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About
4.5
#20 of 125 hotels in Anaheim
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to the top 1% of businesses across select categories.
Just an 8-minute walk from Disneyland Park, this non-smoking family resort hotel features Castaway Cove - A Watery Pirate Playground! With slides, drench bucket, water canons, jacuzzi, toddler's wading pool and more, Castaway Cove is a great place for your whole family to play together! Also nestled within the lush, park-like grounds is the family friendly Garden Pool! We have completed top-to-bottom renovation of more than 200 guest rooms and our New Garden Pool. With Netflix streaming, microwaves, fridges and free internet- HoJo Anaheim is the perfect choice for your family adventure!
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Classic
City View
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
1380 South Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim, CA 92802-2310
Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
3,798 reviews
Getting there
Good for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground garners praise for its cleanliness and the welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere, particularly its retro and Disney themes. Guests commend the attentive service and the prime location, a short stroll from Disneyland, although some have raised concerns about noise from nearby freeway traffic.
Opinions on value and room quality vary, with some dissatisfaction regarding charges and outdated rooms. Nevertheless, the water playground and proximity to attractions are often highlighted as positives.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Nostalgic
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Noise level
Noisy
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
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Arrived after a long flight, and a drive from LAX in peak traffic hour so I was super sleep deprived! Check in was easy, staff were really nice and I got a room upgrade so good! Room was tidy, bed was comfy and the bathroom was clean. I think the cleaners are used to everybody going to Disneyland relatively early, so if you're like me and like a wee sleep in (and watch some Netflix in the morn while getting ready) then don't forget to put the 'do not disturb' sign out like I did! My room was very quiet (I am a light sleeper too!) considering it was on the highway side (building one I think) and had a big glass window so I could check out the hazy LA sunrise - pretty cool! Bus stop for my Universal Studios coach was literally right outside the hotel so that was awesome. Disneyland is super close, and there is a McDonalds nearby too so that was great for a cheap brekky on the way to Disney. A walk further down the road and there is pharmacies and other shops, so easy to grab everything. Staff were helpful, they held my bags for me on the last day and let me hang around until my airport shuttle came to collect me. I'll be staying here again next time I need a Disneyland fix!
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Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HojoAnaheimStaff, Reservationist at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Mar 16, 2020
Wow! We are so happy to hear that you were able to get checked-in upon your arrival after a long drive from LAX and an upgrade to one of our newly renovated rooms as well. It's fantastic to see that you were able to enjoy the big glass window, on our 7th floor rooms, in the early morning. We are ecstatic to see that you were able to stop by McDonald's for a quick breakfast before heading into Disneyland for the day! We appreciate all of your kind words regarding our Front Desk Staff members and we are also thankful for your review about our hotel. We hope to see you again when booking your next trip to Anaheim.
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If you're visiting Disneyland with a young family, this is the perfect place to stay. Rooms are clean, quiet and kid-friendly. Staff are friendly and professional. You can walk to the Disneyland gates in 6 minutes. And with the option of an early room cleaning, you can come back from Disneyland after lunch so the kids can have a quick nap to recharge. The waterpark is ideal for younger kids -- not too scary or complicated, and as parents you can pick a lounge chair and be able to see your kids all the time. We'll definitely stay here again.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HojoAnaheimStaff, Reservationist at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Mar 9, 2020
We are so thrilled to hear that our staff was friendly and professional to you and your family during your vacation with us and that your room was clean. It's fantastic to see that your kids were able to enjoy our Waterpark & Playground area and that you felt comfortable while your kids played. We appreciate you taking the time to review our hotel and we hope to see you again when booking your next trip to Anaheim.
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Planning a trip to Disneyland for the whole family and want to save some cash but still have a fabulous resort-style stay?! You are at the right spot, we stayed at the Howard Johnson of Anaheim to give you all the details!
First off, if you have kids, they will have a blast at their Castaway Cove AKA Water Playground galore! And at their large outdoor garden pool (pack your floaties)! When we stayed, we got to see one of the workers that are responsible to disinfect rooms between cleanings, it looks like a Ghostbusters character with their equipment, they make sure everything is squeaky clean. During our stay, masks were mandatory, check with the hotel for updated health-safety policies.
