My wife and I try to get away every year to celebrate our anniversary.  We live in the Phoenix area, so we’ll usually just pick one of the local resorts we haven’t tried before.  The past two years we’ve stayed at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain and the Hermosa Inn which were absolutely incredible!

This year we planned well in advance for a trip to Cabo to take advantage of the Avios sweet spot to Mexico. Unfortunately, in light of global events, our trip was cancelled due to travel restrictions. In an effort to salvage our anniversary trip I scrambled to find an alternate location that was closer to home.

Earlier the same week, the Ventana Big Sur resort announced they were reopening their hotel as an all-inclusive resort. I’ve heard amazing things about the resort, and I’ve always wanted see Big Sur, so I knew this is where I wanted to go.

Getting There

Where Is It – Big Sur is a beautiful stretch of the Central California coastline. The resort is located up on a hill overlooking the ocean in the heart of the town.

How To Get There – The closest airport to Big Sur is in Monterey (MRY), which is located about an hour north. We decided to fly into San Jose (SJC) because we have the Southwest Companion Pass and found flights for only 5,442 points total. The drive from San Jose to Big Sur is about 2 hours if you don’t stop. San Francisco (SFO), Oakland (OAK) and San Louis Obispo (SLO) are all just a little further way if you need other options.

Rental Car – You will also need to rent a car while you’re there. Don’t forget to use Autoslash to track the price of your rental.

Pro Tip – I would recommend flying in the night before and staying at a hotel near the airport. This way you can take your time driving down the coast before you’re scheduled to arrive at the Ventana Big Sur.

Booking It

With Points – The Ventana Big Sur is a luxury Hyatt Alila resort. With the hotel changing to an all-inclusive resort, one night here can easily cost $2,000 when you include taxes and fees. However, this is a Category 8 hotel so you can book a standard room for only 45k World of Hyatt points per night!

Remember, you don’t pay taxes or resort fees on Hyatt award stays. When you factor in the all-inclusive offerings like food and activities, this is an incredible value! When we stayed there, we actually stayed when it was a lower category property and during a promotion so we only paid 24k points per night which made the value even more incredible!

Booking Tip – When searching for availability, I found award space for two nights. However, when I went to book it, the site said there was no award availability. I searched for the 2 nights individually and was able to find space, so I made two separate reservations and then emailed the hotel to combine our reservation. I don’t know if this was a glitch with the site but just be aware of it in case you run into a similar situation.

Paying Cash – If you choose to pay with cash be sure to use a card that gives you bonus points travel purchases. The card_name credit card gives you 4x on Hyatt purchases. Other great cards to use are the card_name or the card_name.

Parking, Check-In & Fees

Parking – The Ventana resort offers both valet and self-parking for free.

Check-In – We couldn’t wait to get there, so we requested a noon check-in. It was the first day they were open, so they were easily able to accommodate our request. The regular check-in time is at 4 pm. If you aren’t able to check-in early, you can still grab a bite to eat and explore the hotel while you wait for your room to be ready.

We were met at our car by several members of the hotel staff who helped with our luggage and showed us where to check in. During check-in they explained the all-inclusive offerings and helped us schedule any activities we wanted to try. Everyone was genuinely nice and helpful and the process was seamless.

Service Charge – If you paid for your stay with cash, a $90 per day service charge is added to your rate. This fee is meant to cover most gratuities for the staff. If you pay for your stay with points, this fee is not charged to your room.

Pets – The Ventana Big Sur is a dog-friendly hotel. A per stay fee of $150 is charged and they will provide you with a dog bed and water bowl for your room.

The Room

The Ventana Big Sur only has 59 total rooms and suites. Reward stays are booked into standard rooms at the resort. However, we were upgraded to a Big Sur suite when we checked in. The hotel was only operating at 50% capacity so I’m assuming the upgrade was a result of availability and not because of the Hyatt Discoverist status that comes with the card_name.

The rooms are spread out over several buildings throughout the property. Our suite was at the far end of the property next to the Mountain pool.

The resort grounds are immaculately kept and almost all of the rooms are located down a single path from the Social House where you check-in.

Some rooms will face the beautiful mountains and forest. Others, depending on the location, will have a view of the ocean.

The room was spacious and decorated in a beautiful rustic mountain cabin theme. There room had a king bed and it was the most comfortable hotel bed I’ve slept on in an incredibly long time.

