Your favorite hotel & why near DL

[Mazel]

I have a hotel booked and now I'm not so sure. I'm wondering what is everyone's favorite hotel near DL and why. If you have pictures that would be great.

Which ones wouldn't you stay at.

TIA

 

[KCmike]

Are you counting the ones on property? If so I choose Grand Californian for many reasons (location, swimming pools and hot tubs, the huge chaise lounges chairs, restaurants, and the gorgeous lobby).

If offsite then I choose Fairfield Inn (good walking distance 7-8 min to gate, nice beds and rooms, pizza hut express in the hotel, McDonalds, Mimi's and Millies just outside door, clean)

Room

 

[blackjackdelta]

I too prefer the GCH like KCMike if I can afford it for the same reasons listed:

 

[Stitch35]

I've never stayed onsite so I can't comment on that, but I have stayed at many across the street motels. I like Park Vue Inn for the location, cleanliness and breakfast. I like the Del Sol for location, cleanliness, large rooms, and fantastic customer service. I liked the Camelot for location and room size. The last one I liked is the ramada maingate premium room. It's decent size, kid friendly pool, and great customer service. I've stayed at Hojo and it was too far to walk and not the greatest experience, the desert inn was so so, the super 8 on Katella is a long walk, but cheap and clean.

 

[hootey]

We prefer to stay at the DLH. Our last trip to DL a couple months ago the wife booked us at a motel across the street form DL. It was a big mistake, small room, noiseyeyeyey room, very small pool, and the motel staff was very rude. The boys and I voted on the way home to stay at the DLH or Grand or simply not go.
We prefer the DLH due to everything you get with staying at a disney hotel. The larger rooms at the DLH, the water slides/pool, the cafes/coffee shops, gift shops, the characters in the lobbies, park gifts/t-shirt/ride photos hotel delivery service, early entry to parks, the disney CMs go out of their way to make sure everything is great or fantastic. Three years ago Goofy was at the valet desk when we arrived, he helped us out of the car, load our luggage on the valet cart, and escorted us to the hotel main desk(our boys knew beyond any doubt we were at DisneyLand when Goofy helped them out of the car). Do I need to go on?
We go to the DisneyLand Hotel Resort and treat it as such. We use all the amentities and services. We go to DLR to relax and enjoy ourselves for six to ten days at a time. Finally by staying on property we never leave Disney, that is worth quite a bit...

 

[hootey]

Glad to see you back Jack, hope you are doing well and your vacation in a couple weeks is your best ever! All our best...

 

[DisneyMom76]

We've been to DLR twice and each time stayed at the Fairfield Inn. We've requested the Theme Park rooms on high floors and have gotten them both times.

The walk was convenient, especially for our 5 & 7 year old on our first trip where we went off on our first Disney vacation sans stroller.

We started most mornings of our visit at the Millies/Mimi's restaurant in the front of the hotel and always received fast and very friendly service in the morning and late at night.

The hotel was always nice and clean, had a great staff and is our favorite place to stay when planning for DLR in the future.

 

[hootey]

Today they are having "Protestors" at Harbor & Disneyway. If you stay OnSite you do not have to deal with any of these people. Hopefully it will remain peaceful but, why chance it? Several months ago we stayed at one of the "Good Neighbor" motels across from DL. After we crossed harbor we turned left for a short walk to the motel, two of those nights we encountered Panhandlers or Beggers just pass the bus-stop. I did not like that at all. I really did not like explaining to my boys why those people were basically begging for money. Staying on site we have never had to encounter people like that. I used to have to deal with panhandlers and protestors professionaly, I do not care to do it on vacation with my family. Just one more reason to stay onsite....

 

[LizzyS]

Today they are having "Protestors" at Harbor & Disneyway. If you stay OnSite you do not have to deal with any of these people. Hopefully it will remain peaceful but, why chance it? Several months ago we stayed at one of the "Good Neighbor" motels across from DL. After we crossed harbor we turned left for a short walk to the motel, two of those nights we encountered Panhandlers or Beggers just pass the bus-stop. I did not like that at all. I really did not like explaining to my boys why those people were basically begging for money. Staying on site we have never had to encounter people like that. I used to have to deal with panhandlers and protestors professionaly, I do not care to do it on vacation with my family. Just one more reason to stay onsite....

If it weren't so darn expensive to stay on site, I'd say more people would do it. A couple of beggars are no big deal in my book, but hey, maybe you're more ritzy than me. It's to be expected in larger cities.

Anyway, we stayed at the Red Lion when we went last year and had a good experience. The rates are reasonable and the walk isn't bad. We had no issues with our room; they were clean and the service was fine. The only bad thing I can say is that there was a stain on the bottom of our bath tub and the A/C was a bit noisy. Normal things for hotel rooms. We're planning on staying there again when we go next year. One thing we really liked was the secure parking; I'm not sure if other hotels in the area offer the same. You have to pay for it, but we didn't worry about our vehicle once while we were there.

