Last December, I came across a good auction from Omaha Children’s Miracle Network Fundraiser and won a 2-night stay at the Anaheim Marriott including breakfast for $110. Published rates during my June stay were about $250 per night after tax for the breakfast package, so I got a good deal for $55 per night, plus $24 per day parking.
Anaheim Marriott is located adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center in a complex with Anaheim Hilton across the street. Clarion Anaheim is in the same general area. A little farther down the block away from Disneyland are Hyatt Place and DoubleTree. Sheraton Anaheim is a little closer to the Disneyland Park.
The hotel location is close enough to walk to Disneyland in about 15 minutes, but just far enough to make the Anaheim Resort Transit ART shuttle bus more convenient at $5 per day or less with a multiple day pass. ART tickets can be purchased from Marriott front desk and charged to your room.
Disneyland parking is $17 per day and the Disney lot is across Harbor Blvd from the hotel, so no reason to move car to go to Disneyland, unless daily ART tickets cost more than $17 for your family.
Anaheim Marriott Lobby
The lobby is a large space with several areas of seating. nFuse, the hotel bar and restaurant is located across the lobby center from the hotel entrance.
The hotel also has a Starbucks and Pizza Hut off the lobby area. The parking garage is a walk through the conference room wing of the hotel to the parking garage elevators. Parking allows in and out privileges for the $24 daily self-park fee.
Personal Elevator Service
Anaheim Marriott is the second hotel I have stayed in this year with a personal elevator system. The guest selects the floor number and is assigned one of six elevators A to F. Hyatt Regency Vancouver had a similar system, but the Vancouver hotel floor was set by room card key. Marriott required a floor number to be pressed on the outside. There are no elevator floor buttons inside the elevator.
The hotel has 18 floors and our room was a Standard King Room on floor 17. The Club Lounge is Floor 18.
Anaheim Marriott Standard King room has a good size TV, empty refrigerator in cabinet below TV, coffee station next to closet and balcony with sliding patio door. About 30 minutes after check-in, the hotel delivered a bottle of wine and snack tray. That was unexpected. I had to book the hotel stay through the hotel sales manager per the directions of the auction certificate. Loyalty Traveler probably came up during our conversation.
The view from the 17th floor side of the Anaheim Marriott hotel facing away from Disneyland. Anaheim Hilton blocks the view of Disneyland from the park side, but you can probably still the fireworks show at night from higher floors from the other side of the hotel. The area immediately around the hotel is still mostly residential between the Anaheim Convention Center and the Grove District of hotels seen in the distance from the Marriott balcony. Anaheim Marriott Suites, Sheraton Garden Grove, Wyndham Garden Grove, Embassy Suites and Hyatt Regency are located in the Grove District complex a couple miles away.
The Pool at Anaheim Marriott
The pool at the Anaheim Marriott is a partially covered outdoor pool with a hot tub.
Low rise hotel wings around the pool are called the Garden Rooms.
The pool at the Marriott seemed like a better set-up than the Anaheim Hilton 5th floor pool deck across the street, where there was little shade, except umbrellas on the outdoor pool deck.
nFuse Dining
Breakfast was the real deal at Anaheim Marriott nFuse. The waitress commented that our breakfast coupons were like the ‘Golden Ticket’ with the option to order anything on the menu or take the buffet.
Buffet breakfast at the hotel is $24 per person. Our two breakfasts each morning would have been about the same $110 price I paid for the two nights with my winning auction bid.
The breakfast buffet offers made-to-order omelets and eggs benedict. There was plenty of selection for the buffet, especially the fruit selection. Kelley ordered from the menu for crab benedict one morning. Delicious food filled us up to get through the long hot days in Disneyland, until we ate in the afternoon at the park.
Casual evening seating near bar and nFuse Restaurant.
Anaheim Marriott Club Lounge
I went into the Marriott Club Lounge on the 18th floor. The room faces the same side of the hotel as our room, the side away from Disneyland park. There were newspapers, magazines, TV, computer station and a balcony with seating.
Anaheim Marriott is a large hotel, yet the flow of the hotel space made it feel more intimate than many large convention size hotels. The staff, from housekeepers to bell staff, front desk to restaurant, were all genuinely courteous and helpful during our stay.
In three weeks, I will use my other auction certificate for Marriott Boston Copley Place. And next December, I will be looking for another Omaha Children’s Miracle Network Auction for more Marriott deals.
Marriott Anaheim is a category 7 Marriott Rewards hotel at 35,000 points per night.
