Reviewing The Anaheim Hotel Near Disneyland – A Cozy Stay Near the Magic

Nestled a mere two blocks away from the gates of Disneyland, The Anaheim Hotel presents itself as a quaint, moderately priced option for those looking to stay close to the magic. While it may look like a budget motel, the proximity to Disneyland and the range of amenities make this good neighbor hotel a worthy consideration for your next Disney adventure.

Location and Accessibility

You can literally see Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout from this courtyard!

Just a brisk 10-minute walk separates the hotel guests from the whimsical adventures awaiting in Disneyland. The hotel offers on-site parking for a one-time fee covering the duration of the stay. However, it’s worth noting that the lot is also open to public parking at a fee, which could potentially lead to a parking crunch, especially during mid to late afternoons.

During my stay I was able to watch the Disneyland fireworks from the hotel courtyard. This is a great tip if you arrive at the hotel a day early, have kiddos who need to get to bed before the show starts, or just want to avoid the pure insanity in the parks at the end of the night. Tuck the little ones into bed and you can watch the show just a few steps away.

Check-in/out Experience

Check-in at The Anaheim Hotel is 4:00 PM, with a check-out time of 11:00 AM the following day. We were very lucky during our visit and were able to access our room around 8:00am, when we arrived.

I make it a habit to call ahead when arriving early to confirm the front desk will hold luggage. It’s a small step that often leads to a smoother check-in experience. It also lets the staff know what time you expect to be there and potentially help to check-in early.

The staff here is phenomenal, each interaction friendly and pleasant. Clerks that we spoke with would ask us about our plans for the day and how we were enjoying our stay. It’s a level of customer service you don’t really see much, but it made us feel so welcome!

Hotel Structure and Ambiance

The Anaheim Hotel leans more towards a motel with exterior hallways and a modest-sized lobby. The lobby itself exudes warmth and a welcoming aura. With several seating sections, a lobby bar, and an adjacent Pizza Press, it provides a cozy hangout spot.

The Pizza Press, offers a full menu though slightly upcharged, as well as breakfast. Both the gift shop and Lobby bar have additional options for purchase – there’s no shortage of snacks.

The Anaheim Hotel Pool and Courtyard

The hotel is made up of several buildings each with two floors, and filled with guest rooms. The property boasts a range of recreational options including a pool, jacuzzi, spa, and a small gym. The pool, nestled in the central courtyard, is surrounded by fun oversized decor, providing a playful backdrop for a leisurely swim.

Concrete picnic areas with tables, chairs, and string lights nestled between buildings create fun spots to unwind and enjoy the outdoors. There’s plenty of space to run around, do cart wheels, and enjoy a some solitude and relaxation if you are looking for it.

Room and Amenities

We booked a standard double room, which ended up being on the first floor near the pool. This room is huge, it might be bigger than my living room in all honesty. There is tons of room between the beds and entertainment center to walk, sit, pull in a rollaway, or even do yoga. The room is outfitted with mid-century modern furnishings and artwork.

Entering the room a closet and the restroom were to the immediate left. Again, this closest was much larger than expected and certainly roomy enough to house our meager packings. In fact we were able to unpack and fit the three empty suitcases back in this closest. The exterior door doubles as a full length mirror providing a secondary venue for guests to get ready in the morning. No more fighting over room at the bathroom sink.

A hair dryer, iron, and ironing board are provided by the hotel and stored here in the closest.

Bathroom and Utilities

The bathroom was also spacious, though I do wish there was a separate water closet. The sink vanity was large enough for double sinks and the mirror took up the entire wall.

A scale is provided in the room as well. I’m not about to step on it while I’m on vacation, but you do you.

The shower is stocked with complimentary toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. With a curved curtain rod there’s and equally spacious feeling to even this small area.

The bathroom, and entire room, was clean and well kept. Even the faucet in the bathtub was sparkling clean.

Entertainment Center and Work Area

Heading back into the main part of the room you find the dresser, entertainment center and workstation. There is more than enough storage in this room, between the oversized closet and this six drawer dresser. The TV is a decent size though out of scale with the enormity of the room.

The desk fits a laptop with plenty of working space left. A coffee maker and supplies are provided for a quick jolt in the morning, though I’d recommend stopping by the Lobby Bar or Pizza Press instead.

Another big perk at The Anaheim Hotel is the in-room mini fridge. It is so convenient to tuck away drinks and snacks either from home or left overs from the parks.

The Patio

My absolute favorite aspect of The Anaheim Hotel is the humongous patio, or balcony, in each room. Our patio on the first floor was roughly the same size as the hotel room itself. It came equipped with a patio lounger, two chairs and a bistro table.

It is the perfect place to kick back and read a book during a daytime break from the parks. This feels like such a luxury and at an affordable rack rate that beats on property hotels.

The Bad

A review without full transparency is useless, so we’re committed to complete honesty. Unfortunately, there is major downside that comes with any budget friendly hotel near Disney – everybody wants to stay there. We found out, the hard way, that The Anaheim Hotel is pretty popular with the high school groups. There were several dance groups in the parks during our stay and later I spotted them around the hotel.

It’s wasn’t much of an issue except that the room directly above us seemed to be housing quite a few of the program’s kids. As a former choir kid myself, I’ve had more than my fair share of fun on overnighters. While it was a bit of an annoyance that we could here them clunking and talking late at night, but after a full day in the park it wasn’t nearly enough to keep us up. Plus I couldn’t bring myself to spoil their fun by calling the front desk.

Just know that you may be able to hear your neighbors and those neighbors may be a group of teenage girls basically having a slumber party.

For those looking to stay close to Disneyland without breaking the bank, The Anaheim Hotel offers a balanced blend of convenience, amenities, and affordability. Its unique features like the outdoor patio and friendly staff make it a top choice for Disney explorers. The Anaheim Hotel may be the best kept secret for hotels at Disneyland.