In front of the bed was a sitting area with two leather chairs in front of a wood burning fire place. The hotel provides each room with multiple fire kits. Simply place the bag of wood in the fire place and then light it with a match. It’s a wonderful way to relax at the end of the day.

The opposite side of the room has a large bath tub to relax in. Next to it is a spacious shower with a rain shower head. I loved the

Next to the bathtub is a large two sink vanity with plenty of room to get ready.

Out the back door is a large balcony overlooking the ocean. The balcony had a sitting area with a hammock and I definitely spent my fair share of time relaxing out there.

Dining

The Sur House – The main restaurant at the Ventana Big Sur is the Sur House. It’s a gorgeous location with outdoor seating that overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

To get there, you can either walk along a beautiful trail that’s about 1/4 mile long or they’ll drive you there in one of the hotel’s enclosed golf carts.

You can enjoy both breakfast and dinner here and the food was absolutely spectacular! We enjoyed  a 6 course meal the first night and then a juicy steak the next night. The kitchen was slow the first night but that was to be expected because it was their first night open as an all-inclusive property. Our server was fantastic and beyond friendly. The entire team really made dining there an unforgettable experience.

Casual Dining – Throughout the day you can enjoy outdoor dining located next to the Meadow Pool. There are several delicious options to choose from so you should try as many as you can while you’re there.

You can also enjoy a bite to eat from the lounge chairs by the pools or on the lawn overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

In-Room Dining – The hotel also offers in-room dining that you can order from a tablet in your room. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast each morning from the comfort of our bed.

Amenities

Being an all-inclusive resort, the Ventana Big Sur also offers several wonderful amenities you can enjoy. While not a complete list, here are some of the highlights. Unfortunately, due to world events at the time, several of the amenities were closed while we were there so I wasn’t able to take a picture of those.

Pools – The hotel has two large pools that are both kept at a comfortable temperature year round. Each pool has plenty of seating and umbrellas to keep you comfortable throughout the day.

Hot Tub – There’s a gorgeous infinity-edge hot tub by the Meadow Pool that I could sit in all day.

Japanese Baths – There’s a bath house by the Mountain Pool that’s open 24 hours. I think the infinity hot tub is a much better location but the Japanese Baths are open 24 hours. There’s no roof on the facility so it can be a fun place for some late night stargazing. The baths were closed while we were there, so I’m taking the staff at their word.

Picnic Lunch – You can enjoy a delicious picnic lunch overlooking the ocean or in the Redwood forest. You can schedule this with the hotel a few days before you arrive.

S’mores – Each night you have the opportunity to roast s’mores in the Redwoods.  It’s a fun way to end each night of your stay.

Fitness Center – Next to the bath house is a small fitness center if you like to exercise while you’re on vacation. I can barely exercise at home so I wasn’t planning on trying it out. Fortunately, it was closed while we were there so I didn’t feel too guilty about trying all of the food options and then sitting by the pool.

Spa Alila – The hotel has a full service spa that offers several treatment options. The spa was also closed so we weren’t able to enjoy it while we were there.

Hiking & Yoga – There are hiking trails around the property that make a perfect afternoon walk. Each morning the resort offers complimentary yoga classes. I took the trail around the hotel which was gorgeous. As you can imagine from earlier comment about exercising, I didn’t partake in the yoga classes.

Social Hour – Each afternoon in the Social House there’s a social hour where you can enjoy a drink of the day and mingle with other guests.

Do You Need More Points?

Is the Ventana Big Sur now on your bucket list but you don’t have enough points to stay there? Hyatt is a transfer partner with Chase, so it’s easier than you think to earn enough points. You can leverage your existing Chase cards to quickly earn points or you can add a new card to your wallet that has a great welcome bonus. Here are a couple suggestions.

World of Hyatt – The card_name is a great card to have for Hyatt stays. bonus_miles_full

card_name – The card_name card is the travel card I recommend most often for beginners. bonus_miles_full These points can be transferred easily to your World of Hyatt account.

card_name – The card_name card is an excellent card for frequent travelers. bonus_miles_full These points are also transferable to your World of Hyatt account.

Final Thoughts

The Ventana Big Sur is definitely one of the best hotels I’ve ever visited. The staff, food, accommodations and amenities were top notch and the location was incredible! When you add in that you can pay for your stay using Hyatt points, it’s an absolute steal. If you’ve ever wanted to visit Big Sur, this is where you need to stay. Have you stayed here before? Leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought.

