Favorite Anaheim resort area place to stay and why-OFF PROPERTY

[DLmama]

Desert Inn & Suites is our go to because it's almost always the cheapest, closest location. Avoid the pool. It's indoors, so unless you're the only one in there, it's loud and echo-y. It also has a very strong chlorine odor. You can smell it when you walk past and it's not pleasant. We used it in April very briefly because DS10 wanted to swim. DH & I stuck our feet in the hot tub, but that was it. After a couple families came in with their kids, it got way too loud to be relaxing anymore, so we left. We pretty much only stay there because of the location and the price.

We've stayed at so many of the hotels on Harbor at one time or another and would return to any of them.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

Desert Inn & Suites or Camelot Inn for me. Cheap and right across the street. Desert Inn & Suites is better if you have a large party, as they have bigger suite options available. Keep in mind that I don't care at all about pools and care only minimally about offered breakfast, as I usually bring my own anyway. Here's my criteria:

1. Proximity to parks
2. Price
3. Must have fridge and microwave

Recently we stayed at Castle Inn down the road a bit further, and while I had a good experience with the hotel itself, I would not choose to stay that far away again. It doesn't seem like a long walk when you're planning, but it was just a bit further than we wanted to be going at the end of the day. I've decided I will not stay further south than Disney Way or further north than W. Manchester Ave in the future.

 

[tarheelalum]

The Hotel Indigo. If you book it well in advance you can get rooms for 140 per night. The rooms are modern looking. No vomit proof carpet. We can walk to Disneyland in 10 minutes. Its within a 2 minute walk to many restaurants, starbucks and convenience stores. Free underground secure parking.

 

[nkereina]

We just spent four nights last week at the Tropicana, and would stay again. It's not the Four Seasons, but the room was very clean and comfortable. We had a ground floor room so I was concerned with noise, but between our white noise app and being exhausted from the parks, we had no trouble sleeping. The pool area was decent as well, though it was too cold for us to use it. The walk to the parks was super quick. Its right next door to the Best Western, but at a much cheaper price point in our experience. We got a good rate through AAA. We also enjoyed the Cove Market at the very front of the property, which had quick breakfast options and a good selection of medication, which we unfortunately needed when I came down with a cold. Overall, we thought it was very good considering the money, especially compared to the cost of the on-site resorts and nearby off-property ones as well.

 

[Mouseearsusa]

Ayers Hotel on Katella, across the street from the Honda center. Free hot breakfast, 5pm Happy hour free beer & wine, great customer service, and clean rooms.

 

[Pamela M]

I also like Dessert Palms. I've also stayed at Clementine Inn (formally Marriott Residence Inn). Haven't stayed since it changed but I would consider it.

 

[StarlitNight05]

If I'm offsite these are my usual go-tos:

1) Best Western Park Place Inn - Right at the pedestrian crosswalk for entry to DLR, clean rooms that have been recently "refreshed" within the past few years. Not a fan of their free breakfast, but if you aren't super picky and just want something quick to eat before hitting the parks, it'll do.

2) Hotel Indigo - Modern, hotel (indoor corridors). Really nice walk-in shower. I also appreciate the laminate flooring (seems cleaner to me). Walk is a bit further, ~10 minutes. Free parking.

3) Hyatt House - Newer property (not just refurbished), indoor corridors, free breakfast, amazing beds. Rates here are a bit higher than Hotel Indigo, they also charge for parking.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

We just stayed at DLH for two night and the Courtyard Marriott for one night. It was our first time staying at the Courtyard and we absolutely loved it. I booked the basic King room (the cheapest already came with a Disney view). I am not sure if I was upgraded (I am a Marriott Gold member l) or if this, but we had a huge corner suite. The kids had a bunk bed room that was down a hall on the opposite side of the room, we had a huge room with king bed, table for eating, desk, TV, etc. and the bathroom had one main room with a shower/tub combo and two sinks, with another room with it’s own giant shower with the toilet. It was AWESOME! It’s a newer property so everything in the room and around the property was in great shape. The service was awesome and there is a good-sized water park with big kid and little kid slides. The one fault I found with the hotel was that there were no fresh water showers in the pool area. A total design flaw, if you ask me. We wanted to continue to enjoy the water park after checkout, but ended up having to wet down towels in the bathroom sink to wipe ourselves down before we traveled home. Other than that, I highly recommend it!

 

[paradesintherain]

My favorite is Tropicana Inn & Suites, especially after the refurbishment. It's literally directly in front of the crosswalk for Harbor, and the rooms are clean and nice!

I've stayed at most of the hotels across the street, and they're all pretty decent though!

 

[lcp9]

Two we alternate between because both are great for different reasons:
1. Residence Inn at katella/harbor (convention center.) Only a couple of years old, a free FULL breakfast - which cuts down on meal costs later, full kitchen (fridge) - so we can get a grocery order and pack snacks, we have 4 kids ranging from 1-7yo, suites available, only a 10-12 min walk.

