Top 5-Star Hotels in Orange County

When we arrived at check-in with our family of 6, we were told that we would not be given connecting rooms as promised over the phone. After a very long wait, they put us in 2 rooms not even close to each other. On top of that, it was the garden view, with the pool closed for a private event and preparation for a party. We would have to wait until after 5 pm for one of the rooms to be cleaned. They allowed us to access the double bedroom. When we walked in, it smelled like sewage. I called the front desk and asked to speak to the manager. She was accommodating and moved us to the club level - 2 rooms not next to each other. Yippee. Again, this is annoying when you have packed your bags a certain way, you have small children, and you know you will have to walk up and down the hallways to borrow items during your stay. The club level was a nice way to make up for the mishap. The food at this hotel is outrageously expensive. The club level has a full bar and lots of small bites throughout the day. The club-level hallways get a lot of traffic, and the carpets are always dirty. Food, hairballs, and paper trash were all seen. We had a nice rest that night. Going into day 2, we contacted the front desk to see if they had the connecting rooms as promised. They advised us that we needed to get out of our rooms immediately so that they could be cleaned for the next guests. They would store our luggage all day until our rooms would be ready. I mean, what terrible Customer service. We said that we would not be leaving the rooms we were paying for and that we would not let them store our luggage. The hotel ended up putting us in connecting oceanfront rooms after lunch. We had to leave the beach to come change rooms. Annoying, but a better situation for our family. The hotel is overcrowded. They can't keep up with the demand. Our shower doesn't drain. Stains on the carpet. Stains on our blanket in the closet. The valet costs $70 a day. It is always backed up. Be prepared to wait. 45 minutes wait to get ice delivered to your room. The guests below are smoking on their balcony. This makes it hard to smell the ocean or open your patio doors. The pool area is not clean. Cups, old towels and the pool looks slightly green. The basketball and playground areas were dirty with old cups and food containers. The beach is okay if you don't mind watching surfers. If you like to swim, you have to walk down to the public beach area. The lifeguards will remind you all day long. But, you feel like a rockstar when you don't have to carry all that beach junk down to the beach. They have everything you need! We have stayed at other Ritz hotels and know that this is not typical. We hope that they can make some changes before they lose their reputation.

Hotel was very nice and staff was very helpful and friendly. The ART bus stops directly in front of the hotel making access to the parks very easy. You can also choose to walk which we did the first night but the ART bus is worth the $6 per day (or $16 for 3 day pass). Also had breakfast one morning at the restaurant which is a much better option than eating at the parks.

We are DVC and bagged a room at the VGC in early August. First thing- the building and lobby and overall vibe are beautiful. The bell person who greeted us was outstanding, Sorry didn’t get his name but he’s 50s, slim guy, and extremely talkative and helpful, the true ‘Disney Difference’ type employee. Check in was a very slow and lengthy experience although the lady was very nice. Queues at 3pm. This could be speeded up. Room wasn’t obtained until just after 4. We had a disappointing outlook room, ground floor, corner, facing directly at back entrance to Californian Adventure. Security guards stood around and no real barrier for privacy so never sat on patio. However, we realised the room had some advantages in that you could be in the park in about 40 steps. Room was nice enough. Would I pay over $1000 a night for it cash? Not worth it but booked on points. They are getting so they need a refurb although still in decent shape. It was all very dark though, perhaps not helped by room position in bottom corner of hotel. Craftsman’s bar was a bit disappointing for food. It was OK quality but very, very slow at coming out. Mine was comped. The bar itself with live music is lovely though and cocktails good. Pool is beautiful but at the same time disappointing. It’s disappointing because there are not enough sun loungers. This is partly due to Disney greed, who have turned over about a third of the already too small pool area to paying cabanas. This is partly due to lack of management. They are meant to have wristbands on people, but half did not have them and half the time there were no staff on the gate to put them on. I personally witnessed at 8am a family coming in the front of the hotel who didn’t seem to be staying there (very easy to get in despite needing a key card as the gate is constantly opened onto the sidewalk) who I saw walk into the pool area, they had no card and waited for gate to open and went in. Disney can see from the reviews on Tripadvisor this pool seating issue is a major problem. They need to do something about it. If that includes removing the cabana area and taking a hit on upcharges, they need to do it. They need to get really strict on pool management and wrist bands. When you are paying this much for a hotel, not being able to get sun beds is totally unacceptable. Shame as pool itself is lovely and live music even in the day. The characters also seemed to plead daily at around 4 pm for a pool party. Gym great. The DVC team here here we’re very nice people. Obviously location is fantastic.

The bed and bedding are really comfortable, I want to sleep more every day. My daughter also thinks that I really sleep well. The only thing is that the sound insulation is not very good.

The hotel is large and beautiful, and the check in is very fast. The hotel has a covered bridge that leads directly to the beach. It is very convenient to go to the beach and you can borrow the hotel's beach chairs. The food in the restaurant is very delicious, especially the potato cake, which is worth a try. The waiters at the restaurant are very welcoming and will recommend a variety of cuisines as well as weekend evening restaurant activities.

First evening’s dinner on site at The Loft. Creative, delicious menu. Our waiter Roger is not only a foodie, knowledgeable of every story behind every dish on the menu but he is also extremely attentive. We ate outdoors and although the patio had heaters it was still a bit chilly — but Roger I soared on bringing me an ultra soft blanket! Highly recommend the restaurant especially if you are fortunate enough to have Roger!

Very close to Disneyland, the hotel is relatively new, but the room is a bit small. The staff are very enthusiastic and the overall style is more like a business hotel

We were very happy with everything except their hotel rate per night. I don't think it was worth to pay that much money.

The environment is particularly good, the Italian restaurant is very good, the fireplace in the living room gives full marks, the golf course plus sea view and the sunset over the sea, a beautiful picture. First-class service, also gave gifts to children, very intimate

The budget hotel near Disney in California is a decent option for those looking for an affordable stay close to the park. While the rooms are basic, they are clean and comfortable, and the hotel offers complimentary breakfast. However, the hotel can get quite noisy at times, and the amenities are limited. Overall, it's a good option for those on a tight budget who don't mind sacrificing some luxuries for convenience.