I like staying at nice hotels as well--for us that is part of the vacation--staying at a really neat place.
When we go to Disneyland we either stay at the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand California. We actually like staying at the Disneyland Hotel more because of the extra space and good views. We always pay for a view room and specifically request certain floors or towers.
The Grand is wonderful as well, but different. The rooms are smaller and very dark in comparison to the DLH. The darkness stems from the dark decorations and smaller windows in the rooms. It is also a very short hotel--so if you pay for a premium view--expect to be underwhelmed on that side of it. There are some really special things about the Grand as well, though. The lobby is very cool with it's Yosemite feel, and it is very much a "fancy" hotel experience. It is the closest to the parks, obviously. I can understand why it is a favorite of many people.
I have not stayed at the PP, but it looks similar to the DLH to me. The rooms are spacious and the views are good. The walk is farther--but not so much that it is undoable. It takes about 3 minutes to walk from the DLH to PP. The pool is not as good in my opinion. It is a rectangle pool--and a small one at that.
One thing you might try is calling "Guest Services". Tell them about your past bad experience with the DLH, and ask them if there is anything that can be done to avoid that happening again. They may offer you a deal or to help you with your travel plans. I called after one trip after some bad experiences at the DLH, and the wonderful woman in guest services offered us a free night stay in the hotel. We took her up on it and went last December, having our best trip yet. Disneyland has great customer service if you give them the chance to "fix" things. If your room is noisy, by all means complain. If you are not satisfied with the response at the front desk, ask to speak to the manager, or even call guest services from the hotel. You are paying a lot of money to have a great hotel experience, and every effort should be made to make your stay a good one on their side.
Lisa