I stayed at Disneyland's most expensive hotel for $665 a night. The views of the park weren't even the best part.

Jacqueline, wearing black sunglasses and a denim jacket, takes a selfie in front of Disney's Grand Californian Resort. — I enjoyed my stay at Disney's Grand Californian.
Jacqueline Dole

I spent three nights at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
Known as the most expensive resort at Disneyland, the hotel offers direct access to the parks.
The hotel also offers beautiful rooms and plenty of great on-site dining options.

I stayed at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa for three nights.

One of the things that makes this resort so special is that it's the only property at Disneyland with a direct entry point to Disney California Adventure.

This allows guests to go straight from their rooms to the middle of the park within minutes. Disneyland is also a quick walk from the resort's gates.

I booked a partial-view room for $665 per night. Here's what it was like.

The lobby was stunning and featured a large fireplace, arching wood beams, and opulent floral arrangements.

The lobby of Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel, with brown walls, ample seating, and a large floral arrangement. — The Grand Californian Hotel & Spa lobby was gorgeous.
Jacqueline Dole

There were plenty of places to sit and relax in the lobby, and despite my stay falling on a holiday weekend, it never felt too crowded.

There was even a piano that operated automatically and featured a live player throughout the day, playing tunes from classic Disney movies and rides.

I booked a partial-view room with two queen beds and a balcony overlooking Disney California Adventure.

A hotel room with two queen beds with white linens and a mural of a pear tree on the wall. — Our partial-view room had two queen beds.
Jacqueline Dole

My partial-view room featured two queen beds, dark wood-toned furniture, marble countertops, and subtle Chip and Dale theming.

I loved the room's design and appreciated that the resort wasn't themed too aggressively.

There was ample room to store luggage under the bed and space to keep clothing in the dresser and closet.

The mattress and linens were comfortable, but the pillows were quite small and uncomfortable.

The bathroom was spacious and included Disney's standard selection of toiletries.

A selection of toiletries and a box of tissues on a bathroom counter. — The bathroom included plenty of Disney-branded toiletries.
Jacqueline Dole

Our bathroom featured a toilet behind a pocket door, a double sink area, and a large tiled shower stall with a rainforest shower head.

The hotel provided a vanity kit, shoe mitt, shower cap, and other Disney-branded toiletries.

Our balcony overlooked Goofy's Sky School roller coaster.

A view of the Disney California Adventure theme park — We could see Goofy's Sky School from our room.
Jacqueline Dole

My room was directly behind Goofy's Sky School in Disney California Adventure.

Although I initially thought having a room overlooking the park would be wonderful, I neglected to consider how loud it would be during operating hours.

I could clearly hear guests screaming on the coaster and loud maintenance work being done on the ride throughout the night.

That being said, we had a fantastic view of the park from our balcony, even if it was a bit louder than expected.

Housekeeping offered a turndown service on our first night at the resort.

A card placed on a pillow that reads, "Dreaming is what we do best. Thank you for sharing in our dream. Enjoy with our compliments." — Housekeeping left a cute note on my bed during turndown service.
Jacqueline Dole

When we returned to our room, I was surprised to find that turndown service had been given.

The sheets were folded back, our pillows were stacked, and a nice note was left on the beds.

We were given an upgraded room with access to the resort’s club-level lounge for our last night.

A hotel room with a king bed with white linens, a patterned chair, two nightstands with pear-tree murals, and a mural of a window. — Our upgraded room had a king bed.
Jacqueline Dole

During our stay, we experienced an unidentified noise throughout our first and second evenings.

The loud clacking caused us to continuously wake up throughout the night, which wasn't ideal before a long day in the parks.

The front desk was extremely helpful and upgraded us to another room for our final evening in the hotel.

This room was similar in design to our first one but had a king bed instead of two queens.

Interestingly enough, the pillows in this room were full-size and some of the most comfortable ones I've had in a hotel.

We received additional toiletries in the club-level bathroom.