The post The Alila Ventana Big Sur Is Worth Every Point appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

I was born and raised in Huntington Beach, so I have had plenty of experience showing people around the city.  Whether you’re here on a family vacation, a couple’s getaway there’s plenty of things to do for everyone to enjoy.

Location & Getting There

Huntington Beach is located about 30 miles south of Los Angeles in Orange County so it’s really easy to get there.  I would recommend flying into either Long Beach (LGB) or Orange County (SNA) but you’ll generally find lower fares into Los Angeles (LAX).  My favorite airport to fly into is Long Beach because it’s generally the least crowded and it just “feels” like California.

When booking your flights, maximize your purchase by using a credit card that gives you bonus points on travel purchases.  A couple of my favorites are the card_name, card_name or the card_name.

Regardless of where you fly into, you’ll probably want to rent a car while you’re in town unless you’re planing on staying downtown the entire time.  If you do rent a car, you’ll want to take a look at what I think is the easiest way to save money on car rentals.

Once you get there, I would recommend staying close to downtown.  There are some fantastic hotels where you can redeem your points or there’s some fantastic vacation rentals in the area.  The ambiance of Main Street is really something special.  Again, be sure you use a credit card that rewards for travel purchases so you can earn as many points possible to use on your next vacation.

The Beach

By The Pier – Of course, my top recommendation of things to do is to visit Huntington Beach and the Pier.  My kids could easily spend several days just playing in the ocean and building sand castles.  If you’re not staying downtown, there’s plenty of parking along PCH or in lots along the beach.  I would recommend picking a spot close to the pier because there are plenty of amenities to enjoy close by.

Alternative Spots – If you are looking for a quieter spot to enjoy the beach at, I would move a little further north to 17th Street.  This section of the beach is generally less crowded than by the pier.  You can park across the street in the neighborhood for free.  There’s an intersection at 17th Street where you can easily and safely cross PCH.  If you have a dog, they’re allowed on the beach starting around 21st Street, so you can park here as well and just walk the rest of the way.

Local Tip – Here’s a local restaurant recommendation if you plant your umbrella down this way.  If you’re looking for great Mexican food, there’s a small place called Fiesta Grill that’s walking distance from here.  It’s located in a small strip center on the corner of 17th & Orange, which is about 3 small blocks inland from the beach.  We use to eat here all the time when we lived by the beach.  There’s also a small convenience store in the shopping center if you’re looking for a place to refill your cooler.

Bonfires – One of my favorite things to do at the beach was have a bonfire at night.  There are hundreds of fire rings all along the beach that you can use for free.  They’re first come, first served, so be sure to snag on earlier in the day if you’re going to have a bonfire.  If you want to spoil your taste buds, fill a metal trash can with ocean water and cook corn on the cob in it over the bonfire.  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Huntington Beach Pier

No visit to the beach would be complete without a walk down the Huntington Beach Pier.  When you get to the end, treat yourself to an ice cream cone at Rudy’s while you enjoy the ocean breeze.  The pier is a great place to watch the surfers carve up the waves.  If you want to try your fishing you can fish along the pier and you don’t even need a fishing license.

Other Activities – There are a lot of things you can do down by the pier.  There are several beach volleyball courts, that are free to use and the city even provides volleyballs to use.  One of my favorite things to do is ride a bike along the bike path that goes on for miles.  There are a few places by the pier where you can rent one for a few hours or all day.  They also have pedal carts to rent that are great if you have smaller children or if don’t want to sit on a bike seat for hours.

Downtown Huntington

Downtown Huntington Beach is full of great restaurants and local shops to visit.  If you’re looking for that perfect souvenir, there are dozens of fun shops filled with wonderfully unique items.  There are also a ton of great local restaurants to enjoy.  Whether you’re visiting for the day, or spending a week at the beach, there’s always something new and delicious to try.

Also, on Tuesday nights, they shut down the first few blocks on Main Street to host a farmer’s market and street fair.  You can buy delicious produce as well as enjoy the various street performers and other activities going on.

Annual Events

Each year Hunting Beach hosts several events that are unique and fun for the whole family to enjoy.  Here are a few of my favorites.

