Howard Johnson?

Originally Posted By allygator206

Has anyone stayed at the Howard Johnson? Any feedback? Is it within very easy walking distance?

 

Originally Posted By Darkbeer

Many of us here have, and elsewhere.

If you go to TripAdvisor.com, you will find it was named the Number 1 Hotel for Families in the U.S.

It is just over a half mile to the Main Entry Plaza, the same distance as from the Paradise Pier Hotel lobby, many folks do walk back and forth, but you do have the option of the ART shuttle if you want a ride instead.

 

Originally Posted By wendebird

>>but you do have the option of the ART shuttle if you want a ride instead.<<

Just be aware it's not a free shuttle. There is a small fee per day & I believe kids ride free with a paying adult.

 

Originally Posted By AZDLDad

Yes, its an easy walk, we stayed at HoJo's on one trip. You will cross at the IHOP on Harbor.
<a href="http://www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap.html" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/ashps
yche/DisneylandLinkMap.html</a>

 

Originally Posted By myers

I was just on trip advisor and it said candy cane inn was #1 and HoJo's was #2 am I seeing things? also curious where is the best site to find hotel and ticket packages??? hojo's seems like it has gone up in price ALOT in the last year!!!! thanks

 

Originally Posted By Darkbeer

I was referring to the 2005 TripAdvisor Traveler Choice awards, which are different than the current city ratings.

I posted the info in this section in the last couple of weeks.

 

Originally Posted By Inspector 57

<<Has anyone stayed at the Howard Johnson?>>

Annually for the past three summers.

<<Any feedback?>>

The rooms are very nice. There's a variety of styles; check out HoJo's own website to see the choices. The standard rooms are great. The Home Office rooms and Skylight rooms are wonderful.

The grounds are attractive. The two pools are nice. The parking is easy. There's a convenience store on-site. There are casual restaurants right next door. The HoJo's desk staff is the nicest, most accomodating I have EVER encountered.

<<Is it within very easy walking distance?>>

Absolutely. Granted, I'm a "fast walker." But I find it to be no big deal to return to the room in the afternoon to check messages, change clothes, whatever, and then walk back to the Park.

I have read a few other posters say that it feels like a long walk with kids at night, or if they have blisters, or if they're handicapped. To be honest, I don't see that as a serious criticism. You do a lot more walking inside Disneyland than you do going "home" from the Esplanade to HoJo's.

 

Originally Posted By Darkbeer

Here is the Press Release regarding the Traveler Choice Awards...

TripAdvisor Announces 2005 Travelers' Choice Award Winners

Best Hotels Selected by Millions of Travelers Around the World for Luxury, Value, Families, Pool and More

NEEDHAM, Mass., Jan. 18 -- TripAdvisor, the largest global travel information and advice destination on the web, today announced its 2005 Travelers' Choice award winners. Unlike any other hotel awards programs that survey perhaps thousands of people, TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice winners are uniquely "selected" by the millions of travelers from around the world who provide their real and unbiased reviews or opinions about hotels on tripadvisor.com(TM) and across the web.


The 2005 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards recognized the best hotels in the following categories: Best Luxury, Best Hidden Gem, Best Bargain, Best for Families and Best Pool.


"This year's winners stand out for their excellence in service," said Michele Perry, spokesperson for TripAdvisor. "Because real travelers are making the selections, Travelers' Choice winners are not necessarily the 'in' places for the rich and famous but rather the hotels that make the average traveler feel rich and famous. This year's winners feature something for everyone, from bargain to luxury hotels in major cities to extraordinary finds in off-the-beaten-path places around the world."


TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Top 10 Bargain Hotels in the World (Good value at low price points):


1. Residenza Il Villino, Florence, Italy
2. Hotel Davanzati, Florence, Italy
3. Le Square Phillips Hotel & Suites, Montreal, Canada
4. Hale Koa Hotel, Oahu, Hawaii
5. The Bungalows Hotel, Los Cabos, Mexico
6. Norwood Hotel, Lancashire, England
7. Hotel Domus Praetoria, Rome, Italy
8. The Orleans Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
9. BelleSuite Rome, Rome, Italy
10. Michalis Studios & Apartments, Kos, Greece

A sample of the winners in other categories:
TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Best Luxury (4&5 star hotels)
Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China


TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Best Hidden Gem (Unexpected service or hard-to-find hotels)


Holiday Inn Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Best for Families in the U.S.
Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel -- Anaheim, Anaheim, California

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Best Luxury Hotel in New York City
Sofitel New York, New York, New York

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Best Luxury Hotel in London
Covent Garden Hotel, London, England

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Best Luxury Hotel in Paris
Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, France


Remaining faithful to its promise to provide the whole truth about travel, the good the bad and the ugly, TripAdvisor also identified the 10 "dirtiest" hotels in the U.S. based on traveler ratings for cleanliness. Five of the ten dirtiest hotels are in the Big Apple, and the overall dirtiest, according to TripAdvisor travelers, is New York City's Hotel Carter.