A bathroom counter with a variety of toiletries, including mouthwash, soap, and lotion. There is also a box of tissues. — In our new room, we received extra toiletries.
Jacqueline Dole

In addition to the toiletries included in our original room, we were given a shaving kit, mouthwash, shower cap, L'Occitane soap, lotion, and a loofah.

The room also included embroidered slippers in addition to the robes found in all rooms.

These little touches were appreciated and made the room feel more special.

Club-level guests are given access to The Veranda, a private lounge that offers views of the fireworks at Disneyland.

Two large floral arrangements with a framed menu in between. — The Veranda offers club-level guests complimentary food and beverages throughout the day.
Jacqueline Dole

Access to The Veranda, which serves complimentary food and beverages, is included in the cost of a club-level room.

Throughout the day, guests can utilize an espresso machine as well as coffee, tea, still and sparkling water, a variety of sodas, beer, and wine.

The terrace outside of The Veranda also allows guests a view of the fireworks at Disney. During the fireworks, the lounge lights dim and music is piped in from the show.

Although the projections weren't visible from this space, it was great to have a place to enjoy the fireworks with a beverage and a seat.

We arrived a little more than an hour before the show to ensure we'd have a good view.

The expansive pool area offered lots of seating and multiple pools.

A large pool outside of Disneyland's Grand Californian Resort. — All of the Grand Californian pools were beautiful.
Jacqueline Dole

There are three pools at Disney's Grand Californian, all located within close proximity of each other.

The pools never seemed to get too crowded and were a lot quieter than the pools at other Disney resorts I've stayed at.

The poolside lounge, GCH Craftsman Bar, served cocktails and appetizers and often featured live music at night.

One of the pools had two waterslides.

A pool with two waterslides and a lifeguard. — One Grand Californian pool has a 90-foot-long water slide.
Jacqueline Dole

The 90-foot-long water slide curves around a redwood tree and dumps riders into the aptly named Redwood pool, which also features a smaller slide for younger guests.

There never seemed to be a very long line for the water slide. However, I imagine it must get busy on warmer days.

The pool chairs were much more comfortable than those found at other Disney resorts.

Plush lounge chairs with rolled-up white towels and red umbrellas. — The pool chairs had thick, comfortable cushions.
Jacqueline Dole

One thing that really sets this resort above most other Disney properties is the pool chairs.

The cushions were super thick and provided a comfortable and luxurious experience.

There were also cabanas available to rent, which come with a mini-fridge, a television, a fan, and a plate of fruit.

Guests who rent a cabana are also assigned a server who delivers food and beverages directly to them.

The cabanas generally require advanced reservations, which can be arranged directly with the hotel before arrival.

The Eureka Fitness Center offers treadmills, bicycles, weights, and classes.

A stained-glass sign that reads, "Eureka Fitness Center." — The Eureka Fitness Center also offers fitness classes and activities.
Jacqueline Dole

In addition to the fitness center, which offers treadmills, bicycles, and weights, the resort offers fitness classes and activities for an additional cost.

Disney's Grand Californian is home to an on-site spa.

The exterior of a building with a sign that reads, "Tenaya Stone Spa." — The Tenaya Stone Spa offers body treatments, massages, and salon services
Jacqueline Dole

The Tenaya Stone Spa, which offers body treatments, massages, and salon services, was recently renovated and seeks to reflect the beauty of California's landscapes.

Although I didn't purchase any spa services during my trip, I did step in to browse the small gift shop.

One of the best parts of the resort is a gate that leads directly into Disney California Adventure.

The entrance to Disney California Adventure, with a large purple Disney 100 banner featuring classic Disney characters. — Guests can use the private security gate to enter Disney California Adventure.
Jacqueline Dole

For guests with a valid park ticket and reservation, the resort offers direct access to Disney California Adventure via a private security gate next to the pool.

This means guests can go from lying poolside to standing in line for a ride within minutes.

Having my hotel room so close to the park was perfect, as I was able to go back and change as the temperature fluctuated throughout the day.

