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View Full Version : Help! Best rate at HoJo?



Family5LovesDisney
06-20-2005, 06:13 AM
I know that there must be some information somewhere on this site about how to get a good rate at Howard Johnsons??? We booked through the HOJO website and the Best Rate was $109 a night for one room with a King Bed and a non-Disney view. Of course this was for June 26th and we only made the reservations about 3 weeks ago as this was a last minute thing. Perhaps there isn't a better rate at the last minute for high season??

bradk
06-20-2005, 06:18 AM
you could try to see if they still have the entertainment rate by calling them, but it's somewhat unlikely. but if by some miracle they do, it'll halve the rack rate which is always the cheapest option. although you do need an entertainment card upon checkin and it'll be tough going to get one in time.

otherwise, your best bet is to make sure you're getting the mousesavers rate which should be 15% off the lowest public rate. (http://www.hojoanaheim.com/mousesavers)

you might also want to try travelaxe.com or kayak.com or octopustravel.com or soemthing to that effect, but i wouldn't hold my breath.

stinkerbell
06-20-2005, 06:20 AM
Since you're going soon, it doesn't hurt to call the hotel directly and ask if they have the entertainment card rate for the time that you'll be there. The entertainment card rate is usually half the normal rate.

We've stayed twice for $45/night for 6-7 nights, using the entertainment card. Check out www.entertainment.com (http://www.entertainment.com/) Cards/books are half-off right now, so you should be able to get yourself a card for $10! I've ordered them and received mine in 2-3 business days every year for about four years now.

Also, I found a cheaper rate using www.travelaxe.net (http://www.travelaxe.net/) (free download--lets you search a dozen online reservation systems at once) and www.hotelclub.com (http://www.hotelclub.com/) when we stayed at HoJo the week between Christmas and New Year (including NYE), which is an expensive week to stay in Anaheim. We paid $67/night using hotel club, when HoJo was charging $99/nt. I called HoJo directly to see if they could match it, and when they couldn't, the reservations clerk encouraged me to use the other site.....whatever it took to get us in there, since we love the place so much. I thought it was cool of them to encourage us to use another place to make the reservations....very friendly.

You should also search this forum for HoJo.....you'll find tons of info.

Edit: On www.hotelclub.com (http://www.hotelclub.com), I found three hotels (that I would stay at) that are about $20 cheaper than the rate you're paying at HoJo: Park Place Inn, Castle Inn, and Tropicana. And all are closer, plus Park Place Inn has a fairly good continental breakfast.

rentayenta
06-20-2005, 06:31 AM
Okay, so let me get this straight, please correct me if I am wrong....


If I have the Entertainment Book, do I need to just show it to receive the discount or do I need to tell them when I make my reservation? Also, do they only allow so many rooms to be booked using the Entertainment rate? Are there weekend or special event restrictions (ie. DL's 50th b-day celebration)?


For $10 I could save a bundle this July.


Thanks!

bradk
06-20-2005, 06:36 AM
you need to be able to show the entertainment card at check-in, you don't need it to make the actual reservations. this applies to all hotels.

as far as what the capacity is, the hotels honor the card as long as they are booked under 80% occupancy rate.

some hotels tighten this restriction by only allowing entertainment reservations within 30 days of check-in. hojo actually has the entire year opened up at the beginning of the year. what that means to you is that summer months are best to be booked as early as humanly possible. it'll be tough going to find an entertainment rate for them this summer (but you never know), but if you were to book for october-december right now, you might have a good shot.

they'll also let you mix rates if the entertainment rate is available for certain nights and not others.

you also technically don't need an entertainment book either. you can buy just the card.

stinkerbell
06-20-2005, 06:36 AM
Okay, so let me get this straight, please correct me if I am wrong....


If I have the Entertainment Book, do I need to just show it to receive the discount or do I need to tell them when I make my reservation? Also, do they only allow so many rooms to be booked using the Entertainment rate? Are there weekend or special event restrictions (ie. DL's 50th b-day celebration)?


For $10 I could save a bundle this July.


Thanks!

Call HoJo first and ask if the entertainment rate is available during the time you're planning to be there. You don't need the book or card in hand when you make the reservation, but you need the card at check-in. Mine have always arrived in the mail very quickly. Within a few business days.

I ordered our second book of the year (we use the restaurant and entertainment coupons allll the time--the books usually save us about $500/yr) and received it in three days. Ordered it Thursday night on a whim, received it in the mail on Monday afternoon.....no shipping costs.

Shortiemetoo
06-20-2005, 06:57 AM
Mouse Savers is 15% if you are an annual passholder otherwise it is 7% for standard discount and 10% if you print their coupon and present it upon check-in.

bradk
06-20-2005, 07:01 AM
thanks for the correction. just noticed that on the website now.

Family5LovesDisney
06-20-2005, 07:07 AM
I do have an entertainment book and card already (my boys Athletic Booster Club sold them for a fund raiser) I never thought about trying to use that. I wasn't too worried about the rate but then I noticed on the reviews here on Mouse Planet that what I am going to pay seemed rather steep then what people were saying that they paid.

bradk
06-20-2005, 07:53 AM
well, you're trying to book less than a month out, so yes, prices will rise.

