MainStay Suites Orange County John Wayne Airport — Hotel in Santa Ana

Tldr: Avoid this hotel, they seem to try do sketchy things with your cards when you leave without communicating anything to you. Not good.

Overall, my experience here has highlighted the need for significant modernization. The recurring issue of malfunctioning room key cards has been a major source of frustration. It's incredibly inconvenient to find oneself locked out of their room repeatedly throughout the day, necessitating trips to the front desk for reactivation or replacement.

Moreover, the reliance on mag-stripe plastic key cards for security raises concerns due to their outdated technology. This is an area where an upgrade is certainly warranted to ensure guest safety.

In terms of practical considerations, the laundry facilities are available but come at a steep price of $10 per load ($5 to wash and $5 to dry). While the machines are high-capacity and efficient, the inconvenience of quarters-only payment and the cost of accessing cash through the on-site ATM, which charged $27 for $20 cash, is worth noting. Additionally, the front desk's refusal to provide change for $20 bills can be frustrating.

Safety is another important factor to consider. It's advisable not to venture out on foot at night in the vicinity of the hotel. While the hotel grounds seem safe, the surrounding area may not be, particularly for out-of-town guests. Renting a car or budgeting for Uber rides is advisable, as getting around without access to a vehicle can be challenging in Orange County.

Furthermore, the nearby Del Taco operates solely as a drive-thru at night, so it's best not to attempt walking there if you don't have a car.

On the positive side, the rooms surprised me with their spaciousness. They feature a living room area with a couch and a couch bed, alongside a separate area with beds, each equipped with its own TV. However, it's important to note that there isn't much privacy between these two areas; the room layout is essentially akin to a wide hallway.

There are also some quirks to be aware of, such as the fridge, which is larger than a typical mini-fridge but tends to leak liquid from the freezer section. Unfortunately, there's no oven or stove, and the microwave, while functional, is not very powerful.

If you're hoping for extended stay conveniences, it's worth mentioning that the hotel doesn't provide many, leaving you largely on your own in that regard.

One bright spot was the breakfast, despite its simplicity. It made a positive impact on my overall impression of the hotel.

Regrettably, cleanliness is an issue, with reports of spiders and a particularly imposing spider with a giant web on the first floor, near the back gate. The hotel's response to this arachnid resident has been indifferent.

On the upside, the ice machines proved to be a highlight of my stay, consistently functioning well without delays. The ice they produced had a remarkably pure taste and was notably clean, almost crystal clear rather than the usual white or frosty appearance.

The room's air conditioning system worked admirably and was clearly well-maintained between guests, ensuring comfort during my stay.

However, there are some downsides to consider as well. The elevators make disconcerting, loud noises that may raise safety concerns for some guests. Likewise, the luggage carts produce unpleasantly loud and obnoxious sounds when in use, which can be disruptive.

The hair dryer provided in the room left much to be desired. It tended to overheat while simultaneously failing to effectively dry or provide adequate airflow, resulting in an unnecessarily loud experience.

Lastly, if you plan to walk barefoot on the balcony, be cautious, as it appears to have a surface that could potentially cause splinters.

They are acting shady about refunding my deposit, for this alone I would avoid this place going forward, and they tried to charge my card for more without even talking to me and the front desk was less than helpful.

This feels like a really sketchy thing to do and makes me feel like I might be getting possibly scammed by...