US Open of Surfing – There’s a reason Huntington Beach is the surfing capital of the world.  Each year at the end of July, the world’s best surfers descend on Huntington for the world’s largest surfing competition.  The event is free to attend so you’ll want to get there early because it can get extremely crowded.

The Great Pacific Airshow – Around the first weekend in October, Huntington Beach hosts the annual Great Pacific Airshow.  Each year some of the world’s top aviation performers fill the skies with incredible performances.  The line up for the air show will change a little each year.  However, some of the past performers have included the Blue Angles, the USAF Thunderbirds and the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team.

The event is free but get there early because the beach can get packed.  I would recommend sitting on the south side of the pier for the best views.  They VIP section is set up there so that’s where the focal point of the show is.

Beachcruiser Meet – At the end of March, dozens of classic cars flock to Main Street for this annual competition.  If you love vintage cars, this is the place to be.

4th of July – Each year the city hosts an Independence Day parade that marches down the streets of downtown Huntington Beach.  Filled with floats, marching bands and others, this is a great way to celebrate our Nation’s independence.  Later that night, fireworks fill the sky for all to enjoy.

Outdoor Activities

Surfing Lessons – You’re visiting the surfing capital of the world, so you might as well give it a shot.  There are several companies that offer surfing lessons that typically last about 2 hours.

Whale Watching – Several species of whales swim up and down the coastline all year long.  There are multiple companies that operate whale watching boat tours that last about 2 hours.  While not exactly in Huntington Beach, shese tours typically leave out of Newport Beach, which is about 20 minutes south of Huntington.

Deep Sea Fishing – Another one of my favorite things to do is go deep sea fishing.  These are usually half day or full day trips so you’ll be gone most of the day.  Again, you’ll have to travel down the coast about 20 minutes to find the tour companies that operate these trips.

Bolsa Chica Wetlands – Just a few miles down PCH from Main Street is the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.  You can walk along the trails and find numerous types of birds and other wildlife.  If you stick around until the evening, it’s a great place to enjoy the sunset.

And here are some other easy and affordable ideas to do while you’re visiting Huntington Beach.

Parking

Most of the parking around Huntington Beach and Main Street can be found in paid lots or metered parking along the streets.  Generally the lots charge $2.00 per hour with a daily maximum of $15.00.  The meters also charge $2.00 per hour but you can now pay with a credit card at most of the meters.  Keep in mind if you’re in town for a special event, the rates will increase on those day.

The only free parking is in the neighborhoods north of Main Street.  You’ll need to get there early on the weekends or it can be very difficult to find a parking spot.  Be aware, during the week there’s street sweeping on select days throughout the city.  If you’re parked on the street when the sweeper comes by, they’ll issue you a parking ticket.  Due to limited parking, street sweeping will also vary depending on the side of the street you’re on.  There are signs posted on every street telling you when this occurs.  Just be sure to check the signs before you park your car.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a great beach vacation but don’t want to travel all the way to Hawaii, plan a trip to Huntington Beach.  Whether it’s relaxing on the beach, shopping or trying something adventurous, there’s something for everyone.  With so many things to do you’ll be happy you did.  If you have any questions while you’re planning your trip, leave me a comment below and I’d be happy to help!

The post Best Things To Do In Huntington Beach appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Booking

The Great Wolf Lodge is an independent hotel chain with 18 locations in the United States and Canada.  Great Wolf has its own loyalty program, so you aren’t able to redeem points with other major programs for a free night here. While it’s not the best value, you can use points you have earned with credit cards that have the “price erase” feature.  Cards like the card_name give you the option to receive a statement credit towards travel purchases at the rate of 1 cent per point.  For example, a $100 statement credit would require you to redeem 10,000 of your points.

When I stay at hotels where I can’t earn points with major hotel or airline partners, I will book my stay using Hotels.com.  Their reward program allows you to earn free nights on virtually any hotel stay.   Hotels.com’s reward programs gives you a free night after you book 10 nights directly with them.  The free night you earn is valued at 10% of the cost of the 10 nights you booked through them.

Regardless of where you decide to book your stay, you’ll want to maximize the number of points you earn on your vacation. Be sure to use a credit card that gives you bonus points on your travel purchases.  My favorite is the card_name.  You can read all about why I love this card here. If you travel a lot, you may also want to consider the card_name or the card_name.

