Anaheim Hotels number well over 100, and closer to 200 properties. While one property is considered a four diamond resort, the Grand Californian, that has an entry to the theme park, the majority of Anaheim hotels are affordable properties that include budget and chain hotels. Below are some reviews we’ve created to promote the hotels that surround Anaheim. Please not that some are old.
Thanks!
Ayres
Hotel Anaheim Disneyland/
Best
Western Inn Park Place Mini- Suites /
Best
Western Anaheim Inn / Carousel
Inn & Suites /
Castle
Inn & Suites /
Comfort
Inn / Disneys
Grand Californian Hotel Resort /
Disneys Paradise Pier Hotel
/
Days
Inn -Disneyland South /
Desert
Inn & Suites
/
Desert
Palm Inn & Suites
/ Disneyland
Hotel /
Fairfield
Inn by Marriott / Four
Points Hotel /
Hawthorn
Suites Limited /
Holiday
Inn Express /
Howard
Johnsons Plaza Hotel
/ Park
Inn International /
Park
Vue Inn /
Portofino
Inn & Suites /
Radisson
Hotel /
Ramada
Limited Suites /
Residence
Inn by Marriott /
Travelodge
International Inn /
Tropicana
Inn /
Westcoast
Anaheim Hotel
Travel and Tourism Trend in Hotel Industry: While a Gloomy Forecast for 2009 is Living Up to Expectations, Will it Get Worse? A lodging expert and professor at NYU Tisch Center for
Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management suggests that after years of record spending levels, 2009 is forecast to be
the first year since 2003 that the US lodging industry will spend less
on capital expenditures than the prior year, to the tune of $3.75 billion. That represents a decrease of over 30 percent from 2008. He predicts that hotel guests are unlikely overall to notice the decrease in spending or make-overs and renovations as certain items will be maintained such as bedding, signage and Internet service. Other predictions for 2009 include 1 to 3 percent fewer occupied hotels rooms and lower average daily rates of 2-5 percent, resulting in a
decline in RevPAR (revenue per available room) from 2.5 – 12 percent.
As I watched my city council meeting in Huntington Beach, Calif., the city treasurer announced a decrease of 10 percent in revenue from hotels in December 2008, right in line with this predicted trend. Occupancy is predicted to be the lowest since 1971, at 56 - 59%, with 16 consecutive months of occupancy
decline in the US, more than the 12 month period following 9-11. In 1990 and 1991 occupancy dropped for 18 months in a row.
Forecasters travelhorizons and Ypartnership projected better outcomes through recent surveys they performed, which brings into question the data’s reliability. Many factors such as travelers surveyed just now being impacted with job reduction or loss, business loss and other factors may be creeping into the mix during the time when U.S. travel companies and hoteliers are typically gearing up with new hires to face the summer season.
The survey results found that 71 percent of
leisure travelers intend to take an
overnight trip of 50 miles or more than home in the next 6 months, confirmed by Peter Yesawich, CEO of Ypartnership.
Travelers may see elimination of fees
and surcharges introduced and collected over recent years such as early departure fees, reservation cancellation fees,
internet fees, local calls, business center fees, room services
delivery surcharges, etc. Transient Occupancy Taxes and surcharges collected by the municipalities could increase, though travel experts advise cities to look elsewhere for additional revenue as overtaxed guests may also look elsewhere for a cheaper vacation.
Like so many other businesses, hotels could close in certain markets if numbers are not met.
Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake, California is a small, 17-room hotel built in the 1890’s. It has outlived its original builders, and lives on to tell a story. Recently renovation, it made the list of Point of Historical Interest on the California Register of Historic Resources. The Victorian hotel has been restored to its former glory and its newest owners have invested in the property as a labor of love, artfully recreating Blue Wing Saloon & Café to replicate a business that once stood next to the lodging house. The hotel is historically significant because of its connection to a pioneer family named Tallman, and its vernacular architecture. The development of Upper Lake and Lake County as a tourism destination and center for agriculture and commerce are tied to this hotel. Modern enhancements that didn’t compromise its exterior treatments and design include state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems, an green practices in an eco-friendly environment. Garden suites with private balconies or garden patios with Japanese soaking tubs offer vacationers an experience more than just a bed and sleep. Gardens enhance its food services and cuisine with fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers in the hotel and cafe saloon. What we appreciate most are the prices. You can book rooms at affordable rates in the off-season (winter) and relax without the hassles that regularly fill our lives in the 21st century effort to survive. Check prices now.
