Garden Grove, CA

OK, there isn’t much in Garden Grove but there is an excellent hotel there, the Hyatt Regency Garden Grove. This is an excellent hotel, clean comfortable rooms, beautiful lobby, lounge and restaurant and very convenient to major freeways. It is just a few blocks from the main gate at Disneyland and just a few blocks from the I-5 freeway. This is my favorite hotel in the Disneyland area.


I should mention that there are a whole bunch of hotels in the immediate area, since it is so close to Disneyland. Adjacent to the Hyatt is the Hampton Inn. I stayed there twice and won’t ever stay there again. Their rooms were typical for a Hampton but the elevator was dirty each time (I don’t know if they ever clean it) and their breakfast area was not stocked or refilled well. On both occasions I had to chase down an attendant just to get more coffee.

Across the street is the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Each of my stays there has been OK. It is a fairly large hotel but it isn’t maintained very well. On one occasion I got a room above the entrance and some people were standing outside smoking cigarettes and the odor came in through my window. The rooms are kind of noisy but well equipped. They have a breakfast buffet but not a very attractive room. They do have a coffee bar where you can get a bagel with your coffee and take it with you. One bad thing about his hotel is the parking. They share a parking lot with three other hotels and the walk to your car could be long, especially on a rainy day.

I have stayed at the Convention Center Hilton and while it is a very nice hotel it is not for the vacation or casual traveler. Very business like and sterile. It is large and in a congested area.

Just down the street, in Orange, is the DoubleTree Hotel. The lobby and outside areas aren’t very attractive but my rooms have been very nice and comfortable. One caution, it is right on the intersection of the I-5 freeway so make sure you don’t get a room facing it.


I travel to southern California frequently on business and this is a convenient location for all of Orange County and San Diego County. During the middle of the day the traffic on the freeways going north in to L.A. aren't too busy and you can get to the downtown business district in 30-45 minutes.

If you like to shop avoid the Block at Orange. most of the stores are closed or cater to cheap young fashion. The best shopping area is the Spectrum in Irvine. You will find upscale restaurants, department stores and boutiques galore.