It’s no secret that a trip to Disneyland can take more than 1-day to do it all. With 2 parks, countless attractions, and more and more new food and drinks all the time – you’re going to need a few days.

And while we’d all love to stay on property, it’s unfortunately out of reach for a lot of us. Those deluxe accommodations and park perks just aren’t always in the budget. Thankfully, there’s plenty of options in the Anaheim area including Hotel Indigo Disneyland.

Location and Accessibility

There’s a lot to love about Hotel Indigo, but proximity to the parks is at the top of our list. While we’ve certainly stayed at a few closer properties, like the Anaheim Hotel, the additional steps offer some benefits.

The Hotel Indigo is located 3/4 of a mile from the Disneyland park entrance, or about a 15 minute walk. Along the route is 7-eleven, subway, and more. Across the street you’ll find a Starbucks and CVS. Even better is the quick access to the Anaheim Garden Walk.

While it doesn’t open until late afternoon, the Anaheim Garden Walk is our favorite way to go between Disney and the Hotel Indigo. Here you’ll find tons of stores, eateries, and movie theater, and a second Starbucks. It’s almost like another Downtown Disney area, but tends to be less congested.

First Impressions and Check-In Experience

The Hotel Indigo Disneyland is easy to find and easy to access. Situated near the corner of West Katella and Harbor drive, it’s simple to spot and hard to miss.

A small parking lot is available on street level for check-in. While the complimentary underground parking garage requires a room key for entry. The garage measures 7′ 2″ of clearance, tall enough to accommodate even a tow truck! Trust me, we had to have AAA come jump our battery.

The lobby is understated and inviting, with clean lines and simple decor. We arrived in the early morning so our room wasn’t quite ready. However, the wonderful staff were able to check our luggage so we could quickly hop over to the Disneyland parks! Once the room was available, Hotel Indigo gave us a call to let us know.

Room and Amenities

What really surprised me about the Hotel Indigo is how spacious and comfortable the rooms are. Our two-bed queen room had plenty of space for storage, while still keeping the room clear.

Upon entering the room, we found an oversized washroom to the right. Featuring a large glass enclosed shower stall, with complimentary toiletries, and a huge vanity counter – there’s plenty to enjoy. We loved how there was room for multiple people to get ready at once, and for me to spread out my extensive make-up and skin-care essentials.

Just around the corner is a moderate closest with a safe and full length mirror.

A Keurig coffee maker, and empty mini fridge are provided complimentary with the room. These are a great addition to any hotel room for storing leftovers, snacks, or water bottles.

The Hotel Indigo definitely has a professional vibe, so this large desk and workspace fits in well. Welcome by Disney bloggers, vloggers, and remote workers alike.

A smart TV sits situated on top of the hefty (3) drawer dresser – LOTS of storage space here!

Across the far end of the room, near the window, is a bench seat – with storage. Providing an extra seat in the room.

Bedding and Power

The decor in our room was simple and elegant, featuring a lime green geometric pattern. The color scheme extended to the (2) queen beds. These were extremely comfortable! The clean linens made for a cozy retreat, and were not too cold or hot.

The mattresses are more firm than not. After a day walking around Disney, though, the support was more than appreciated.

A single nightstand sits between the two beds, with a pair of electrical outlets, a clock radio, and a phone. This are felt a bit outdated as many hotels have switched to USB ports and smart-hubs, but it worked just fine for us.

On the far side of the room is the air conditioner and a big picture window with roll down shade. The view from our room left a lot to be desired. We were looking down into the back alley of a much more economical hotel option in the area, and let’s just say it’s not somewhere I’d want to be walking after midnight.

Pool and Whirlpool Deck

On the main for is the outdoor pool area, which requires a room key for access. The pool itself is fairly large as is the whirlpool with plenty of room to splash around or relax.

We could not get over the beautiful cabana though. Bright green and filled with cushioned patio furniture, this luxurious seating area was somehow always empty.

There is additional seating in the nearby lounge, but the gate between is locked and requires a room key.

Fitness Center

Guests can find all of the essentials in the fitness center at the Hotel Indigo Disneyland. From treadmills to ellipticals, free weights and cable machines. Anyone who isn’t thoroughly worn out from the parks can find their fix here.

Dining Options

The Chamber Bar and Bistro has plenty to offer for both breakfast and dinner on site. This dine-in restaurant can be found on the main floor, adjacent to the lobby. Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to eat here but the menu has a ton of options!

Hotel Atmosphere and Guest Experience

The atmosphere of the Hotel Indigo Disneyland is understated elegance. The clean presentation and simple decor provide a welcome alternative to the vibrant, and sometimes busy, experience at the Disney parks.

It’s situated close enough to walk to Disney, but far enough away that you can disconnect and truly relax during your down time.

Value for Money

Nightly pricing varies at Hotel Indigo, and it is not part of either major hotel chain (Hilton or Marriott). We paid around $200 per night during our stay. This was in September – so not the busiest time of year, I would expect to see higher pricing in the summer.

Indigo is similar to a boutique hotel with a more personalized experience and smaller footprint. While I missed amenities you mind find in a larger hotel (additional dining options, larger gym and pool, on. site. Starbucks.), I appreciated the smaller crowd and attention to detail.

Overall The Hotel Indigo is priced fairly for our experience and total cost. We absolutely recommend checking out this option for your next trip.

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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.

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Have you ever noticed the metal detectors near Grizzly River Run in California Adventure? It can be fun to people watch and speculate about how they get to use this secret entrance! But there’s actually a hotel back there, and this gate gets them in the park within a few steps from their rooms.

