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View Full Version : Best Western Park Place - safe?



disney4us
01-01-2007, 09:59 PM
How safe is it to leave valuables in the room while we are in DL? I looks like the hotel has safety boxes but not in the rooms.?? We might have a portable DVD player and things like that for our flight that we would leave in the room.

pisces
01-02-2007, 08:34 AM
I've just gotten back from a 4-night stay at Park Place.

I think they've got security issues.

I wouldn't leave any valuables whatsoever, in their rooms........and they're not responsible for anything that's taken from the room. They've posted big disclaimers regarding that.

Don't leave anything that you are not willing to part with....potentially.

disney4us
01-02-2007, 12:32 PM
Did you lock your suitcases then? We'll have our passports with us as well so I'll take them with me. I may have to reconsider the DVD player as we would be borrowing it and would hate to have it stolen. I might bring locks now for the suitcase to be safer. :(

pisces
01-02-2007, 12:36 PM
I should have locked my bags, but all I had was clothes in 'em.

No electronics or valuables.

There's risk everywhere.

Why not reduce your risks?

MouseWife
01-02-2007, 01:17 PM
What I keep envisioning is that there are a lot of people around there. Perhaps this {coupled with the previous thread about housekeeping issues with theft at another hotel} is what makes me think that this place might have a larger problem of it.

It is in a fantastic area. I love that. But, it is also a very busy area {right across the street from the park!!}, there is a restaurant nearby, oh, and the crosswalk to cross to Disneyland is directly in front of the hotel. No kidding, location location location is tops with this place.

Lock your things up as best you can, don't flash anything {if possible}, and put the do not disturb sign on your door. I leave lights on to make people think maybe someone is in the room.

I heard a thief say once on the news, if he sees something you have that he wants, he is going to try and get it. That said, thieves know you have something of value in your room but, if you don't flash that DVD player, handheld systems, etc., they won't be itching to get into your room specifically.

Have fun and if anything does happen, even after all of your precautions, just chalk it up to experience.

Bolivar
01-02-2007, 03:16 PM
For $35 this might give some protection assuming your items will fit in a bag 13.5 by 8 inches:

http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/travel_safe_100.html

pisces
01-02-2007, 03:28 PM
What I keep envisioning is that there are a lot of people around there. Perhaps this {coupled with the previous thread about housekeeping issues with theft at another hotel} is what makes me think that this place might have a larger problem of it.

It is in a fantastic area. I love that. But, it is also a very busy area {right across the street from the park!!}, there is a restaurant nearby, oh, and the crosswalk to cross to Disneyland is directly in front of the hotel. No kidding, location location location is tops with this place.



Yes and no.

It's in a busy area up near Harbor...true.....but then there's these abandoned areas way in back, should you be assigned a room back there.

Seemed to be a lot of deserted corridors, with nobody keeping watch. The windows are very flimsy. It'd be easy to crawl in.

I felt uneasy a lot of the time.

The location location location.....I don't know. On the one hand yes, but on the other, there were sirens going up and down Harbor Blvd all night, and day, long.

Ok, so you're not going to be in the room to hear it that much, but still.

And, again the week I stayed there Dec 29-Jan 1, 2007........perhaps a little bit more going on than usual during those days, which added to the traffic and sirens.

I haven't quite considered my feelings about Park Place, and I'm not sure I want to do a review of my stay there, because I don't know how fair it is to compare it with such an elegant and comfy place as GCH.

And, that's all my review of Park Place would be......over and over saying how it just isn't GC...

....which, of course, I'm saying anyway right here.

Also, I didn't feel Park Place's rates over New Years were very "budget" at all. Cheaper than staying on-property, true.......but not as inexpensive as you might think.

MouseWife
01-02-2007, 03:47 PM
.....but then there's these abandoned areas way in back, should you be assigned a room back there.

The location location location.....I don't know. On the one hand yes, but on the other, there were sirens going up and down Harbor Blvd all night, and day, long.

Also, I didn't feel Park Place's rates over New Years were very "budget" at all. Cheaper than staying on-property, true.......but not as inexpensive as you might think.

Ooo, I didn't consider those rooms. We didn't stay back there. We were fortunate to have a room right over the parking lot directly behind the front desk. So that is a factor. Make requests?

