Last month we had a chance to tour a few Disneyland-area hotels, with our travel partner Get Away Today. We love participating in these tours, because they give us an opportunity to check out new properties that we might not otherwise have booked (we love the familiar…don’t you?!). We’re excited to share a Castle Inn and Suites review. We think it’s the best locally owned and operated hotel close to Disneyland.
We toured this hotel with our travel partner Get Away Today, but we have not stayed on site overnight. This post contains our personal, unbiased first impression of the Castle Inn and Suites.
This post contains affiliate links which may provide a small commission to us, at no added cost to you.
The Castle Inn and Suites Quick Chew Review
What we loved:
Fun Castle Design
Locally Owned Hotel Close to Disneyland
Location (on Harbor in the Magic Triangle)
Great for Large Families
What we didn’t:
Older Hotel Design
Motel-Style Layout Noisier
Fewer Property Amenities
Castle Inn and Suites Review: Best Locally Owned and Operated Hotel Close to Disneyland
With a lack of close local listings on Airbnb (due to housing availability and local licensing regulations), we’re asked regularly about locally owned properties in the area. We’re often at a loss, but today we get to deliver…big time. The Castle Inn and Suites is a charming property, still independently owned and operated by the family that originally built it.
After spending some time chatting with the owner, Bharat Patel, we’re positive the highlight of this hotel isn’t just the fantastic castle theme (which is pretty magical) or the location (freaking fabulous), it’s the personal touch and customer service that come with pride of ownership. You’ll find that this is backed up by thousands of online reviews, mentioning the hotel’s incredible customer service.
Let’s see how the Castle Inn and Suites, one of the few remaining locally owned and operated hotels close to Disneyland, stacks up when evaluated against some of our tips for selecting the best hotel for a Disney vacation.
Castle Inn and Suites: Hotel Pricing
Castle Inn and Suites is one of the best value hotels within our magic triangle. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, close to the Park, this might be the hotel for you!
As out-of-state Disneyland annual passholders, we’re constantly looking for a “deal” on our hotel stays. Our secret to snagging a deal is to book in advance and work with our travel partner. You can read more about why we always use Get Away Today to book our Disney vacations, here.
Castle Inn and Suites is considered a “value” stay. The pricing, combined with its location, makes it one of Get Away Today’s most popular bookings. If you’d like to stay at this hotel, we recommend booking at least three months in advance.
Note: Right now, use our partner link with Get Away Today to gain access to a fourth night “on the house” at Castle Inn and Suites (subject to availability) – a massive savings. For an added discount, enter the code TE10 for an extra $10 off of your stay.
Where is the Castle Inn and Suites Located?
The Castle Inn and Suites is located on the corner of Harbor Blvd. and Katella Ave., less than half a mile from Disneyland Resort’s Main Gate.
This hotel is within our “magic triangle,” a collection of hotels in walking distance to the Disneyland Resort. Though we’ve stayed in many hotels outside this area, walkability almost tips the scales when we’re considering where to stay. Will it become a hotel in our regular rotation like this one, this one or this one, let’s take a closer look.
How to Travel to Disneyland from Castle Inn and Suites
There’s really one smart option for making your way from Castle Inn and Suites to Disneyland…You’re going to walk.
It’s a simple 5–10-minute walk from the hotel, down Harbor Blvd. to Disneyland’s Main Gate. There’s just one street crossing (Harbor Blvd.) on your walk to the Park. This is an easy walk with kids.
We suppose you could take an Uber, but to be honest your feet will be more tired from the wait for your car (Disneyland’s pick up and drop off area is less than ideal) than the short walk.
What is the Castle Inn and Suites Like Inside?
The 200-room Castle Inn and Suites debuted a little over four decades ago. It was last updated in 2013, so the rooms are a bit dated and lack the modern style that some of the other area hotels where we typically stay, but they are clean and well kept. With a variety of rooms, including a larger than average number of suites, this family-friendly hotel is great for larger families or groups. Let’s dive in to a Castle Inn and Suites review.