2. Courtyard on Harbor - also fairly new, all rooms have bunk beds - for us, this allows everyone to have a bed as opposed to making all of our kids sleep together on a sofa bed, water park, super close. No breakfast but Panera and McD are in the parking lot.

Both have perks, we pick the one that's cheapest.

 

[avalon451]

Desert Inn, for the reasons LaLasMama gave above. It's almost always the cheapest of the hotels on Harbor, and it's right AT the crosswalk. It's not great, but it's reasonably clean. And per Hydroguy's Hotel rule-- you just can't beat being able to walk back to the room within 10 minutes for a midday break. No parking at the parking structure, no ART or Toy Story shuttles or $6 a day hotel shuttles. Just right there. At the end of the night when you see the hordes of people waiting to get on those shuttles, you pat yourself on the back as you stroll past them and are in your room and probably asleep by the time they're finally getting off the shuttle.

And yes, the pool has never interested us-- small and has a very strong chlorine smell.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I have no personal experience with any of the off site hotels. We have SWGE reservations on 5/31/19 and after finding out recently that parking will open up at midnight and merchandise lineups at 2:30 a.m., I decided at the last minute to book a room at a hotel across the street.

I’m a local and have always booked either the Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian for our staycations, but they’re booked solid. I ended up reserving a room at Park Vue Inn due to proximity. I’m less than thrilled but it’s only for a few hours and they also have free parking and I can leave my vehicle there until midnight on checkout day. I’ll be sure to post a review on Saturday.

 

[danceanddisney2010]

Candy Cane Inn - Clean, Friendly, Nice Continental Breakfast, close to DL!

 

[lalasmama]

I’m a local and have always booked either the Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian for our staycations, but they’re booked solid. I ended up reserving a room at Park Vue Inn due to proximity. I’m less than thrilled but it’s only for a few hours and they also have free parking and I can leave my vehicle there until midnight on checkout day. I’ll be sure to post a review on Saturday.

While it's definitely not to the level of on-site, we really liked Park Vue! The beds are super comfy, and the rooms are nice and clean (passed my white-sock test easily). The aesthetics aren't pleasing to me, but aren't bad at all; they have an accent wall in the room that is a dark burnt orange color, but the hotel is a Spanish mission style, so the color works well with that. The pictures of the rooms and that accent wall on the website are pretty darn accurate If the worst thing I have to mention is not liking a paint color, haha, that's not bad! The linens are nice and soft and the towels were fluffy and covered my semi-plus-sized booty. The bathrooms are a reasonable size with a vanity outside of the "water closet" area.

We would still be staying there if they hadn't taken away their "stacking" discounts where they would allow us a military rate, and then allow the returning guest discount off that rate--meaning they used to take something like $30-40 off the normal online price (now, it's a $10 flat discount for any reason, and not stackable).

Enjoy your stay!

 

[Castillo Mom]

If it's clean and beds are comfy, then I need to be satisfied with that. Thank you so much for the review!

 

[Centopar]

Another vote for Hotel Indigo - free parking, super-comfy beds, ten minutes' walk from the parks, very nice breakfasts, Walgreens just across the road, and really lovely staff. We're repeat customers; getting a suite there for our next visit a little over a week from now. No tubs, just a very nice shower.

Have to admit, I do not love the very in-your-face photographic green walnut wall coverings in the rooms, but that's just personal taste!

 

[Midnightred]

Hojo because it has the best beds, you just sink in and don’t want to get out, beautiful architecture (personal friend of Walt), beautifully landscaped, excellent housekeeping department, pools are excellent, rooms are inside, gift shop can’t be beat, and I like the decor! Another plus is it’s close to Mimi’s Cafe!

 

[Cera1234]

We recently stayed at Hojo and wouldn't hesitate to stay again. The bunk beds were perfect for our kids (5 & 3). We loved both pool areas. The free parking was a deciding factor for us. The walk seemed really long at the end of the night but we felt the positives outweighed the negatives

 

[superden]

Hyatt House is about half a mile away. Free breakfast and a new hotel. DW and I have the old Hyatt CC which gives us free 1 night per year ($75 annual fee) and the Hyatt House qualifies for it. It is great for a quick visit (we pay essentially $150 for two nights, no tax).

They recently moved up a category (from 3 to 4) and we heard Hyatt Place (category 3) is walking distance to the Toy Story Parking lot, so we are going to give that a try this summer since we are staying longer than 2 nights.

The downside to both properties is that they charge quite a bit for parking (I want to say $20).

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

We recently stayed at Hojo and wouldn't hesitate to stay again. The bunk beds were perfect for our kids (5 & 3). We loved both pool areas. The free parking was a deciding factor for us. The walk seemed really long at the end of the night but we felt the positives outweighed the negatives

The bunk beds are great for older kids too. We have been staying in those rooms for years and really love having the separate space and the extra bathroom for the kids.