Welcome to the true definition of a value resort at Disneyland Paris! Disney Hotel Santa Fe is what Disney’s All-Star Resorts or Art of Animation would look like if they were transported to France. The design is simple, restaurants are okay and you get a Starbucks - think handy options instead of luxury. This is a Cars-themed, Disney-inspired resort with one clear objective: helping you save money while keeping you close to Disneyland Paris. And in that regard, it (mostly) succeeds.
What we like about Disney Hotel Santa Fe
If you are considering Disney Hotel Santa Fe, you probably have a clear goal: save as much money as possible while staying close to Disneyland Paris. And hey, there is nothing wrong with that, as money is, as we learned from an early age, a pretty good thing. Plus, saving money means more chances to buy Mickey ice cream bars at the parks, so there is that.
Hotel Santa Fe is the cheapest Disneyland Resort at Disneyland Paris, with rooms often starting around $200. It is actually tricky to find the exact room price on the official website, since prices usually come bundled with theme park tickets, which makes the hotels look more expensive than they really are. If you check sites like Booking.com, Expedia or reach out to us here at Famvia, a room will usually start around $180, though $200 to $250 is more common, and rates can be higher during Christmas or other special holidays. Our recommendation is to book well in advance and contact us so we can help find the best price for you and your family.
There is an all you can eat Mexican buffet called La Cantina and an on-site bar, but the most useful dining spot is actually the Starbucks. Well, not the best, but probably the one you are going to use the most. Starbucks are not that common in Disneyland Paris, but you can find one at Disney Village, Disney Hotel Cheyenne, and Disney Hotel Santa Fe. The good news is that the Starbucks here is less crowded than the one at Disney Village, so you can wake up early, grab your coffee, and enjoy it during the 20-minute walk to the theme parks.
Disney Hotel Santa Fe is the farthest Disney Resort from the theme park, but it’s still a cozy 20 minute walk from the gates.
By now, you probably have an idea of what to expect from Disney Hotel Santa Fe. This is a perfectly acceptable Disneyland Paris resort for those who want to stay inside the Disney bubble, especially if you are planning a longer vacation near Mickey that lasts more than three days. The rooms are comfortable, and the staff is excellent. If your stay is shorter than that, there are better options, particularly since this resort has a few details that you need to pay attention to.
What we don’t like about Disney Hotel Santa Fe
The biggest letdown of this resort is that rooms do not have air conditioning. This can be a deal breaker for many guests, so we thought it was important to mention first. I definitely do not recommend staying at this hotel during the summer. This issue is becoming more significant over the years as major heat waves have been hitting Europe. Even though rooms do have ceiling fans, the lack of air conditioning is a major problem that rules out this hotel for many people.
I also don’t think this is the best bang-for-your-buck resort, especially considering that Disney Hotel Cheyenne exists. Hotel Cheyenne is only slightly more expensive than Hotel Santa Fe, and sometimes can even be cheaper if you book well in advance. Plus, Cheyenne rooms have air conditioning, there is an on-site Starbucks, the theming is better and it is a bit closer to the theme parks. If you have the choice between the two, close your eyes and go with Hotel Cheyenne.
That is another problem with Santa Fe: the hotel just looks boring. The rooms are themed after Cars, but from the outside, they look like boxes clustered together. Hotel Cheyenne, on the other hand, looks like a super cool Wild West town lost in time, even if the rooms are not much better. For children, Hotel Cheyenne wins hands down.
Conclusion
Hotel Santa Fe is the cheapest resort at Disneyland Paris, but it might not be worth it most of the time. For just a few more bucks, you can stay at the much better Hotel Cheyenne, where rooms have air conditioning, the theming is stronger, and you are a bit closer to the theme parks.
