What's the Deal with HoJo??

[JustAKid]

I have noticed that there are a BUNCH of people here who love HoJo. Can a HoJo lover tell me why? Is it simply the great deals I've heard about? I thought I had the right hotel booked (DI&S, due to location and 2 children under 5) but perhaps I should re-think it?

 

[Casey's Mommie]

If you can get it, the 50% off Enterainment Rate can't be beat. The Kid's pool is SOOO fun for little ones. It's a little farther than DI&S, but it's not too bad a walk, especially if you cross the street at HOJO instead of at the busy crosswalk that everyone else uses.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

HOJOs is a 7-8 minute walk to the park, friendly staff, great water play area for the kids, and great rates. They also have a new Kids Suite that includes 2 rooms: 1 with a King size bed, and the other with a bunk beds and a pull out couch. Here's the hotel website:

http://www.hojoanaheim.com/

We are staying there in October.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I have noticed that there are a BUNCH of people here who love HoJo. Can a HoJo lover tell me why? Is it simply the great deals I've heard about? I thought I had the right hotel booked (DI&S, due to location and 2 children under 5) but perhaps I should re-think it?

alot of the reasons why people love hojo so much is because of the entertainment rate that it gives...if you buy the entertainment book you can get rates at $59 to $69 per night many times a year...hojo is aso within walking distance to the entrance of DL.. in fact you can see the top of Matterhorn and the monorail go right by it...there are 4 buildings that house the rooms and most people like bldg 1 as it houses the game room, and store as well as it being the closest of the bldgs to the street and it has rooms where you can get a premium view of the park (again the top of matterhorn lol) but you can see fireworks good from there as well...the rooms are very nice and beds extremely comfortable...they recently remodeled the pool areas..they have 2...one that is considered a "quiet pool" which is near the back of the hotel by building 2 which actually is my favorite bldg...it is way more quiet than the front...the other pool is Pirates Cove and they did a major overhaul on that one...it has the original kiddie splash pool and water that spouts out of the ground but the new addition is the Pirates theme that has a HUGE HUGE HUGE bucket that is filled and you can pull it and it soaks you..kind of like that slime bucket at the Nickelodian Hotel in Orlando if you've seen it...check out the hojo website and you can see pics of it and also check out tripadvisor.com and look up anaheim hotels and howard johnson hotel and you can see pics of the rooms....

www.hojoanaheim.com

also it is right across the way from the best mimi's cafe Ive ever eaten at....hope that helps

 

[LuLusApple]

I love the fact that it has interior corridors, new beds, new coffee pots, it's clean and Mostly because I feel safe.
Also my son drives up from San Diego to meet us and he can park there too without a problem they have a huge parking lot. The staff has always been on top of everything.
I stay there even when I can't get the entertainment rate.

 

[Buttercup26]

There are many reasons we love HoJo, other than the rates.

First & foremost - really really love the fact that HoJo has the interior corridors to the rooms - think hotel not motel. I don't like having my room open right into the parking lot.

Love the pools, especially since they redid the main pool with the pirate theming, the grounds & pools seem much more resort-like than most of the other motel/hotels along Harbor.

Love the beds - fantastic beds! The rooms are very clean and well maintained. I am very OCD about cleanliness and find the rooms there to be exceptionally clean.

The staff has always been great - so friendly and helpful. We really like HoJo, it was my very favorite until I recently stayed at Paradise Pier. Now I will stay at PPH if I can get a rate close to HoJo rate - otherwise I'll be at HoJo.

 

[MyMonkies]

I agree with everything everyone else said We had originally planned to stay some place else for our trip in May & then saw everyone talking about the HOJO. I looked it up, saw the water area & knew my kids would love it. The little kiddie pool was fabulous for my 2 y.o.! With the beach entry she was able to run in & out w/o me worrying about her falling. Then the hot tub is in that area as well so the parents can relax while the kids play-if they're old enough. And then you also get a good view of the fireworks from the same spot.

We walked to & from with no complaints from the kids. I wouldn't want to do it with my 2 y.o. w/o a stroller though.

 

[pixiewings71]

It's just an outstanding hotel, the nicest in the area besides the on site hotels IMO. The rooms are nice, the beds are nice, the staff is awesome, the pool/pirate play areas are both great. Add that with the Ent Rate and you just can't beat it.

 

[Brady's Mom]

2 really big things for me with HoJo.

1. Inside corridors and after a certain time at night you have to have your room key to access the building.

2. Heavenly Beds. I love their beds, they are soft and comfy and I sleep almost as well there as I do at home. For vacation, that's key

The other things are important - but not the biggest.

We love the Entertainment Rate and love that we were even able to get it in the summer.

We love having a micro and fridge in the room. Usually it's one or the other, not both.

Pirate Play Area!

Walking distance. Before we discovered HoJo we stayed in places we had to drive from. I am sold on walking to DLR instead of driving. Although, sometimes my kids tell me they miss the tram.

 

[Grim_Grinning_Girl]

What is the "Entertainment Rate"? Is it something you ask for, something they offer, or like some sort of code you present? Sounds like it's not available year round?

 

[bumbershoot]

I love the fact that it has interior corridors...

Yep, hotel vs motel (motor hotel) is BIG for us.

What is the "Entertainment Rate"? Is it something you ask for, something they offer, or like some sort of code you present? Sounds like it's not available year round?

