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Westin Anaheim Resort Review

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On my most recent trip to Disneyland, I had the pleasure of staying at the Westin Anaheim Resort! Here’s a review of that experience.

Westin Anaheim Resort

Westin Anaheim Resort

Last year, I stayed at the Candy Cane Inn and enjoyed the close proximity to the park. This year, I opted to stay at the Westin Anaheim Resort due to the hotel‘s location and wonderful amenities! Having stayed here 3 nights, I think I can give a fair review of the experience.

The Location

I had read a few reviews mentioning the walk being a little long. However, the map made it look straight forward. Plus, I liked that most of the walk was on Disney’s property, so it felt safer. I walked over via Disneyland Dr versus taking Harbor Boulevard to avoid dealing with the unhoused. Most of the time, I was able to cut through the Grand Californian Hotel to make the walk shorter. However, you can’t do that during park opening. Additionally, one afternoon of my trip, there was a security guard who wouldn’t let me on property since I didn’t have a hotel or dining reservation at the hotel. So, just something to keep in mind if you stay here.

The Resort

I will say, this was a really nice place to stay. Everything felt luxurious and comfy. In fact, I noticed immediately how cushiony the carpet was! I feel most of the time, it’s just carpet over concrete. This was soft and plush!

The bed was very relaxing and the pillows didn’t go flat! The shower even had good pressure! I can see why this is a highly rated resort with all of the deluxe amenities.

The room also features some high tech fancy light switches. It was neat on the first day, but lost a little something by the last day. Also, I couldn’t get the light on the mirror to go out completely, so it lit up the room at night.

Upon arrival, I noticed that there wasn’t any soap at the sink. I notified the front desk on the way to the parks and when I returned to my room that night there were two bars of soap! So, I was pleased with their speed and ability to handle this issue.

Pros

  • Luxe accommodations – This felt like a deluxe resort without the pricetag. It was several hundred dollars cheaper per night than the Disney resorts but was a really nice hotel.
  • Wonderful bed – The bed was so comfy! The bedding was soft and the pillows didn’t go flat!
  • Good water pressure – Not every hotel (particularly in California) has great water pressure. I was pleased to discover the water pressure here was great.
  • Has several restaurants – I like staying somewhere that has at least one restaurant on property for arrival and departure days. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to try out all of the restaurants here. However, I did grab a Chicken Biscuit Sandwich from the Blossoms Market and Cafe before my departure to the airport. It was tasty!
  • Most of the walk to the parks is on Disney property – I appreciated how safe the walk to and from the park felt since this was a solo trip.

Cons

  • More expensive than some closer hotels – This hotel is nicer than most found on Harbor Blvd. However, it’s also more expensive than most of them.
  • Longer walk – The first day or two didn’t seem so bad. However, I was starting to drag by the third day. It’s about 1.0 to 1.1 miles each way.

Is the Westin Anaheim Resort worth it?

I truly enjoyed my stay at the Westin Anaheim Resort. The amenities were amazing. However, I might pick somewhere closer to the parks next time just for convenience. If you don’t mind a longer walk to/from the parks, this is a top pick!

The Inn at Apple Valley Sevierville Review

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Back in June, my mom and I stayed two nights at The Inn at Apple Valley in Sevierville. So, I thought I would write a review of it.

The Inn at Apple Valley

The Inn at Apple Valley

The Inn at Apple Valley is now a member of the Ascend Collection of Choice Hotels. This means it has extra touches that makes it nicer than a standard Choice Hotel. It’s in the same category as the Graystone Lodge I stayed at in May. Both of them have been recently updated and offer a free breakfast. This location was previously the Comfort Inn Apple Valley but the name changed after the refurbishment.

Double Queen

All of the rooms in this hotel are considered suites due to their size. We stayed in a standard room, which we preferred. This came with two chairs and ottomans in addition to the beds. We also had a view of the orchard from the balcony. The Superior rooms appear to have a sleeper sofa and a view of the parkway or outdoor pool. Personally, we preferred a view of the orchard and the chairs. However, it’s nice to have options, particularly for larger families.

You can tell that the hotel recently underwent a refurbishment as all of the furniture looks newer. However, we did have an issue with the shower not draining properly. We never did notify the front desk though. We just handled it ourselves. The free breakfast was a nice perk that we enjoyed one morning of our stay. However, it was a busy breakfast with lots of folks partaking.

