Recent stays at Disneyland hotel, Grand Californian or Hojo?

[Pluto468]

Our trip is in 11 days so it's time to commit to a hotel.

We can spend all 5 nights at Hojo in a 2 room bundle with 4 queen beds, OR spend 2 nights at either Disneyland Hotel club level or Grand Californian courtyard view and then move to Hojo for the last 3 nights.

Based on reviews I'm not sure if this is the time for resort hotels. Not "Is it worth it?" financially, but with the construction at DLH and the lack of amenities at both onsite hotels is it worth saving those stays for another trip?

Hojo seems to get pretty good reviews but some people complained about dingy rooms, pool reservations and lack of housekeeping. We would be in building one, facing the park.

General thoughts on any of these hotels, bed comfort, cleanliness etc appreciated. Thanks!

 

[cruisehopeful]

I've stayed at DLH and DGC, each a couple times since reopening. Since I don't enjoy the parks nearly as much as I used to, the hotels make a huge difference for me. The things I like/dislike about the hotels:

DLH Club level: Love the lounge and being able to get a snack and a beer or wine when I arrive is awesome. It's my first choice going forward with reservations because I like the ability to get food without waiting in long lines or walking around from place to place trying to find something. With that said, the food times are limited times. If you aren't going to be at the hotel during those times, you won't use the lounge.

Sadly, the rest of the dining options aren't that good at DLH right now. They used to be great, but Steakhouse 55 is closed and Tangaroa Terrace/Trader Sam's have a pretty limited menu.

Walk to/from the parks isn't ideal when DTD is full of people. They have the monorail, but it was never open during the times we were coming and going.

DGC: I stayed in the DVC rooms 3 times since October, most recently this month. The hotel has the best food (by far) in the entire resort. Getting in/out of DCA to go to the room or even just to go eat is by far the most ideal situation. If you get soaked on the Grizzly ride - who cares - the entrance back to the hotel to change is right across the path.

You can knock out many of the headliner rides in DCA within the first 2 hours of park opening and I like to get breakfast at Craftsman Grill and then enter the park after the line has died down.

If you are going to watch WOC, it's nice to be able to get back to the room right away. In the past, the crowds were very slow getting out of the park after the show.

I haven't stayed at HOJO. Based on other reviews I've read, I recommend that if you do a split stay, make the Disney hotels be the end. People who started with DLH or DGC and moved to a motel type lodging were really disappointed.

 

[twodogs]

We are coming home today from staying in GCH, and we stayed in DLH in October. We usually have stayed in GCH, but have stayed in DLH a few times. I have never stayed in HOJO.

The most important benefit to the GCH is location. You can get into DCA so darn fast! And out of DCA! The walk to the DLH feels much longer than it really is, when it is the end of a long day and your feet are tired (or you are soaked from GRR, as OP said!). While they don’t advertise it, you can request and receive full daily housekeeping at both DLH and GCH at check in (I recommend you also call housekeeping upon arrival in room and re-confirm that they have your request). We did this both at DLH and GCH, no problem. I also requested robes to be delivered to our room in GCH, and they were (got this tip from another poster on these boards). Early entry has not resumed, and that is a big drawback to me.

I love getting a drink at the Craftsman bar and taking it to my room and enjoying it on the balcony (most rooms at DLH don’t have a balcony, if that matters to you). They do have the fitness classes again at GCH, but they haven’t restarted the nightly pin trading with CMs (much to my DD’s disappointment).

If I have the budget and there are rooms available, I stay at the GCH every time, hands down!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Our trip is in 11 days so it's time to commit to a hotel.

We can spend all 5 nights at Hojo in a 2 room bundle with 4 queen beds, OR spend 2 nights at either Disneyland Hotel club level or Grand Californian courtyard view and then move to Hojo for the last 3 nights.

Based on reviews I'm not sure if this is the time for resort hotels. Not "Is it worth it?" financially, but with the construction at DLH and the lack of amenities at both onsite hotels is it worth saving those stays for another trip?

