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Darren
05-06-2003, 04:18 PM
I would be interested to hear how people get the best deals on Hotels in the DLR area. I am seriously considering staing at the Desert Inn on my next trip. I love the proximity to the park and think I should be able to get a good rate there.

What is the best way to get a good rate?
Book online?
Call hotel direct?
AAA rates?
Travel Agent?

How can I save $$$

I would especially like to hear from those who got a great price at the Desert Inn.
Thanks

stinkerbell
05-06-2003, 04:42 PM
Check their online rates and then call the hotel directly. I got a double queen room for $44 a night by quoting their price off the internet to the person on the phone. They gave me a quote, I made sure this was where I wanted to stay, then I called back. The person who answered the phone then didn't want to give me the $44 rate until I gave her the name of the last person I spoke with and the quote which had included taxes and fees.

I got my nice, cheap rate, a clean room to sleep in and had no complaints. :)

Toady The Eighth
05-06-2003, 09:58 PM
Hi Darren,

To be perfectly honest with you, I don't think that the Desert Inn is the best deal you can get and still be in the same proximity to the park.

You might try the Carousel Inn or the Howard Johnson's (Hojo is a little further away, but still walking distance) The Carousel Inn and the Park Inn usually have decent rack rates. If you are a AAA member a lot of times you can get good hotel discounts.

Sometimes you can save money on packages, right now I know WDTC is offering a 4th night free promotion at some good neighbor hotels.

The Desert Inn is not the nicest hotel in the area, but it's clean.. you shouldn't have to worry about cockroaches or anything. My suggestion would be to stay away from the Park Vue Inn. It's location looks really great but the hotel is yucky. People always get mad at me for this, but I think the Fairfield Inn is a dive as well, and I would not send my clients there.

Like Stinkerbell said, a lot of times you can get the best deal if you call the hotel directly and quote rates you got off the internet.

my suggestion would be this. Always check internet sites, Travel Agents, and calling the hotel directly before you make a reservation so you can see who's running the best deal at that particular time.

Hope that helps! :D

Kimi_Coconuts
05-07-2003, 10:12 AM
If you're not all the particular about where you stay (proximity) and are willing to take a risk for a really good deal, go to priceline and prior to that Bidding for Travel to learn strategy.

We paid $33 a night for the Hyatt on our last trip, so it was practically free if you ask me.

stinkerbell
05-07-2003, 11:47 AM
Yes, I have to agree with Kimi here, if you bid on Priceline, go to www.biddingfortravel.com first to get the latest scoop on what you can expect to pay, which hotels are "biting" and the necessary bidding strategies to get the best deal.

Good luck!

I started a thread not long ago on using the Entertainment Coupon book to get great rates. We just paid $45 for seven nights at the HoJo, and it was so great! Check www.entertainment.com to learn how you can save up to 50% on rack rates at most of the Disneyland area hotels.

mkraemer
05-07-2003, 01:09 PM
I've been staying at the Desert Inn on nearly every trip I've made to Disneyland over the past five years (and we average a trip there every few months so that's quite a few stays). It's not a fancy, themed place, but it's very decent. The in-room amenities are nice (small fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, etc.). It's got great location. For me, having a very reasonable price (our trip last weekend was $44/night for a standard room) makes it affordable to go to the park more often. I would rather do that than splurge on a fancier hotel that costs more. I also don't like the parking structure, so staying someplace with a good walking location to the park is important to me.

How do I get a good rate? I call them up (and they know who I am by now) and I get a 'repeat customer' rate (which has been incredible at times).

Pat-n-Eil
05-07-2003, 01:33 PM
I like the Park Inn International and through a campground membership benefit I have, I can stay there for $59/night. Last time we got a nice 2 queen room, overlooking the 4th story pool and a good view of the fireworks.. We thought it was nice and clean with very good parking.

