Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Anaheim Resort
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7 Reviews for Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Anaheim Resort
106
91
'10, '12
1 family found this helpful
"Clean and close"
A friend had suggested we stay at the HoJo for our family trip to Disneyland in Sept 2011. We found the location fantastic. Walking was not an issue (other than on the first day...it was over 100 degrees, and we were all so hot - it was a day of drenching hair and hats at the drinking fountains through the parks and eating lots of frozen lemonade).
As we had really hot temps while we were there, we made good use of the water park, which for our 4-year old was fantastic. There are slides and giant buckets that dump, water squirters, etc. They also have a nice pool in a separate area if you prefer that.
I agree with others who say it isn't anything special, but for the price we paid, I wasn't expecting it to be super glamorous anyway (plus, my friend had set my expectations and the pictures in the website were what we saw in person). The beds were decent, the rooms were pretty quiet (we were concerned with freeway noise, but didn't hear it due to the architecture of the buildings), and it was comfortable. Compared with what you would be paying at the Disney Resorts, this was a steal, and there weren't too many locations that were closer to the front gates.
There is a little store on site for snacks and things. Not too many healthy options, and expensive. We didn't have a car, so food was a bit further than from other locations, but we managed just fine (we took advantage of leaving Disneyland just before dinner time, and getting to Downtown Disney (via the monorail usually) before the crowds. We would take the monorail back and have a slightly shorter walk back. There are always taxis too.
All in all, we would definitely stay here again and were happy with our choice. Oh, one last thing, we were able to get a deal on hotels and flights through Alaska Airlines (we booked everything through them), and it made everything super easy and more affordable.
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1 family found this helpful
"The best deal around Disneyland!"
After a lifetime of staying at Disney properties, we decided to give HoJo a try - the photos of the water play area looked pretty great on their website.
Here's what's great:
1. The price. With an Entertainment Book discount, we got a park view room for $79. You can find out about the availability of these rates by calling the hotel directly and asking about the "retro rate." If it's not available on your dates, use this code for 15% off: LKMS
2. The kids' water play area was fantabulous. Steaming hot hot tub for the grownups to sit in while we watched the kids on the water slides.
3. Lobby decor and hotel design was mid-century modern, which I love.
4. You can call the hotel directly for reservations and advice.
5. Most rooms have mini fridge, microwave and coffee maker.
6. FREE, safe parking.
7. FREE Wi-Fi all over the hotel, and free iMac use and printing in the lobby.
8. It's only a seven minute walk to the park - exactly the same distance from the park entrance as the Disneyland Hotel.
Here's what wasn't so great:
1. The hotel is clearly trying to emphasize the mid-century modern theme, but that sensibility is missing in the rooms - ours was clean and comfortable, but just looked like a Best Western in need of an update.
2. Yes, there is a Mimi's next to the hotel. They have horrible service, and my kids wouldn't even eat their scrambled eggs (Okay, they are used to organic eggs soft scrambled with Cowgirl Creamery, but still).
3. The walking distance is great on the way to the park in the morning but feels like 20 miles in the Sahara at midnight.
4. If you do get a park view room, beware that the fireworks are quite loud in the room.
All in all, HoJo was an amazing deal. Every other non-Disney property within walking distance is a motel, and none have water play areas anything like this. I still love the Disney hotels and will probably stick to those, but if you're on a budget, I can't imagine a better deal than HoJo.
1 family found this helpful
"Close to Disney and with a small waterpark"
We stayed here last summer on a last minute trip to Disneyland. We had a blast! It is easy walking distance to the parks and we were able to carry our kids back on the nights they couldn't stay awake. The rooms were nothing special, but they were clean and quiet. On the last day before we left the kids just played on the two little water slides they had and even though the water was freezing they had a great time and it was a good way to release energy before the long drive home. I would definetely stay here again.
2 families found this helpful
"Perfect for Families on a Budget"
Kid friendly Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Anaheim Resort is located just a few blocks from the entrance of Disneyland. From our hotel each morning my mother (age 64), son (2), and I (35) could walk to the front gate of Disneyland in less than 10 minutes and had to cross only one major intersection. My family saved $15 per day not having to use Disneyland’s parking lot.
What I loved:
• Free hotel parking and lots of it!
• Quick easy walk to Disneyland with lots of kid friendly restaurants on the way – both of the fast food and sit down variety.
• Castaway Cove – A Watery Pirate Playground!