If you invested in hotels, now’s the time where you may need to hang on and ride the slow times, according to PKF Consulting trends forecast of 2009-2010. Already seeing a decline over last year’s hotel occupancy rates, the hospitality research firm is tracking the numbers and the news isn’t so great. According the California-based company, you may have to wait till the latter part of 2010 to see your investment turn around, or pick up speed, at minimum. A 7.8 percent drop in RevPAR for 2009 is the 5th biggest annual decline since 1930.
Some highlights of the report include: 1. The speed and severity of the downturns in employment and income continue to accelerate. 2. A 2.5 percent recduction in occupancy of hotel rooms in 2009. 3. The combination of above average net increases of supply occurring simultaneously with dramatic declines in demand is something that has not occurred in recent industry recessions. This is what makes this downturn so severe. If there is such a low demand for hotel rooms, why aren’t we seeing major cuts in pricing? The answers lie somewhere in the desire for hotels to maintain the profit margin, hoping not to further erode earnings with deep discounts. Sometimes that works, and sometimes the prices go down more just to keep staff employed and traffic in and out of the business.
When Hilton Hotels announced a renovation of their California resorts & properties recently, someone asked about the deals that should come along with this sort of hotel work that inconveniences travelers. We have stayed at some hotels undergoing such renovations (jackhammers, buzz saws, etc.) and the noise can be grindiing. Typically, Hilton hotels try to place guests in rooms away from the work and wing whenever possible. In our search to see if Hilton is offering any discounts this holiday season in California, here’s what we found on a few properties
BEST DEAL !!!
- Palm Springs Hilton has a room for $98/night! Winter is the finest season for Palm Desert’s Palm Springs vacation. You can enjoy sunshine that’s nearly guaranteed, and beautiful, shirt-sleeve climate. Palm Spring comes alive in the winter. What a perfect time for a trip to this Southern California playground.
- Anaheim’s Hilton Hotel is next to the Anaheim Convention Center and across the street from Disneyland (must walk about 1 - 2 blocks to enter the park). On Dec. 15-17, 2008, we found rooms for $129/night.This hotel is one of the best locations for any conventions you may be attending. But with Downtown Disney and Disneyland at your door, don’t miss the excitement across the street at the entertainment center of Orange County and Southern California.
- Garden Grove Hilton is offering rooms for $123/night. This hotel is about a mile or two from Disneyland. You can save a few bucks by staying here, and there are buses to take you to the theme park.
- Napa’s Hilton Hotel has rooms for $123/night. Awesome! Do you need to purchase wine gifts for the holidays? Well get in your car or on a plane and get thee to Napa. It’s the nation’s premier wine sampling mecca.
- Monterey Hilton Hotel is entirely no-smoking and offers its rooms at $134/night. Everybody loves the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and winter (off-season) weekdays are the ideal time to visit and see it. Plus, the holiday shopping at Cannery Row shops is fun. Then head over to downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea for some exquisite dining.
- La Jolla Hilton is located on the greens of the Torrey Pines Golf Course overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Golfers can’t beat this deal, we don’t believe. Stay for $149/night. Next door, the beautiful Lodge at Torrey Pines is costing double that amount.
- Carlsbad Hilton across the street from the beach and near Legoland has rooms for $169/night. See the holiday-themed Christams tree made of Lego blocks. There’s so much fun for all ages, but kids are king at Legoland.
- Huntington Beach’s Waterfront Hilton is $199/night. Wander down on the beach path to Surf City Nights (Tuesdays) and see Santa out there meeting kids with his merry, ho-ho-ho. Then wander the HB Pier for some beautiful ocean views of your own.
- San Francisco’s Hilton has a room (2 beds) for $199/night. In the heart of downtown shopping, who doesn’t love an old-fashioned, somewhat chilly holiday (take a coat, you SoCal folks)? Ice rinks, shows, concerts, and our favorite park and wharf with boat rides (take a holiday Hornblower Dinner Cruise in the bay), are what you get in SF.
Best Western Shorecliff Lodge around $80!
In search for great beach hotel rates for a winter vacation, we’d hoped to take advantage of the global warming (warmer winters) in California we were certain the hotel room rates would keep dropping as the recession news was released today. But as we check hotel prices, we looked to our favorite hidden spots and found great pricing. However, at some of the nicer Southern California beach hotels, they just don’t seem to be dropping rates. Why? Not everyone is hurting apparently. Take advantage of the deals we discovered.
