On her recent visit to Disneyland® Park, Alison Grouhel had the opportunity to visit a number of hotels and made a list of her favourite places. With each hotel having their own unique benefits, Alison shares with us the ones that stood out the most and would recommend to anyone who plans on visiting in the future:
Best Location –Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa
When it comes to location, the Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa cannot be beat. This is a luxurious 5 star property situated right at the park. You have access via your own special entryway with early entrance to the park. This is a vital way to get a jump on Disney's FASTPASS® Service that let you jump lines for the popular rides and you get first dibs on tickets to World of Colour. These tickets are always gone by noon and it's definitely worth seeing!
A day at Disneyland Park can be long when you have to pack all of your gear around or if you have to make the trek back and forth between your hotel to rest in the middle of the day. Add young kids into the mix and the day can feel even longer. Being able to easily walk back to your hotel room is a priceless benefit.
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is not only convenient, it is also a beautiful property. I hear people say all the time they want to go "cheap" to Disneyland. I understand that family vacations can get pricey, but why not make Disney a trip of a lifetime? Why not make it one that you'll remember and feel good about for a long time?
This hotel truly does have a luxurious feel to it. There is rich wood detailing throughout the hotel. They have really prided themselves on their Californian architecture, creating a unique look to the hotel. There are subtle details such as the miniature rocking chairs for kids by the movie viewing area in the lobby, that let you know this hotel will go the extra mile for you.
Best Hotel near Disneyland for Kids—Howard Johnson Plaza Anaheim
Keeping in mind that Disney is all about the kids—for the most part—the Howard Johnson Plaza is an excellent hotel. This is located an easy 10 minute walk from the Disney Park gates and is a very nice 3 star hotel. The best feature of the Howard Johnson has to be their "Castaway Cove" water park. Castaway Cove has a 300 gallon drench bucket, water cannons, climbing nets, slides, and wading pools. This was by far the busiest pool at any of the hotels that I saw. The Howard Johnson did a great job designing it because you could tell the kids were having a blast.
Best Hotel for your Money near Disneyland—Ramada Maingate
If I was looking for something basic to save a few dollars, but that still gave me a good location, I would stay at the Ramada Maingate. It is located across the street from the Disneyland Park gates for easy and convenient access; they have a newly renovated pool that is quite large and has some water park features if you need a break from Disney; and there is a complimentary continental breakfast to give your day a start on the right foot. Very basic, but the Ramada Maingate has all of the essentials to make your trip a good one.
Best Hotel with Perks near Disneyland—Hampton Inn and Suites
I'm a sucker for free stuff and the Hampton Inn and Suites caught my attention by all of the inclusions that they offer. The inclusions start right from check in where you'll be greeted with free cookies upon arrival. You can compliment the sweet treat with the free coffee and fruit that is offered through out the day. If you are travelling with children, they have free little gifts for the young ones such as a Disney Autograph book or pen. If you are wanting to stay connected to home or play games on your mobile device, WIFI internet is free at the hotel.
For you to start your morning, the Hampton offers a free full American breakfast buffet. If these perks aren't enough, not only can you get your buffet breakfast, but they also offer a "Breakfast To Go" bag that you can help yourself to. This will have quick foods such as fruit and a muffin that are perfect to have on hand for snacks at the park.
Best Hotel for "Children at Heart" near DisneyLand–Hilton Anaheim
There are two Hiltons by Disney and by far the Hilton Anaheim stood out much more than the Hilton Garden Inn. The Hilton Anaheim is just starting to get more of the leisure travelers staying with them instead of just the business travelers. Because of this the hotel has a more formal feel to it, but you get the sense that they would go above and beyond to meet your needs and help you enjoy your stay. I would say if you are adults going down to enjoy being a kid again at the parks, the Hilton Anaheim is a wonderful hotel to return to after a long day to relax in a high quality room. This hotel will give you a little separation from the families and allow you to relax in a quieter venue. The fitness centre is an amazing facility with a full gym including personal trainers—I was even inspired to exercise and that says a lot! There are also pools and fine restaurants to take advantage of as well as some fast food options for easy meal options by the lobby.
Thinking about a Disneyland Vacation and want some more info? Alison Grouhel is an International Travel Consultant at our Morgan Crossing location in Surrey BC and can be reached at 1-877-318-5096.