Where to stay-NOT Candy Cane!

[TiffJ]

We are coming to DL for the first time in Sept. for the 1/2 marathon weekend. Because of this, alot of rooms are already sold out. We had a reservation at the Candy Cane Inn, but apparently they do not honor what you do online. I made the reservation over a month ago. They say they never got the information even though I have an email confirmation. They have been very difficult, not helpful and non caring about the whole stituation. I know mistakes happen, but how you handle them makes all the difference in customer service.

So, now I am searching for a place to stay. I have a backup reservation at Hojo's. I have read a bunch of good things, but also some problems with cleanliness & old musty smell. Those are my biggest pet peave. I dont have to have 5 starts, but must be clean & the old musty smell is one of my asthma triggers.

I am looking at Hojo's, Hilton Anaheim, Fairfield Inn, Park Inn. I am open to anthing near DL & with shuttle options because we will not have a car & are staying 5 days.

Please, Please help!!!! I am scared of traveling 3000 miles & making the wrong choice for a hotel.

 

[Mindibellcm]

We are going the end of March and used priceline. We are staying at the Hilton Anaheim. We got it for around $65 a night Sunday thru Tuesday night. If you would be interested in doing priceline, I used biddingfortravel.com to get alot of good advice.
Mindi

 

[hlbtimes2]

We stayed at the fairfield a couple of years ago. It is a nice property, and it close enough that you dont need a shuttle. It is one hotel closer to the enterane then hojo's is. I dont recall it having any odd smells, and was clean. I wouldnt hesitate to stay there again.

 

[jgmklmhem]

We stayed at the Fairfield last year and it was great. Not too long of a walk and the McD's right there helps save a little food money.

 

[TiffJ]

That's one of the ones I was looking at. Thanks for the info!

 

[albianne]

Thank heaven you thought to call to make sure they got your email or it would have been a disaster to arrive and then find out they never got your email. This really worries me, we have a reservation for May at the CCI and I also have a confirmation # but I made the resy on the phone as I had a few questions for them. Should I also be phoning back again to make sure it is in their system?

 

[utahkennedys]

We really enjoyed HoJo's and may stay there again this Sept. I didn't notice any musty smell in our room, and I am a clean freak. The bathroom was kind of "old", but it was clean. We really enjoyed the grounds, pools, the location and being near McD's and Mimi's to avoid the DL food (which I was very disappointed in being used to WDW). No, it isn't a luxurious resort, but we were hardly there and it was great.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Albianne, for some reason all the guidebooks I've been reading recommend confirming all your reservations (for hotel, car, any PS for meals, etc.) a few days before you arrive, so that's what I plan to do.

Scary to think you could arrive and have no place to stay!!!

 

[GreenGirl8]

I stay at Hojo about once a month or so and never have had issues with musty smells. The pool is the newest and cleanest around...that is for sure.

 

[jakoky]

also have a reservation for may, made on the computer, but also spoke to them on the phone....now i am a little nervous too!

 

[TiffJ]

Apparenty when you make a reservation online it is through another company & they send the reservation to Candy Cane. So the confirmation you get right then has nothing to do with Candy Cane & does nothing to prove you have a reservation. Useless system if you ask me.

They mailed me a copy of my original reservation (with the wrong dates) so I would make sure they mail you one, that way you have it in writing with their confirmation number on it. Also call right before you go to double check.

 

[lntsmom]

except the feather pillows. And, I was just stupid and didn't ask if they happened to have foam available. Everyone in my family has allergies and asthma, and we had no problems during our stay!

 

[ter-moo]

I'm very surprised at this, since my dealings with the Candy Cane Inn have always been extremely satisfactory and polite.

One thing I do frequently when making hotel reservations now is going online, finding the cheapest deal and then CALLING the hotel at the same time. I always mention that I'm seeing a particular price online, and then I ask them if there's anything better they can offer. If the online price is the best, they almost always make the reservation for me over the phone at that price anyway. It just seems better to speak with a person who knows the hotel, the room types, etc., and can answer any questions I have, rather than to make the reservation on a computer.

