For my Disneyland trip last week, I couldn’t resist doing a split stay to be able to experience both the Disneyland Hotel AND the resort’s premier hotel – The Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. This was my fourth visit to the luxurious resort and I thought I’d update y’all with even the most current information and 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. Grand Californian is a stunning blend of the rustic Wilderness Lodge and elegant Grand Floridian resorts.
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.
The bathroom is bright and updated with plenty of room for multiple people to get ready at the same time.
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 on one trip, and my bestie and I had a marvelous time here last week!
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!
Hearthstone Lounge
On every stay here, we leave time to enjoy this serene spot with a glass of wine and a few bites to eat. Designed to evoke Arts and Crafts era, the lounge offers a relaxing retreat for soaking up the hotel’s historic ambience.
Disneyland has reopened and magic abounds! Let’s get you there!
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