The Westin Anaheim Resort is a brand new luxurious resort close to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. It’s one in every of only some AAA Four Diamond inns inside strolling distance of the theme parks. This evaluate options room pictures & video, ideas on facilities, and professionals & cons of reserving at this resort versus its rivals.
Let’s begin with location, because the Westin Anaheim Resort scores some severe 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 induced some comically-absurd “rumors” about what was secretly being constructed that might make even a bus driver blush.
In actuality, that crane was for development 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, that 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 few 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 much sooner than driving or ready on a bus or Uber/Lyft from the Westin to Disneyland. You also can stroll to Downtown Disney in about the identical period of time by heading the opposite course.
Also unlucky is that not each room on the Westin Anaheim Resort has a fantastic view of Pixar Pier and Disney California Adventure. Our room on the other facet of the resort missed a parking storage, backstage entry to the Anaheim Convention Center, and a few dumpsters.
We additionally didn’t have a balcony, which was truthfully tremendous 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 friends. That a lot is obvious from its location, but in addition the clientele, facilities, and areas.
During our keep, we noticed no fewer than 4 completely different wedding ceremony events. I think 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 ensure, there are additionally vacationers visiting Disneyland staying right here, however the Westin undoubtedly doesn’t have the identical vibe as different inns close to Disneyland.
The completely different target market can be felt all through the Westin Anaheim Resort.
Family-friendly inns in Anaheim go for extra “durable” furnishings and finishings, and sometimes are extra utilitarian and useful in nature. By distinction, the Westin is excessive finish by and thru, with sophistication and further consideration to element all over the place 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 babies right here throughout our keep. The target market is simply completely different, and with that comes a distinct ambiance.
In different phrases, the Westin is completely appropriate for households, even when it’s not catering on to them. This resort is nice for households wanting posh lodging, not ones aimed toward kids. It’s one in every of solely a handful of inns in Anaheim that places adults first, quite than children. If you need the other, virtually wherever else can be a greater possibility.
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 completely different than the Westin.
You can get an thought of how the Westin stacks as much as the competitors in our Disneyland Hotels Reviews & Rankings put up, which covers the 50+ inns 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 ambiance and massive views into Disney California Adventure, there’s RISE Rooftop Lounge. This bar has a wide range of seating choices round fireplace pits overlooking Incredicoaster and Pixar Pier. You also can catch imprecise 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 fashionable and informal, with a menu of contemporary Californian dishes celebrating native, seasonal components from Anaheim-area suppliers and an intensive world wine record.
The fashionable foyer lounge at The Westin Anaheim is Bar 1030. This options cocktails, specialty teas, small bites, and lightweight Californian fare. If there’s an occasion in Anaheim or on the resort–which is just about all the time–you’ll be able to depend on Bar 1030 being full of attendees.
If you need to dine poolside, there’s Bella’s Splash Pool Bar. Another possibility 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 extra 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 evaluations from buddies. (Fleming’s is a series, so maybe you’ve dined there in one other metropolis.)
There’s additionally a poolside bar which, clearly, signifies that there’s a pool.
The pool itself is unremarkable, which is per different inns within the space. Perhaps there’s an Anaheim ordinance of which I’m unaware that pool areas at inns within the metropolis have to be a disappointment. (I’m joking–there are a handful of inns with extra bold pool areas.)
The pool seating space is significantly extra spectacular, with a wide range of comfy lounge chairs and different seats.
There are additionally non-public cabanas that you would be able to hire for $250 per day. I’m certain these can be fashionable in some unspecified time in the future, 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” area, no $250 upcharge vital.
Another amenity is the superb 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 whole of ~4 different individuals in there throughout this time. I think that when conventions are on the town, the utilization charge is a bit increased.
The resort additionally makes an attempt to enchantment extra to households with its Westin Family program. There are little extras given to children, 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 undecided 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 inns, 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 contemplate a far superior use of factors. It’s increased than the JW Marriott Los Angeles, which is far farther from Disneyland.
The Westin Anaheim is in step with 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 throughout the fall low season, at which period the money charge made extra sense than utilizing factors. I’m barely hesitant to even put up the nightly charge ($240) for the Westin throughout our keep, since anybody studying this a yr from now…and even in per week throughout the peak of Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons…or just about any time when conventions are taking place…may pay significantly extra.
With that mentioned, costs are nonetheless affordable as long as you guide 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’ll be able to guide a resort + ticket trip bundle by way of Get Away Today to save lots of extra money. In addition to the bundle low cost, some inns 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 commonplace 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 embody Keurig machines with Starbucks espresso, a mini-fridge, robes & slippers, iron & ironing board, protected, 55″ tv, Plug-In High Tech room (undecided 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 tremendous.
Don’t get me improper–these rooms come throughout as increased finish, however for those who 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 potential I’d really feel otherwise if we had one of many rooms with a balcony overlooking Pixar Pier or actually any view aside from the parking construction. In hindsight, I undoubtedly 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 performed that, I’d be extra forgiving of the room itself. We additionally didn’t have entry to the membership degree lounge, which additionally probably would’ve modified our notion of the resort.
On a optimistic word, the lavatory is spacious and includes a walk-in rain bathe in addition to a big bathtub. The self-importance is massive, lighting ample, and finishings are excessive finish. Along with the Heavenly beds, these loos are one other spotlight of the Westin Anaheim.
For a greater have a look at the structure, right here’s a video tour of our room on the Westin Anaheim Resort from Sarah:
Ultimately, there’s loads to love concerning the Westin Anaheim Resort, particularly for those who’re planning on spending numerous time on the resort, however not essentially in your visitor room (until you guide one with a view or balcony). The eating slate alone is unequalled, and different frequent areas are extremely good. Other facilities embody a formidable health heart, good pool space, and just about what you’d anticipate of luxurious lodging.
The rooms go away me torn. While I used to be frankly a bit underwhelmed by our commonplace “no view” room and assume most friends reserving the Westin with the expectation of luxurious lodging would really feel equally, there’s additionally the truth that the resort has a variety 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 simply 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 record of the perfect inns 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 inns in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides past Disney, take a look at 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 if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!