What we loved? Family centered, it was perfect for our little family of 4! Only an 8 minute walk from Disneyland!!! Tons of restaurant options within an 8 minute walk. However, If you prefer not to walk, the hotel participates in the Anaheim Resort Transportation system, which will take you to and from the Disney parks all day for a small fee. Free parking! No resort fee, no energy fee! FUN Water playground for the kids!!!! Resort-style stay for hotel pricing! They disinfect thoroughly between room cleanings.
For a full review, head over to my blog at LA Mami Life!
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Parking is free!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Services, Guest Services / Front Office at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Jun 30, 2021
Thank you, LA Mami Life, for this awesome review! We are so pleased that you stayed with us and got to experience our water park and pool. Currently, face masks are no longer mandatory for guests that have been fully vaccinated. For guests that have not been vaccinated yet, faces masks are still required. Face masks are not required at the aquatic areas. We have a 2 step sanitizing process for guests rooms. Housekeeping hand sanitizes the room with disinfectant spray, then the “Ghostbuster” guy comes in with electrostatic spray tank on his back and sprays the room for additional sanitation. We are so glad that you enjoyed your stay with us and thank you again for your detailed review. We hope you stay with us again soon!
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The furniture and the bathrooms are a bit outdated but the rooms were comfy enough. I really liked the patio where we could open the door for nice fresh air. Quick walk to Disneyland with restaurants along the way and close by.
On the second morning of our three night stay, my husband and I awoke to very loud commotions occurring right outside our door. After about 20 minutes of doors opening and closing, people talking and giving orders, the vacuum came on. This was at 6 in the morning, after a very long day and night at Disneyland. You can imagine how frustrated we were. After another 20 minutes, my husband called the front desk to inquire about the disturbance in which he was told that a pipe had bursted. They said there was nothing they could do and they would let the manager know that we were one of the rooms that was affected. I am not sure that means but nothing was done about it. The water was shut off so our family (10 years old, 9 years old, and 8 years old) used our drinking water to wash our faces and brush our teeth. Not even kidding! There was a machine right outside our door with the extension cord crossing our door. My sister next door was not happy at all, as all the noise woke her children up, 2 and 1 year olds. She was told the same thing. The vacuuming and people going in and out of the hallway continued throughout the entire day with no contact from the manager. When we returned from our day, we had to use the other entrance and exit because the one we used was blocked off with fans. This was a very unexpected and unfortunate situation. However, we were left to ourselves with no concerns from the front desk. I guess our room did not flood, therefore we were not affected enough. The way the situation was handled, or not handled, was very disappointing.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Some rooms are old and need upgrading.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HojoAnaheimStaff, Reservationist at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Feb 20, 2020
Yay! We are so happy to hear that your room was comfy and that you got to enjoy some fresh air from the balcony of your room. :) We are so sorry about the inconvenience of the pipe bursting. On the morning of 2/19 we did have an unexpected water pipe burst under the flooring in one of our Pavilion Buildings. We can definitely relate to the disappointment as this was not expected to us as well as our guests. We apologize that this happened to your family during your vacation, as we would never wish for that to happen to any of our guests. Due to the fact that the water pipe burst under the concrete and the entire building, we had to vacuum out the water from the carpet as quickly as possible before the flooring molded. This is correct, not all rooms were affected by the water pipe burst but unfortunately since it did happen under the building, which has one water pipe to supply water for the entire building, we had to turn off the water so that no further issues occurred on the second floor or in the walls of the building. Our Front Desk staff did notify every guest and left voicemails in each room regarding the water shut off. We apologize again for the inconvenience as this was not planned. Thank you for reviewing your stay with us and we hope to see you again in the future.
