The Westin Anaheim Resort is a brand new luxurious resort close to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. It’s one in every of just a few AAA Four Diamond lodges inside strolling distance of the theme parks. This assessment options room pictures & video, ideas on facilities, and professionals & cons of reserving at this resort versus its opponents.
Let’s begin with location, because the Westin Anaheim Resort scores some critical factors there. If you visited Disneyland Resort in the previous couple of years, you would possibly’ve seen a big crane behind Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure (DCA). This prompted some comically-absurd “rumors” about what was secretly being constructed that will make even a bus driver blush.
In actuality, that crane was for building of the Westin Anaheim Resort, which was being inbuilt plain sight on the opposite facet of Katella Avenue, proper subsequent door to the Anaheim Convention Center. Amusing anecdote apart, this underscores the Westin Anaheim Resort’s nice location–it actually overlooks DCA, which means some visitor rooms and the rooftop have nice views.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t translate to proximity to the parks in sensible phrases. Meaning that if you wish to stroll to Disneyland or Disney California Adventure, you’re taking a look at a couple of 15-17 minute stroll. Even although Pixar Pier is proper there, you need to stroll all the best way round DCA alongside Katella and Harbor Boulevard.
Aside from that main intersection, it’s a comparatively simple stroll. (Unfortunately, the Westin is on the “wrong” facet of Katella–however not by a lot.) Walking is way sooner than driving or ready on a bus or Uber/Lyft from the Westin to Disneyland. You can even stroll to Downtown Disney in about the identical period of time by heading the opposite route.
Also unlucky is that not each room on the Westin Anaheim Resort has an amazing view of Pixar Pier and Disney California Adventure. Our room on the other facet of the resort ignored a parking storage, backstage entry to the Anaheim Convention Center, and a few dumpsters.
We additionally didn’t have a balcony, which was actually high-quality given the view. To every their very own, however I don’t usually prefer to savor the scene of dumpsters and parking constructions for hours on finish.
Joking apart, the Westin Anaheim Resort is clearly aimed toward conventioneers and particular occasions company. That a lot is evident from its location, but in addition the clientele, facilities, and areas.
During our keep, we noticed no fewer than 4 totally different wedding ceremony events. I believe if an occasion had been being held on the Anaheim Convention Center, these celebratory smiles would’ve been changed by company leaders in lanyards. To make sure, there are additionally vacationers visiting Disneyland staying right here, however the Westin positively doesn’t have the identical vibe as different lodges close to Disneyland.
The totally different audience can be felt all through the Westin Anaheim Resort.
Family-friendly lodges in Anaheim go for extra “durable” furnishings and finishings, and infrequently are extra utilitarian and practical in nature. By distinction, the Westin is excessive finish by means of and thru, with sophistication and additional consideration to element in all places you look.
This is not to say that the Westin Anaheim Resort is a poor alternative for households or kid-unfriendly. That’s not the case–there have been loads of households with young children right here throughout our keep. The audience is simply totally different, and with that comes a unique environment.
In different phrases, the Westin is completely appropriate for households, even when it’s not catering on to them. This resort is sweet for households wanting posh lodging, not ones aimed toward kids. It’s one in every of solely a handful of lodges in Anaheim that places adults first, fairly than youngsters. If you need the other, nearly anyplace else will likely be a greater choice.
About the one resort close to Disneyland that’s corresponding to the Westin is the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort (pictured above), which is one other AAA Four Diamond property. Even the Grand Californian and Disneyland resort are very totally different than the Westin.
You can get an concept of how the Westin stacks as much as the competitors in our Disneyland Hotels Reviews & Rankings put up, which covers the 50+ lodges at which we’ve stayed in Anaheim. A extra concise useful resource is Where to Stay at Disneyland–that additionally weighs staying off-site versus on-site.
In one regard, the Westin Anaheim Resort outshines each different resort close to Disneyland: eating. There’s no fewer than a half-dozen stand out eating places on the Westin, every bringing one thing distinctive to the desk.
For environment and large views into Disney California Adventure, there’s RISE Rooftop Lounge. This bar has a wide range of seating choices round hearth pits overlooking Incredicoaster and Pixar Pier. You can even catch obscure views of World of Color or Disneyland’s fireworks from afar.
On the foyer degree is the Westin’s signature restaurant, the Tangerine Room. This location toes the road between stylish and informal, with a menu of recent Californian dishes celebrating native, seasonal elements from Anaheim-area suppliers and an intensive world wine listing.
The fashionable foyer lounge at The Westin Anaheim is Bar 1030. This options cocktails, specialty teas, small bites, and light-weight Californian fare. If there’s an occasion in Anaheim or on the resort–which is just about all the time–you may depend on Bar 1030 being full of attendees.
If you wish to dine poolside, there’s Bella’s Splash Pool Bar. Another choice is Blossom Market & Cafe, which serves up espresso, juices, and smoothies together with seize and go gadgets like sandwiches and salads.
The Westin Anaheim is one thing of a mixed-use facility, with a few further eating places flanking its entrance entrance. Whether these are a part of the resort or not is a matter of perspective. Regardless, these are Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Puesto Mexican Restaurant. We’ve but to dine at both, however each have garnered rave opinions from buddies. (Fleming’s is a sequence, so maybe you’ve dined there in one other metropolis.)
There’s additionally a poolside bar which, clearly, implies that there’s a pool.
The pool itself is unremarkable, which is in step with different lodges within the space. Perhaps there’s an Anaheim ordinance of which I’m unaware that pool areas at lodges within the metropolis have to be a disappointment. (I’m joking–there are a handful of lodges with extra formidable pool areas.)