While I would love to tell you all about the Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland Resort, it’s drastically out of my budget.

Good news though – you don’t have to be a resort guest to check it out. Enjoy all the amazing amenities and experiences offered at this resort, without the nightly price tag. From restaurants and bars to shops and good vibes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Today, we’re talking about the GCH Craftsman Bar at Disney‘s Grand Californian.

Location and First Impressions at GCH Craftsman Bar

There’s a few ways to enter the hotel and access the bar. You can use the Super Secret Park entrance near Grizzly River run, the entrance in the middle of downtown Disney, or the entrance at the front of the hotel across from the Pixar Pier Hotel.

If you’re entering from Disneyland’s California Adventures, you’ll find yourself closest to the bar. Once inside the hotel, you’ll see signs guiding you to the Craftsman Grill, and right across from that walkway is the Craftsman Bar. It’s not a place you stumble upon easily unless you’re exploring the hotel, which is exactly what we were doing on this particular day.

A word of caution for the entrance from inside California Adventure (near Grizzly River Run): technically this entrance is exclusively for guests staying on property. However, this is only really upheld in the morning before and shortly after park open. If for some reason you are not permitted to re-enter the park at this gate, just exit through the gate to Downtown Disney and walk back to the main park entrance.

Atmosphere and Environment at GCH Craftsman Bar

Walking into this bar, I initially felt a little out of place since I wasn’t staying at the resort. However, I quickly realized that everyone is welcome.

There is sit-down dining available poolside with a reservation. As well, there is a bar that you can walk right up to, as long as there’s an available seat. Luckily for us, there were two seats.

The bar has a unique style and decor that reflects a signature craftsman aesthetic. The woodwork, dark-colored marble, and artisanal decor items create a cozy and inviting ambiance.

The seating area on the patio is covered with a beautiful wood trellis adorned with lush lilac vines. If I were staying at this hotel, I can easily imagine myself spending a lot of time in this delightful location.

But even if you’re not a hotel guest, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Menu Options at GCH Craftsman Bar

Now let’s talk about the menu options. The Craftsman Bar is a real table service dining location that offers a full menu, which is the same as the Craftsman Grill next door. You can order almost any item available at the Craftsman Grill here, but the unique aspect is that you can enjoy your meal outdoors. During our visit, we were not specifically looking for food as we had recently dined at Ballast Point in downtown Disney.

We were more interested in finding a place to relax and have a few drinks before heading back to the hotel for the evening. And drinks they had! The Craftsman Bar is a full-service bar offering more than 20 specialty cocktails and six non-alcoholic mocktails. Personally, I tend to prefer mocktails and non-alcoholic beverages at home, but since we were on vacation, I decided to indulge.

Watermelon Cucumber Collins

For my first drink, I opted for the watermelon cucumber collins, which is a classic Collins drink made with Tito’s handmade vodka, watermelon juice, cucumber, watermelon syrup, and lime juice. It was chilled and refreshing, although slightly less flavorful than I typically prefer. I would have liked a bit more watermelon taste.

Perhaps I should have requested an extra pump of syrup. Overall, it didn’t quite meet my expectations, but it was still enjoyable.

Pineapple Ginger Margarita

For my second drink, I decided to go for the Pineapple Ginger Margarita, and let me tell you, it definitely lived up to its name. As someone who has a weakness for well-made margaritas, I couldn’t resist. Although I should have learned by now that tequila can be a risky choice, this beverage did not disappoint. The flavor profile was a delightful mix of sour, acidic, and tangy notes, which paired perfectly with the Patron Silver tequila.

The addition of turmeric and ginger gave it a health-conscious twist. I enjoyed it immensely and would definitely order it again. Finishing this even faster than the Cucumber Collins, I’d give it a 10 out of 10.

Ginger Berry Cooler

My partner in crime for this trip opted for the Ginger Berry Cooler mocktail, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. In fact, it might have been even better than my watermelon Collins. This mocktail is made with Ginger Beer, Cranberry Juice, Raspberry Pure and Lime Juice. The flavors remind me of a Moscow Mule but with the sweet and floral addition of the berries. Best drink here, hands down.

I really enjoyed this mocktail. It had a delightful sweetness from the pear, a tartness from the lemon, and the Rosemary added a unique earthy flavor that you don’t typically find in a cocktail. I must admit, though, that this might not be for everyone. As a big fan of Rosemary, I thoroughly enjoyed it, but others might have different preferences.

If the Rosemary pear spritz doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry! The Craftsman Bar offers a wide range of other options to suit different tastes.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

In conclusion, I believe we’ve overlooked the Craftsman Bar as a fan and a fandom for quite some time. It’s conveniently located near DCA and offers a much broader selection of drinks compared to what’s available in DCA itself. However, please note that you cannot bring these drinks into the park. The bar boasts a full specialty menu and an impressive mocktail menu, which always excites me.

Most of the drinks we tried were really good, although there was one that didn’t quite hit the mark for me. However, taste preferences can vary, so I believe it would be a huge hit for many others. I do regret not returning on another day to try their actual meals. They offer a plant-based option, the Forest Mushroom Impossible Sausage Pizza, which sounds delicious, and you can also enjoy the Grand Californian signature Carnitas Baked Nachos here.

Yes, I think we’ll definitely be coming back. So keep an eye out for a second review, where I’ll share my thoughts on the food and more experiences at this amazing location.

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