Recently we got the chance to stay at the Red Lion Anaheim during our coverage of Disneyland’s Holiday Celebration. As we enter our first holiday season at the new southwest office, I am not only enjoying the weather but the close proximity of California and Las Vegas which allows us to greatly expand our travel and event coverage as well as enjoy some great weather while our Seattle office deals with the cold and rainy weather.
Anaheim is a very pleasant and easy drive over from Phoenix and we arrived at the hotel without any issues as the Red Lion is located very close to Disneyland as well as the Anaheim Convention Center. This is ideal as with Blizzcon, D23, and the upcoming Wondercon, there are numerous events for fans of gaming and pop culture as well as the abundance of activities and conferences that are held in the surrounding area.
The hotel offers 310 renovated rooms with tile bathrooms, ergonomic workspaces, and meeting rooms aside from a very impressive list of amenities.
Check in was very smooth and the helpful staff pointed out options such as a shuttle to and from Disneyland, a gift shop and the ability to purchase tickets there should we need them. The front desk also set us up with their free Rewards program and answered any questions we had about it.
The lobby was very trendy and inviting and showed right off the bat that this was a first class locale that offers a full service stay and helpful staff.
I asked about dining and since it was later in the evening, the staff pointed out that the pasta restaurant was closed but that there was an IHOP next to the property that was open 24 hours. There is also a Cafe2Go for those in a hurry which offers drinks, chips, sandwiches, and other snacks.
Families will want to try Red’s Pasta Kitchen for great pasta and treats the entire family will enjoy.
After parking in the lot behind the hotel which is available for $14.00 a day, we checked into our room and were very happy with the modern décor as well as the very comfortable and inviting feel to the room. Everything was spotless and lacked for nothing as it included a mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker, hair dryer, ironing board, IPod alarm clock, free Wi-Fi, 37’ plasma screen television, and Bath and Body works products.
The dual queen beds were very comfy and that is saying something as we are used to our memory foam bed and often find hotel beds hard to adjust to.
The view from the room was amazing and offered a great view of Disneyland as well as the hotel pool and offers and amazing view of the fireworks at Disneyland. Disney has classified the Red Lion Anaheim a Good Neighbor hotel which means it has earned distinction as a provider of top notch services and accommodations to those visiting the park and staying off site.
The room also had a desk and ample work space and room service was available as well. I noted that the television offered a wide range of stations and not just a handful of options as even The Cartoon Network and Sy Fy Channel were included which is often not the case at most hotels.
The following morning our wakeup call arrived as scheduled and we prepared for a busy day ahead. The hotel gift shop offered plenty of options for those on the go as well as the cafe2go. I had wanted to take advantage of the breakfast buffet at $9.95 but a hectic schedule prevented this.
Disneyland is roughly a city block and a half away and it was a very easy 15-20 minute walk for those who do not wish to wait for a shuttle. We had no trouble at all walking to and from the park even after a very busy day and evening left us exhausted.
Upon our return after a very busy day, we were greeted by a clean room that the hotel staff had diligently cleaned and enjoyed the comfortable beds.
The next morning came with another prompt wakeup call and we had a very smooth check out. The hotel offers guests access from the front and back of the hotel so I was able to load up our car easily from the back elevators and then easily go to the lobby to complete our checkout.
The staff very helpfully directed us to a nearby gas station and confirmed that we had the correct directions to get us back to the highway.
It is little touches like this as well as the front line features and staff that made this a great place to stay.
The hotel is pet friendly so those guests looking to travel with animals will want to check out this option as well.
In a day when so many hotels either cut back on services or charge a premium, the Red Lion Anaheim offers great value and amenities at an affordable rate and features a fantastic staff and locale. For those visiting Disneyland or the city of Anaheim in the future, make sure to check out this hotel as you will be happy that you did.
