DISNEY'S GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL & SPA

Prior to booking our trip to Disneyland in California, we got most of our advice about where to stay from co-workers and friends.  There are three Disneyland hotels on the property to choose from; Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.  Most people we spoke to said the nicest Disneyland property hotel to stay at is the Grand California Hotel & Spa.  In terms of price, it was the most expensive, so we figured it probably was the nicest.  I have to say when you enter the main lobby, you are almost blown away by the grandeur and how nice it looks.  (We peeked into the lobby of the Disneyland Hotel which looks like it is in major need of an update, and we never got a chance to see the Paradise Pier Hotel so I can't comment on it.)

But, my impression of the hotel and how "grand" it is quickly changed upon entering the room.  It's OLD and looks like it hasn't been updated in years.  Everything was clean, but the bathroom and the room itself had old fixtures and furniture.  After coming from the Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa in San Diego which was so new and modern, needless to say, I was very disappointed.  

Fortunately, most of our time was spent at the parks so we were hardly in the room, but it was not the place I was looking forward to lay my head on the pillow at the end of an exhausting day.  Now this review about the hotel isn't all bad.  Again, the lobby is nice, the hotel has three outdoor pools, a beautiful spa, and it also has an incredible restaurant, Napa Rose, which has won all sort of awards.  The service was excellent, and we also enjoyed a fun character breakfast one morning at Storyteller's Cafe.  But, I'm not sure I would stay there again because my three biggest disappointments were (1) the old room (2) all the pools are outdoor so if it's raining (like it was for part of the time we were three) you cannot enjoy them, and (3) the hotel doesn't plan enough activities for the kids in the event of inclement weather (as I mentioned in a previous post). 

 For the most part Disney does everything great, I just think they are a little behind on the hotels.  

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa would only get a 3.5 out of 5 rating from me.