Hojo seems to get pretty good reviews but some people complained about dingy rooms, pool reservations and lack of housekeeping. We would be in building one, facing the park.

General thoughts on any of these hotels, bed comfort, cleanliness etc appreciated. Thanks!

Hojo is always our first choice. It's been many years since we stayed at the DLH (which was a perfectly lovely trip btw and even then there was construction going on), and we have never stayed at the GCH. To me the benefit of an onsite hotel right now would be if you don't want to see anything outside of Disney such as Harbor Boulevard. At least walking to and from the parks, you will be passing through downtown Disney and not a regular looking city street. If pools are important then that also might be a benefit of the onsite hotel. That's not really enough to make it worth it to me right now. If you are concerned about walking distance, Hojo building 1 is really no longer a walk than to the towers of the DLH. I will concede that the Grand is much closer to the parks, but even so, how close that turns out to be depends on which room you get and how many hallways and turns you have to pass through.

We don't find the rooms in building 1 or 2 at Hojo to be dingy in any way. Those are the rooms most recently renovated at that hotel. I haven't stayed in a building 3-6 room so can't speak to their condition. The rooms we have stayed in are bright and clean. The beds at Hojo are very comfortable. Housekeeping at Hojo is currently by request only. Is it otherwise now at the Disney hotels? We had housekeeping come in each day during our stay at Hojo last month. They didn't make the beds and vacuum and scrub the room down, but they did replace the towels and coffee supplies and take out the trash which is about all we cared about anyway.

I can't offer you help on pool reservations since we didn't use them. Did you obtain some for your upcoming trip? If so, then you know you have the option to go at least. I have seen comments from others that the process wasn't as onerous as they feared, and adjustments are sometimes possible even during your stay because you're not the only one who might have a change of mood or plans.

 

[chezcurrie]

I’ve stayed at all three, most recently the GCH & DLH in Dec and DLH in September. I would absolutely choose a split stay *ending* at either onsite hotel. Right now because of potential construction noise at DLH I would lean to the GCH. I had never stayed pre-covid so the “lack of amenities” doesn’t apply to me. The GCH has reinstated its fitness activities like walk around the park before opening and other perks, if that matters. Also highly recommend the spa. OMG, heaven. We had no issue getting housekeeping every other day, robes, and trash and towel on off days - they also made our beds on trash and towel days.

However, I would not start onsite and end at the Hojo - if its between that or HoJo all nights then I would choose HoJo. The shock of moving out of the bubble would not go over well for me.

 

[foolish-mortal]

DLH Club level: Love the lounge and being able to get a snack and a beer or wine when I arrive is awesome. It's my first choice going forward with reservations because I like the ability to get food without waiting in long lines or walking around from place to place trying to find something. With that said, the food times are limited times. If you aren't going to be at the hotel during those times, you won't use the lounge.

Sorry to hijack but I've been trying to find out if liquors are offered during DLH CL in the evenings. Is it just beer and wine or do they offer other drinks with the desserts? In the WDW hotels they usually have disaronno and other similar drinks with the desserts, but not sure if it's the same in DL. Thanks!

 

[cruisehopeful]

Sorry to hijack but I've been trying to find out if liquors are offered during DLH CL in the evenings. Is it just beer and wine or do they offer other drinks with the desserts? In the WDW hotels they usually have disaronno and other similar drinks with the desserts, but not sure if it's the same in DL. Thanks!

Only beer and wine. The do have prosecco and will make mimosas if you ask them to. I saw plenty of people drinking mixed drinks and glasses of bourbon, etc in the evenings, but they made those in their rooms or bought down at the bar and brought them up.

 

[foolish-mortal]

Only beer and wine. The do have prosecco and will make mimosas if you ask them to. I saw plenty of people drinking mixed drinks and glasses of bourbon, etc in the evenings, but they made those in their rooms or bought down at the bar and brought them up.

Thanks! This is good to know.

