Disneyland Area Hotel Review

When I was planning our trip for Disneyland last year, I took forever to decide on what hotel we should stay at.

I ended up writing this post about the best hotels near Disneyland with family suites  with all my “research”, because, you know, I’m sure someone would find it useful.

In the end, we stayed at the Residence Inn Anaheim Resort/Garden Grove. Because I always think it’s helpful to read reviews before getting a hotel, I thought I would write one anyway.

I apologize for the lack of pictures – I realized the only one I took was of a slept in bed. Oops! Good thing they have some great photos on their website, and the Trip Advisor page 🙂 

**Don’t forget to book all your Disneyland and Southern California trips through the travel website we have been using since 2008 – Get Away Today. You can get $10 off any vacation package of two or more nights with two or more tickets using the code MFTG**

Residence Inn Anaheim Resort/Garden Grove

Overview

Just as a basic overview, here are some of the stats about the Residence Inn Anaheim Resort/Garden Grove:

• Located 1.5 miles away from Disneyland. This is a bit far – but honestly, if you aren’t going to be staying SUPER close to the park and you have to drive/ride a shuttle anyways…I don’t think there’s a big difference.
• Features guest suites that can sleep 2 to 8 people, which is great for families.
• HUGE breakfast – this was definitely the best part of our stay. I was VERY impressed with the free breakfast.
• Large Pool with Kiddie Pool and Hot Tub
• High Speed Internet included (though I feel like it would be weird if hotels didn’t include this nowadays).
• Fully equipped kitchens
• Fun kids area with movies near the breakfast area

Room

The room we stayed in had two queen beds with a bathroom area and then a door separating that room from an area with a couch that turned into a bed, a dining table, and a kitchen.

Because we had four adults and two kids staying in the same room, we felt that getting a suite was ideal – and it ended up being a good option.

The room was pretty spacious. The table was large enough for all of us to sit at, and the kitchen – although small – had everything we needed to cook with. We did have to buy basic spices and what not, but it wasn’t a big deal. It has a fridge, oven, stove top, microwave, and dishwasher.

The bathroom was a pretty standard size, and it was pretty clean. I did find a little bit of mildew in the shower, which always grosses me out. But for the most part, I had no complaints. I like that there were sinks outside of the bathroom, which makes it easier for people to get ready while others are showering.

The actual beds were very comfortable. I believe they were two queens, and they were in a separate area that could be closed off with a door from the living area and kitchen.

Now for the downside – the couch bed. When we pulled it out, I could barely believe my eyes. I mean, I’m realistic. Sofa coaches are rarely five star bedding. However, they should at least have a mattress that is thicker than a pancake! It was literally the thinnest mattress I had ever seen.

And it was SO uncomfortable. I could feel the springs, and it was miserable the first night. I complained the next morning, and the staff was very apologetic. They assured me that they were going to figure something out. Later the next day, they came up and said they couldn’t find a mattress to swap out, but they kept looking. Eventually they came back with at memory foam mattress topper, and THAT was comfortable. I slept so well afterward, and when we left, I even said it was more comfortable than my bed at home.

But that initial mattress was brutal 😉

Breakfast

If you know me, I love a good hotel breakfast when it’s included with the cost of the room. It’s just so nice when you are able to go downstairs and eat breakfast without worrying about finding an inexpensive place to eat – especially when you are at a place like Disneyland where time is money!

I read good reviews about the breakfast, and it certainly did not disappoint. I think it was probably one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had at a hotel – there were so many options, and they varied from morning to morning.

They had the typical continental breakfast fare – fruits, cold cereals, oatmeal, and baked goods. However, they had a wide array of other options such as breakfast burritos, breakfast hashes, parfaits, individual waffles, tons of toppings for the waffles….one morning they even had tamales!

I really was impressed with it though, and it is one of the big reasons I recommend this hotel. Like I said, a good hotel breakfast goes a long way with me!

They have plenty of seating, but it can get really busy in the morning. I recommend coming earlier in the morning or more toward the end of breakfast when most people have already headed to the parks.

Amenities

The Residence Inn was very comfortable and offer some great amenities to make everything seem more like vacation.

Of course, they have the excellent breakfast, but they also offer an exercise room, a large pool area with a kiddie pool, snacks in the foyer, a small convenience store, as well as a BBQ area. We also really enjoyed the ping pong table and the tennis/basketball courts.

They have some great outdoor seating which is nice during breakfast or just to relax during the day.

