too high.

I'll leave the "pink Hotel" for some day in the future...before the girls turn 12 and pay like adults...hahaha!!
Of course we could go and stay only 2 nights or even 3 at the DLH for what we are paying for the SL....but I prefer 7 nights and not 3 !! With 2 small children, we like to take it easy and not run like crazy !

I'l let you kow what happens when I finally tell DH that I booked SL for 7 nights !!!

Thanks again and have a nice Sunday !!


P.S. I believe that if we have a lake view room from the SL we would be able to see the fireworks from the room ??? I have read that the 31st is really crazy..with terrile crowds...so maybe to have dinner at the hotel and see the fireworks from there would be an option..and then be up and early on the 1st to take advantage of an "empty park ???"..since everyone elses had a late night ?? ( am I wrong ??? )

 

[Cyrano]

Of course we could go and stay only 2 nights or even 3 at the DLH for what we are paying for the SL....but I prefer 7 nights and not 3 !! With 2 small children, we like to take it easy and not run like crazy !

I'm right with you there

 

[tigger300686]

P.S. I believe that if we have a lake view room from the SL we would be able to see the fireworks from the room ??? I have read that the 31st is really crazy..with terrile crowds...so maybe to have dinner at the hotel and see the fireworks from there would be an option..and then be up and early on the 1st to take advantage of an "empty park ???"..since everyone elses had a late night ?? ( am I wrong ??? )

Yes i did think about this myself as the crowds did worry me abit, so i thought about maybe being around the lake area or in a restaurant when it turns 12 but as we'll be staying at cheyenne i dont fink it will be the same as if we were staying at a hotel on the lake.But the all the ppl are what make the atmosphere and as we are going for new year we might as well be in the park amongst it all.But we will be getting up early as the dates we're stayin 30th-2nd have EMH in the mornings so we will make good use of them. From the trip reports i've read, it does seem to be very empty on the 1st.

 

[jillrobinson]

I'm sure you've made the right choice especially with New Year's Eve, the girls are still young and may not make it til 12.00, but with a lake view room, hopefully you and DH will still be able to enjoy the display.

 

[annievtaylor]

I wouldn't stay on property at all....stay at the marriott village....you get a 2 bed house in a luxury resort for 99 euros at most times..well worth it and not far from disney...shuttles if needed.

 

[tennisfan]

I've stayed at both the hotels & like both of them. Yes the SL is cosy with the log fires and will look great once decorated. Personally if I had the choice I would stay in the HNY but that is just me I just prefer this hotel as I love the styling & photos inside, I have also had the chance to see it decorated for christmas many years ago.

You should be able to open the windows in the HNY but only so far, like most hotels several stories high.

You will have a great time no matter what hotel you will stay in.

 

[jillrobinson]

I wouldn't stay on property at all....stay at the marriott village....you get a 2 bed house in a luxury resort for 99 euros at most times..well worth it and not far from disney...shuttles if needed.

I wouldn't consider staying offsite - it's all down to personal choice, isn't it ?

 

[martinacris]

I've stayed at both the hotels & like both of them. Yes the SL is cosy with the log fires and will look great once decorated. Personally if I had the choice I would stay in the HNY but that is just me I just prefer this hotel as I love the styling & photos inside, I have also had the chance to see it decorated for christmas many years ago.

You should be able to open the windows in the HNY but only so far, like most hotels several stories high.

You will have a great time no matter what hotel you will stay in.

I likes the photos and the styling too...but sometimes it's nice for us DW to give in to DH requests... ...This time we will go inside the NY and make sure he sees it all....maybe even have dinner there one night...and then ..have it as an option for ANOTHER trip !!! ...

After NPBC...Sl..and HY...we wil HAVE to try the DLH !!!

Joking aside...it's up to us to make the best of our vacations...whatever hotel we go to...either on site or off site. In my case I prefer onsite since everything is so close..and my DD's are 5 and 7. and the hotels are part of the magic too !!

When they will be older and then we'll see.
It's the planning and all the help that this board gives us that allows us to help to make our vacation a memorable one.

Thanks again for all of your opinions and suggestions !!

 

[jillrobinson]

PM me your address and I can send out some postcards to the girls when we're there.

 

[Cass]

Hi Martina! I would stick with NY, I think it will be beautiful at Christmas and they have ice skating, right? That will be cool.

 

[tennisfan]

Anyone can use the skating rink, you don't have to be guest at the HNY.

 

[Perdie]

I have stayed at both and I wouild highly recommend HNY!! SL seemed a little more run down in the room-in need of a refurb-and soooo loud in the lobby! The breakfast was only ok and often overcrowded. The lobby echoes and I don't know what it was about that place, but it was just so loud!

HNY was wonderful-I stayed there in July and loved it! The breakfast was 10 times better-offering actual hot food along with the usual cereals, bread, meats, cheese, crossiants etc....the rooms were nicer, I thought, but there was one negative-they didn't havea lot of food options if you didn't want an expensive place or a buffet (that was it!). There was not a regular restaurant, but Downtown Disney is 2 minutes away so that's not really a big deal....

We had great views from both our hotels but I just think we had better treatment and an overall better experience at HNY. Even though the crowds were huge at the park, you couldn't tell at the hotel..it wasn't loud and overcrowded like SL.

Of course you will have a wonderful time no matter which one you choose!

Good luck!!