To view the complete list of Travelers' Choice winners or to check out the top luxury hotels in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Orlando or Las Vegas, contact Brooke Ferencsik at brooke@tripadvisor.com or visit <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/" target="_blank">http://www.tripadvisor.com/</a>.


The TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice award winners for 2005 were determined by a combination of TripAdvisor's Popularity Index and traveler ratings of specific attributes. TripAdvisor's Popularity Index is a proprietary algorithm that determines traveler satisfaction based on a variety of sources, including TripAdvisor hotel reviews and travel articles and opinions from across the web. TripAdvisor recently added ratings to the hotel review process, allowing travelers to "grade" hotels based on a variety of attributes, including cleanliness, value and suitability for specific types of travelers.


About TripAdvisor LLC


TripAdvisor.com(TM) is the largest global travel information and advice destination on the web, with more than 3 million unbiased reviews and opinions and covering 200,000+ hotels and attractions. With more than 18 million unique monthly visitors worldwide (source: comScore Media Metrix, August 2005), TripAdvisor(TM) features real advice from real travelers and offers easy access to major online travel sites, including Expedia.com(R), Orbitz, Hotels.com(R) and American Airlines, for great deals. TripAdvisor(TM), which operates sites in the U.S. (<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/" target="_blank">http://www.tripadvisor.com/</a>) and in the U.K. (<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/</a>) provides travel suppliers a cost-per-click marketing platform, so customers pay only for leads, not impressions, with every campaign. Winner of dozens of awards, including PC Magazine's Top 100 Web Sites and Forbes Best of the Web, TripAdvisor(TM) is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) .


"TripAdvisor" and "TripAdvisor.com" are trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC. All other products or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

 

Originally Posted By SuzieQ

<<hojo's seems like it has gone up in price ALOT in the last year!!!!>>

I agree!

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

<<Is it within very easy walking distance?>>

We had no problem pushing my mother in her wheelchair back and forth. If you can walk the park all day they you should have no trouble with the walk.

<<hojo's seems like it has gone up in price ALOT in the last year!!!!>>

I also agree. Its getting to the point where with an AP discount you might be able to stay at the PP for less!

 

Originally Posted By juicer

I agree with everyone that HoJo's is a very nice place to stay while going to DLR -
However, I also like the Best Western Park Place Inn - which is right accross the street from DLR -
Everyone has different touring plans and I for one stay at the parks most of the day and don't usually take advantage of the hotel's pool's and whatever they should offer -
Because of that...my hotel needs are as follows: I want in a hotel is that the room is clean, not expensive, available for early chick-in, not too small, front desk people are nice and not too far a walk from the parks -
So my favorite hotel is BWPPI over HoJo's mainly because of the walk -

 

Originally Posted By SuzieQ

HoJo's used to be my one choice. However, I haven't stayed there in over a year (and 5 or 6 trips). I've found others I like every bit as much. And with HoJo's price increases, the others are less expensive as well.

 

Originally Posted By dizzdis

Suzie Q can you tell us your other new found favorites?
And I agree the HoJo is not such a bad walk inthe start of the day but I swear it extends by another half mile after 11pm!

 

Originally Posted By pecos bill

I too, have noticed a large increase from rates last year. I have been a regular at Hojo's for years, but the price spike is tempting me to look elsewhere.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

^^Indeed. It woud cost us twice as much to stay at HoJo's this March compared to Oct 05 (we did reserve those rooms in February).

I suppose this means that we can look forward to a busy Spring.

 

Originally Posted By SuzieQ

I like the mini-suites at BW Park Place Inn for walking distance hotels. Otherwise I go to Embassy Suites. At Embassy, I typically pay about $125 and I get free cocktails and an awesome breakfast as well as a suite. When HoJo's is $109 and Embassy is $125, I'm going to Embassy.

 

Originally Posted By irishfan

>>If you go to TripAdvisor.com, you will find it was named the Number 1 Hotel for Families in the U.S.<<

I honestly don’t understand how HoJo's can be voted the number one hotel for families in the U.S? What were the credentials? It has two pools, and a games room. That’s pretty much it. There's no onsite restaurant, or childrens pay area, and the noise! There's just no escaping the constant sound (once you leave your room block) of motor vehicles. It's location, wedged in between Harbor and Interstate 5 means; even at 2 in the morning there is a constant drone of traffic. Don’t get me wrong, the staff were very nice, and the room was fine (if dated), I just cant see how this hotel has come out tops with regards to family hotels in the U.S.

 

Originally Posted By roberts1398

That's funny, because I've never noticed the noise at Hojo's. One thing I like about it -- besides the great service, pools, and large rooms -- is the indoor hallways. That's almost non-existent in the moderate hotels in Anaheim.

 

Originally Posted By dzy76

I've never noticed noise there, either. In fact they only time I've had trouble sleeping there was when we had a skylight room, that sun would come up and gees! But then it made me get up and get to the park. Not a bad thing. lol.

 

Originally Posted By irishfan

Inside the rooms was fine regarding noise. What I'm saying walking around the grounds a pair of ear plugs wouldn't go amiss.