The line to get through security in the morning was very long.

A long line of guests stretches through the hotel lobby. — By 7 a.m., the line for security was wrapped around the property.
Jacqueline Dole

Guests staying at Disneyland resorts are granted early entry to both parks. However, the lines at both security gates were extremely long in the morning.

I came down to the lobby at 7 a.m. and noticed the lines wrapped around the entire property.

Although I'm not sure if this is a normal occurrence, a delay like this causes guests to lose out on the advantage of extra time in the park.

If early entry is important to you, be sure to line up early to get a good spot.

The resort's observation deck offers views of Disney California Adventure.

The view of Disney California Adventure at night. — The hotel's observation deck offers beautiful views of Disney California Adventure.
Jacqueline Dole

The resort also offers an observation deck on the sixth floor where guests can look out across Disney California Adventure.

Here, guests can watch the World of Color water show, featuring iconic Disney characters and music.

Although the show's projections were nearly impossible to see from this viewpoint, it was still a nice view.

There are many on-site food options, including character dining at Storytellers Cafe.

The exterior of Storytellers Cafe. — At breakfast, Storytellers Cafe serves classic favorites like Mickey waffles.
Jacqueline Dole

At breakfast and brunch, Storytellers Cafe offers character dining.

The breakfast menu features traditional favorites like Mickey waffles and pastries, as well as more unique offerings like chili verde chilaquiles.

The dinner menu offers a standard selection of fish, meats, and a carving station.

Because the restaurant is popular among guests, reservations are recommended.

Napa Rose is the resort's upscale dining option.

The exterior of a building with a stained-glass sign that reads "Napa Rose." — Napa Rose hosts the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure.
Jacqueline Dole

Napa Rose hosts the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure, a three-course meal featuring princesses like Belle and Mulan.

In the evening, Napa Rose offers both à la carte and tasting menus, as well as an exclusive chef's counter experience, which offers a six-course tasting for $150 per person.

GCH Craftsman Grill is a quick-service dining location.

A sign for the Craftsman Bar and Grill with a QR code to scan to view the menu or place a mobile order. — The food at GCH Craftsman Grill was delicious.
Jacqueline Dole

GCH Craftsman Grill grill serves both made-to-order and grab-and-go options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The food here was fantastic, and the menu features items like avocado toast on sourdough bread, a Wagyu Gouda burger, and a rotating hot dog of the month.

Hearthstone Lounge is open for late-night snacks and drinks.

The interior of a bar with dark-wood chairs, a fireplace, and couches. — Hearthstone Lounge serves late-night food and drinks.
Jacqueline Dole

The beautiful Hearthstone Lounge serves food and drinks later than most of the other restaurants at Disney's Grand Californian.

Hearthstone offers seating in the lounge, but food can also be packaged to go.

Disney's Grand Californian also offers room service.

The menu for room service at Disney's Grand Californian Resort. — There was a nice variety of items available on the room service menu.
Jacqueline Dole

Disney's Grand Californian offers room service from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to midnight.

As expected, there was an upcharge on most of these items, which were also available at the GCH Craftsman Bar & Grill.

Sometimes, after a long day in the park, there's nothing better than having pizza in bed.

Overall, I had a wonderful stay at Disney’s Grand Californian.

Although no one can expect a hotel stay to be perfect, the staff at the resort went above and beyond to remedy any issue I experienced.

The Grand Californian is Disney's most expensive hotel. Still, between the beautiful property, on-site amenities, and overall convenience, the stay was worth the extra money.

I don't make it to Disneyland frequently, and the last thing I want to do is waste my time commuting to the parks. Staying at this property guarantees that I can maximize my time to its fullest potential.

Plus, the property had so many beautiful spaces where I was able to simply relax and enjoy the surroundings. For all these reasons, The Grand Californian is my favorite Disneyland resort.

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Contributer : Business Insider https://ift.tt/eoBG3aJ

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