DL HoJo, Anabella or Residence Inn?

[tobycat]

They all get fairly decent trip advisor reviews. A friend recommended the Anabella, but they actually have the worst TA reviews.

Any place someone else personally suggests?

[smiles33]

I LOVED our time in the Kids' Suite at HoJo. The walk isn't bad at all and it was far nicer than I expected for a 2 star motel. Check out the photos on their website. We lucked out and got the $99/night Entertainment Book rate. I'd still pay $150/night for it as having 2 bedrooms, one of which has the fun bunk beds and kid-friendly furniture, was essential to preserving our sanity after an exhausting day at DLR.

I wrote a trip report on DISBoards and here's a direct link (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=42691603&postcount=21)to my detailed post about HoJo.

[tobycat]

Thanks, I did read parts of your review!

[Tondi G]

I would vote Ho Jo especially if you are going at a time of year when you can use their kids water play/pool area!

[tobycat]

We are going mid April. I did not even check the weather... I just assumed it was going to be warm and sunny!

Now looking at the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn.

[AnnieW625]

it should be warm and sunny, but if the pool is not heated it won't be hot enough for pool weather.

With the HoJo the hotel is just feet away from the I-5 freeway, which can be loud.

Search Bubbaray's posts for her 2011 trip report because she really like the Best Western she stayed at. I have had good luck with Residence Inns because they have free breakfast and those free bananas and yogurts will save you some money on snacks throughout the day.

[tobycat]

Have you stayed at the Residence Inn Maingate?

How far away is it really?

[hillview]

We stayed at HoJo and it was good. Don't expect a higher end experience and it is great!

[tobycat]

I would like a higher-end experience! Although not as high as the Grand Californian.

[fivi2]

We did not have a kid's suite at the HoJo, we had a regular (deluxe? not the bottom level) room, and tbh, I did not like it. It gets a lot of love here and on the disboards, but I didn't like it. The beds were miserable, it was noisy, the walk was pretty darn far for my girls (especially when we took a midday break), and my kids didn't enjoy the spray pool part - but they did like the regular pool. And I am 95% sure twin A got a weird rash from their pool or hot tub (we did shower after we went in). But to be fair, I didn't really like the looks of any of the ones we walked past. I am apparently a pretty big hotel snob, lol.

If we go back, I will choose either the Grand Californian or one of the nicer but farther hotels with its own dedicated shuttle.

I will say that I seem to be alone in my opinion, but there it is :) (fwiw, dh who is not a hotel snob agrees with me)

[tobycat]

Thanks for all your advice and experiences. I just booked a room at the Best Western Park Place Inn. I looked at Bubbaray's review and I think she stayed at a different Best Western.

Now off to pick flights.

[smiles33]

With the HoJo the hotel is just feet away from the I-5 freeway, which can be loud.


I read that they recently replaced all the windows on the freeway-side per DISBoards. It still wasn't noisy at all when we were in our first-floor Kids' Suite facing the freeway and DH is a very light sleeper (e.g., wouldn't let me keep either DD in our room in a bassinet because of noisy breathing!).

[MMMommy]

We always stay at the kids suite at the Hyatt Orange County. Nice, clean, renovated. They currently have the Suites on Sale special, where I have paid as low as $129 per night for the kids suite. Suites on Sale prices at the Hyatt OC will vary based on dates. The shuttle to Disneyland used to be free, but I hear they charge a daily rate for it now. When DDs were younger, we would stay at the Grand Californian. The Grand Californian was convenient, but a total ripoff in comparison to the Hyatt OC. The Hyatt OC kids suites are way nicer and more spacious than the overpriced Grand Californian rooms. However, you are paying for convenience with the Grand Californian. I will never choose to stay at the GC ever again. The regular rooms at the Grand Californian were the least impressive thing at the hotel. The rooms were not spacious, and the bathroom was very small (sink outside the bathroom and the bathroom itself was tiny with toilet right next to shower tub). The lobby is nice, and the character buffet breakfast at Storyteller's Cafe is good quality. Unless the rooms have been recently renovated, I remember them being underwhelming and not high end quality for the price.

[daniele_ut]

We stayed at HoJo in October 2010 when we took DS to DL for his 6th birthday. We were in a deluxe 2 queen room that faced the quiet pool. The room and bathroom were both a good size, the beds were comfortable enough and it was overall very quiet.

We had one afternoon that was warm enough for DS to use the Pirate-themed water play area with DH while DD and I napped. The water area was honestly a big reason we chose HoJo, aside from the price. We got the $59 Entertainment rate for each night of our stay so it was a serious bargain.

The walk did not seem bad to us at all, but I grew up in the NYC area and I am used to walking a lot. We also had our P&T with us, so both kids rode there and back and we had no whining. We would definitely stay there again.