DISCUSSION for Hilton Honors Hotels in or near Disneyland, California, USA {US-CA}
May 9, 2018, 11:51 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SNA
Programs: UA LT Plat, 2.5mm, Hilton LTD, SPG LT Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Whatever
Posts: 161
+1000 Only place to go. This is my home turf and I bicycle ride right by it several times a week. You won't regret it with the beach, pier, Main Street, Pacific City etc within a few minutes walking distance. Huntington Beach has tons of additional events going on year round. Might just be a farmers' market on Main Street, a car show, surfing competition, volley ball competition or even an awesome waterfront air show. Even as locals, my wife and I have stayed here many times.
May 10, 2018, 10:34 am
#17
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Platinum Elite; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 201
Is it worth staying in that grouping of hotels around Disneyland if you aren't going to Disneyland or a conference?
Unfortunately the Hilton Waterfront is way out of our price range for the week we are there. It is showing $350 right now. Our price range is more $250/night pretax & fees. Although that's not a hard number, $350 is a little too far past.
I am halfway looking at the Doubletree Doheny Beach. However, it is only rated a 3.5 on TripAdvisor. Thoughts on it?
Other suggestions?
Thanks!
Unfortunately the Hilton Waterfront is way out of our price range for the week we are there. It is showing $350 right now. Our price range is more $250/night pretax & fees. Although that's not a hard number, $350 is a little too far past.
I am halfway looking at the Doubletree Doheny Beach. However, it is only rated a 3.5 on TripAdvisor. Thoughts on it?
Other suggestions?
Thanks!
May 10, 2018, 2:55 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
This is Southern California you're asking about.
So an hours drive from the airport at what hour???
"An hours drive" can be a vastly different distance depending on time of day, how well you know the "safest" (in terms of least likely to have big delays) routes, etc.
Some people have suggested Disneyland area hotels. But if you don't know alternate routes and when and how to use them, it may take more than an hour sometimes to get even from the Disneyland area to SNA airport, particularly in the morning.
Same possibility applies to Doheny Beach in the morning. Be prepared at the very least to take the toll road (which had no toll gates, you have to either have a toll thingie on your car or pay online within 5 days using the license plate number. I don't know if your rental car will come with the right toll thingie or not.
Unfortunately, at your price point there's not a lot great choices with Hltion in this area with your goals. Hilton only puts a small fraction of heir OC hotels in walkable areas. These hotels are mostly designed for people doing business and not spending much time at the hotel (unless they're setting up meetings in the hotel). And then Anaheim area hotels are set up for people doing not much more except visiting DIsneyland or conventions.
I find Anaheim area hotels fine for one-night stays where I don't care where I'm staying and I'm not there in the middle of the day, but I wouldn't consider them all that great if I were staying multiple days but not going to either Disneyland or a convention. Like most Hiltions in the OC, I'd use them as base from which to drive, not walk.
Some other hotel programs put their hotels in more walkable areas and/or have "kinder" rates, but if you're restricting yourself to Hilton there are fewer choices.
But keep in mind that few locals walk much, and everyone gets everywhere by car, so the whole greater area around SNA is not particularly designed much for walking. And some of the few places that are really nice walking (like downtown Orange), they don't have any hotels there.
The OC is completely different in terms of mostly (non)walkability (in areas with hotels) compared to Los Angeles. But Los Angeles is not going to keep you anywhere near an hours drive from SNA. Those beach communities may better, but you can't afford one, and you're not sure how decent the other hotel is, and those are the only two beach choices with Hilton near SNA.
So an hours drive from the airport at what hour???
"An hours drive" can be a vastly different distance depending on time of day, how well you know the "safest" (in terms of least likely to have big delays) routes, etc.
Some people have suggested Disneyland area hotels. But if you don't know alternate routes and when and how to use them, it may take more than an hour sometimes to get even from the Disneyland area to SNA airport, particularly in the morning.
Same possibility applies to Doheny Beach in the morning. Be prepared at the very least to take the toll road (which had no toll gates, you have to either have a toll thingie on your car or pay online within 5 days using the license plate number. I don't know if your rental car will come with the right toll thingie or not.
Unfortunately, at your price point there's not a lot great choices with Hltion in this area with your goals. Hilton only puts a small fraction of heir OC hotels in walkable areas. These hotels are mostly designed for people doing business and not spending much time at the hotel (unless they're setting up meetings in the hotel). And then Anaheim area hotels are set up for people doing not much more except visiting DIsneyland or conventions.
I find Anaheim area hotels fine for one-night stays where I don't care where I'm staying and I'm not there in the middle of the day, but I wouldn't consider them all that great if I were staying multiple days but not going to either Disneyland or a convention. Like most Hiltions in the OC, I'd use them as base from which to drive, not walk.