Family5LovesDisney
06-20-2005, 08:07 AM
well, you're trying to book less than a month out, so yes, prices will rise. Yes, it was a last minute thing! I am tagging along with my husband on a business trip out to San Diego. When my parents said that they would watch the kids so I could go along with him, we decided that we would sneak in a quick trip to Disneyland! :)

The Mouse Is Back
06-20-2005, 03:31 PM
you need to be able to show the entertainment card at check-in, you don't need it to make the actual reservations. this applies to all hotels.

as far as what the capacity is, the hotels honor the card as long as they are booked under 80% occupancy rate.

some hotels tighten this restriction by only allowing entertainment reservations within 30 days of check-in. hojo actually has the entire year opened up at the beginning of the year. what that means to you is that summer months are best to be booked as early as humanly possible. it'll be tough going to find an entertainment rate for them this summer (but you never know), but if you were to book for october-december right now, you might have a good shot.

they'll also let you mix rates if the entertainment rate is available for certain nights and not others.

you also technically don't need an entertainment book either. you can buy just the card.

After all the posts I've read about HoJo's on here recently, I decided to try making a reservation at the Entertainment rate. I called the hotel directly, but their in-house reservations clerk sent my call over to the central reservations, where I got a clerk who insisted that I needed to give her the discount code number for her to book the reservation at the disounted rate. Called back again, and the same thing happened.

We stayed at HoJo's last year at the holidays at a very low rate which I booked myself. Every time I've tried to get a good rate since then, I've pretty much gotten the runaround.

Anybody else had less than satisfactory communications with their reservations people?


-Allegra-

bradk
06-20-2005, 03:41 PM
yeah, that sounds way wrong. you need to do it with the hotel directly at 714-776-6120 (just ask for reservations).

there is no coupon code, i don't think the entertainment card even has a member # or anything unique about it.

i dealt with jennifer and she couldn't have been any nicer. i was able to secure the mousesavers rate (which at that time was 15% off i think) the first night which was ~$60 and then got the entertainment rate the following two nights @ ~$50 each.

i didn't actually use it since i went to the carousel instead, but definitely had no problems with hojo.

Darkbeer
06-20-2005, 03:52 PM
Actually there is a special reservation code, it is listed in the back section of the Entertainment book, in the hotel listings...

The way most central reservations systems work, you need to the code to get the special rate.....

bradk
06-20-2005, 03:59 PM
well, something must have changed then. i never needed one. and checking the website, it doesn't mention anything about a code. this is all it says:

Howard Johnson Hotel in The Anaheim Resort

50% Off Any Room
50% OFF

Howard Johnson Hotel in The Anaheim Resort
1380 S. Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92802
Phone : (714)776-6120
Toll Free : (800)422-4228
30.5 miles

Discount Description

Enjoy 50% off the rack rate of any ROOM or 10% off any promotional rate available to the general public, whichever provides the greatest value

SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY

Hotel Information

* 320 Spacious guest rooms featuring coffee/tea makers, mini-refrigerators, Sony Play Station.
* 2 Outdoor heated pools, whirlpool, children's pool, game room, gift shop & Mimi's Cafe restaurant.
* Located across the street from Disneyland Park in The Anaheim Resort.
* Other nearby attractions include Block at Orange, Knotts Berry Farm.

Hotel Amenities:

THIS PAGE CANNOT BE PRINTED AND USED AS A VALID COUPON

How Can I Get This Discount?
Call the hotel, tell them you're an Entertainment Member, and make your reservation. When you check in, make sure to present your Entertainment Card to get your discount. Learn More

I also called multiple hotels along Harbor Blvd (most offer the entertainment rate, but a lot have that 30 day restriction) and nobody ever asked for a code. I only had one hotel in San Diego that acted a little oddly when I asked about the entertainment rate. every other hotel knew of it, but either had nothing available or told me the internet rate matched it.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
06-20-2005, 04:22 PM
Darkbeer is friends with Willie there and he can help you with your reservation but will probably have you book through the mousesavers rate.
They give an AWESOME discount to airline employees, we love it there and the rate is just wonderful!

mkcbunny
06-20-2005, 06:35 PM
i dealt with jennifer and she couldn't have been any nicer.
If that was Jennifer Breland, I second that recommendation. She was awesome. I booked well in advance through MouseSavers online and got a great rate [but that was six months in advance]. I subsequently sent Jennifer at least a dozen e-mails, and she was extremely helpful on every topic. She even called our room to wish us a happy anniversary after we arrived.

Now I am working on a trip for November with a friend. Jennifer has answered every one of my e-mails promptly and courteously, with extra information and detail. Fabulous.

stinkerbell
06-21-2005, 09:10 AM
I ordered another entertainment book last night for free ($5 shipping) for 2005. Our favorite pizzeria has $80 worth of coupons in there, plus all the other stuff we use (including a Ford dealership coupon--I've used 2 already this year that saved me about $200, and I need another one).

If you register on www.entertainment.com (http://www.entertainment.com) they are offering a free 2005 book if you "subscribe" to receive the 2006 book, which should be out in August in most areas. I subscribed, will be getting my third book of the year and will get my 2006 book as soon as it's out (which is great, because we have to reserve our Nutcracker seats in August--buy 1 get 1 free!).

We've never had to use a code when we've called the hotel directly for the entertainment rate. Just had to have the card at check-in.

When you call using the book and you call the general reservation line listed in the book (can't remember what it is, my book's upstairs, but it's like 1888hotels or something like that), you need the code.

got2travel
06-21-2005, 10:48 AM
I just called to check my dates for July. Spoke with Jennifer, and she was really nice. Unfortunately no Entertainment rates available. Best she could do was 10% off rack. Didn't even ask for Mousesavers since it would still be way more than I wanted to spend. I'm gonna Priceline this trip.

Anyway, I've never had to provide a code when booking HoJo's or any other hotel with the Entertainment rate. And 90% of the time I've never had to show my card when I got their either.