Pros

  • Affordable – This was a last minute trip and we encountered lots of elevated room prices. Thankfully, this was $202/night.
  • Good location – It’s about middle of the strip on the main drag. It’s not far from anything in Pigeon Forge/Sevierville.
  • Spacious rooms – It appears that every room here is a suite, so you get extra space compared to other hotels.
  • Recently updated – The beds were pretty comfortable and the furnishings were in great shape.
  • Free breakfast – We enjoyed the waffle maker that created an imprint of an apple on it.
  • Extra sink – There’s an additional sink and mirror outside the bathroom. That was useful for both of us getting ready.
  • Free apple cider – There’s free apple cider at breakfast and in the lobby!

Cons

  • Heater in bathroom fan – I’m not sure why, but they added a heater inside the bathroom fan. Unfortunately, you can’t run one without the other. That wasn’t ideal for a hot summer day.
  • Tub drainage issue – It was a slow draining tub and you ended up standing in water.

Is the Inn at Apple Valley worth it?

There’s a lot to like at The Inn at Apple Valley and it’s easy to see why it’s a popular place. It’s got affordable rooms with free breakfast. Plus, it’s been recently updated. Overall, it’s a solid choice.

Graystone Lodge Boone Review

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Back in May, my husband and I spent the night at the Graystone Lodge in Boone, North Carolina. Seeing as how there’s not too many reviews on it, I thought I would post one.

Graystone Lodge

Graystone Lodge

When my husband and I visited Tweetsie Railroad back in May, we opted to spend a night at the Graystone Lodge in Boone. It’s a recently refurbished and re-branded hotel in the Choice Hotels chain. It’s a part of their Ascend Hotel Collection, signaling it’s a touch nicer than some of their other hotels.

King Bedroom

We spent the night in one of their King rooms. We loved having a huge bed to spend the night in! I was impressed with the refreshed room. The lighted picture of the mountains on the headboard was a nice touch! It felt authentic to the area.

The room was more than sufficient for our one night stay. The bed was ok, not the best or the worst. The sheets were a little scratchy on my skin, but nothing too bad. I appreciated how quiet the room was, as that’s not always the case in hotels.

The best part was probably the free breakfast! I loved the selection of bagels and donuts from a local bakery! They even had biscuits and gravy! I will often skip a free hotel breakfast, but this one is worthwhile!

Pros

  • Had hot water – Some hotels have just warm water. Not here. You can get legitimately hot water here.
  • Nicely decorated – We enjoyed the subtle decorations about the hotel that really suited the area.
  • Beekman toiletries – I was thrilled to discover the Beekman 1802 shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the bathroom. It’s a nicer brand that I was tickled to try and made for a luxuriating experience.
  • Great breakfast – It’s nice when a hotel comes with a free breakfast. This is one of the better ones. I love that they get bagels and breads from a local bakery.
  • Recently refurbished – I didn’t notice anything broken or in dis-repair. Everything looked well done.

Cons

  • Water can get too hot quickly – While I appreciate the hot water, it did get too hot a little quick. So, be careful.
  • Sheets were scratchy – I have sensitive skin and had just shaved my legs that day. I found the sheets to feel a little scratchy on my legs in particular. It may be just me though. Also, it didn’t keep me from sleeping.
  • Small sink counter – If you are someone who needs a big bathroom sink to spread out, that will be a problem here. If you don’t require much space, then you should be good.

Is the Graystone Lodge worth it?

We paid $190.77 for the night we stayed. I think it was totally worth that amount, especially if you think about how much breakfast can cost. I enjoyed my stay here, but I might also look at other options in the area if I visit Tweetsie again. So, have you ever stayed here?

Charleston Indigo Inn Review

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Back in April, my mom and I stayed a night at the Charleston Indigo Inn. I didn’t see too many reviews of the hotel prior to our stay, so I thought I would post one.

Charleston Indigo Inn

Charleston Indigo Inn

After staying three nights in Myrtle Beach, my mom and I made our way over to Charleston for the first time. Having never visited before, we weren’t sure what to expect from the Holy City. However, I was pretty sure we wanted to stay in a central location in the historical district. That’s what lead me to the Indigo Inn.

Traditional Two Queens Room

For this trip, we booked a traditional two queens room for a rate of $286/night. The mattresses were pretty comfortable, although the bed frame was pretty high off the ground. As such, it was a touch difficult for my 5′ 2-3″ mom to get in and out of. It was doable, but she had to stretch.

The other issue with the room was the tiny bathroom. As in, you had to back up against the toilet in order to shut the bathroom door. Basically, if you have mobility difficulties, this may not be the room for you.