Some other hotel programs put their hotels in more walkable areas and/or have "kinder" rates, but if you're restricting yourself to Hilton there are fewer choices.
But keep in mind that few locals walk much, and everyone gets everywhere by car, so the whole greater area around SNA is not particularly designed much for walking. And some of the few places that are really nice walking (like downtown Orange), they don't have any hotels there.
The OC is completely different in terms of mostly (non)walkability (in areas with hotels) compared to Los Angeles. But Los Angeles is not going to keep you anywhere near an hours drive from SNA. Those beach communities may better, but you can't afford one, and you're not sure how decent the other hotel is, and those are the only two beach choices with Hilton near SNA.
Last edited by sdsearch; May 10, 2018 at 3:19 pm
May 10, 2018, 3:02 pm
#19
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SNA
Programs: UA LT Plat, 2.5mm, Hilton LTD, SPG LT Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Whatever
Posts: 161
Is it worth staying in that grouping of hotels around Disneyland if you aren't going to Disneyland or a conference?
Unfortunately the Hilton Waterfront is way out of our price range for the week we are there. It is showing $350 right now. Our price range is more $250/night pretax & fees. Although that's not a hard number, $350 is a little too far past.
I am halfway looking at the Doubletree Doheny Beach. However, it is only rated a 3.5 on TripAdvisor. Thoughts on it?
Other suggestions?
Thanks!
Unfortunately the Hilton Waterfront is way out of our price range for the week we are there. It is showing $350 right now. Our price range is more $250/night pretax & fees. Although that's not a hard number, $350 is a little too far past.
I am halfway looking at the Doubletree Doheny Beach. However, it is only rated a 3.5 on TripAdvisor. Thoughts on it?
Other suggestions?
Thanks!
May 10, 2018, 3:39 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Platinum Elite; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 201
This is Southern California you're asking about.
So an hours drive from the airport at what hour???
"An hours drive" can be a vastly different distance depending on time of day, how well you know the "safest" (in terms of least likely to have big delays) routes, etc.
Some people have suggested Disneyland area hotels. But if you don't know alternate routes and when and how to use them, it may take more than an hour sometimes to get even from the Disneyland area to SNA airport, particularly in the morning.
Same possibility applies to Doheny Beach in the morning. Be prepared at the very least to take the toll road (which had no toll gates, you have to either have a toll thingie on your car or pay online within 5 days using the license plate number. I don't know if your rental car will come with the right toll thingie or not.
Unfortunately, at your price point there's not a lot great choices with Hltion in this area with your goals. Hilton only puts a small fraction of heir OC hotels in walkable areas. These hotels are mostly designed for people doing business and not spending much time at the hotel (unless they're setting up meetings in the hotel). And then Anaheim area hotels are set up for people doing not much more except visiting DIsneyland or conventions.
I find Anaheim area hotels fine for one-night stays where I don't care where I'm staying and I'm not there in the middle of the day, but I wouldn't consider them all that great if I were staying multiple days but not going to either Disneyland or a convention. Like most Hiltions in the OC, I'd use them as base from which to drive, not walk.
Some other hotel programs put their hotels in more walkable areas and/or have "kinder" rates, but if you're restricting yourself to Hilton there are fewer choices.
But keep in mind that few locals walk much, and everyone gets everywhere by car, so the whole greater area around SNA is not particularly designed much for walking. And some of the few places that are really nice walking (like downtown Orange), they don't have any hotels there.
The OC is completely different in terms of mostly (non)walkability (in areas with hotels) compared to Los Angeles. But Los Angeles is not going to keep you anywhere near an hours drive from SNA. Those beach communities may better, but you can't afford one, and you're not sure how decent the other hotel is, and those are the only two beach choices with Hilton near SNA.
So an hours drive from the airport at what hour???
"An hours drive" can be a vastly different distance depending on time of day, how well you know the "safest" (in terms of least likely to have big delays) routes, etc.
Some people have suggested Disneyland area hotels. But if you don't know alternate routes and when and how to use them, it may take more than an hour sometimes to get even from the Disneyland area to SNA airport, particularly in the morning.
Same possibility applies to Doheny Beach in the morning. Be prepared at the very least to take the toll road (which had no toll gates, you have to either have a toll thingie on your car or pay online within 5 days using the license plate number. I don't know if your rental car will come with the right toll thingie or not.
Unfortunately, at your price point there's not a lot great choices with Hltion in this area with your goals. Hilton only puts a small fraction of heir OC hotels in walkable areas. These hotels are mostly designed for people doing business and not spending much time at the hotel (unless they're setting up meetings in the hotel). And then Anaheim area hotels are set up for people doing not much more except visiting DIsneyland or conventions.