Hotel Location

The Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim is actually located in Garden Grove, right on the border of Anaheim.  It’s 3 miles directly south of Disneyland on Harbor Boulevard.  If you’re planning to go to Disneyland, they do offer a free shuttle to the parks.  However, when you’re at the park I would strongly recommend staying at one of the many other options in the area.  Not only are they closer to the parks but you can redeem your points for free nights at many of them.

The closest airport to the Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim is the Orange County Airport (SNA) which is about 11 miles away.  Another great option that’s just a little bit further, is the Long Beach Airport (LGB).  It’s a lot less crowded and I’ve usually been able to find reward flights there when there’s no availability to Orange County.

While there are several dining options at the Great Wolf Lodge, there are numerous fast food and other restaurants close by as well.  This can be really beneficial if you’re on a budget, have picky eaters, or just want to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather.  If you’ll be renting a car, take a look at this easy way to save money on car rentals.

Check-In

As you probably guessed from the name, the Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim is decorated to have a mountain lodge feel.  The lobby was incredibly spacious and had a giant sitting area opposite the front desk.

The day before you arrive, they will email you to give you the option to complete the check-in process before arriving.  If you do this at least an hour before arriving, you can bypass the front desk and collect your wristbands for the water park when you arrive.  Check-in is at 4pm but you can arrive as early as 1pm to begin using the water park.  We arrived at noon and hand no problem getting our wristbands a little early

The adults’ wristbands also double as your room key.  Once your room is ready, they’ll text you your room number.  When you’re ready for a break from the water slides, you can head up and unpack.

One great feature that I really liked about the Great Wolf Lodge is that you can use the water park the entire day you’re leaving.  While you have to be out of your room by 11am, you can ride the slides and play until the park closes that night.

Fees

One thing to be aware of is that the Great Wolf Lodge charges a daily resort fee when you stay there.  While it varies by location, the resort fee at the Anaheim location was $34.99 per night.  There are several reasons why I hate resort fees but there two big ones.

First, they’re not optional.  If you don’t plan on using the “services” included in the fee, you still have to pay for them.  Second, the services typically include in the fee are for things you won’t ever use.  A few examples are the ability to use the hotel fax machine or making local calls from the phone in your room.  Does anyone even do that anymore?  And the one thing almost everyone does, which is park your car, isn’t included in the resort fee.  That will cost you an extra $20 per night at this location.

The Rooms

While each location varies in size, the Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim has over 600 rooms.  They had both standard hotel rooms with one or two beds as well as larger suites that are perfect for families.  I have a family of 7 so we booked a themed suite that could accommodate up to 8 guests.

The room had a queen sized bed, a sofa bed, as well as this fun little room with bunk beds.  My younger kids thought the bunk bed room equipped with its own TV was the best thing they had ever seen.

While the little “kid’s cabin” was a fun touch, the rest of the room was pretty average.  Each room comes with a microwave and a mini fridge that can be useful if you’re staying for more than a night.  There’s also a small table in the corner as well as a flat screen TV mounted on the wall.  The bathroom was basic and very similar to what you would get at a larger chain’s hotel that caters to business travelers.

Dining

There are 9 different dining options inside the Great Wolf Lodge, so there was something for everyone.  At the high end is their signature restaurant Lodge Wood Fired Grill which serves everything from steaks to macaroni and cheese.

You also have several casual dining options to choose from.  One option is the Loose Moose Family Kitchen which serves buffet-style meals throughout the day.  There is also a pizza parlor, an ice cream shop and a donut store for breakfast.  If you don’t feel like leaving the water park to eat, the Buckets Incredible Craveables is located right inside.

The prices for each dining option were typical for what you would find at most resorts.  If you book your room directly through the hotel, you have the option to purchase a meal plan at a reduced rate.

Water Park

The biggest amenity and the reason why everyone visits the Great Wolf Lodge, is the giant indoor water park.  Entrance to the water park is included in the price of the stay for all registered guests.  If you have family or friends who would like to join you at the water park, you can purchase a day pass for an additional charge.  The prices will vary each day but when we were there, a day pass was $55 per person.  At this price, your friends would be better off staying at the resort with you.

The water park has 14 slides, four pools and other activities, so there’s something for everyone.  They keep the inside of the water park set at a warm 84 degrees all year.  While you definitely won’t feel chilly, it can get a little humid.  They also provide free life jackets for your children if you need them.