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We have stayed at the Howard Johnson in Anaheim on countless occasions. It’s a close- ish walk to Disneyland & Mimi’s Cafe opposite is a real draw card. This time we stayed in building 3 because it’s not situated on the noisy highway. Rooms are never available before check in time but they store your bags. Our room was not renovated & therefore not as inviting as the noisier rooms. It really wasn’t all that quiet either as we were located near the pool & heard clanging all the time. Hotel recommended getting pizza delivery from Carolina’s. DO NOT order from Carolina’s as we ordered pizza at 8.30pm & it didn’t arrive until after 10.30pm. When it arrived the pizza was stone cold. There was a microwave in the room which came in handy although it was barely operational. I’m sure the pizza would never have arrived if we hadn’t called to complain. We paid $40USD for cold pizza. I’m so sorry I subjected my family to this experience. We also noted that there was virtually no room service at the hotel. Room rates were up however service was non existent. Room service had to be requested the night before & only consisted of getting fresh towels, rubbish removal & coffee pods. This is the face of travel during the time of COVID🤷♀️
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Heather B, Sales at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Jan 22, 2022
Hello Tina, I would like to start by saying how excited we are to have welcomed back our Aussie Guests. The hotel has welcomed so many new guests since reopening but we truly miss our Aussie and Kiwi guests. We are happy that you decided to come back to visit. We are also glad that we were able to help store your luggage when you arrived early. If we have rooms available early we can definitely get you keys to the room at no additional cost, but we are happy to be able to store you luggage at no cost until the room is ready. We know that guests always have lots of plans on their Disneyland trip. Thank you for your feedback on Carolina's, this is feedback I will make sure to share with the Front Desk staff because this is NOT the experience that we want our guests to have. We have a long list of restaurants that can deliver to guests rooms since we do not have a kitchen or restaurant on property that can deliver. The rooms that you were in are actually next to be renovated and we will be bringing all new microwaves, mini fridges and so much more in there. We sincerely appreciate the feedback so we can make sure that we take it into consideration when we plan the next portion of the renovation.
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We came to Disneyland California for our honeymoon from the UK.
Our stay at Howard Johnson was brilliant from start to finish. We were welcomed with a lovely honeymoon hamper and the staff were so lovely. It is located so close to Disneyland and a quick walk home after a long day in the parks. We also came back during the day for a rest and pool breaks and the location meant we didn't miss out on any time, we could just relax and enjoy our stay.
The beds are so comfortable and the bathrooms are so good with two sinks which makes it so easy to get ready in the morning. There is a fridge, microwave and coffee machine in the room. The fridge in the room was also so handy and there is enough storage in the room to unpack and store clothes. We stayed in the refurbished building one and it could not have been in a better location. The shop on site is also super handy.
The pool area was lovely too, we were checked in really quickly to the pool, given towels and could choose where we wanted, tables or loungers. It felt nice and secure and staff were all super friendly. We used the pool area almost every day of our stay and enjoyed it every time. We didn't go to the water playground as we don't have children, but the area looked fun when we were walking by.
There are many locations to eat nearby and we didn't need a car as we could walk almost everywhere we needed in the area. We got uber for locations that were a little bit further away.
There are laundry facilities (small fee) on site which was really handy for us during our stay, it is right near the pool so we did a few washes and used the dryer while we were relaxing by the pool, it has a timer on the display so you know when to return to collect your clothes.
We will definitely be returning to Howard Johnson the next time we visit Disneyland, we would not want to stay anywhere else as our experience there was so good! Would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a lovely, friendly, clean place to stay near Disneyland .
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Services, Guest Services / Front Office at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Oct 17, 2022
Thank you very much! We're thrilled to know that our team made your visit special. We're also glad to know that you found our location and amenities convenient for your visit to the park. Thank you for choosing Howard Johnson to celebrate your Honeymoon. We hope to host you again in the future!
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We arrived at HOJO very tired and jet lagged all the way from Australia . We were super early and arrived at 7 in the morning but the adorable staff checked us in anyway , welcoming us with open arms . The amenities were perfect for family’s with a free polka dot for party held at the kids pool while we were there . There was games food and tons of Disney gifts given out . Washing machine access was easy and with two kids this made my life easier. It’s a quick 15 min walk to Disney land and a short 10 min Uber ride to Walmart where we got all our food and supplies .
Highly recommend just ignore the dates rooms they are super comfy !
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Date of stay: March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HojoAnaheimStaff, Reservationist at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Feb 6, 2020
Yay! We are so ecstatic to see hear that our staff was able to check-in you and your family as early as 7:00am. It's also fantastic to see that you enjoyed the polka dot party that was hosted at the Waterpark & Playground area for national polka dot day. We are thrilled to see that the washing machine access made your trip easier for you while traveling with little ones. Thank you for reviewing your stay with us. We hope to see you again when booking your next vacation to Anaheim.