I find Anaheim area hotels fine for one-night stays where I don't care where I'm staying and I'm not there in the middle of the day, but I wouldn't consider them all that great if I were staying multiple days but not going to either Disneyland or a convention. Like most Hiltions in the OC, I'd use them as base from which to drive, not walk.
Some other hotel programs put their hotels in more walkable areas and/or have "kinder" rates, but if you're restricting yourself to Hilton there are fewer choices.
But keep in mind that few locals walk much, and everyone gets everywhere by car, so the whole greater area around SNA is not particularly designed much for walking. And some of the few places that are really nice walking (like downtown Orange), they don't have any hotels there.
The OC is completely different in terms of mostly (non)walkability (in areas with hotels) compared to Los Angeles. But Los Angeles is not going to keep you anywhere near an hours drive from SNA. Those beach communities may better, but you can't afford one, and you're not sure how decent the other hotel is, and those are the only two beach choices with Hilton near SNA.
Toll roads are ok. I can pay them or use the rental car if it comes correctly equipped. No problem there.
I agree with the Anaheim hotels. For a full week and not going to Disneyland I think that's best avoided.
I understand "walking" and how few people do it. So a great location with stuff that's a short 5-10 minute drive (or Uber for bars) would be fine. Walking is a bonus.
Have stayed at the Doubletree a few times too. It's right across from the beach so many rooms have ocean views. It's not the greatest beach but it's a So Cal beach nonetheless. Rooms have often had a musty smell but nothing too overwhelming. Also has a nice rooftop bar. Nowhere near as much to do as Huntington Beach but the Harbor, which is walkable, has a number of restaurants and bars. If you can rent a bicycle from somewhere, you could take a nice ride down to San Clemente.
Jan 9, 2019, 1:40 pm
#21
havnfn
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: FL-MCO
Programs: Delta-DM; Hilton-Diamond; Hyatt-Diamond
Posts: 456
Longer cancellation period now for Anaheim hotels?
My wife had recently booked a rewards stay for later this month in Anaheim. She looked at the reservation today and noticed the cancellation for full refund of points was today. I'm now going to be there on business at the same time so we went ahead and canceled today but when we stayed at one of several other Hilton properties there over the last few years, I've never seen such a long cancellation period requirement.
And she just checked now pretending to make a new reservation and the hotels all apparently have a 30-day cancellation period now.
Something changing long-term or is this just a fluke of the time of year in the Anaheim / Disneyland area?
And she just checked now pretending to make a new reservation and the hotels all apparently have a 30-day cancellation period now.
Something changing long-term or is this just a fluke of the time of year in the Anaheim / Disneyland area?
Jan 9, 2019, 4:20 pm
#23
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Delta Tupperware Medallion, National EE
Posts: 158
I've never seen a 30 day cancellation period, but I got burned by a 48 hour cancellation recently. After looking into it, I discovered is was a feature of the rate we chose. The company admin typically picks the lowest rate available at the hotel, and that time, we got a discount of like $10 per night for choosing the longer cancellation.
Which hotel was it? I just checked three in Anaheim and found two with 48 policies, and one with a 3 day policy.
Which hotel was it? I just checked three in Anaheim and found two with 48 policies, and one with a 3 day policy.
Last edited by eric_o; Jan 9, 2019 at 4:26 pm
Jan 9, 2019, 10:21 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Tucson, AZ
Programs: Hilton Diamond, AA Platinum, Marriott Gold
Posts: 100
In Anaheim at the main Hilton by the convention center, I had a points stay that went non-refundable 60 days before a big convention. I've also had a 30 day policy in Albuquerque before that coincided with their balloon festival. Hotel was not forgiving at all when I did not notice that and tried to cancel when my trip changed. Those long ones likely are during a major area event of some sort. It's definitely the exception but I make sure and read the cancel policy on every stay now.
Jan 9, 2019, 11:02 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
I just spot-checked 6 different one-night stays between January and April at the Hilton Anaheim. They all had a 2-day cancelation period. The 4 different stays at the nearby DoubleTree Suites Convention Center all returned a 3-day cancelation period. The Homewood Suites Convention Center also shows a 3-day cancelation for the several random dates I picked.
Without details (the hotel and dates), that's probably the best information you'll get. My educated guess is that the restrictive cancelation policy for your dates is related to something happening at the Convention Center. Or, it may just be an in-house group that is taking most or all of the rooms in a certain hotel. Some groups are notorious for late cancelations. Smart hotels will protect their revenue by instituting borderline draconian cancelation policies.
Without details (the hotel and dates), that's probably the best information you'll get. My educated guess is that the restrictive cancelation policy for your dates is related to something happening at the Convention Center. Or, it may just be an in-house group that is taking most or all of the rooms in a certain hotel. Some groups are notorious for late cancelations. Smart hotels will protect their revenue by instituting borderline draconian cancelation policies.
