Ayres Hotel

It seems a bit incongruous to have a European-style boutique hotel in casual and sunny Anaheim, but the Ayres Hotel makes it work. The cozy lobby fireplace, oil paintings and thick rugs give it a feeling somewhere between traditional home and small castle. Ayres Hotel offers both business and leisure guests many of the comforts they often must leave at home, like a laundry room and a free hot breakfast. Take a photo tour of the Ayres Hotel Anaheim

I checked into a third floor room (the hotel has a total of four stories). My guest room was large, laid out like a junior suite, with traditional furniture in dark woods, and a 32" flat-screen TV. A small sofa and table, a wet bar with a microwave and a mini-fridge, and a table and chairs were a thoughtful convenience for longer stays. The view of the highway outside the window didn't bother me, as I was headed out to Disneyland at the first opportunity.

Wi-Fi was free in the room. The bathroom was small, with a combo tub and shower, but the vanity and closet usefully placed in a separate chamber. After a day in the parks, I slept like a rock on the Ayres Dream Sleeper pillowtop mattress.

The complimentary hot breakfast in the main dining room off the lobby was a welcome amenity. Breakfast was pretty basic (eggs, bacon, potatoes, cereal) but served with a smile and conversation by the personable chef. Dinner and room service is handled by the adjacent independent restaurant. In the evenings, complimentary wine and beer awaits in the lobby.

Just outside off the parking lot is a small swimming pool with a hot tub and a few lounge chairs; a fitness room is nearby. The business center offers free Wi-Fi, and the hotel has 1,200 square feet of meeting space. A small convenience stand is located in the lobby next to the reception desk. I appreciated the convenience of a coin-operated washer and dryer on the third and fourth floors, although change is only to be had down in the lobby.

Guests during my summertime visit were evenly split between theme park-going tourists and business travelers. Both were aided by shuttles. Disney goers could purchase a pass for the ART bus system (Anaheim Resort Transportation) at the front desk for $4 a day; after a few stops at other hotels, the bus drops off at Disney's main gate, two miles away.

The hotel has a van and offers complimentary door-to-door transportation to local offices, which I found to be a courteous and convenient service. The Honda Center is across the street; Angel Stadium is adjacent. The Grove of Anaheim and the Anaheim Convention Center are also close by.