GREAT !!!
Pismo Beach’s Best Western Shorecliff Lodge has room rates around $80 with partial ocean views. Book it.
GOOD $$
San Diego’s Catamaran Resort - On the beach with tropical themes, this hotel offers non-bay view rooms at $129. That’s not bad!
MEDIUM $$$
Half Moon Bay’s Ritz Carlton - Beach location for $259. We grabbed it because you’ll seldom stay at Ritz at the beach that amount.
Huntington Beach Hyatt Resort - Beaches & partial ocean views for $219.
La Jolla’s Lodge at Torrey Pines - is offering $264.50 /night. For this place, that’s a deal!
Oxnard’s Embassy Suites, Mandalay Beach - Courtyard rooms at $149,, and partial view rooms at $204, standard for them.
HIGH $$$$
Disney’s Grand Californian - At one of America’s favorite theme parks (Disneyland), the top hotel, room rates start at $360 on a weekday.
Laguna Beach’s Montage Resort - On the beach, there’s no recession at this hotel where prices begin at $495/night on a Monday.
Marina del Rey’s Ritz Carlton - Holding strong at $389 on a week night, there are no deals here.
More beach hotels still online for opening in 2008. As the demand for cool beach digs continues to grow, one would hardly know there’s a “recession” going on right now. Yesterday I drove by ten beaches in Los Angeles and Orange Counties–Long Beach, Belmont Shore, Naples (all one city); Seal Beach; Surfside; Sunset Beach; Bolsa Chica State Beach; Dog Beach; Huntington City Beach; Huntington State Beach and Newport Beach. What did I see on a July weekend? CLOSED! The beach entries were closed in Huntington Beach (nowhere else, however), as the parking lots were full by 1 p.m. And it’s not even time for the US Open of Surfing till next week (July 18-27, 2008). So what does this have to do with hotels?
Here’s the deal: The Hyatt Resort is sold out for next weekend, and the Hilton raised their rates to $436/night! After 9/11 they were charging specials of around $129/night. In Newport Beach, the few rooms remaining at the beach are costing in the mid-$300’s, and Laguna Beach is pretty much sold out. Amazingly, the less marketed Sunset Beach still has rooms at the rebranded Best Western and Sanatra Inn. Or, stay in Long Beach where there’s plenty of availability, and rooms are quite affordable in the mid-$100’s to $200’s.
Who said there’s a recession? Well there clearly is one, though it hasn’t affected each and every individual in the same manner. Some of us are feeling the pinch more than others, but the pre-summer travel reports for 2008 showed some data from surveys that may shed light on the current travel season in California. Among the results, people said they will take shorter trips closer to home. With over 37 million residents alone, plus the continuing summer influx of Arizona & Nevada vacationers, California seems to be holding strong in room rates, and commanding the highest prices ever in rooms. Wow. Stay tuned for more on this summer of heat, high gas prices, and rising hotel prices. It’s no wonder new hotels are being built along the beaches.
For travelers the deals aren’t that plentiful this spring season when booking hotel rooms in California. With a fantastic winter snow season and plenty of sunshine at the beach, plus a low valued dollar on the world market, locals are having to compete for rooms with travelers from other nations. Add to that the rising price of gas that Californians aren’t accustomed to which makes the drive market even closer to home for millions living near the largest inventory of hotel rooms, and you have a situation in which low to mid-range hotels are commanding decent prices–and are selling out on weekends.
For travel writers, the deals aren’t as plentiful either. Destination management organizations that once sought writers to tell their story are now having a tougher time getting rooms for the writers, who are competing in the 2.0 web environment in which everyone’s a photographer, a writer and reviewer with a story to tell.
And finally,hotels in the mid-range ot luxury have increasingly marketed their products to the world business market. On a recent stay at Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, for instance, we saw the place filled with a business meeting of Tyco employees from around the globe. When filling out a survey that asked about any problems, I told them I was unable to access the swimming pool during its open hours because of a corporate event that took up the venue. Of course I never heard back from “the manager” who supposedly sent out the survey. It probably got thrown into the email trash folder.
So all in all, if you are looking to save this year on travel and hotels, the best advice is to book early (like a week or two ahead, minimum) for weekend getaways.
More advice and information about California hotels and resorts is on its way soon. There’s still more to tell about the hotel situation along the coast as summer approaches.