At the center of the water park is a large water fort that looks like a treat house.  Designed for younger children, there are water slides and other activities that will keep them busy for hours.  They also have a designated area for children under 48 inches where they play in pools and on small slides designed just for them.

In the back corner of the water park is the tower leading to all of the larger slides.  About half of the slides require inner tubes that range from 1 to 4 passengers.  These can be a lot of fun to ride as a family.  They even have a slide that’s more of a thrill ride.  You start by standing in a tube and the bottom falls out from under you to get you started.  This was a couple of my kids’ favorite slide.

They is also a lazy river, a wave pool, and a boogey board wave rider.  My youngest especially loved the wave rider.

Other Amenities

The Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim had several other amenities you can enjoy during your visit to the resort.  They have activities for the kids, a miniature bowling alley and a large arcade.

If you have any energy leftover after a day at the water park, there’s a fitness center on the second floor.

Final Thoughts

The Great Wolf Lodge in Anaheim was definitely a great experience.  Everyone loved it and by the end of two full days at the water park, we were all exhausted.  While the rooms were average, when considering the use of the water park, I thought it was a good value for the price we paid.  Personally, I wouldn’t stay here any longer than I thought we could enjoy the water park.  After that, I think you could find a better value elsewhere, especially when redeeming your points.

The post Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim Review appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Just like at Disney World, there are dozens of hotels close to Disneyland to choose from.  You can even stay on property at one of the Disneyland hotels.  There are several properties run by the the large hotel chains, as well as many independent hotels.  You also need to decide if you prefer a hotel with a large number of amenities, like the Great Wolf Lodge, or do you just need a comfortable place to rest your head at night.

Once you decide which type of hotel you’re looking for, it’s time to start saving you money. First, I’ll give you a few suggestions from some of the major hotel chains. Then, I’ll show you how to save money on the smaller chains and independent hotels, including the Disneyland hotels, using your points.  Finally, I’ll show you how to boost your points balance if you’re a little short for your next Disney vacation.

Hyatt Hotels Near Disneyland

Hyatt hotels are some of the best to book using your credit card points.  They offer some of the best value so you typically can get the most bang for your buck here.  One quick way to earn points is with Chase’s World of Hyatt credit card.  Plus, Hyatt is a transfer partner of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, so the points are pretty easy to come by.

One thing I love about the Hyatt program is that you don’t have to pay any resort fees on award reservation.  This can save you even more money on your lodging!  Keep in mind that Hyatt will move to a peak/off peak pricing structure in 2020 so the points needed will vary some once that goes into affect.  If you have Hyatt points, here are a few hotel options to consider. To be able to travel to such locations, it’s a prerequisite to schedule infopass appointment and the like.

Hyatt House Anaheim Resort – In my opinion, this is one of the best Disneyland hotels your can book with points.  The Hyatt House is a category 4 property and requires only 15,000 points per night.  The hotel is only a short walk away from the Disneyland gates, the rooms have a kitchen and your stay comes with breakfast.

Hyatt Place Anaheim Resort – This is another good option but this hotel is a little further down Harbor Blvd.  The walk will be a little longer or it’s a short Uber ride away.  This is a category 3 hotel so you’ll only need 12,000 points per night here.

Hyatt Regency Orange County – This hotel is even further away so I personally wouldn’t recommend walking from this location.  They do offer a shuttle to Disneyland but I wouldn’t recommend taking it.  We stayed here once and we waited a long time for the shuttle and it was always crowded or full.  I would recommend taking an Uber instead.  To stay here, you’ll only need 12,000 points per night as well.

Disneyland Marriott Hotel Options

Marriott hotel points are some of the easiest to come by.  They are a transfer partner of several credit card and airline point currencies.  While I wouldn’t recommend transferring a large amount of points to the Bonvoy program, this flexibility will come in handy if you are a couple thousand short of getting a free night.  These hotels are also a great option for redeeming one of your free night certificates as well.  If you need extra Bonvoy points, consider looking into the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card.

Fairfield Inn Anaheim Resort – If you’re looking for location, this is one of the bests.  The Fairfield is located directly across the street from the front gates.  While this hotel doesn’t offer a free breakfast, there is a McDonald’s next door that comes in handy.  To stay here, you’ll need about 35,000 points per night on average.

Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – This hotel is one of the best for families to stay at.  The Courtyard is located across the street from Disneyland, has larger rooms with bunk beds and a fun water park which is a great combination if you’re traveling with younger kids.  The price reflects the wonderful amenities so you’ll need an average of 50,000 Bonvoy points per night to stay here.

