Visually, a fairly unremarkable hotel, included here only because a relative of mine made reservations there. Inside the registration lobby they have lighted candles, and high on the walls in the same room is a simulated window with a photograph of a Mediterranean-looking coast to give the effect of looking out a window of a European hotel, roughly the same set-up as the Hills Brothers Coffee Shop in Disneyland in the 1970s.
According to my relative, some minor drawbacks of this hotel were that there was no free continental breakfast, and Internet service was $10, not free, and the Internet service was not working for several days. Overall it was said to be a good hotel, though.
Another unique mid-century business turned into a mindless chain restaurant. And what a waste, since there is another IHOP just two blocks north of this one, across from the Disneyland entrance!
This building used to be Hansa House, which was around for decades and dated back to the 1960s, and was in business as recently as 2003. But by 2006 it turned into this chain pancake house, and the Scandinavian friezes and theme were all destroyed.
Fortunately I was able to eat at Hansa House in 2003 and to take several photos of its interior and exterior before it was changed, although I don't have my own photos currently available. This restaurant is on the east side of Harbor Boulevard, just south of Katella Avenue, visible from the corner of Harbor & Katella.
The way it used to be... March 2002: Hansa House had a Scandinavian theme and had been around since the 1960s. Photo courtesy of Chaz Boston Baden [4-3-07].
Hansa House [1977] |
Another unremarkable mega-hotel with little character. I went to a Disneyana convention here in 2002, in a room off the ground floor entrance. The strawberry fields of Fujishige Farm were right across the street from the hotel lobby, and I bought much Disneyland ephemera on that visit. This used to be The Inn At The Park, another tall hotel.
In the 1970s I had a roommate who worked at The Inn At The Park, who had many stories to tell about the Hispanic workers. The hotel used to throw a big dance every Christmas (as did the Disneyland Hotel), and my white roommate was a big hit with the Hispanic ladies, all of whom wanted to dance with him. I tried to get a job at this hotel back then, but the hotel had a policy against hiring friends, since if one friend quit they assumed the other would quit, too. Strangely, usually the exact opposite policy is used nowadays in most businesses when hiring people.
According to Synthetrix, before this hotel was called The Inn at the Park it was called Royal Inn.
The way it used to be... The Inn At The Park, now called the Sheraton Park Hotel. Photo courtesy of Synthetrix [4-1-07].
The Inn At The Park [1978] |
Created: February 24, 2007
Updated: May 5, 2007