The pool seating space is significantly extra spectacular, with a wide range of snug lounge chairs and different seats.
There are additionally personal cabanas you could lease for $250 per day. I’m certain these will likely be widespread sooner or later, nevertheless it was mildly amusing to see these when there was actually not a single different particular person round. Literally all the pool was our “private” house, no $250 upcharge vital.
Another amenity is the wonderful health heart with (actually) dozens of brand-new exercise machines, which is among the many finest in Anaheim. We used this for about an hour every day of our keep, and there have been a grand complete of ~4 different folks in there throughout this time. I believe that when conventions are on the town, the utilization fee is a bit larger.
The resort additionally makes an attempt to attraction extra to households with its Westin Family program. There are little extras given to youngsters, and the resort has a self-guided scavenger hunt in addition to a each day schedule of family-friendly actions (we noticed a pool social gathering–I’m unsure what else there may be). On stability, I’d say that the Westin Anaheim does a greater job of interesting to households than the JW Marriott. Both are nonetheless primarily higher-end conference heart lodges, however the Westin neatly tries to cater to a number of demographics, not simply enterprise vacationers.
Marriott eradicated its fastened level charts in favor of a dynamic award pricing mannequin, however the Westin Anaheim Resort was beforehand a Category 7 property. Using Marriott factors, it’s roughly on par with the oceanfront Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, which we’d think about a far superior use of factors. It’s larger than the JW Marriott Los Angeles, which is far farther from Disneyland.
The Westin Anaheim is according to the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort. As in comparison with its counterparts at Walt Disney World, it’s usually above the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort, Swan & Dolphin, and Swan Reserve.
We stayed on the Westin through the fall low season, at which period the money fee made extra sense than utilizing factors. I’m barely hesitant to even put up the nightly fee ($240) for the Westin throughout our keep, since anybody studying this a yr from now…and even in per week through the peak of Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons…or just about any time when conventions are taking place…may pay significantly extra.
With that stated, costs are nonetheless affordable as long as you e book an low season date when there are not any occasions on the town on the adjoining Anaheim Convention Center. If you’re contemplating the Westin Anaheim as a part of a Disneyland trip, you may e book a resort + ticket trip package deal through Get Away Today to avoid wasting more cash. In addition to the package deal low cost, some lodges have ‘4th night free’ promos. In addition to their regular reductions and particular packages, it can save you an additional $10 by utilizing code TOURIST at checkout.
The Westin Anaheim Resort has a wide range of normal visitor room choices and suites.
The Westin Heavenly bedding is prime notch, with a luxurious pillowtop mattress and head-absorbing pillows. Without query, we discovered this to be the spotlight of our visitor room on the Westin.
Beyond the beds, different in-room facilities on the Westin Anaheim embrace Keurig machines with Starbucks espresso, a mini-fridge, robes & slippers, iron & ironing board, protected, 55″ tv, Plug-In High Tech room (unsure what that is), and radio.
Bathrooms provide a hairdryer and particular person toiletries, together with cleaning soap, lotion, mouthwash, bathe cap, shampoo, conditioner, and physique wash.
Aesthetically, the rooms are in any other case high-quality.
Don’t get me incorrect–these rooms come throughout as larger finish, however if you happen to had been to point out me the above photograph (a good illustration of our room) and ask what tier of resort I believed it was, I doubt I’d guess luxurious. There are some good little touches, however the Westin rooms don’t attain fairly the identical degree as these on the JW Marriott. Perhaps the sophistication here’s a bit too refined for my tastes.
It’s additionally doable I’d really feel otherwise if we had one of many rooms with a balcony overlooking Pixar Pier or actually any view apart from the parking construction. In hindsight, I positively want we paid the marginally premium for the rooms with balconies on the Westin Anaheim Resort, as these are extremely distinctive and in contrast to anything close to Disneyland.
Perhaps had we achieved that, I’d be extra forgiving of the room itself. We additionally didn’t have entry to the membership degree lounge, which additionally doubtless would’ve modified our notion of the resort.
On a constructive be aware, the lavatory is spacious and includes a walk-in rain bathe in addition to a big bathtub. The vainness is giant, lighting considerable, and finishings are excessive finish. Along with the Heavenly beds, these bogs are one other spotlight of the Westin Anaheim.
For a greater take a look at the structure, right here’s a video tour of our room on the Westin Anaheim Resort from Sarah:
Ultimately, there’s lots to love in regards to the Westin Anaheim Resort, particularly if you happen to’re planning on spending loads of time on the resort, however not essentially in your visitor room (except you e book one with a view or balcony). The eating slate alone is unequalled, and different widespread areas are extremely good. Other facilities embrace a formidable health heart, good pool space, and just about what you’d count on of luxurious lodging.
The rooms depart me torn. While I used to be frankly a bit underwhelmed by our normal “no view” room and suppose most company reserving the Westin with the expectation of luxurious lodging would really feel equally, there’s additionally the truth that the resort has a spread of upgrades. Moving as much as a room with a greater view or a balcony would’ve price an additional $20 to $30. Upgrading to a park view room with a balcony would’ve been one other $100.
So there are higher choices than our view of the dumpsters, they only price a bit extra–altering the worth calculus, but in addition notion of the standard. Even because it stands with our keep within the dumpster-view room, we had been actually impressed with the Westin Anaheim Resort and rank it extremely on our listing of the most effective lodges not simply in Anaheim, however in all of Southern California.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of different locations!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you stayed on the Westin Anaheim Resort? What did you consider the resort? Highlights and/or lowlights? Doe the lodging look interesting to you, or is that this to not your tastes, preferences, or wants? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we can assist you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!