• A view of Disneyland’s Nighttime Fireworks Spectacular from our hotel balcony
• Arcade in lobby of Building 1
What I didn’t love:
• At check in there is a sign stating the refrigerator units are turned off. All refrigerators are turned off and doors left open after each stay to ensure that odors do not accumulate. I assume the guest prior to my visit had placed items inside the refrigerator unit without switching it on and something must have spoiled inside it leaving a bad smell when the door was opened. Had I been traveling with an infant I would have contacted the front desk or the housekeeping department to remedy the situation. Since I did not need to use the fridge I just kept the door shut – problem solved.
• DVD players are not a standard room amenity at this hotel
ROOMS:
The hotel has 6 buildings with two 24 hour laundry rooms in building 1 and 2. My room (#1509) in building 1 was a Superior Room with 2 Queen Beds, a microwave, a refrigerator, and a balcony.
Our room had a wonderful view of Castaway Cove – HoJo’s Watery Pirate Playground featuring an S curvy slide and a toddler’s area featuring toddler pool, fountains and Speedy the turtle! While my son and I were splashing in the cove my mother could relax on our balcony while eating lunch, but still wave and say hi. My balcony was also the PERFECT spot to watch the Disney fireworks at night which took place at 9:30 pm after my son fell asleep. At first I was worried the loud fireworks would wake him up, but they didn’t!
The hotel is older but clean. The Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel was built on an orange field next to Disneyland in 1965. The retro chic lobby reflects the clean lines of 1965 with some modern twists. In general I always fret about bathing my son in an older hotel’s bathtub but I did not feel queasy at all about bathing my son in this bathtub. I noticed one of the electrical outlets in my room was not working properly. It seemed loose and my cell phone charger wouldn’t stay connected (not a big deal I just used a different outlet).
My door had a dead bolt. I felt safe in and around our hotel at all times. The hotel has clean and sturdy cribs. The beds are comfortable and I slept well both nights. The pillows on my bed were too high for my taste but that’s just my personnel preference. I ended up putting a towel in a pillowcase for my son so he’d have a lower “pillow” to rest his head on while he slept. Every morning my son woke up excited to see if Castaway Cove was open. The hours of operation are 10am to 10pm. There is no lifeguard.
Dining Options:
Room Service is not offered however the front desk has menus of nearby places that will deliver food to the hotel. There is a Main Street Market in the lobby of building 1 that sells anything you could need while on vacation (e.g., snacks, sundries, gifts, drinks). Hours of operation are 7am to 11pm. If you like the HoJo Plaza Hotel Anaheim Facebook page you can take advantage of a 10% off coupon for purchases at the Main St. Market!!
Nice Touches:
Near the front desk are two computers for guests to use. I never once saw a line to use them. The hotel has a variety of items available at the front desk for guests who’ve forgotten something at home. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call! I obtained a map of Disneyland and California Adventure Park from the front desk and you can purchase your park admission tickets from them as well. Upon check in my son was given a cute little plush turtle and a pirate hat to wear.
Every room has free internet access! From a welcome binder in our room we were able to obtain a 15% off coupon for a nearby seafood buffet. Thank you HoJo for saving us money at dinner!
The hotel does not have a shuttle that goes to Disneyland but there is a shuttle run by the City of Anaheim that costs $4 per adult and $1 per child. It runs 1 hour before the park opens and stops 30 minutes after the park closes.
Overall Thoughts:
This hotel is perfect for families on a budget. Castaway Cove may not appeal to tweens or teenagers as it’s more catered to younger children however the hotel also has a separate Garden Pool. Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Anaheim Resort is the perfect blend of family fun and reasonable accommodations! The outside of the hotel is quite beautiful and litter free. The staff is friendly and kind. The ease of access to Disneyland’s front entrance is priceless. My son LOVED Castaway Cove as much as he loved Disneyland.
If you’re a family looking for a modern luxury hotel without wanting to pay the high price tag you may want to consider booking one of the hotel’s suites over its standard or superior rooms. However, if your only goal is a place your pocketbook can survive yet your family will still enjoy then any room in this hotel will please you.
This review is based on a complimentary stay at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Anaheim Resort in Anaheim, CA. I received no other compensation besides the hotel stay and the hotel did not express any requirements that I express a particular point of view.
0 families found this helpful
"Great family place to stay for Disneyland"
Our family of 5 stayed here in May 2008 in a premium Disney View Room. It had a microwave and refrigerator which was essential for us making easy snacks and breakfasts on the run. We had brought in a hide a way bed and it fit in the room just fine.
We stayed a week and found everything to be clean, the staff to be helpful and the pool to be a great diversion. I'd highly recommend it for an economical, but excellent option for a Disney stay. We walked there each day.
