Back in late February, my last trip before the world shut down was to Disneyland! This was my third visit to the luxurious Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and I thought I’d update y’all with even more information and resort photos!
The elegant craftsman style hotel is the flagship of the Disneyland Resort, with premium accommodations, impeccable Disney service, a private entrance to Disney California Adventure Park, signature dining experiences and a world-class spa.
Stepping inside for the first time, well, every time, is a remarkable experience! If you’ve visited Wilderness Lodge at the Walt Disney World Resort, the similarities are unmistakable.
Walking the immaculate grounds is a joy! I loved all of the stunning rose bushes and lush foliage.
There was a heated porch off of the lobby with rocking chairs and a huge fireplace.
Accommodations
The Grand Californian Hotel offers a variety of accommodations, from regular hotel rooms to 1-, 2- and 3- bedroom suites to signature suites like the Arroyo, El Capitan, Arcadia, Mount Whitney.
Resort Rooms
I was so pleased to see the updated rooms and loved that they were bright and elegant, while keeping with the theme and style of the resort. They are so much better than when we stayed here in 2016!
Mt. Whintey Presidential Suite
The Mt. Whitney is one of two presidential suites at the Grand Californian. The spacious suite is decorated in the Craftsman style with a large living room and dining area to seat ten.
A service kitchen includes a fridge, sink and microwave, located just off of the living area.
The master bedroom has a king bed, walk in closet and bathroom. The second bedroom has two queen beds.
One of the real stars of the suite, and the place I wouldn’t want to leave, are the outdoor balconies. You have absolutely stunning views of California Adventure right from your balcony while warming up by the fire!
Guests in this suite also get special perks and benefits!
Concierge Lounge
The Veranda concierge lounge features food and beverage service throughout the day. I particularly love the long balcony with monorail courtyard views all day, and fireworks into the night.
Amenities
We leave time to swim in every vacation itinerary and found the pool to be just as upscale as the rest of the resort. The wonderful thing about being so close to the park is that you can easily pop in the resort for a swim. In fact, my kids did exactly this each day of our visit – rides, grab FastPasses, take a break in the pool, head back for more rides!
The cabanas offer premium seating, shade and other amenities to make any pool day a relaxing time!
Location
As noted, one of the biggest perks of calling the Grand Californian home is that you are just steps away from Disney California Adventure Park via a gate designated just for hotel guests!
Dining
There are a variety of casual, character and fine dining experiences at the Grand Californian. We indulged in all of them over our stay! And, being just steps away from Downtown Disney and the theme parks, you literally have more places to choose from than you could ever need.
Storytellers Cafe
Mickey’s Tales of Adventure Buffet is offered at breakfast and brunch, while dinner does not have characters. It is a buffet, but the food is outstanding!!! I also feel like the character interactions throughout Disneyland are great.
Napa Rose
Napa Rose is the signature dining experience at Grand Californian where Chef Andrew Sutton has been telling the story of the Napa Valley through his food for a decade. Honey and I made a “date night” of it and had a marvelous time.
Craftsman Bar & Grill
Craftsman Bar & Grill is located right off of the pool area and is such a great spot to sit and enjoy a bite or sip on a gorgeous Southern California night!
Disneyland reopens July 17 and I’d love to add you to my interest list for travel!
As Premier Level Gold Key Advisor with Glass Slipper Concierge, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland® Resort, Disney Aulani Hawaii, Universal, Sea World and to 35 countries on 6 continents through Adventures by Disney®.
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The world is reopening!! Now is the time to start planning and give your family something to look forward to. All deposits are FULLY refundable and you can book with confidence knowing I handle every single details of your trip.
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– Reopened July 11 with low crowds and impressive safety measures!
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Disneyland
– Reopening TBD
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