Last edited by writerguyfl; Jan 9, 2019 at 11:02 pm Reason: Added a missing word.
Jan 14, 2019, 7:14 am
#27
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: ORD
Programs: United Premier Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 85
I have stayed at both the Doubletree on Harbor Blvd. and the new Homewood Suites on Harbor Blvd. within the past couple of months. The Homewood Suites is new, within the last year so it's in pretty good shape. The breakfast and evening reception at the Homewood were among some of the better I have had at a Homewood in the last few years. It's a good choice. The Double tree is also very nice, and, as stated earlier, great breakfast buffet for Gold and Diamond. Both are about a 25 minutes walk for Downtown Disney. Never used the shuttle. Either a good choice.
Jun 6, 2019, 11:54 am
#28
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Den, CO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 57
Curious if anyone knows why almost all Hilton properties in/near anaheim are completely sold out the last week of January 2020? The only one that isn't sold out is Hilton Anaheim, according to the website. Seems strange that so many are sold out this early. I checked the convention center calendar, but they don't have anything listed yet for January. I'm curious because we wanted to stay at Homewood suites Anaheim Resort or Hampton Inn Anaheim Resort, but both are sold out along with many Hilton properties. (Dates are Jan 28-Feb 1). Other hotels chains (Marriott, etc.) don't seem to have this problem and neither do the independents. Does Hilton have a contract or something with a large group that month?
Nov 19, 2019, 9:20 am
#29
Moderator: New York City and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA PLT, Natl EC
Posts: 10,855
Embassy Suites / ES Anaheim Orange
Not to be confused with the ES Anaheim North or the ES Anaheim South! Just did a 3-night stay at this property for a conference and took the Lil' Miss dstans to DisneyLand while we were there. This property used to be a Hilton Suites many years ago.
Overall the property is very nice, with an impressive atrium, glass waterfalls at the entrance, a small, efficient checkin area to the right. The building is a right triangle with 10 floors and we booked and received a corner suite with two double beds. The hypotenuse
of the triangle faces the 5 freeway, so the front rooms, including ours, do get some traffic white noise, even from the top floor.
The corner room had a nice layout, with an entrance hallway providing some privacy, and two doors to the bathroom from the bedroom and living room. There was a small balcony off the living room as well. Windows on two sides of the living room and one side of the bedroom. Plenty of outlets where you would like them. Only closet is in the bedroom, which is less convenient for coats, etc. But there is an extra table in the living area where we put our suitcases.
Only complaint was that the HVAC was not working - we alerted the front desk in the morning, and they apparently moved us to another room but never told us - fortunately it warmed up the next day, so we just opened the windows for cooling.
Breakfast was great and not crowded at all, in contrast to many ES properties. At worst on Sat AM, the line was about 5 people long for the omlette bar.
Lil' Miss dstans used both the outdoor (cold!) and indoor (small) pools, as well as the outdoor hot tub. The fact that there are both indoor and outdoor pools is not clearly indicated on the website, but both icons are shown in the Hilton app.
Self-parking has ample space (esp just around the corner from the entrance) at $25/nt. Location is about a 5 min drive from DisneyLand and the Anaheim Convention Center. There is a Starbucks 3 min away on Chapman Ave.
Hope this is helpful! dstanhotelreport
Overall the property is very nice, with an impressive atrium, glass waterfalls at the entrance, a small, efficient checkin area to the right. The building is a right triangle with 10 floors and we booked and received a corner suite with two double beds. The hypotenuse
of the triangle faces the 5 freeway, so the front rooms, including ours, do get some traffic white noise, even from the top floor.The corner room had a nice layout, with an entrance hallway providing some privacy, and two doors to the bathroom from the bedroom and living room. There was a small balcony off the living room as well. Windows on two sides of the living room and one side of the bedroom. Plenty of outlets where you would like them. Only closet is in the bedroom, which is less convenient for coats, etc. But there is an extra table in the living area where we put our suitcases.
Only complaint was that the HVAC was not working - we alerted the front desk in the morning, and they apparently moved us to another room but never told us - fortunately it warmed up the next day, so we just opened the windows for cooling.
Breakfast was great and not crowded at all, in contrast to many ES properties. At worst on Sat AM, the line was about 5 people long for the omlette bar.
Lil' Miss dstans used both the outdoor (cold!) and indoor (small) pools, as well as the outdoor hot tub. The fact that there are both indoor and outdoor pools is not clearly indicated on the website, but both icons are shown in the Hilton app.
Self-parking has ample space (esp just around the corner from the entrance) at $25/nt. Location is about a 5 min drive from DisneyLand and the Anaheim Convention Center. There is a Starbucks 3 min away on Chapman Ave.
Hope this is helpful! dstanhotelreport