Hilton Hotel Options

Hilton has several hotel options that are close to Disneyland.  The cost per night of these hotels can vary greatly, so I would recommend looking at the cash prices first to see if that’s a better deal.  If you need extra Hilton Honors points to top off your account, take a look at the AMEX Hilton Honors Surpass credit card.

Hilton Anaheim – This property is located across Katella so it’s a short walk to the front gates.  It also has a nice pool to relax by if you plan to take a day off from the park.  You’ll usually need between 30,000 and 50,000 points per night to stay here.

Homewood Suites Anaheim Resort – This hotel is in another good location on Harbor Blvd and is about a 15 minute walk to the front gates.  You’ll also need about 30,000 – 50,000 points per night to stay here.

IHG Disneyland Hotels

There are a couple hotel options close by but there’s only one I really like.  Prices can fluctuate during busy times, so keep that in mind as well.  One thing I really like about the IHG program is that your 4th night is free on award stays if you have the IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Anaheim – This property is located right across the street from Disneyland and is one of the shortest walks to the front gates.  You stay includes a free breakfast and a decent pool which is great for families.  You can stay here for about 35,000 points per night.

Other Disneyland Hotel Options

There are several other great hotel options that aren’t one of the major chains.  These hotels may have exactly what you’re looking for (I’m looking at your Disney hotels).  With there being so many hotels in the area, sometimes you’ll find a great cash price on a room.  Other times it just makes more sense to pay cash for the room instead of using your points.  If you find yourself in one of these situations, you can still use your points to pay for your hotel rooms.

There are several credit cards that allow you to redeem your points at a fixed rate.  This will allow you to stay at some of these other hotels, take advantage of a great room rate you find and not have to worry about blackout dates.  Here are a few of the most popular credit card options that have this feature.  This will allow you to book your Disneyland hotels with points for free.

Chase Ultimate Rewards – There are a few Chase cards that earn Ultimate Rewards that give you this option. Two of the best cards are the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve.  The Sapphire Preferred card lets you redeem your points at a fixed rate of 1.25 cents per point while the Sapphire Reserve card redeems at a rate of 1.5 cents per point.  Simply book your hotel through the Chase travel portal and it will give you the option to use your points to pay for the room.

Capital One® Venture® Rewards – The Capital One Venture Rewards card (learn how to apply here) has a feature called the Purchase Eraser that allows you to use your points for hotel stays.  The Purchase Eraser allows you to take a statement credit on any travel purchase at a rate of 1 cent per point.  After you book your hotel, log into your Capital One account and choose to use your points to offset the cost of your purchase.  These points can also be used for your park tickets if you purchase them through an agency, like Get Away Today, that classifies your purchases as “travel”.

AMEX Membership Rewards – American Express also gives you the ability to use your points to pay for hotels.  You can earn membership rewards with cards like the AMEX Gold or AMEX Platiunum cards.  However, the redemption rate they give you to do this is pretty poor.  I would strongly recommend using your Membership Rewards points in a different way.

Boosting Your Points Balance

Are you a few points shy of being able to book your Disneyland hotels with points?  One of the best ways to goose your balance is with a credit card welcome bonus.  Here are a few options that give you the most flexibility and can get you there quickly.  If you’re looking for a cobranded credit card for a specific chain, here are the best current hotel credit card offers.

Chase Sapphire Preferred – The Sapphire Preferred card is giving new card members a 60,000 point welcome bonus after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of opening their account.  This bonus is worth at least $750 towards your hotel costs.  When you have this card, you can combine your points with other cards that earn Ultimate Rewards to earn points faster.

Capital One Venture Rewards – This card is a good option to pay for your hotels, as well as your park tickets if purchased through a qualifying agency.  Right now new card members will get a 50,000 point bonus after spending $3,000 within 3 months (learn how to apply here).  This bonus is worth $500 when redeemed for travel with the Purchase Eraser.

Final Thoughts

We all know Disney vacations can be expensive but don’t let that stop you from going.  Paying for your hotels at Disneyland with points can greatly reduce your costs and make the trip possible.  You can even brag to your friends that you stayed at one of Disney’s hotels for free!  It doesn’t matter what type of hotel you’re looking for, there’s an option for everyone.

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