With California hotel rates steadily increasing by 6-10% for the last few years according to the D.K. Shifflet & Associates, recent analysis shows that travelers are now reacting by trading down and trading out. Data shows that, while the number of high-income U.S. households earning over $100,000 annually has been growing, and they pay the highest rates in each hotel segment, even these well-heeled travelers are trading down from high-end to mid-level hotels. In fact they are fundamentally responsible for the 2005 to 2006 share growth in the domestic mid-level hotel segment, putting downward pressure on high-end hotel rates. Mid-level hotels have an opportunity to increase rates and have done so in 2007. The findings are significant since high income travelers account for 1/3 of all domestic hotel room nights. Trends show travelers are taking shorter trips and have increased their “trade-out” to hotel alternatives, such as cruising, vacation rentals, B&Bs, and fractional ownership properties.
| Here’s an easy-booking service that offers hotel rooms, car rentals, theme park tickets and package savings on many destinations. When you’re ready for your California weekend, vacation getaway, or overnight stay, take a peak at the prices and availability to see if it’s even in the cards. Summers are quite busy and weekends are the worst for getting beach front rooms. Believe it or not, although some say the economy is not strong and cost of living has gone down, hotels are garnering strong pricing and occupancy is running high. |
Hyatt Regency does it again. We veered outside of California to explore the Cleveland rock scene last week. I couldn’t have been happier than the value I received in booking a room at the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade. The bed was so amazing, the air conditioning worked well, and the location offered everything one could want. Starbucks Coffee Kiosk in the shopping mall withing the Arcade was open in the mornings, but just a block away was a full service Starbucks. House of Blues, a comedy club, easy walk to Jacobs Field ball park for the Cleveland Indians game and public transportation to get around were just a few advantages to staying at the Hyatt. Was it worth the 4.5 hour flight from L.A.? Definitely! If you’ve not checked out Cleveland recently, definitely go. You won’t be sorry, folks!
My new-found friend, Terry, is a hoot. I say that tongue-in-cheek, because she’s from Pendleton, Oregon, and writes books on cowboys and rodeos. At a writers conference in Arkansas where we met not long ago, we needed to drive from one side of the state to the other and found time passed quickly as we talked about our worst hotel stories. I said that a place can charge $350/night, and I’ll be sitting in my room and will get a flea bite. “Is this a pet hotel,” I suddenly think to ask…and sure enough, it usually is. Terry smiled, discovering how easy it was going to be to beat me in this contest. She stayed in a name hotel in Albuquerque and found a few things less than satisfactory, but she’d get by, she told me. As people do so many times, she reached under the bed to feel for her shoes, and touched something furry. Pulling back quickly, she flipped open the bed skirt to see a dead rat in a trap. She’d slept all night with that under her bed, but touching it was worse. The hotel never acknowledged her complaint. She’s so freaked out now, she looks under the bed at every hotel she stays at.
I just returned from a visit with my parents in Santa Maria, California where I slept on a foam cushion on the floor for three days. It was a bit hard, but better than the soft, soft bed they offered me. I could have gone to a hotel, but the truth is, I’ve found only a few hotels that consistently offer firm beds. A chain that has never let me down to date is Hyatt Regency hotels, but I can’t think of any Hyatt’s in the area where they live. One place not far from Santa Maria has fantastic beds…but the rates are a bit high for a 3 night stay. Dolphin Bay Resort suites are luxury condos with granite countertops, living rooms, nice bath, full kitchen, ocean views, beach access, great restaurant on site, etc. Last year I looked at a suite there and couldn’t resist. I pulled out my checkbook and decided to give it a try, if only for a night. The bed was perfect, as was my stay. I really didn’t want to go home. It’s kind of hard to tell my parents I’m staying up the road in Pismo Beach at a luxury resort, paying anywhere from $299 upwards per night. So I toughed it out at their house and survived. Dolphin Bay is one of those places that you don’t forget. I’d go back in a heartbeat and may do so after the summer is over.
Not only does California have a city named Cool, there’s a new Snoopy exhibit this summer about Joe Cool. In the summer of cool, we looked up the water temperatures to chart out our destinations based on warmth of the ocean. California is definitely cool when it comes to the Pacific Ocean temps. The warmest spot right now is San Diego, where the ocean is a balmy 65 degrees. But did you know Cali also has one of the hottest places on earth in Death Valley? The average summer temperature reaches over 110! California is not only cool, it’s also hot.