Hopefully at night it wouldn't be so noisy?

Oh, I love the GC but I won't pay premium rates. Love the off season rates though.

And, you so right. If you stay at the BW when their rates are in their 'high end' you could find something somewhere else comparable. But, you lose the convenience of the walk. I like that because at night it is hard to get on the shuttle bus or to have to wait for it or try and take an early one so we don't miss it. Or even during the day being able to just walk out and be at your hotel.

LOL Like if you were staying on property. I think, though, if you are paying a high price at the BW you will be paying premium at the resort, too. :(

{you have me itching to check rates for my birthday at the GC..or Valentines Day, that is sooner!!!}

wingsong
01-02-2007, 09:40 PM
We (single mom, boys 14 and 9) stayed there twice (Dec 2005, Aug 2006) for a total of 15 nights and felt as safe there as anywhere else. Nothing was ever taken from our room, and sometimes even tips left for housekeeping (on our pillows) were left behind unless they were accompanied by a note specifically saying "for housekeeping." My kids had gameboys, we had a videocamera, and we had cash and travellors cheques as well as passports. We didn't leave things lying around everywhere but if someone wanted to take something they could have found something to take easily.

The old man
01-03-2007, 07:18 AM
I've just gotten back from a 4-night stay at Park Place.

I think they've got security issues.

I wouldn't leave any valuables whatsoever, in their rooms........and they're not responsible for anything that's taken from the room. They've posted big disclaimers regarding that.

Don't leave anything that you are not willing to part with....potentially.
Please post statistics showing that they have "security issues" as opposed to any other motel near the park.

CindyH
01-03-2007, 07:50 AM
We've stayed in the middle and towards the back of the BWPPI, and have never felt "unsafe". Probably the most expensive thing we've kept in the room has been the portable DVD player, but we don't leave it out (not to say that's keeping it safe - how tough is it to open a drawer?) I've gone down to the laundry room by myself, in the evening, and haven't ever felt fearful for myself.

I wouldn't say it's safer or more dangerous than any of the other places on Harbor.

Bolivar
01-03-2007, 08:35 AM
Please post statistics showing that they have "security issues" as opposed to any other motel near the park.
She already did. She said that she just stayed there and felt they have security issues because... and listed reasons she felt that way.

If you want to maintain that it is just as safe as other motels on Harbor that is another point, but it doesn't change her impression that: "The windows are very flimsy," "seemed to be a lot of deserted corridors," "I felt uneasy a lot of the time."

pisces
01-03-2007, 02:20 PM
They were just my impressions of Best Western after staying there.

But, I think I'd said previously, that I'm not perfectly objective because I love the GCH Hotel sooo much.

I don't have a single statistic.

I'm assuming there's not a lot of crime, or any crime. It was just me feeling uneasy.

The issues are with me, perhaps and not them. I totally recognize that. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have said "they". I should have said "I" have security issues. But, not necessarily "them" or anyone else for that matter, that I know of. It's me that has the issues.

It is the way I feel, though, and I'm not changing my feelings, as unfair, and unobjective as they may be.

The old man
01-04-2007, 06:25 AM
She already did. She said that she just stayed there and felt they have security issues because... and listed reasons she felt that way.

If you want to maintain that it is just as safe as other motels on Harbor that is another point, but it doesn't change her impression that: "The windows are very flimsy," "seemed to be a lot of deserted corridors," "I felt uneasy a lot of the time."
You say "she already did" in response to my request for statistics. You know (unless you're begging the question) that a statistic of one person is not a statistic. It's known as anecdotal evidence and is meaningless. "It's like saying--my uncle Bob smoked cigarettes and lived to be 90. Therefore cigarettes are harmless."

She's slamming a particular hotel because of a feeling. She states, "I think they've got security issues." This is not fair to the hotel nor to the original poster who needs more than one person's feelings. At the least the OP needs something like--everytime I'm there there's police investigating robberies or I hear a person at the front desk complaining of missing items. Still anecdotal, but better than a feeling.

MouseWife
01-04-2007, 10:06 AM
But her opinion is what we can either take or leave.

This whole board works on being able to have advice/opinion/experiences of other people who've been there, done that.

