Review Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate (Disneyland Good Neighbour Hotel)

By Jennifer Stuart

This review covers photos of a one bedroom suite at the Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate.  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 Maingate during your Disneyland Vacation.

The Location

This hotel is located at the corner of S. Clementine Street and Disney Way.  The grounds are leafy and rather than being a single large building, it consists of many smaller buildings.  We find that this gives the property a more "home- like" feel.  Walking distance to the Park is about 15 minutes at a reasonable pace or the ART (Anaheim Resort Transit) busses pick up and drop off in the parking lot. The hotel is also conveniently located for the Anaheim Garden Walk which has shops  and  several restaurants.  Click here for their website.

The Rooms

The photos included are of a one bedroom suite (sleeps up to 6). Other room configurations include a studio (sleeps up to 4), a two bedroom suite (sleeps up to 8) and a penthouse suite which sleeps up to 8 and is great for extended families.  We have stayed in all types except for the two bedroom suite.  The studio is a good budget friendly option for couples or small families that don't mind being cozy.  A one bedroom suite is our favourite as there is more room to spread out in and we can have family on the sleeper sofa in the living room without feeling cramped.  

A one bedroom suite comes with two queen sized beds in the separate bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the living room.

The bathrooms are small but have a great larger counter and sink area outside of the bathroom which allows for lots of people to be able to get ready at the same time in the mornings.

The living rooms have a sleeper sofa as well as an armchair.  They are a comfortable place to watch tv or relax by the fire in cooler months. 

One bedrooms have the benefit of extra space including a separate dinning area as well as a table/breakfast bar in the kitchen.

One of the biggest perks of these rooms (and all room combinations at this hotel) are the full kitchens.  Instead of just a mini fridge and a microwave you have a full size and fully equipped kitchen.  There is a full sized fridge, stove, microwave and dishwasher.  Also included are a toaster and coffee maker.  The kitchens have basic utensils, dishes, glassware and pots and pans.  We love the full size fridge to store a family's worth of drinks and fresh fruit. 

The Amenities

Amenities include a good sized pool and hot tub, a basketball court and a small playground. 

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.

There are usually at least one kind of eggs and one kind of meat available in the hot section.  The meat seems to change up between sausage, bacon and ham.  Other hot options we have seen are hash brown potatoes, biscuits, mini tortillas and beans, oatmeal and make your own waffles.

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There is always a large fresh fruit section that can include cut up honeydew melon, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple.  There is also whole fruit which can include apples, oranges and bananas.  There is usually a few kinds of yogurt for those that like dairy and, recently, my new favourite breakfast item - brie!

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There are a selection of different breads available that can be toasted or not.  Bagels, bread and english muffins are consistently available.  As well there is a selection of cold cereals. To drink there are carafes of coffee (regular and decaf), hot water for tea, a selection of juices, and water.  The dining area is large and there is also a smaller outdoor seating area that is popular on warm days.   

Pros and Cons

Pros
- quiet-- we have never been disturbed by street noise and rarely hear neighbours-- great for taking naps
-the breakfast 
- full kitchen (a real refrigerator with a freezer )
-free wifi and parking
- Larger rooms when traveling with family
Cons
- a longer walk than some we find it to be about 15 mins
-stairs can be a problem for strollers (if staying in a second floor room)

Our Final Thoughts

We have stayed at a large number of good neighbour hotels over the years and this remains a family favourite.

For more information about the Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate click here for their website.

Questions or comments?  We would love to hear from you.

All photos by Jennifer Stuart