 

[Pluto468]

Thanks for all the replies and details!

We decided on 2 nights club level at Grand Californian and 3 nights at Hojo GCH is only available for our first 2 nights, but we don't mind doing that part of the trip first.

The Hojo will feel luxurious to the kids since they'll both get their own queen bed and we'll have more space over there. I already made pool reservations so that shouldn't be an issue.

If I want robes and extra towels can I ask for that the day we check in or should I call ahead of time?

 

[chezcurrie]

Thanks for all the replies and details!

We decided on 2 nights club level at Grand Californian and 3 nights at Hojo GCH is only available for our first 2 nights, but we don't mind doing that part of the trip first.

The Hojo will feel luxurious to the kids since they'll both get their own queen bed and we'll have more space over there. I already made pool reservations so that shouldn't be an issue.

If I want robes and extra towels can I ask for that the day we check in or should I call ahead of time?

Day of check in is what we did - no issues they were sent up right away. Enjoy your trip!!!!

 

[DharmaLou]

I stay at HoJo monthly. If you'd like 15% off your stay, you can use code 1000022077 - https://www.hojoanaheim.com/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=disney22katie

To make reservations for either pool, use this link. You'll need your reservation number: https://hojoanaheim.ipoolside.com/

 

[Pluto468]

I stay at HoJo monthly. If you'd like 15% off your stay, you can use code 1000022077 - https://www.hojoanaheim.com/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=disney22katie

To make reservations for either pool, use this link. You'll need your reservation number: https://hojoanaheim.ipoolside.com/

Thank you so much! I think I used the disboards discount already but I'll double check

Pool reservations all set, too.

 

[Skubygurl72]

Thank you so much! I think I used the disboards discount already but I'll double check

Pool reservations all set, too.

Is the disboards discount more than 15%?

 

[Pluto468]

Is the disboards discount more than 15%?

I actually forget. Sorry!

 

[Malcon10t]

Just wanted to chime in.... Just got back from 5 nights at the DLH in the Frontier tower on the 8th floor facing the pool. I heard relatively little noise from construction. I think Monday late morning, I heard something, but not sure it was from construction. I actually think it was the room next door. I heard And each day, housekeeping made beds, replaced towels, vacuumed, took out trash, and wiped down tables.

 

[Pluto468]

Just wanted to chime in.... Just got back from 5 nights at the DLH in the Frontier tower on the 8th floor facing the pool. I heard relatively little noise from construction. I think Monday late morning, I heard something, but not sure it was from construction. I actually think it was the room next door. I heard And each day, housekeeping made beds, replaced towels, vacuumed, took out trash, and wiped down tables.

Thank you! I was there on the 3rd, in Adventure Tower

The construction was fine, we hardly noticed it. We were only there 1 night and didn't even need housekeeping. After staying there and seeing how everything is in person I'm definitely keeping my reservations for our June trip.

 

[JeannieNM]

Just back from GCH May 3-5. We live in LA so it was a staycation type thing. Room service and maid service are back. Room service starts at about $25 pp. Valet parking is $50 per night and self parking is less but I do not remember how much as we valet. We stayed on the club floor so did not use room service. The hotel is a solid 3 star hotel in need of updating. Lots of chips etc to the wood in the rooms. The rooms are average Sheraton type hotel size. If you are looking for traditional Disney theme you will be disappointed. It has a woodsy feel to it, in a brown and beige color scheme. We did have a larger balcony this time but did not use it. What you pay for is location, location, location. Only you can assess the value of this.

 

[varyth]

Valet parking is $50 per night and self parking is less but I do not remember how much as we valet.

We were there a week before you! Self-parking is $35/night.

Agree that the theming was very subtle. The room felt very standard with the only hint of Disney being Chip & Dale in the art.

However, we loved the convenient location and separate entrance into DCA.

 

[SpringBreak]

I found a 20% coupon for HOJO on a blogger's website. It worked for me for my future stay. Don't know if I'm allowed to post it here?