The Location

I will say, this was the ideal location for our one night stay. It was walking distance to everything! I intend to do another post at a later date on spending 24 hours in Charleston. However, we were within a short walk to a historical carriage ride, several good restaurants, and the Charleston City Market.

The Amenities

The Indigo Inn has a couple of added perks for staying there. For starters, they serve cheese and wine in the lobby in the evening. They also serve a nightcap of milk and cookies. Unfortunately, we had a busy schedule and missed both of those offerings. My mom grabbed a bottle of juice at the continental breakfast the next morning. I would say the breakfast was somewhat minimal. I wanted to try Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, so I didn’t grab anything from the hotel. However, I think it’s really nice they offer these extras to guests.

Indigo Inn Pros

  • Location – This was my top reason for staying here. It was central to everything we wanted to do. We were able to park our car and just walk around the city.
  • Peaceful – This inn was peaceful and a welcome break from the bustle of Myrtle Beach.
  • More affordable – Charleston can be an expensive place to visit. This was one of the more affordable places we found.
  • Complimentary snacks – It’s nice they offer afternoon cheese and wine with nightcap milk and cookies. The breakfast is enough to get you out the door and on your way.

Cons

  • Small bathroom – The bathroom and shower were really small. Also, there wasn’t any body wash.
  • Tall beds – These wouldn’t be ideal for shorter/older/younger folks.
  • No free parking – Although, I think this can be an issue in Charleston in general. There’s convenient on-site parking, but they charge you $25/night.

Is the Charleston Indigo Inn worth it?

I think the Indigo Inn is a great choice for a visit to Charleston! It’s the perfect location for exploring the city by foot. Plus, it has comfortable beds and tranquil vibes. Have you ever stayed here?

Homewood Suites Myrtle Beach Grand Mall Review

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Back in April, my mom and I spent several nights in South Carolina. Due to the weather, we decided to head down a day early and booked a single night at Homewood Suites Myrtle Beach Grand Mall last minute. This hotel had some good things and not so great things about it, so I thought I would review it.

Homewood Suites Myrtle Beach Grand Mall

Homewood Suites Myrtle Beach Grand Mall

We booked this hotel the day before we arrived as it was a last minute decision to head down early. We opted to save a little money by not staying directly on the beach since it was just for one night. We paid $278.30 (including taxes using a Hilton Honors discount) for a Saturday night in early April. We liked that it was located away from the hustle and bustle of the beach given that it was a Saturday night. However, it was relatively close to other points of interest.

This place smells nice when you first enter. It has a nice, beachy vibe as you would expect from a hotel at the beach.

Double Queen One Bedroom Suite

The nice thing about this hotel is that every room is a suite! We enjoyed the extra space found here. There was a kitchenette area and living room! The bedroom could be closed off from the front living room by closing the door. It was nice to have the extra space to spread out, even if it was only for one night. The TV did have limited channels, much to my mother’s dismay.

Unfortunately, the beds weren’t that comfortable. My mom had some back pain the next day and suspected it came from these mattresses. I felt ok, so I’m not sure if it was the mattresses or not. There’s also poor lighting in the bathroom itself, so the shower was a little dark for my liking.

Overall, the room was more than sufficient for a one night stay.

Pros

  • Quiet – This hotel was located next to a mall. So, it was much calmer than a hotel on the beach.
  • Spacious suite – We enjoyed the extra space here. It would have been nice to use the kitchenette had we stayed longer.
  • Nice accommodations – The hotel is themed subtly with beach vibes and feels relaxing.
  • Relatively affordable by beach standards – It wasn’t a cheap night, but it wasn’t overly expensive given some of the rates we saw for this night.

Cons

  • Beds not the most comfortable – As I stated above, my mom’s back hurt the next day. I don’t know if it was caused by the beds here or not, but her back stopped hurting after we stayed at the Courtyard Myrtle Beach Oceanfront.
  • Poor lighting in the bathroom – If you have vision issues, then a dark bathroom might be important to note.
  • Limited tv channels – We enjoy watching tv on vacation and had a bit of a hard time finding something to watch here.

Should you stay at the Homewood Suites Myrtle Beach Grand Mall?

I think many families would enjoy staying here. The extra space would be appreciated by most travel groups. The kitchenette would be useful for those on a budget or those who just prefer to cook their own meals. It’s also ideal for people who want to visit the area without dealing with the people/noise/traffic of being on the beach. If you have back troubles, then you might not like the mattresses here. Other than that, it’s a pretty good hotel.