4 families found this helpful
"Family Friendly"
Their website states "Retro Family Fun" which is certainly true. The hotel sits sandwiched between Harbor Boulevard (right across the street from Disneyland) and the Interstate 5 freeway. My first tip is that if you're going to stay here, then request a Disneyland or pool view. The I-5 facing rooms do get a lot of freeway noise, so only book those rooms if noise really doesn't bother you.
We booked a 2-Queen Premium room, which was Disneyland facing on the 6th floor. This room has a bathroom w/sink, commode, tub/shower, with hairdryer, and an extra sink right outside the bathroom door. I believe most if not all rooms also have a coffee maker, Microwave, and dorm-style fridge. They also restocked the regular shampoo/soap amenities, as well as coffee and tea daily. The rooms are not luxurious, but the beds are extremely comfortable, they are well maintained and all the necessities are there. If you just want a comfy place to lay your head at night, and all your basic needs met, this is the place. If you're looking to live in the lap of luxury while on vacation, you might want to look elsewhere. I think that the value is definitely there for the price you pay here.
The highlight of the resort, for ds anyway, was the pool area. There is a "quiet" pool at the back of the resort, however fairly recently, they took out the main pool at the front, and converted it to a kids splash zone, called Castaway Cove. It comes complete with a pirate ship that dumps a huge bucket of water every 15 mins or so, and a few water slides, water guns for kids of all ages, as well as a zero entry kids wading pool, and a water squirter fountain for the little ones. There is also the hot tub which we loved to sit in while ds played in the splash zone with the other kids. It is big enough to be hours of fun but not so big that you can't stay in one place and read a book or soak if you want, without losing track of your kids. A great place to hang out and relax after a day of trekking through the parks. Our ds almost would rather spend the whole day in Castaway Cove than at Disneyland (much to our Chagrin). lol
This is a family owned franchise hotel. The staff is always very friendly. We have stayed here a few times before about three years ago, and it was a good experience then as well. Other amenities on site are a laundry room, a game room, a small store, and the small lobby has computers for guests to use as well.
Oh, and free internet in the rooms. Great if you travel with a laptop. We loved to log on late at night after ds went to sleep, and watch some tv on the computer... IF we had the energy to stay up for it.
This hotel is an 8 minute walk to the front of Disneyland. Mimi's Restaurant is right next door, and one of the best places to eat around DL, imho. We ate there several times during our one week stay. Quick friendly service, wonderful food!
There is a resort shuttle service that can take you around the Disneyland area. We did not find the ART bus service to be very convenient though. Bring your stroller if you have LO's, and walk. It's much quicker than waiting for the bus and the walk really isn't that far! Actually, the walk from the main gate to the Disneyland Hotel is further (True!).
5 families found this helpful
"Great place to stay with kids"
We recently spent a short weekend at the Howard Johnson on South Harbor Blvd. This was a great place to stay with the kids. They recently updated their pool - it now has a splash zone for younger kids and a regular pool for older kids - - and it is all in the pirate theme. Very fun. They also have a nice gift shop and game room for those off times when you don't want to go to Disneyland.
Although they are located at the end of the block and a little far to walk with little ones to the park, they have plenty of options. Driving, you are 2 minutes to the Disneyland parking structure. They also have a shuttle stop right in front of the hotel.
They do not have a restaurant on site, but Mimis is across the street (very short walk). Mimis has excellent kids choices - that won't make you feel like they are eating junk for a meal.
Request a room in building 1 - we had 1-307 - and it is the shortest commute to the parks and everything convenient at the hotel. They are also working on building new "kid suites" - 2 room suites for the whole family.
I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough.
Location.
Situated in Anaheim, this family friendly hotel is near Disney's
California Adventure®, Disneyland®, and
Downtown Disney®. Additional attractions include Angel
Stadium.
Features.
Recreational amenities include a spa tub. High speed Internet
access is available in public areas. Guest parking is
complimentary. Additional property amenities include an arcade/game
room, gift shops/newsstands, and laundry facilities. Guests of
Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Anaheim Resort have access to facilities
at a partner property, including outdoor pool.
Guestrooms.
Televisions have cable channels.
Check-In: 4 PM
Check-Out: Noon
Number of Rooms: 1
Number of Suites: 0
Recreational Facilities:
Pool
Kiddie Pool
Outdoor Play Area
Games
Services:
Laundry Facilities
High Speed Internet
WIFI
Children's Equipment
Full size cribs
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