Castle Inn and Suites Lobby
The castle exterior, themed stained-glass window and medieval lobby truly make this hotel every little prince and princesses dream come true. We’ve heard more than one kiddo beg their parents for a stay at the castle, but does it measure up inside?
Though the lobby is not large, its filled with “royal” wonders including an amazing chandelier, an armored knight and a “throne” fit for royalty. Each will make your child feel special and provide you with a photo opp that will keep the excitement alive for years to come.
The customer service/desk staff (who are friendly and welcoming) have paper crowns at the ready for young (or young at heart) guests staying at the property.
Castle Inn and Suites Room Layout
Castle Inn and Suites offers two room layouts – a standard queen room that sleeps four and a family suite that easily sleeps six. We’re going to show you both!
The standard queen room is the smaller of the two rooms. If we had to venture a guess, we’d put the size of this room at about 250-square-feet.
There’s just enough room for the two queen beds, a small table, a television stand, and the bathroom. There’s a small closet for storage.
The family suite is where it’s at…these suites feature two rooms. An open room with a king size bed and a bedroom with two queen beds. The addition of a full room offers larger families plenty of space for sleeping and storing lots of luggage.
Not going to lie. We might have “tried out” the beds while we were touring the room. The beds seemed to be serviceable, but not as comfortable as the beds at our favorite moderate or deluxe stay.
Perhaps it’s a little cheesy, but there’s no doubt your children will be delighted by the towel swans that grace the beds and bathrooms in these rooms. We’ve never seen towel swans anywhere but on tv in the U.S. and we liked this kitschy touch.
Castle Inn and Suites Bathroom Layout
The bathrooms at Castle Inn and Suites are in good shape. They feature a nice stone vanity and a tub/shower combo. While we’re fans of a walk-in shower, we know how valuable those bathtubs are for moms with small children who don’t like to use a shower.
We do wish that the vanity was outside of the bathroom itself, which would allow larger families utilizing the family suite more space to get ready.
Castle Inn and Suites Room Amenities and View
Each room comes equipped with a television, mini fridge, and a coffee machine. The standards are covered.
Where the hotel goes over and above is their lightning-fast WiFi, which is available for guests free of charge (many area hotels charge).
Due to the way this hotel is designed there are not many rooms with a “view” of the Parks. However, the Castle Inn and Suites is so close that guests on the fourth floor (or who’d like to venture out into the parking lot or pool) may be able to see the fireworks.
Castle Inn and Suites Pool
There are generally two types of pools available to guests who’re staying on Harbor Blvd. – super deluxe with water park-style features or itty-bitty afterthoughts. The Castle Inn and Suites strikes a decent balance between the two. They have a decent sized pool, kiddie wading area, and a hot tub available for guest use.
Castle Inn and Suites Dining Services
We’ve talked a fair bit about having a big breakfast before going into the Parks. It’s been a major driver in our hotel selection at times. While a big free breakfast is nice, we don’t mind paying for a nice spread either.
The Castle Inn and Suites doesn’t have a restaurant on site and does not offer food services, which is why visitors on a budget might consider Desert Inn and Suites the best value hotel in the neighborhood. However, it is close to several small stores (CVS and Walgreens) and a quick walk to restaurants with breakfast options.
Hidden Fees and Parking at the Castle Inn and Suites
Hidden charges are our least favorite thing about Anaheim-area hotels.
Most area hotels charge $25-40 a night for parking. At the time of writing, guests at the Castle Inn and Suites receive one parking spot free of charge for the duration of their stay. On site a few days? This is going to save you some major bucks.
Many area hotels have also started charging daily resort fees. At the time of this Castle Inn and Suites review, the hotel did not charge a resort fee.
Would We Stay at the Castle Inn and Suites?
With only one child, we have more hotel options than most families. Because we can be pickier, design and amenities tend to factor more heavily into our choice of hotel. We will continue with our rotation of high moderate to deluxe hotels.
However, we’re thrilled to have a hotel we can recommend to friends looking for a locally owned and operated hotel close to Disneyland or a better value than our typical stay. It’s definitely a better deal that this large, chain hotel that serves large families.
Thanks for reading our Castle Inn and Suites review.
Tauni Everett
Creative Director at Tauni Everett
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