We stayed at JW Marriott Anaheim from July 17ā24 and while the hotel is modern and the rooms are spacious, our overall experience didnāt live up to the 5-star label. The rooftop barāone of the key amenities we were excited forāwas unexpectedly inaccessible without a reservation, which was never mentioned by staff during check-in or orientation. Both Seth and Joy had highlighted the rooftop as a major perk, but never once said reservations were needed. When we tried to go up, we were denied access and told it was in a text they had sentāsomething we felt should have been clearly explained in person, not hidden in fine print.
To the hotelās credit, management did follow up: Duncan reached out and offered us Executive Lounge access for the fireworks and complimentary breakfast (which we appreciated and used for two days). The director, Cindy, also invited us back to the rooftop bar, but we declined based on our initial experience.
Valet service was excellent (although being $70 a day is ludicrous), and the front staffāincluding Seth and Joyāwere kind and welcoming at first. That said, the hotel just doesnāt deliver a true 5-star experience, especially at nearly $400/night when you include daily parking and resort fees, There are other hotels nearby with similar amenities at a better value. One and done for us.