Staff

The staff was SO friendly. From the moment we checked in to the moment we checked out, they were always greeting us with smiles and doing their best to help us.

With the issue regarding the horrible couch bed, they were very accommodating and really tried to help as much as we could.

On the first night, they sent up a gift basket with some treats welcoming us to the hotel. I don’t know if they do that for everyone (I would assume so?), but it was a really nice gesture. I don’t have any complaints about anyone who worked there, so that definitely puts them up there in my book.

Elevators

This was probably the most annoying part of our stay – the elevators were soooo slow…and on top of that, for the majority of our trip, one of them was broken. So the entire hotel was supposed to use one elevator. They did allow you to use the utility elevator, which helped. But I feel like for a hotel of this size, they should have more elevators. I would opt to just take the stairs, but the stairs led to outside and not to the actual interior of the hotel, which was kind of weird.

Transportation 

You do have to pay for parking at night, but if you book this hotel through Get Away Today, you will likely get that parking fee waived, which is great. I would double check that first before you book. Don’t forget to use the code MFTG if you book through Get Away Today any two night or longer stay (two ticket minimum) so you can get an additional $10 off.

They do not have a free shuttle to Disneyland, though I think these can be hard to come by. They are close by to a stop for the Anaheim Resort Transit, which is a pretty good option if you don’t want to drive to the park (which is about $20 per day for parking). If you get your passes through Get Away Today, they have a promotion that gives you 2 days free and kids for free, which is great!

Places Nearby

There are quite a few restaurants and stores within walking distance which was really nice. I believe there was a Target super close where we bought a few things we had forgotten, as well as food for the hotel.

We enjoyed the little Dollar (or so) store that was nearby. We got some $1 sunglasses which proved to be really helpful. There was a Mexican restaurant we went to nearby that was recommended by one of the staff members at the hotel, and we loved it. The portions were good, the food was authentic, and the service was excellent. Beyond that, they had a lot of other restaurants really close by which was nice.

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay at the Residence Inn Anaheim Resort/Garden Grove. I think next time we’d like to stay within walking distance to the park, but for the most part, I think it’s a high-quality hotel with some great features for families.

You May Also Enjoy:

• Where to Stay: Hotels Around Disneyland
• Disneyland Transportation: Getting Around In AND Outside the Park

The post Residence Inn Anaheim Resort Area Review – Is This Hotel for You? appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

Sometimes I forget that Utah has some pretty cool places to visit. One of those places in Park City. After living here for five years, I never had gone there once…mainly because on a student’s dime, it’s rather pricey. So, when Forrest and I were given the opportunity to review the Montage Deer Valley, we could hardly wait.

We drove to Park City through the eh…scenic route — aka, a small road on the side of a mountain that I was sure our car would go tumbling down any moment. We went that way because our GPS said it was a shorter route…they didn’t mention that it was the scariest route!

Anyways, as we finally made our way off the path, the first thing we saw was a huge, beautiful building. There was a ton of fog around it, so it looked like it was on a cloud. We were pretty awe struck. And that’s pretty much how we remained throughout the remainder of our trip.

From the moment we drove up to the Montage, to the moment we left, we were treated like royalty. We felt a little out of place, in our t-shirts and jeans, while most everyone else that was there was dressed all trendy (that’s not how I vacation) but the staff treated us like we were the only people there.

Right when we pulled up, we had two employees come and open our doors, and loaded all our luggage onto a luggage cart. We were escorted inside, where Jack got to select a stuffed animal. He loved it!

We were then brought up to our room, where they had already set up a crib and a diaper pail (without us even requesting one!). This is one of the many reasons why we feel like Montage Deer Valley is a family friendly resort (first being that all kids got a cute stuffed animal upon arrival.) We were also given a tour of our room. Personally, I could have done without the tour (it wasn’t a mansion or anything), but the girl was so nice, so it was okay!

I always wanted to stay at a hotel that had slippers and robes…and my wish came true at the Montage! They were so soft and luxurious…I wish I could have kept one!

They, of course, had lots of treats in the room that you could buy (which we opted not to), but they did have complimentary milk and a cookie waiting for us. It was one of the best cookies I’ve ever eaten!

I even let Jack have a little bite…since he doesn’t usually get treats like that.

There was a beautiful fireplace in the room, which was so fun to turn on and lounge in front of…it also kept us nice and toasty, since it snowed right after we got there.

