Howard Johnson Anaheim's 'retro cool' suite channels a defunct Disneyland attraction
As you walk through the entrance tunnel at Disneyland and step onto Main Street, U.S.A., you pass under a plaque that states, "Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy."
For millions of guests every year since 1955, Disneyland evokes a sense of nostalgia. And while it certainly has the fantasy thing nailed down, "tomorrow" is a bit trickier — because it so quickly becomes, well, yesterday.
Related: Where to stay at Disneyland: On vs. off-property hotel comparisons
One of the park's early attempts at predicting the future was the Monsanto House of the Future attraction that operated in Tomorrowland from 1957 to 1967.
This walk-through prototype home was meant to give visitors a glimpse into what home life could look like in the decades to come, including colorful plastic furniture, state-of-the-art appliances and a "floating" design with four cantilevered wings jutting out from a concrete pillar at the center.
The home wouldn't feel very modern by today's standards, but a popular hotel just down the street from Disneyland is reviving the home's midcentury modern design with its own retro cool suite where guests can experience yesterday's tomorrow today.
The Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground recently opened a "House of the Retro Future Suite," with design elements and decor influenced by Disneyland's Monsanto House of the Future.
Related: Disneyland vs. Disney World: Which is the better park to visit?
Similarities between the Howard Johnson suite and the Disneyland attraction range from thoughtful touches like an in-room turntable and records to retro furniture by Modernica and Herman Miller and era-appropriate lighting by Restoration Hardware.
Pops of Howard Johnson's signature orange and turquoise are injected throughout the suite's vibrant color scheme. At the same time, modern touches like in-room Alexa devices that allow for voice-activated lighting and thermostat controls and a touch-activated light on the bathroom mirror provide the suite with features that still feel a bit futuristic today.
While we are more than happy to stare at photos of the suite all day, if you hope to actually stay there, you may be interested in some of the more practical details. The House of the Retro Future suite has a bedroom with two queen beds, a living area with multiple seating options, a dining table and a kitchenette plus a large bathroom with a separate shower and vanity area.
The suite sleeps up to four guests and is available for two-night stays beginning Aug. 12, 2022. The cost for a two-night stay is $1,957, which was chosen based on the year (1957) the Monsanto House of the Future attraction opened at Disneyland.
Of course, it isn't only the House of the Retro Future suite that evokes the midcentury modern style that was so prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s. Howard Johnson itself came of age during this time, opening its first location in 1954 and this particular location on July 16, 1965 — almost 10 years to the day after Disneyland's own grand opening.
To this day, the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel has one foot in the present and one in its retro roots. Thanks to a recent multi-million dollar renovation, all 296 standard guest rooms and 16 suites have touches that harken back to the brand's early days with touches of that familiar orange and turquoise color scheme and furniture inspired by popular 1950s-era designers like George Nelson, Herman Miller and Eero Saarinen.
The hotel is a quick, eight-minute walk from Disneyland's front gates and also has its own on-property fun in the form of a pirate-themed water playground, a heated outdoor pool and Disneyland fireworks views.
Visit the House of the Retro Future Suite page on the hotel's website for more information on booking a reservation.
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Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel75,000 bonus milesAnnual Fee
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The Capital One Venture X card is one of the best all-round travel credit cards ever launched. Not only is it offering a tremendous welcome bonus, but cardholders can earn tons of miles on everyday spending and receive a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus to boot. Its annual fee is $395, but cardholders can count on up to $300 in statement credits toward travel booked through Capital One Travel each year and other valuable benefits like access to Priority Pass lounges and Capital One’s own growing family of airport lounges.Pros
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- 10,000 bonus miles (worth $100 toward travel) each account anniversary.
Cons
- The $395 annual fee might be expensive for some, but this card’s benefits provide much more value than that.
- If you don’t travel frequently, this might not be the best card for you.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive up to $300 back annually as statement credits for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
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- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Named editors' choice for "Best New Credit Card of 2021" by The Points Guy
- Earn 10 miles per dollar when you book on Turo, the world's largest car sharing marketplace, through May 16, 2023