Favorite Harbor Hotel excluding pools and why?

Want to try Park Vue and Tropicana. And Candy Cane Inn.

We've stayed at the Park Vue Inn twice. Unlike most of the posters on the boards, we've only been to DL a total of four times and as a result, I've checked out every possible source of information to ensure we were making a good decision about where to stay. While it's nothing fancy, it's clean with great service and oh, SO CLOSE. We'd go back in a heartbeat but I'm also intrigued by the Tropicana and will hopefully check that out someday soon! :flower3:
 
We've stayed at the Park Vue Inn twice. Unlike most of the posters on the boards, we've only been to DL a total of four times and as a result, I've checked out every possible source of information to ensure we were making a good decision about where to stay. While it's nothing fancy, it's clean with great service and oh, SO CLOSE. We'd go back in a heartbeat but I'm also intrigued by the Tropicana and will hopefully check that out someday soon! :flower3:
We stayed there recently and found the beds so comfortable. What sold us though was the ability to leave our car until 10 pm (one hour after closing) the day of check-out.

I've stayed once at Candy Cane Inn and am curious to see what's it like after the renovation. But Park Vue is sooo close to the Harbor entrance we may be too spoiled now to stay even a 10 minutes walk away!
 
I'm a Hilton person too and I absolutely love Homewood Suites. From their free breakfast and free wine\beer with their dinner offerings on Mondays to Thursday, not to mention they have a full kitchen with a full size fridge. Especially like having the option to have a gas grill in the hotel's courtyard. I'm someone who loves and enjoys grilling and that would also be a nice break from eating out the whole trip.

Although my wife would absolutely kill me if I added an extra 1 mile walk to Homewood Suites after a full 14+ hours in the parks. That's another reason why we're at the Tropicana that is across the street from the Harbor entrance and just a 5 minute walk. Happy Wife, Happy Life! LOL
If it makes you feel any better homewood suites is not offering evening social right now due to Covid.
 
My two favorite Harbor hotels are Candy Cane Inn and Grand Legacy! CCI has a great breakfast (well they did pre-covid), great customer service and a dedicated shuttle (again pre-covid). It's an easy walk though and it's a pretty place with a 7-11 right next door! Grand Legacy is a bit closer and an easy walk, just on the other side of the street. Their customer service is decent and they have a few food places onsite, including the rooftop deck/lounge/bar!
 


Loved Hyatt House when we stayed in 2017, staying there again next month. Close, has big, beautiful rooms with microwaves, and serviceable free breakfast. I also love that there's a Walgreens right under it (or a CVS across the street if you prefer) if you ever need anything, plus a Starbucks and a few other food options.
 
Not on Harbor, but the new Westin on Katella that is opening soon looks SUPER nice. It's a bit of a walk to the parks, though.
 
I've stayed at both Park Vue Inn (PVI) and BWPPI and I prefer PVI. I've found the staff at PVI to be slightly more responsive, though they are very nice at both locations. I felt like the rooms at PVI are just a bit more up-to-date and less stuffy feeling. But, honestly, if there was a big price difference between the two or only one had availability on my dates, I wouldn't hesitate to stay at either if I wasn't spending the money to stay on-site. The walk to the park from either one is so, so close. Closer even than some rooms at the GCH and definitely closer than the DLH.
 


I've stayed at Desert Inn twice. First time was perfect, they gave me an upgrade for free-- clean, near the front of the property, quiet. Second time was still clean but near the back of the property, abysmal water pressure, they forgot to clean one day, and staff a bit unresponsive. Also the air conditioner was a bit noisy. That said, it's consistently cheapest for as close to the crosswalk as it is.

I'm staying for a fly-by, one night trip June 23rd, and managed to book BWPPI at a reasonable price. I'm sure it'll be fine. I really just need a place to crash (with earplugs) and shower. I'm always checking prices at Park Vue, which gets very good reviews, and Tropicana also. As long as you're not picky and don't mind the exterior walkways, they are fine and actually quite a bit closer than DL properties, even the Grand Californian.
 
It's interesting to read that Desert Inn was loud for some people! We've stayed there multiple times and have never had an issue with noise. In contrast, we would never stay at Hyatt House Anaheim Convention Center again because the walls/ceiling were SUPER thin (family above us barely slept, they got back at 1am every night and were up bouncing around every morning by 5:30am for 4 days straight...parents yelling, shower taking....we heard it all).
 
Budget option, Desert Inn, particularly if you have a large group as their family suites are the best bargain on Harbour. A step up, Park Vue Inn. Still a motel but I like their rooms which are a good size, easy parking, great staff available 24hr and and often a good view of the fireworks just outside your room or from their viewing deck right next to Harbour. Another step up, Fairfield Inn, a hotel with those services and facilities but with external walkways like a motel. Nicest along Harbour though is Courtyard Marriott Theme Park Entrance. Quite new, great pool/waterpark area and spacious rooms. I think the staff could be better trained but might just have caught them in an off week. All these are within 8 mins of the turnstiles.
Others I haven’t stayed at that get good reviews are the Springhill Suites on the corner of Katella and Harbour and the Residence Inn Convention right next door. As I said, haven’t stayed at these but they get good reviews and I have walked through the lobbies of each to check them out.
Candy Cane Inn is another people seem to rate highly although I’ve never stayed there.
 
Budget option, Desert Inn, particularly if you have a large group as their family suites are the best bargain on Harbour. A step up, Park Vue Inn. Still a motel but I like their rooms which are a good size, easy parking, great staff available 24hr and and often a good view of the fireworks just outside your room or from their viewing deck right next to Harbour. Another step up, Fairfield Inn, a hotel with those services and facilities but with external walkways like a motel. Nicest along Harbour though is Courtyard Marriott Theme Park Entrance. Quite new, great pool/waterpark area and spacious rooms. I think the staff could be better trained but might just have caught them in an off week. All these are within 8 mins of the turnstiles.
Others I haven’t stayed at that get good reviews are the Springhill Suites on the corner of Katella and Harbour and the Residence Inn Convention right next door. As I said, haven’t stayed at these but they get good reviews and I have walked through the lobbies of each to check them out.
Candy Cane Inn is another people seem to rate highly although I’ve never stayed there.

My sister has stayed at the Springhill Suites numerous times. It's their go to. She likes it a lot.
 
Park Vue Inn and Candy Cane Inn are our two favorites. We just choose whichever one is cheaper. PVI used to be much cheaper than they are now. Judging by the responses in this thread, their secret must've gotten out.
 
PVI. It's quiet, well kept and we like the free breakfast upstairs where you can seen into the park.
BWPPI is a close second but the pool (sorry) is always so crowded that it's unusable.
Both are a super short walk.
 
It's interesting to read that Desert Inn was loud for some people! We've stayed there multiple times and have never had an issue with noise. In contrast, we would never stay at Hyatt House Anaheim Convention Center again because the walls/ceiling were SUPER thin (family above us barely slept, they got back at 1am every night and were up bouncing around every morning by 5:30am for 4 days straight...parents yelling, shower taking....we heard it all).

Yes, it is interesting to compare experiences. We stayed at the Hyatt House Convention Center just a couple of weeks ago. We had a wonderful experience -- very clean and quiet.

OTOH, we stayed at the Clarion, more years ago than I care to think about. Your description of the noise, shouting, and lack of sleep would pertain in spades to our stay at the Clarion. We've never been back.

I think for all these hotels/motels, it's just the luck of the draw.
 

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