We recently visited Anaheim for the Fit Expo and stayed at the Westin Anaheim Resort near Disneyland and the Convention Center. We booked one night through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) and a second night directly through Marriott, and we were lucky enough to receive a room upgrade on both nights.
We had just come from a 5-star resort in the area, so our expectations going in were calibrated and maybe even a little skeptical. We were genuinely shocked by how good everything here was. The Westin Anaheim Resort is a 4-star hotel on paper, but the experience it delivers feels more in line with what you would expect from a 5-star property. Here is our honest take on the room, pool, club lounge, and why this is probably the best hidden gem resort near the Disneyland parks.
The Room: A Spacious Studio Upgrade
Thanks to our booking strategy across both nights, we were upgraded to a massive corner studio room. The extra square footage made a noticeable difference in how comfortable the stay felt overall.
The Highlights: The room is packed with modern tech touches that feel genuinely useful rather than gimmicky. Sleek digital controls for lighting and AC, wireless chargers built directly into the furniture so you are never hunting for a cable, and a great Smart TV with full casting capability so you can stream your own shows. The bathroom features a massive walk-in shower with high-end White Tea Jasmine amenities. The overall design is clean, contemporary, and feels like someone actually cared about the guest experience when they put it together.
The Nice Surprises: Turndown service leaves a lavender balm, which is a unique and genuinely relaxing touch that we had not encountered at any other hotel. It is the kind of small detail that sticks with you. Vincent's personal favorite discovery: an actual bathroom scale. It sounds trivial, but after a week of conference food it was oddly appreciated.
The Drawbacks: The bed was a little too firm for our liking, and the pillows are very plush and soft, which led to a restless night for both of us. This is the most consistent issue we noticed across the Westin Anaheim and worth flagging. If you prefer firmer pillow support or a softer mattress, request additional bedding at check-in. Our specific room also did not face the theme parks, so if a Disneyland view is important to you, ask for one specifically when you book and confirm it again at check-in.
Maximizing Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR)
We highly recommend booking through Amex FHR if you have access to it. The Westin Anaheim is a legitimately great property to use those benefits on because the food and beverage credit goes directly toward real dining costs rather than toward incidentals or overpriced minibar items.
Here is exactly what our FHR booking included:
- $100 food & beverage credit: This covered nearly our entire Tangerine Room dinner, including an appetizer, main courses, and two cocktails. The math worked out almost perfectly.
- Free daily breakfast for two: Saved us around $35 per person each morning, which adds up quickly over a multi-night stay.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Late checkout: Gave us extra time to use the gym and pool on our departure morning without any pressure, which was genuinely appreciated.
If you have an Amex card with FHR access (Amex Platinum, Centurion, or certain premium cards), the Westin Anaheim is one of the strongest practical choices for extracting real value from those credits. The dining credit in particular lands well because the on-site restaurant and lounge are both legitimately good.
The "5-Star" Amenities
Fitness Center: One of the best hotel gyms we have seen anywhere in this price range. The space features massive high ceilings (a detail that sounds minor but makes a huge psychological difference during a workout), a full range of Matrix equipment including heavy dumbbells, a barbell station, a boxing setup, and massage guns. Everything is well-maintained and the space feels like a real fitness facility rather than an afterthought. If working out while traveling is important to you, this gym alone makes the Westin a meaningful step above the JW Marriott next door.
The Pool: A beautiful, quiet space surrounded by palm trees with a pool bar and a hot tub. It feels like a true resort oasis rather than just a hotel pool. We spent an afternoon here and it was genuinely relaxing in a way that did not feel crowded or rushed.
The Club Lounge: We broke down every service hour and the full food and drink offering in our Westin Anaheim food guide, but the single best moment in the lounge is the complimentary champagne served around 9:30 PM so guests can watch the Disneyland fireworks from the outdoor balcony. Standing outside with a glass of champagne while the fireworks explode over the park is one of those travel moments that is genuinely hard to replicate. The lounge staff is also some of the friendliest we encountered anywhere in Anaheim, and they let you take food back to your room, which is a small but meaningful flexibility.
Location: Disneyland, the Convention Center & Beyond
The Westin Anaheim Resort sits right next to the Anaheim Convention Center, which makes it a natural choice for anyone attending events there. Disneyland is a short walk or quick rideshare away. The hotel is newer than most of its neighbors, which shows in the design and the overall energy of the property.
One thing worth noting: this hotel does not connect directly to a mall the way the JW Marriott does next door. If you want variety in off-site dining or need to pick something up quickly, a quick rideshare or drive is more likely. The on-site dining at the Westin (Tangerine Room, RISE Rooftop Bar, and the club lounge) is strong enough that it mostly covers your needs, but the JW Marriott's mall connection does give it a practical edge for casual meals.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Amex FHR eligible: food and beverage credits, breakfast, late checkout, upgrade (huge value)
- Exceptional fitness center with high ceilings and full equipment range
- Beautiful resort-style pool with a relaxed atmosphere
- Club lounge with fireworks viewing and complimentary champagne
- Modern tech features in the room: wireless chargers, smart controls, casting TV
- Genuinely friendly and attentive staff throughout the property
- Lavender balm turndown service
- Lower valet pricing than the JW Marriott next door, with complimentary EV charging
Cons:
- Bed firmness and pillow plushness may affect sleep quality
- Not all rooms face the theme parks
- No direct mall connection for easy off-site dining
- Pool does not face the Disneyland parks
Is It Worth It?
Absolutely. The Westin Anaheim Resort punches well above its 4-star rating and delivers a resort experience that feels meaningfully more elevated than what the category suggests.
It is best suited for travelers who want the full resort amenity package near Disneyland, especially couples or friends who will take advantage of the lounge, the pool, the gym, and the on-site dining. The Amex FHR value is exceptional here, and if you can book that way the financial case becomes very strong.
For Marriott loyalists on a points redemption, the Westin sits within the Bonvoy ecosystem, which gives you another flexible way to book. It is also a solid choice for Fit Expo and Convention Center attendees given the location.
The main reason to choose the JW Marriott next door over this property comes down to two things: sleep comfort (the JW Marriott beds are noticeably better) and mall access for casual dining. For everything else, the Westin Anaheim is the stronger overall experience.
We would absolutely stay here again without hesitation.
Deciding between the Westin and the JW Marriott next door? See our full JW Marriott Anaheim review and our side-by-side comparison.