Her points are valid, especially to her. She doesn't owe any statistics. I would imagine she left there and just thought she'd share her experience. I doubt if she went and checked police blotters, etc.

I also remember, now that she mentioned the windows, that I thought the same.

I would still stay there, but, I would request a room closer to the front, not along a dark corridor, and, I'd be thoughtful of what I bring.

And, it would have to be at a very reasonable cost. For the same price I can stay at a suite hotel and have breakfast but have to ride the shuttle.

give and take, compromise

Bolivar
01-04-2007, 10:13 AM
Exactly. I just didn't want to get into it that much so I wasn't precise, but what I meant is that she was just giving her opinion based on her observations. That was very clear from her post and asking for statistics for a personal opinion is a bit silly. It is like if you said that you just saw the new Disney movie and didn't think it was very good and my response was to ask for statistics proving that it wasn't as good as other movies out right now. Well, first you didn't compare it to other movies and second you were just offering your thoughts on the movie.

The old man
01-04-2007, 12:52 PM
Exactly. I just didn't want to get into it that much so I wasn't precise, but what I meant is that she was just giving her opinion based on her observations. That was very clear from her post and asking for statistics for a personal opinion is a bit silly. It is like if you said that you just saw the new Disney movie and didn't think it was very good and my response was to ask for statistics proving that it wasn't as good as other movies out right now. Well, first you didn't compare it to other movies and second you were just offering your thoughts on the movie.
In logic your form of argument is a logical fallacey known as, "False Analogy." Liking a movie or not is just personal opinion and it makes no difference if you are in the minority or not--it's just what you like. Film is a form of entertainment and popular statistics prove nothing except that a number of people liked it or didn't like it. Again, the statistics have no bearing on your impression.

But crime is quantifiable. Saying that a place isn't safe does require statistics because you wouldn't want to stay at a place with bad crime statistics no matter what your feelings were. And if a place had lower than average crime again your feelings would be irrelevant.

Bolivar
01-04-2007, 01:55 PM
I'm not sure why you want to cast aspersions on subjective opinion, it is all most of know about. When I walk down a dark alley in Oakland I don't look around me more because I have statistics on the relative safety of that alley -- I do so because I just subjectively don't feel safe and criticizing me for doing so really isn't going to change anything.

Someone stated an opinion based on personal feeling and plainly labeled it as such. That doesn't require statistics and it isn't a false analogy to then compare it to an opinion about a movie. There are also objective measures of a movie like how much money it makes or how many theaters show it. But those measures have nothing to do with your gut reaction to it. Just as crime statistics have little to do with your gut reaction to a hotel. Well, I will concede that crime statistics would have more relevance, but when I ask about the safety of a hotel, I would much rather hear ten people give me their gut reaction then hear nothing because no one took the time to pull the relevant police reports over a number of years and crunched the numbers to come up with facts just because I asked a question. If you have the time and the energy to do that, then why aren't you answering the question?

The old man
01-04-2007, 05:51 PM
I'm not sure why you want to cast aspersions on subjective opinion, it is all most of know about. When I walk down a dark alley in Oakland I don't look around me more because I have statistics on the relative safety of that alley -- I do so because I just subjectively don't feel safe and criticizing me for doing so really isn't going to change anything.

Someone stated an opinion based on personal feeling and plainly labeled it as such. That doesn't require statistics and it isn't a false analogy to then compare it to an opinion about a movie. There are also objective measures of a movie like how much money it makes or how many theaters show it. But those measures have nothing to do with your gut reaction to it. Just as crime statistics have little to do with your gut reaction to a hotel. Well, I will concede that crime statistics would have more relevance, but when I ask about the safety of a hotel, I would much rather hear ten people give me their gut reaction then hear nothing because no one took the time to pull the relevant police reports over a number of years and crunched the numbers to come up with facts just because I asked a question. If you have the time and the energy to do that, then why aren't you answering the question?
Oy, of course it's a false analogy. Please feel free to get in the last word. I rest my case.

MouseWife
01-04-2007, 07:15 PM
It does have to go by gut feeling.

Think about all of the crimes that are not reported.

If this person says 'Be careful' I am going to heed that and be careful.

All I can think of are all of the criminals who get arrested and never charged or sexual deviants who get off with a lesser crime thus not being listed as commiting an offense.