Residence Inn by Marriott Anaheim Brea

The location just off the 57 made it easy for us to get to Anaheim and around the surrounding area. We were here for four nights for a competition and would stay again. Our room was quiet, clean, and well stocked. The hotel was clean too, the staff were friendly, and breakfast each morning was decent.

The room was clean and in good repair, and the hotel is fairly new. Its spot is convenient for getting around Brea and Fullerton. Staff were pleasant much of the time, though there were several times I walked in and got ignored. It didn’t bother me much, and nobody was rude. I don’t mind that there’s no daily housekeeping. But I was told there’d be a refresh on day three, and I did need soap and tissues restocked. It never happened. When I stopped at the desk to ask, then went to get the items myself, the man there didn’t apologize or explain what went wrong. The thermostat was another issue. After getting through three airports, the rental car desk, and the 405, I figured I could choose a comfortable temperature overnight. The room wouldn’t go below 68, and the same desk employee said that couldn’t be changed. At $200 a night, I expect to set the temperature I want.

The location is the one good thing I can say about this property. The rooms, service, management, and billing were all unacceptable, and I’d strongly advise avoiding it. I’m a Marriott Platinum Elite member and have stayed at dozens of Marriott properties, but this was the worst Residence Inn I’ve experienced. If Stephanie McGuire is still managing it, I believe you’ll be treated badly, especially if you’re a minority. Billing was concerning too. I paid the full $960 on the first day, then later got a notification that the hotel had tried to charge another $400. I’d overheard another guest at the desk asking about unexplained extra charges, which made me more uneasy. From the first day, our room was filthy and had ants and spiders in the kitchen, on the bed, and around the room. My girlfriend was bitten in her sleep, and I found ants on myself in the shower. Dog food and personal belongings from the previous guest were still there when we checked in. To me, that showed the room hadn’t been properly cleaned before we arrived. This is a health concern, not just poor housekeeping. I asked specifically for a deep clean because of the ants, but nothing happened after several attempts until I contacted the assistant manager. Someone was finally sent up, but they only changed the towels and made the bed. That same night, ants were crawling on the bed again. I showed General Manager Stephanie McGuire a video of ants on the bed. She offered 5,000 points, which didn’t address the pest problem or health hazard. I felt she showed no concern or empathy and didn’t care. She was dismissive and unprofessional, and didn’t respond until checkout day. The assistant manager was the only decent person and at least tried to help, but it didn’t solve anything.

The rooms were spacious and clean. I was here for work, but the suites are laid out well for families, so I’d bring mine back on a Disneyland trip. The bar was average; the continental breakfast was better than average.