Perhaps you’ve driven by the famous pink hotel & resort in San Luis Obispo, visible from Interstate Highway 101. This well-traveled road formerly known as El Camino Real (The King’s Road), was built by the Catholic padres or fathers who established mission homes, each a day’s travel from the next, during the modern-day settlement of California beginning in the late 1700’s through the early 1800’s. Today the road built by missionaries aptly sports a hotel named “Madonna Inn”.
Although it’s history has been very modern, somewhat irreverent and even kitsch, travelers have flocked to the unique hotel by the thousands. And while it still retains its original funky appeal (opened in 1958), Madonna Inn has gone upscale with a 90-foot long European-style pool designed in a configuration that allows for 50-foot lap swimming, and includes a 30-foot beach-style entry. Spa treatment for couples, Pilates an Energy Room…. > more
Way down in San Diego, just north of the Mexico border in America’s favorite vacation spot, sits a beachfront hotel named Catamaran Resort & Spa. While guests are treated well, the birds think Catamaran is really swell! They have their own executive suite, a ground floor home where they get to sleep, are fed healthy meals and are taken outside each day for sunshine and luxury, resort surroundings on the Catamaran hotel property. Exotic birds of many colors perch in their own play gyms amongst the trees, overlooking Mission Bay.
Read more about the Catamaran Resort Birds.
I’m not a neat-freak by any means. I like a clean towel when I shower daily and figure washing the sheets weekly should do just fine. But when I go into a hotel room, I expect the sheets to be laundered and the beds made fresh for me and me alone. Several times that hasn’t been the case, however. On a recent trip, in fact, the bed was way too soft so I did what I normally do, which is look for the mattress in the extra sofa first. You can imagine my surprise when I opened the sofa cushion to pull out the mattress and stared down on two naked ladies on the cover of a magazine, staring back at me with smiles. Now I could tell this was going to be a rough night since there was no way I would explore the surprise…used and wrinkled sheets pushing out from the mattress that was unprofessionally crammed into the rollaway sofa sleeper. Oh great! It’s after midnight, I’m in my PJ’s, and I only have five hours till it’s time to get up. What should I do?
What a fantastic trip I remember, as I sit in the Las Vegas airport on a Friday afternoon listening to a slot machine sing its tune over and over and over again! Rounding out a week of Southern hospital, I remember the many fantastic accommodations in Arkansas as I gaze out to the complex of Las Vegas hotels ranging from the popular Venetian to Paris. I wouldn’t mind lingering on in some of the nation’s finest hotels, enjoying the sizzle that only this desert city can provide in the dry, hot (99 degree) afternoon glow. The folks are friendly in Sin City, but there’s nothing quite like Southern hospitality. If you get a chance to go to Arkansas, you’ll discover major corporations, beautiful scenery, the Clinton Presidential Library and most of all, simply nice people who will make you feel at home.
Temecula Creek Inn, a favorite of the wine tasting crowd, offers a country club setting with sweeping golf course fairways visible from most rooms and suites, set to the backdrop of the dramatic San Jacinto mountain range. As the sun goes down, the mountains acquire a warm, reddish glow that’s simply magical. It feels upscale & exclusive, yet maintains casual elegance that its surroundings command, smack dab in the heart of Temecula wine country trail.
With a multi-million dollar renovation under its belt (leather easy chairs, wet bars with granite countertops, 42” plasma TVs and iPod-ready stereos) Temecula Creek Inn has stepped up its amenities and decor a notch. Nearby casino resorts offer a darkened, indoor gaming experience while Temecula Creek Inn celebrates nature with room balconies overlooking pristine settings. To further accent the views and retreat surroundings, Native American art, pottery, antique tribal weavings and limited edition sculptures decorate the resort’s dining areas and lobbbies.
Popular for its lush landscape that’s perfect for weddings, plus incredilble weather (semi-desert) that puts more sunshine in your court for special events planning, romantic travelers and girl or boyfriend getaways are becoming the craze at the Temecula Creek Inn, as well.
At the huge tourism trade event, Pow Wow, I recently met a dapper gent who manages a handful of hotel properties such as The Mayfair Hotel, an historic downtown Los Angeles presence. While my search of this hotel’s offerings and amenities will require further investigation, what caught my interest was his mention of a project he is involved in near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Attracting the elite tycoons and entrepreneurs from around the globe, the destination lacks ample runway facilities for a high demand crowd of jetsetters who love Cabo. Be on the look out for a hotel with 5 to 6 diamond offerings, private chef preparing meal requests individually (upon demand) and of course, the landing strip right on premise. If you want to travel in style, this luxury resort is expected to come online in the 2008 - 2009 range.