Why the Knotts Berry Farm Hotel is perfect for Families

June 30, 2017 Margalit Sturm Francus

If you find yourself visiting the area of Buena Park, California, be sure to stay at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel. It is full of quality amenities and right next door to Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park. Your kids will enjoy the pool, splash zone, and mouthwatering food.We spent the night there and agreed it is perfet for families.

Located at 7675 Crescent Ave, Buena Park, Calif. 90620, the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel boasts itself as a deluxe property with 320 rooms. One wing of the hotel is dubbed the Snoopy Wing, with Camp Snoopy themed rooms that include a plush Snoopy doll your child can take home with them.
The hotel has an entrance that leads into Knott’s Berry Farm Park and provides a convenient stay for anyone visiting other Buena pPark attractions like Soak City, Medieval Times or the Pirate Show.

Why it is great for families

We discovered there are several features that make this hotel an excellent choice for families. The fact that it is next to the park is an obvious perk. The hotel has plenty of parking which included in the price of your room. The pool, splash zone, gym and basketball courts offer diversions and rest. There is, of course, free internet and WiFi.

The biggest plus for us was that they were the most accommodating hotel we’ve experienced for meeting the requirements of my son’s allergies and autism.

Can be improved

There were only a couple of things that could have been better. During busy times, the elevators were packed, so it can take some time to get up to your room. Also, most rooms won’t hold more than four people.
Roll-away beds are not available for most rooms, so if you have more than four family members, you’ll have to book connecting rooms.

Cost

The property’s standard room with two queen beds starts at about $99 per night. A Camp Snoopy room with two queens starts at around $159 per night. Room choices also include an oversized standard queen room and various configurations of connecting rooms. Discounted rates are available for Passholders and AARP members.

However, these rates do not include parking or the breakfast buffet. With these features included it runs $149.50 and $209.50 per night respectively.

There are some other hotel packages available depending on what you want to do.
The 1-Day Ticket Package includes a 1-day park pass for either Knott’s Berry Farm Park or Soak City for each registered guest. However, it does not include breakfast. The Classic Package includes both the ticket for each guest and breakfast. Lastly, there is the Supreme Package which includes all of the previous amenities plus one dinner for each guest off of a select menu.

How we were welcomed

Check -in starts at around 4 pm. However, many people arrive in the morning, park at the hotel (they will verify your reservation for that night and let you in,) and spend the day at the park. If you give the front desk your mobile number, they will even text you if your room is ready early!

At booking, I requested a quiet and feather free room to accommodate our son’s autism and allergies. The manager made sure we got a quiet room facing the gardens and had the housekeeping staff go, and double check everything.

We arrived at 4 PM and saw a couple of people in line. This didn’t surprise us since the hotel was fully booked that night for Halloween festivities. What was wonderful though was that they had characters dressed up as zombies to walk around and entertain the waiting guests in the lobby. We spent the time we waited in line to take selfies with the zombies. In the morning Snoopy himself makes appearances which are perfect for the kids!

Hotel decor

The lobby has a modern design with neutral hues. It is spacious, with plenty of sitting areas.When we visited, the area was filled Halloween decorations.

So, how was our room?

Our room was on the fourth floor. It was a nice size room for a family of four. We particularly liked that there was enough room on both sides of each bed.

Our son loved the Snoopy stuffed animal he found in his bed! We did hear about the option of having Snoopy visit guests in their hotel room in the morning or night time but didn’t schedule it this time.

There was a small desk off to the side as well as a large chest of drawers with a 42″ TV on top. The room was pretty typical. Functional yet comfortable. The room had plenty of light with three different area lamps. There was a large window that can open, but only a crack to let air through.

The room had a wall air conditioning unit below the window. Unfortunately, it was somewhat noisy, and no matter how you adjusted it, it blew air right across the beds. This was not ideal for my son. Since it bothered him, we turned it off at night. We did notice there were not a lot of outlets, so you might want to bring a power strip.

The closet was large enough for suitcases and clothing for a family of four. Inside it, we found plenty of hangers and floor space for additional shopping bags. There was also a room safe for any valuables you want to lock up.

Our bathroom

The bathroom, in neutral beige tones, had in two sections. The counter and sink area and the curtained tub and toilet area with a locking door. We appreciated this layout since it made the sink area accessible even if someone needed to shower or use the commode.

Top of the line service

We thought the hotel service was excellent!
It started with the front desk manager who accommodated us and put us in a quiet room facing the garden as per our request. When we called and requested extra soap and towels, housekeeping arrived less than ten minutes later.
Overall, the staff was prompt, courteous, and accommodating

Other hotel amenities

Knott’s Berry Hotel features, of course, a pool with chaise lounges around it and free towels for hotel guests.
If you want a relaxing time to make sure to go to the pool during the morning hours when most guests are visiting the parks.We thought the kids’ splash zone next to the main pool was a great idea.
Across from the pool, we saw a basketball court and two tennis courts. Also, the property has a fitness center for those wishing to exercise before or after visiting the theme parks.
Also, the hotel also has a gift shop to buy any sundries you forget or little souvenirs.

Dining options

The Knotts Berry Farm Hotel has a sit-down restaurant called Amber Waves. It serves American bistro grub and is open throughout the day. We enjoyed their breakfast buffet before heading into the theme park. The buffet features the typical fare of scrambled eggs, sausage patties, bacon, french toast, cereal, cut up fruit and pastries.
Families with picky eaters can go to the nearby Knott’s Marketplace for other options like TGI Fridays or Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant for lunch and dinner. Moreover, there are many other restaurants nearby, including Johnny Rockets, Claim Jumper, and IHOP.

Autism Travel Tips

Families seeking quiet rooms should request a top floor room facing the garden. They are happy to accommodate.
The room does have a wall air conditioning unit which is close to one of the beds. If your child is temperature sensitive, you need to know it blows right across the bed no matter how you angle it.

The safety latch on the windows was a very nice feature with kids in the room. It allows it open just a crack for air flow.The bathtub did not have any anti-slip feature, so you might want to bring your own for safety.