 

[smiles33]

I love the Kids' Suite at HoJo. For us, the space of 2 rooms makes everyone happier (especially DH & me). Most hotels can't guarantee connecting rooms and suites on-site cost around $600-$2000+/night. When DDs are older and don't fall asleep at 8 pm, I hope to try GCH.

 

[jazzatola]

Offsite: BWPPI .. Directly across the street, clean, continental breakfast (cereal, toast etc)

Onsite: DLH.. once you arrive at the DLH you feel like you are truly on vacation I love that feeling of Disney Magic (perks for staying on property..if you shop in the parks you can have your packages sent back to the hotel for pickup the following morning, that's just one ).

Have fun planning!! That's part of the fun

 

[belle'ssister]

Offsite:
Candy Cane Inn -
great customer service
comfy beds
nicely decorated
pool, hot tub and plenty of table and lounge chairs
exclusive shuttle but close enough to walk,
breakfast included muffins, pastries, bagels (love the conveyor belt toaster)
toast, cereal, oatmeal, yogart, fruit, milk, coffee, juice and
hot chocolate

 

[snapppyd]

Today they are having "Protestors" at Harbor & Disneyway. If you stay OnSite you do not have to deal with any of these people. Hopefully it will remain peaceful but, why chance it? Several months ago we stayed at one of the "Good Neighbor" motels across from DL. After we crossed harbor we turned left for a short walk to the motel, two of those nights we encountered Panhandlers or Beggers just pass the bus-stop. I did not like that at all. I really did not like explaining to my boys why those people were basically begging for money. Staying on site we have never had to encounter people like that. I used to have to deal with panhandlers and protestors professionaly, I do not care to do it on vacation with my family. Just one more reason to stay onsite....

I guess you will never be visiting NYC?

 

[twinmom108]

Being a Disney Vacation Club member, I think you can't beat the Villas @ The Grand Californian, especially with a Paradise Pier View. Really like the pool at the Disneyland Hotel. Only stayed offsite a few times & didn't like any of those hotels, but thankfully none of them have been mentioned here.

 

[Huff]

Whats important for one person isn't the same for all. Some want walking distance, some want on-site, some want budget, some want it all at any cost.

For us we want best value for our budget $'s. On-site or walking distance are generally poor value for our needs. We have a car and a short drive in the morning and night isn't an issue for us. We've found several excellent large 2 bedroom suite resorts within 5-6 miles of DLR for under $75 using hotwire, priceline or other discounts available. Most include free hot breakfast. Radisson Suites near Knotts is where we've stayed most recently.

Hilton, Red Lion, Crowne Plaza or other Harbor 3*+ hotels are also common on Priceline for $65 or less. Nice hotels for the money but the resorts further away are a better value.

 

[sunny45]

I guess you will never be visiting NYC?

or Philadelphia. Baltimore, Boston, DC? Flash Mobs scare me more and not the ones who assemble to dance.

 

[kylie71]

If I we're to stay onsite, if I could afford it... I would go back to the DLH, with the new upgraded rooms...
BUT, I do not see that happening! A girl can dream!

I also like the Fairfield Inn. Have stayed there many times, even when it was a Ramada Inn!
HoJo is nice as well, but not as modern, and overpriced in the last few years, as popularity has soared...

Giving the Residence Inn Maingate a whirl this trip, at the recommendation of a good friend, I'm sure we will be very pleased, plus we get Marriott reward points!

Have a nice trip, and enjoy our home park!

Lori

 

[IBLarsen]

Another vote for the Fairfield for off property. The walk is pretty easy with children and the rooms are very clean and large enough to not feel cramped. The beds are comfortable, the rooms are quiet (we have never been disturbed by other rooms/noises), and like pp, we like that there are food options right outside the hotel. (Mimi's, Millies, and McDonalds).
We say we would like to try the HOJO's, Would be my 2nd choice, but we tend to stick to Marriott because we are part of the rewards program and DH uses them for business travel, so the point do add up. And at the end of the day, by the time we hit the Fairfield, we always say we are glad we don't have the extra little bit of walk to the Hojo.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Consider the hotels behind the parks/on site hotels, here's a great map. Last Thanksgiving weekend we stayed @ Stovall's Best Western *$65 per night through LMT using this fantastic tip!
Walking along Disneyland Drive, cutting through the Grand *anyone can enjoy that lovely lobby* and Downtown Disney to get to the parks was fantastic! This October we're @ HoJo *for $59 per night!! My favorite on site hotel is the DLH, in the past we've spent part of a couple visits on site, the last night or 2.

 

[Susannajean]

We too have never stayed anywhere but the Fairfield BUT I was wondering if anyone knows of any good neighbor hotels in walking distance that has private balcony deck things (what would be the term for that?!) for each room?