| |
Howard Johnson Hotel Anaheim Review
The Howard Johnson Hotel is located only 7 minutes walk from the entrance to Disneyland. The hotel features two pool areas, one with a kids wading pool and spa. There are 7 acres of landscaped grounds with a gift shop, tour desk and 24 hour reception. The hotel is located at 1380 South Harbor Boulevard.
Rooms
 The Howard Johnson hotel is divided into six buildings. Building 1 has seven floors, building 2 with 4 floors and the other buildings are all two story. We stayed in one of the two story blocks on the top floor. There are two types of rooms, the standard and the upgrade rooms. The upgrade rooms feature vaulted ceilings and skylights. The rooms feature 2 double beds, a bath/shower, a small balcony, air conditioning and a storage room that contains a rollaway bed and ironing facilities. The bottom rooms have a much larger balcony. There's also a TV in the room with cable channels and pay per view of the latest movies, a small bar fridge and coffee making. The rooms also featured free high speed internet access, so pack your laptop. There's also interconnecting rooms available and a number of other room types.
Facilities
 The hotel features beautifully maintained gardens, a shop with most supplies available and a games room for the kids. The swimming pools are heated and there’s plenty of seating available. The main pool area has a wading pool, a novelty water feature as well as a hot spa. The main pool is open from 8am till midnight and the garden pool from 9am till 10pm. There are rooms that overlook the pool, a good way to keep an eye on the kids but it could be a bit noisy at night, especially in the summer. The main reception is very helpful, from directions around Anaheim, to booking transport and attraction tickets and recommending the best transfer deals. A safety deposit box is available and travellers cheques can be cashed, but only $100 per day. A laundry is available as well as dry cleaning services. There's also plenty of free on site parking available. Baby sitting services are available locally. The gift shop has souvenirs, snacks, breakfast foods, drinks, beer and wine and a film processing service. Newspaper racks are situated outside the front desk and the USA Today newspaper is free from the gift shop (Monday - Friday). A games room is also available for the kids.
The hotel is located at the eastern end of Disneyland Park which means that you can get a great view of the weekend fireworks from the northern car park.
Eating
 Nothing available at the hotel, but just across the road is the start of at least 6 family friendly restaurants. Mimi's Cafe is directly opposite the hotel and is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. Good food and good prices, with a kids menu and activities to keep the kids occupied. The only problem is that you may have to wait to get a table for dinner, especially on the weekends. Next door to Mimi's is Millies, another family restaurant within a minute or two’s walk from the hotel. Next is McDonalds, which is where we had breakfast most mornings on the way to Disneyland. Further along are the IHOP and Denny’s, which are both open 24 hours, which is especially handy if you arrive very late at night. There are also plenty of others including Captain Kids. All feature kids meals and something to occupy the kids like colouring sheets and crayons. Remember you need to leave a tip at these restaurants (around 15% is the general rule). Check our
Anaheim destination page for more information.
Getting Around
 Disneyland is within walking distance of the hotel. Local buses are available for travel around the area. The cost is $2.50 per adult or child over 5 and this allows unlimited travel for the day of purchase. The nearest bus stop is opposite the entrance to Disneyland. Anaheim Resort Transit is a convenient way to get around Anaheim, offering transport from all the major hotels to Disneyland. A 5 day pass will cost you $12 per person and children under 10 years ride for free. The shuttle bus picks up and drops off at the hotel entrance. You can check the daily schedules with the front desk.
Summary
The Howard Johnson Hotel Anaheim is a quality hotel with good sized rooms and a great pool area for the kids. Disneyland is just across the road and there are a number of restaurants within walking distance. The only negatives we experienced were the size of the balconies on the second floor rooms and the noise of the adjacent freeway, especially sirens in the early hours of the morning.
Links
Anaheim Destination Page
Disneyland Park Review
Disney's California Adventure Park Review
Universal Studios Review
Howard Johnson Hotel, Anaheim
|
|
|
|