We used to like the Best Western Park Place Inn for its proximity to the entrance and Mom's, but the parking sucks... and with our $59/night capability, we've taken to the Park Inn International (and Mimi's/McDonalds)..

Darren
05-07-2003, 07:00 PM
I appreciate all the advice. Keep them coming.

I know that bidding with Priceline you don't get to choose which hotel, rather the first one to "bite" gets your business. Has anyone had any nasty suprizes or is it pretty predictable (after checking biding for travel) which hotels are using priceline?

Thanks

Toady The Eighth
05-08-2003, 02:03 PM
Originally posted by Darren
I appreciate all the advice. Keep them coming.

I know that bidding with Priceline you don't get to choose which hotel, rather the first one to "bite" gets your business. Has anyone had any nasty suprizes or is it pretty predictable (after checking biding for travel) which hotels are using priceline?

Thanks

Hi Darren,

A lot of people really like Priceline. I had a friend of My Honey's pay like $50 for a three star hotel in Vegas, and got put at Treasure Island! So sometimes you can get a great deal.

However I don't use Priceline myself for that very reason. The description 2 star or 3 star hotel can be very broad, and I don't want to end up someplace in a bad location, or in a dive. For example, the Comfort Inn and Suites (average motel, in a horrible location on Katella) and the Disneyland Hotel are both 3 star hotels. Obviously, the DL Hotel is far superior.

See what I mean? You could get hosed, or you could be pleasantly surprised.

I'm not that much of a risk taker. I need to know exactly where I'm staying.:D

jtracy
05-09-2003, 10:55 AM
A quick warning about the Desert Palm Inn & Suites (not to be confused with the Desert Inn (another close by hotel).

After seeing an extraordinatry price at the Desert Palm Inn & Suites, I booked a room there for three nights. They failed to say, however, that they are under MAJOR CONSTRUCTION. This means:

1) There is scaffoling around the entire hotel and it looks like a place being demolished.

2) There is NO PARKING. You have to park across the street.

3) Construction starts early.

4) The walls on the hotel room are VERY THIN. Noisy neighbors can be a royal pain.

However, on the flip side the staff is EXTREMELY FRIENDLY and courteous. A problem in the room required the assistance of a maintenance worker, who was there in less than three minutes!

There's a reason the rooms are very cheap right now. I just wish I had been warned earlier.

JBKMC
05-11-2003, 08:38 AM
For getting a room for the Disneyland area and you are 100% sure that you wont need to cancel then one way is to use Priceline as the rooms that participate in the Priceline program for the Disneyland area are all preyty good rooms.

Your first step would be to go to the web site biddingfortravel.com and learn how to bid on Priceline.

Learn how to do a free re-bid as its a very good thing to know how to do. Learn the zones.

Here are some of the rooms that Priceline has in inventory for the Disneyland area and in most cases rooms are being won with winning bids between $25 & $45. Go learn how to bid a good price and bid away.

ORANGE COUNTY - CENTRAL

Anaheim/Disneyland

3 Star
Anaheim Marriott, Coast Anaheim, Hilton Anaheim, Hyatt Regency, Orange County Alicante, Sheraton Anaheim Hotel, Crowne Plaza Resort, Anabella Hotel, Marriott Anaheim Suites

2½ Star
Hawthorn Suites Anaheim, Residence Inn Anaheim/Disneyland, Holiday Inn Resort Area, Jolly Roger Inn

2 Star
Candlewood Suites Anaheim South, Howard Johnson, Travelodge

oohykitten
05-11-2003, 10:28 AM
I tried Priceline the other day for my trip next weekend. Since I am always on a buget I usually stay at the Quality Inn Maingate. IT's nice, close, has a jack in the box in the parking lot pretty much, so it's always been a nice place. However this time I was willing to try a diffrent place. I put in a bid of 30 dollars and got a room at the Quality Inn of all places. SO I am now saving about a 100 dollars and got a slightly nicer room at the place I wanted to stay. I now would give Priceline a chance again. I suggest it.