I would write a letter to the CCI management detailing exactly what happened and see where it gets you. You may end up with a better result--or even a free stay for another time. (I know you're 3000 miles away, but you never know...!)

I hope that everything works out for you!

 

[almostGoofy]

We are going the end of March and used priceline. We are staying at the Hilton Anaheim. We got it for around $65 a night Sunday thru Tuesday night. If you would be interested in doing priceline, I used biddingfortravel.com to get alot of good advice.
Mindi

I've used Priceline several times, also using biddingfortravel for info. Priceline may not work for that particular weekend if rooms are sold out or even 80% reserved at the hotels that participate with Priceline. Hotels make their rooms available to Priceline if they feel they have a fair chance of not filling the hotel. If something's going on that weekend and places are selling out, they'll hold onto those rooms to sell at rack of slightly discounted rates instead of turning them over to Priceline to sell at a deep discount.

If you'd like to use Priceline, go to biddingfortravel and check their list of hotels for the area you wish to bid on. Then check each hotel to see if there are rooms available and if so, how much they are going for. If it seems higher than other periods (close to rack rate), this probably means they may be approaching sell out of their rooms.

 

[almostGoofy]

We are going the end of March and used priceline. We are staying at the Hilton Anaheim. We got it for around $65 a night Sunday thru Tuesday night. If you would be interested in doing priceline, I used biddingfortravel.com to get alot of good advice.
Mindi

I've used Priceline several times, also using biddingfortravel for info. Priceline may not work for that particular weekend if rooms are sold out or even 80% reserved at the hotels that participate with Priceline. Hotels make their rooms available to Priceline if they feel they have a fair chance of not filling the hotel. If something's going on that weekend and places are selling out, they'll hold onto those rooms to sell at rack of slightly discounted rates instead of turning them over to Priceline to sell at a deep discount.

If you'd like to use Priceline, go to biddingfortravel and check their list of hotels for the area you wish to bid on. Then check each hotel to see if there are rooms available and if so, how much they are going for. If it seems higher than other periods (close to rack rate), this probably means they may be approaching sell out of their rooms.

As for booking online, always phone the hotel directly to confirm within a day or two of booking. Twice after booking on line, once through Expedia and once through Priceline, I found they didn't have my reservation. I was able to resolve the Priceline reservation but not the Expedia reservation. The hotel was sold out as were several in the area. Fortunately, I didn't wait to confirm my reservation and was able to find a room by booking directly with the motel over the phone. Had I waited until a few days to confirm, I might have been out of luck finding a room.

 

[TiffJ]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Just to update- I received a call today from the General Manager in response to an email I had sent to corporate office. He was very appologetic (sp?) helpful, friendly & reassuring. He not only corrected the situation & is mailing me a confirmation, but he went ahead & assigned my room & let me choose what floor I wanted to be on. He gave me his email in case I needed anything else.

Apparently the people I talked to were new & the night auditor is in a constant bad mood.

So I am thrilled to be able to stay there since I am coming for the marathon & know several people that are staying there too.

Just call & verify your reservations

 

[littlegreydonkey]

Yeh - another one for the pool party!!! Glad it got sorted out - though I'm also hoping there's one of their yummy looking muffin baskets in the room when you get there to say sorry!! Me thinks the night auditor may be elsewhere by the time we arrive!

 

[disney-super-mom]

All your choices are good ones. If you already have a back-up reservation at HOJOs then I would stick with it. It's a great property and clean! We never noticed any musty smells there, and our room was always spotless. No worries!

On edit - Oh good, I see that everything got all straightened out! YEAH!

 

[Freyja]

Glad to see everything is o.k now. Hope you have a great trip!

 

[labguides]

Fairfield is a short walk. They have a shuttle while goes to DL 1x a day.