Review - Residence Inn Anaheim Convention Center (Disneyland Good Neighbour Hotel)

By Jennifer Stuart

This review covers photos of a Deluxe Queen room at the Residence Inn Anaheim Convention Center.   It includes room photos, a look at the amenities, pros and cons of staying at the hotel and thoughts about staying at the Residence Inn Anaheim Convention Center during your Disneyland Vacation.

Iced water available in the lobby.

Lobby

Lobby Bar

The Location

This hotel is located on Katella Ave just west from the corner with S. Harbor Blvd.  The hotel is a U-shaped building.  The lobby is located in the center of the U and this adds to a feeling of calm in what could otherwise be a busy area.  Walking distance to the Park is about 15 minutes at a reasonable pace. The hotel is also conveniently located for the Anaheim Garden Walk which has shops and several restaurants. The Anaheim Convention Center is just beside the hotel.  Click here for their website.

The Rooms

The photos included are of a Deluxe Queen room which sleeps up to 6. Other room configurations include a  King studio (sleeps up to 4), a Deluxe King (sleeps up to 4), Kids Bunk Bed suite (sleeps up to 8) and a larger  executive 2 bedroom suite (sleeps up to 8). The studio is a good budget friendly option for couples or small families that don't mind being cozy.  A Deluxe Queen room  is our favourite as there is more room to spread out and we can have family on the sleeper sofa in the living room without feeling cramped.  ​

A Deluxe Queen room  comes with two queen sized beds in the separate bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the living room. The bedroom is separated from the living room area by a sliding door.  We found that this was great for privacy but still let through a lot of light so you would want to have the living room curtains closed if you need it to be really dark for a daytime nap.  Both sets of windows come with both sheer and black out curtains.

Although small, there is plenty of seating for a family in the living room area.   The sofa pulls out into a bed which is what allows this room to sleep up to 6. A nice perk is that both the bedroom and the living room have TV's.  There are also a couple of bar stools at the kitchen counter.

The bathrooms are smallish but make good use of the space. They are very clean and modern. The vanity has a single large sink and lots of good counter space.  The lighting on the mirror is very flattering and makes it easy to do make up.  The bathroom has a large modern shower. An important note for families travelling with smaller children is that there is only a shower in these rooms.  If you need to have a bathtub you will need to upgrade to a Kids Bunk Bed Suite in order to get one.

Rooms have a small but complete kitchen. This is one of the biggest perks of staying at this hotel. The full size fridge with freezer is a bonus for a family that wants to save by stocking up on drinks and snacks for the parks or by making some of their own meals.  There is a cooktop with 2 burners and a dishwasher.  Also included are a toaster and coffee maker.  The kitchens have basic utensils, dishes, glassware and pots and pans. 

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The one big problem for us was the lack of an in-room safe.  We do travel with electronics and are not comfortable leaving them unsecured in our rooms when we are at the park all day.  There is the option of using a safety deposit box at the front desk but this is not very convenient as we found we often had to wait to be able to access our box and when you are in and out a couple of times a day it is an irritation.  It should also be noted that there are only a couple of boxes that are large enough to hold a laptop, and they can be hard to get.  Front desk staff were great about letting us know as soon as one became available but we have a strong preference for an in-room safe that is sizeable enough to hold a laptop (especially as this hotel is located next to a convention center) .

The Amenities

There is a sunny roof-top pool and splash park.  The pool isn't large but is larger than you would expect from a roof-top pool and although busy, it never seemed over-crowded.  This is a sun trap and can really heat up which can be an advantage/disadvantage depending on the weather.  There is also a good sized hot tub which is popular in the cooler weather and in the evening.

The laundry facilities are located next to the pool area which makes it easy to put on a load and then enjoy some pool time while your clothes get clean.  Costs are reasonable and there is also detergent and dryer sheets available for purchase if needed.   ​

The Breakfast

The breakfast is one of the highlights of this hotel and is definitely a cut above many other hotel breakfasts.  Breakfast includes both hot and cold options that rotate daily.  On longer stays we are pleasantly surprised to find that it is not the exact same thing every morning.  For those of you looking for a good dose of protein in your breakfast you will find several good options.  The breakfast area is spacious and clean with several different kind of seating configurations.

hot items

Cold items

This is only a sample of some of the items available. 

Beverages

Pros and Cons

 Pros:
- Quiet-- we were not disturbed by street noise-- great for taking naps.
- Breakfast. 
- Full kitchen (a real refrigerator with a freezer).
- Free wifi. 
- Larger rooms when traveling with family.
​- Very clean and modern. 

Cons:
- No in-room safe (some safety deposit boxes at front desk, but there are a        limited number that are large enough to hold a laptop or even a couple of iPad minis).  We travel with electronics.
- Longer walk than some hotels - we find it to be about 15 mins.
-No bathtubs (except in more expensive kids' suites) -- this is not a problem for us now that the kids are older but would have been a deal breaker when the kids were smaller.
​- Parking is available, but it is $24/day.

Our Final Thoughts

We have stayed at a large number of Disney "good neighbour" hotels over the years and this was a solid choice.  The styling and presentation are top notch and the breakfast is great.  It is best for families with older kids who don't need a bathtub.  We would recommend this hotel.  
For more information about the Residence Inn Anaheim Convention Center click here for their website.

Photos by Jennifer Stuart and Kim Stuart

Comments?  Questions?  We would love to hear from you.