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Great location, only 10min walk to the parks. Mimis restaurant across the road and then McDonalds right next to that so good food options. Rooms were spacious and very clean. I needed extra blanket and pillows and that was no problem for housekeeping to bring them to the room. The marketplace on the ground floor is so handy for essentials and breakfast items.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from HojoAnaheimStaff, Reservationist at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Jan 27, 2020
Thank you for reviewing your recent stay with us. We are so excited to see that you and your family were able to enjoy the close restaurants within walking distance from our hotel as well as the short walk over to the park. It's also great to hear that our staff was quick at getting the extra blankets and pillows sent to your room. We hope to see you again when booking your next vacation to Disneyland.
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Everything was excellent! The pool was clean and not busy. The castaway area was a lot smaller than I thought but still a good time for the kids since it’s based on reservation not crowded at all. Don’t let the exterior of hotel fool you. The rooms are upgraded with tv that has Netflix for the kids. Also a clock radio with Alexa on it. You can see Disney fireworks from balcony. Their service due to pandemic is upon request and everytime we requested towels etc they were quick to provide. The walking location to Disney is very convenient as we can leave car on parking lot and go and come back to hotel if need be to take breaks. We stayed 3 nights here vs 1 night at Disney’s hotel for the same price so definitely worth it!!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2021
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Services, Guest Services / Front Office at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Sep 3, 2021
Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us! We are delighted to hear that your family enjoyed our water facilities, renovated rooms, and proximity to Disneyland. Our team is dedicated to providing a 5-star experience to all of our guests, so we are happy to know we were successful. Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope you will keep us in mind when planning your next trip to the Anaheim Resort area!
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Just stayed here this past weekend and enjoyed this hotel. It’s walking distance to the Disneyland park entrance. Rooms were themed with Mickey which made it feel like we were staying at a Disneyland hotel. They had a nice water park for the kids. Also having the store downstairs was extremely nice to be able to grab things we accidentally forgot at home. Only thing we didn’t like was the cleaning of our room. They have these express clean door hangers that state if you put them on your door before 9am your room is guaranteed to be cleaned. Well the first morning we went to the parks we didn’t need our room cleaned just needed the trash picked up which we had to call and request when we got back that night. The next day we put the hanger on the door and was gone before 8am. We came back exhausted around 7:30 to our room still dirty with trash and no clean towels. We could’ve called again for these requests but due to being wore out we didn’t feel like dealing with it which is why we put the hanger on the door in the first place so we could come back to our room and be comfortable.
Besides that we enjoyed the hotel and the free parking. Would stay here again.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Guest Services, Guest Services / Front Office at Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground
Responded Jun 7, 2021
Thank you for reviewing your recent stay with us! We are happy that you enjoyed your room and amenities that we offer. We apologize that our Housekeeping Staff did not clean your room while you were out. At this time, for the safety of our guests and staff, Housekeeping service is done upon request. This way, we know when our staff can enter the room while you are away. We understand your frustration and we will be sure to share your comments with our Staff to ensure a similar experiences is not repeated. Thank you again for your review. We really hope you still consider us for accommodations during your next trip to the Anaheim Resort.
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Hi - in the past I've stayed at Anaheim HoJo and then got an Uber to Universal for the day. Its not too bad, about a 90 min trip. Additionally I've hired a car from Anaheim and done a day trip to Santa Monica - similar travel time (depending on the traffic), it worked but was a big day.
My most recent trip (March/April this year) I stayed at the HoJo for Disney but then shifted hotels to one closer to Universal (the Garland) and it was nice being 10 mins away, a bit more relaxed. Likewise nice for all the other attractions at the end of town
We had the hallway between our room and the highway side of the building. You could hear the noise in the hallway but inside the room was fine. Certainly worth the stay
There are more places to choose from in the Anaheim area.
PRICE RANGE
C$305 - C$395 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
howard johnson plaza hotel and water playground - anaheim / disneyland park, howard johnson anaheim, anaheim howard johnson, howard johnson hotel anaheim california
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaOrange CountyAnaheimDisneyland
NUMBER OF ROOMS
296
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Are there any historical sites close to Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum (12.1 km), Kellogg House (10.2 km), and St. Isidore Historical Plaza (14.4 km).