The Entertainment Book is a discount book you can buy. It's good November to November, and it's available all over, even New Zealand and Australia. There are often nice local deals (for instance coffee shops in my local book, along with 4 $5 off coupons to a local grocery store, among a gazillion other things). And along with all of that, the Anaheim HoJo offers this great deal, with rooms as low as $59, at certain times of the year.

The times of year change as the year goes on...they once added my needed night inside of 4 days before the stay...alas, it was too late for me to cancel my room at Carousel (motel with outside corridors for my one-night SOLO trip, I felt VERY vulnerable despite being a seasoned traveler), but my point is that they add dates, change dates, etc, throughout the year. They have a list with updated dates in the discussion forum they host on hojoanaheim.com.

To get the rate you have to go straight to them. There's an online code but it's easier to just call them at te 714 number, during Pacific time business hours (don't call during lunchtime!), to talk to "in house reservations" (ask for that), tell them you want the Ent rate, and see if you can get it.

And if the E rate isn't available, disboard members get a discount (15%?), and if you're an AP holder, you can get a 20% discount, off of rack rate.

 

[Mazzy]

I'm a new recruit, lol, read all the fab threads on the DIS about the HOJO, looked at their website and like what I saw, and have booked a kids suite for next July. I wanted the AAA Rate which didn't come up for my dates, so emailed Lorealle who works there and she applied the rate to my booking, so very helpful and quick to respond, very impressed with the customer service and I'm sure I'll be just as impressed with our stay!

Just to ask, didn't realise there was a rate for DIS Board members, how do you get that, and what percentage rate is it? Thanks

 

[SnowWhite09]

1. Beds - the most comfortable beds we have ever slept in!
2. Great housekeeping staff - our room was always really clean.
3. Pirate themed water park - our daughter just loved it. I really did!
4. Free internet access.
5. Excellent spa.
6. Ample and spacious parking.
7. The Entertainment Rate.

We had the best stay at Hojos. My DH has stayed at DI&S on a couple of occasions previously and liked Hojos better.

Have fun deciding, but I am sure you will have a great time whether you stay at Hojos or DI&S!

 

[snickerboo]

I am in the process of booking our trip and seriously considering this! My ony problem is: kidsuites are not coming up as a booking option at all. Am I too close to my dates (Nov) so they're all gone or are the kidsuites something thta have to be booked directly? I'm getting a great rate popping up using the Mousesavers code but I'd really prefer a kidsuite so the kids are in separate beds andseparated from us, if only a little. Do the Hojo's kidsuites have a partition? TV in the kids area?

 

[Brady's Mom]

I am in the process of booking our trip and seriously considering this! My ony problem is: kidsuites are not coming up as a booking option at all. Am I too close to my dates (Nov) so they're all gone or are the kidsuites something thta have to be booked directly? I'm getting a great rate popping up using the Mousesavers code but I'd really prefer a kidsuite so the kids are in separate beds andseparated from us, if only a little. Do the Hojo's kidsuites have a partition? TV in the kids area?

Call the hotel directly and see if the suites are available. It may be that they are so new they aren't coming up on the website. The Ent. rate is still showing for a lot of Nov. so you could possibly get it for your dates and the kids suite is available at Ent. rate - if they have rooms available.

 

[jenpace]

I am in the process of booking our trip and seriously considering this! My ony problem is: kidsuites are not coming up as a booking option at all. Am I too close to my dates (Nov) so they're all gone or are the kidsuites something thta have to be booked directly? I'm getting a great rate popping up using the Mousesavers code but I'd really prefer a kidsuite so the kids are in separate beds andseparated from us, if only a little. Do the Hojo's kidsuites have a partition? TV in the kids area?

I would call and make sure to speak with "in-house" reservations to ask about availability of the kid suites.

They are two rooms, with a door between them. They have two bathrooms and Tvs in each of the rooms...

 

[50sjayne]

All of the above and I'll add beautifully kept grounds. The stuff that is hard to describe-- the little things-- they know how to make everything work as far as your Disneyland vacation goes--they've been doing it a long time-- sort of a family run affair. As a fellow Oregonian who is going about the same time as you-- I advise you to check it out. The message board has the et rates but June 2010 won't be out for another few months at least. I entered a contest awhile back and didn't win on their message board but I feel I did win because the consolation prize was the entertainment rate until Dec 2010. This was very cool for me as we are joining my inlaws next year and aren't going until the end of June when the et rate gets scarce.

 

[JustAKid]

Wow, I can tell you that I'm pretty much convinced. A business that can generate such wonderful feed back has GOT to be a good business . I was scared about the DI&S parking anyway! But here's the question, I am hearing a lot about the Kids Suites, but that just doesn't fit our dual family situation although I they sound wonderful, so I was wondering if there were any fellow DISers who have stayed in any of their queen suites? How well can you see the fireworks from the park view windows? Thank you everyone for your input and advice!

 

[Eeyore's Wife]

They have two queen beds in one room and the living room has a queen sleeper sofa, so they sleep 6 total. It has a full bath and a 3/4 bath with a shower. The kitchen space was nice. Views of the pool were lovely, but we were never in the room during fireworks. For me, If I am getting more than a standard room, then at the top of my "wish list" is more privacy, which means the other beds are NOT in my room. So, this suite wasn't a good fit for me.

Your wants/needs may be far different, and this suite could be perfect. I suggest you simply call in house reservations and tell them what you are looking for, they will be very helpful in getting you into the right room. They simply could not have a more helpful staff.

 

[DangerMouse]

I've stayed in the queen suite. It is in Building 2 and does not have a good view of fireworks. It's a really nice room, though.