If you want an honest review that is broken down to actual expectations, this is your kind of review. I apologize ahead of time for the lengthy review, but I broke it into parts for ease of reading, and if there was something in particular that you were curious about. I am going to list the goods and the bads then elaborate for ease of reading. Bads: Parking is terrible and difficult to find, multiple pest problems (spiders) in the room, front desk service was mediocre and inhospitable, requested silverware and dishes TWICE never got them, check-in was irrational, wi-fi across the property lacks, ice machines broken, breakfast was stale and never changes, rooms were not cleaned at all during our stay (no trash or linen changes), room keys are out-dated and worked half of the time, hair dryer in the room was broken, the hot water in the shower fluctuates in temperature constantly, half of the electrical outlets in the room were broken or do not hold the plug, air conditioning unit was very noisy, and traffic is easily heard inside of the rooms (paper-thin walls). Goods: decent location, easy access to the highway/airport, balcony available, large room, appliances like microwave and refrigerator available, "free" breakfast (although the same daily), pool and jacuzzi available, and check-out is at 12:00 pm versus 11:00 pm at many other hotels. To begin, as a person who travels often, the check-in policy here was ridiculous. Although we were fully aware that a room is guaranteed after 3:00 pm, guests should be able to check-in so that the hotel is aware of their guests arrival at any time of the day, so that the room, when ready, can be provided. We were told that we could not check-in until 3:00 pm, so we left, with our luggage to the theme parks and did not return until around 10:00 pm, at which all doors were locked. After checking in, the front desk employee provided us no information about breakfast, no information about parking, or even guidance where the room was until we asked about everything. The employees are all dressed like they got out of bed themselves. Upon attempting to enter the room, the card key took multiple attempts before it let us in. The room was spacious and had appliances that we value when staying away from home like a microwave and fridge. We finally decided to call it a night, and turned on the water in the shower which did not stay hot for more than 30-45 seconds at a time. When we finally decided to go to bed, the pillows were so thin, we ended up having to fold them in half to get any sort of cushion below our heads. Throughout the night, all we were hear is the screeching sound of the struggling air conditioner and what sounded like the hotel across the street moving metal panels throughout the night. The next morning, while getting ready, we realized the hairdryer, even after pushing the red reset button, does not work. While sitting on the sofa in the room, a spider had crawled on my husbands shoulder. Additionally, the wi-fi throughout the day fluctuates in speed and would even disconnect prompting us to login again multiple times. The electrical outlets in the room are loose or don't hold plugs properly. The breakfast at the hotel was okay, they provide to-go plates with scrambled eggs, two pancakes, and a sausage link or two, along with coffee, juice, or water (this repeated daily) and required a voucher to be turned in for every meal (lost vouchers cost $15 per voucher). NOTE: breakfast is only from 6:30 am to 9:30 am on weekdays, and is extended an hour during weekends. Parking was often full, and most spaces are taken by budget trucks and rental cars from a partnering rental car company. The ice machines across the property were either broken or simply missing. We called the front desk twice an hour apart to request silverware and dishes, as this is an extended stay hotel and provide these items upon request... we NEVER got our items. The location of the hotel is in a decent area, but kind of far from Disney though. I recommend looking around before...

DO NOT STAY AT THIS HOTEL!! Unsafe Conditions, Chemical Fumes & Extremely Poor Management!

From the moment we arrived, the property felt unsafe. The parking lot smelled like weed & displayed signs stating the hotel was not responsible if cars were broken into, which was unsettling and confirmed that the area is sketchy. Once inside, there were unpleasant odors throughout - from the lobby to our room.

It’s worth noting that despite the hotel advertising “free high speed WiFi”, the WiFi is terribly slow. Less than 1Mb download speed, and I couldn’t even load a YouTube video on my phone. The moment we opened our room door, we were hit with an overwhelming bleach smell. It was so intense it triggered a migraine, upset my stomach, and caused both my husband and me to break out in hives. When my husband opened the bathroom door, the fumes intensified - he immediately began coughing, wheezing, and felt his lungs burning. Our noses burned from the strength of the chemicals & we realized it would’ve been incredibly dangerous for us to sleep there breathing those fumes in all night in a very poorly ventilated room.

To make matters worse, the noise level was unacceptable. We could hear every step from the room above us, with constant running and stomping overhead during the entire six hours we were there.

We ended up leaving the hotel around midnight because we were experiencing so many symptoms from the bleach. My husband almost ended up in the emergency room that night due to his lungs burning as well as symptoms of coughing & wheezing. It took us 4 hours to find a new hotel in the middle of the night and ended up costing us a significant amount of money.

As we left at midnight, the front desk staff told us they could not issue a refund at that time and instructed us to return in the morning to speak with the manager who would be able to handle it. The next morning we returned and spoke with him, but he told us he could not issue a refund either and said we would need to come back the following day to speak to the owner. He also downplayed the entire situation by saying “some people are just sensitive to chemicals” and essentially blamed us for the situation.

When we called the next day, the manager changed his story again. He claimed he never said the owner would be in, only that the general manager would be - yet he is the manager, so it’s unclear why he sent us away. He then promised the owner would call us the following day to resolve the issue, but that call never came.

While the hotel did eventually refund the room charge, it was an absolute fight to make that happen. We still have not received our security deposit, despite only being in the room for a few hours and being unable to stay overnight due to the hazardous conditions. The hotel never called to inform us of the refund, and it felt as though they were trying to get us to go away quietly rather than address the dangerous and unacceptable conditions they put us in.

Between the unsafe location, overwhelming chemical fumes, excessive noise, and management’s lack of accountability, this was by far the worst hotel experience we have ever had. Do not stay here. This property does not care about the health, safety, or wellbeing of its guests. They are quick to take your money & will then string you along & make you jump through many hoops to potentially get your money back, even when putting you in a...