The bathroom was absolutely luxurious! There was a huge bathtub, complete with a bath pillow, as well as a stand alone shower that had a few different shower heads. Forrest and I both felt like the bathroom was really large, which is probably nice for people who have to get all decked out in their ski gear (which can take up a lot of room.) We weren’t able to confirm this, but we both felt like the floor was heated…even if it wasn’t, it definitely wasn’t cold!

I think one of my favorite parts of the hotel were these delicious caramel truffles that the maid brought at night time. Oh my goodness…they were SO delicious! I was half tempted to go and see if I could buy some somewhere in the hotel. We anxiously awaited these each night.

It snowed the morning after we got there, and it sure was beautiful outside! I loved just standing by the window and looking around. Jack loved that I let him go outside for a few minutes as well. He was mesmerized by the snow. And quite honestly, I was too! It felt like we were in a different world.

As I already mentioned, the Montage Deer Valley is very family friendly. In addition to the things I already talked about, every day, the employees bring the resort’s mascots (beautiful dogs — I can’t remember what kind) to the lobby for children (and I guess whoever else) to play with. I couldn’t get a very good picture, but Jack was in heaven. He absolutely loves puppies.

Every day at four, they also have complimentary s’mores around a fire. We were SO sad to miss this, because it sounded like a lot of fun, and a really family friendly activity. The Montage also  has a little bowling alley, Wii games set up, and much more in one of their little restaurants.

The highlight of our trip was the pool! Until this point, Jack has hated water. And I mean hated. However, I was determined to get him to enjoy being in the pool. At this point in the elevator, he had no idea what was ahead. He was just loving being in the elevator.

Before we goto the pool, we stopped by the exercise facilities. Amazing. Each piece of equipment was stocked with a water bottle and a towel; there were huge TVs, and plenty of equipment to go around. I wish I had spent more time there! They had the most interesting workout machine — basically, you stand on it, and it vibrates for a certain interval of time. It was kind of trippy.

The pool…oh, the pool! I couldn’t get enough of it. And surprisingly…Jack loved it, too. He has had a really hard time with water, and at first, he was hesitant. But I was determined to have him enjoy it, and he really did. By the end of the night, he was kicking, floating on his back (with my help), and even jumping in!

The pool was heated, and huge. It was also in the most beautiful room. There were towels and water bottles readily available, and there was a large hot tub. That was my favorite part!

Overall, we loved it here. Here’s a basic overview:

Family Friendliness: 5 out of 5

This is definitely a family friendly resort. From them putting a crib in our room (without us asking) to the employees who went out of their way to talk to Jack, and even the fun, family restaurant/entertainment area (with bowling, Wii games, and more), I can’t think of anything they could have done better. They have fun activities (such as s’mores at 4:00 PM, and bring their dog mascots to the lobby twice a day), large rooms, stuffed animals for kids, and an amazing pool!

Room: 5 out of 5

By far, the most comfortable, clean, and beautiful room that I’ve ever slept in. The bed was amazing. I felt like I was on a cloud. The bathroom was huge, and had a bathtub and a shower. Plus, there was a beautiful fireplace that was nice to turn on and warm up in front of.

Amenities: 5 out of 5

I can’t think of anything this place was missing. They had turn down service, valet parking, comfortable beds, a beautiful pool and top of the line exercise equipment…pretty much everything you need!

Dining Options: 3 out of 5

I honestly can’t rate them on the quality or taste of the food, since we actually didn’t eat at any of the restaurants. They had a few different options — a nice, fancy place, a more casual, family restaurant, and a little sandwich shop.However, they were too expensive for us to justify trying out. I wish there were some more affordable options, but I suppose the average person staying here probably can afford it.

Surrounding Area: 4 out of 5

The Montage Deer Valley is on the very outskirts of Park City, which has its pros and cons. I liked that we were away from all of the hustle and bustle of the city, but it was kind of annoying that we had to drive a decent distance to get to restaurant, sites, or the outlets, especially when it was icy and cold out. However, the goods outweighed the bad, and I definitely liked how secluded it was. Plus, we were surrounded by beautiful, snowy mountains. What more could you ask for?!

Customer Service: 5 out of 5

I think this goes very all of Park City — amazing customer service. Everyone acted like they were there for us, and us alone, and we felt like royalty. They were quick to answer to questions or requests, and went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable.

Price: 3 out of 5

For what you get, the price can be somewhat justified, but it’s definitely not a price we could pay most of the time. I believe the average room is 200+ a night.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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