Halloween is my favorite holiday, so the commercials Disneyland runs in Phoenix promoting the decor caught my eye. I didn't want to do just a day trip, so I needed a place to stay. On the advice of friends and coworkers who have been to Disneyland more recently then I had, I looked for a walking distance hotel that wasn't too expensive. While I would've loved to have stayed at a Disney property, I couldn't justify the price when there was a Best Western literally across the street from the park entrance. It took about five minutes to go from the motel lobby to the park security line. Like others in the area, the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn sells park tickets: the options are 2-day/1-park and park hoppers for 2-4 days.
I arrived before check-in time and my room wasn't available, so I filled out the paperwork and left my bags with the front desk while I headed over to Disneyland. I returned at check-in time to find a number of others getting their rooms as well. Fortunately, the lobby had comfortable couches (plus a gift shop and some computers).
There were three people working the front desk, so the line moved pretty quickly. The staff had proactively emailed to ask if I'd have a car (parking is an extra $10/day and they're apparently pretty strict about the hours guests are able to park prior to check-in and after check-out; one might also want to note that the spaces are more appropriate for a mid-size car than a large truck), but they weren't too helpful after that. I was given a sheet with a room map and information about breakfast (which is at the restaurant next door), laundry, and that housekeeping can be scheduled if guests want a mid-day nap, but the procedure for getting the breakfast wasn't explained (you go upstairs and give your name). And it wasn't until after I left that I remembered those with diamond status are supposed to receive a "welcome gift."
The location is the definitely the selling point of this motel which is fairly dated. My room was a king suite (all the rooms are suites) at the very back on the second floor. The rooms have been refreshed with furnishings, but the exterior shows the age and there are no USB charging connections in the rooms. Fortunately, each of the two bedside lamps had two outlets. In addition to the king bed, the king suite has a pull-out sofa bed (there's a half wall to separate the two areas) with an ottoman in front of the sofa. There's also an ottoman in the bathroom area.
The TV is on top of the dresser which is oriented to the bed. The dresser contains a mini-fridge and microwave. The room also has a desk with chair and a mirror above the desk.
Just past the bed, there was a closet and long counter with a sink. I found extra bedding and a hair dryer inside the closet, but no iron. On the counter, there was a machine to make single-serve coffee or tea which were provided.
The sink was separate from a very small bathroom with a toilet (that had a loose seat) and shower/tub combination. Both the small bathroom and sink area had very dim lighting. The standards of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion were provided.
Being at the back and on the second floor meant I didn't hear other guests, but the garbage truck was quite noisy at 7am. Walking around, I noticed that the rooms near the pool/hot tub and vending machines had a lot of people passing by and likely were a bit noisier.
Although breakfast is at the restaurant next door (Captain Kidd's), it can be taken back to the room. Even so, it just wasn't that convenient to get breakfast there. The breakfast was also disappointing. Maybe I had too high of an expectation for the buffet since it was from an actual restaurant, but it all seemed pretty standard fare. Another letdown came when my apple was mushy and my banana was bruised. I primarily indulged in the excellent food of the Disneyland restaurants, so the complimentary breakfast was only a small part of this trip whereas I usually get my fill of the free breakfast for other stays.
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