Staybridge Suites Lake Forest by IHG

The wedding gathering worked out so well for our families. Rod helped us book the group, and we spent time together in the great room while all the cousins played for several days. We also used nearly every recreation activity more than once. The kids stayed busy for hours on the basketball court, ping pong was a fun surprise, and the clean, well-kept pool and hot tub always had fresh towels. The water wasn’t too chlorinated, and the hot tub temperature worked for everyone. We were there for 10 days, which gave me a real sense of the place. The hotel was incredibly clean the whole time, and our room was spotless whenever we came back from breakfast. Staff were polite and worked around guests really well. They went out of their way to help, too. The day before the wedding we needed to make dairy-free buttercream frosting for the cake, and Travis at the front desk quickly found us a commercial whisk and bowl. It was exactly what we needed, and the bride was amazed our family could pull it off with help from the hotel. Breakfast had lots of choices, with different main dishes each day. You could make a waffle or breakfast sandwich, or have yogurt and granola or cereal. They even put out rice every day, which was a thoughtful touch. Dinner was good too, and the substantial meal offered four nights a week was a big plus. They served beer and red wine with dinner as well. For a long stay, complimentary laundry was huge. They could have charged for machines, but guests could use the laundry room at no cost. The location also worked well, about 10-20 minutes from what we needed in South OC and around 30 minutes from Disney. We travel with a service dog, and the hotel was accommodating. Some guests complained about him being in the breakfast room, especially the self-service area. Before saying anything to us, the Hotel GM checked with the city of Lake Forest about what was allowed. The city gave the hotel incorrect information, so I don’t blame the staff or management. I’m confident they would have followed the ADA guidelines if the city had given them accurate guidance. I appreciated how much effort they made despite the pressure from other guests. We kept our SD out of that area to help keep the peace after the city steered the hotel wrong. If you see a service dog in the breakfast line, mind your business. The dog is allowed if under the handler’s control, and doesn’t need a vest or leash when controlled. This was a very well-deserved five stars. We’ll definitely come back when we’re in California again.