JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort

The JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort opened in August 2020 as Orange County's first JW Marriott, a ground-up 466-room luxury tower at Anaheim GardenWalk. Its rooftop bar and Italian chophouse have become minor destinations of their own, on top of the hotel's obvious pull: it sits a few minutes' walk from the Disneyland Resort gates.

The place

The hotel occupies an 11-story tower within the Anaheim GardenWalk complex on South Clementine Street, a short walk from the Disneyland Resort entrances and directly adjacent to the Anaheim Convention Center.

The concept

Opened in August 2020, this was the first JW Marriott in Orange County and one of the first ground-up luxury builds to land in the Anaheim Resort district in years. The design leans on the region's citrus-growing past, with garden-themed public spaces including a landscaped courtyard billed as a "Secret Butterfly Garden" that layers in an augmented-reality element for families. AAA rates the property Four Diamond, and it was built to capture both convention business — with more than 40,000 square feet of meeting space — and leisure travelers heading to the theme parks across the street.

Dining & wellness

Tocca Ferro Italian Chophouse, an Italian-steakhouse concept led by executive chef Rey Galura, anchors the second floor and picked up a North American "best new restaurant" trade award in 2022. Parkestry, the rooftop bar, is marketed as the highest rooftop perch in Anaheim and is a popular spot to watch Disneyland's nightly fireworks over cocktails and firepits. The resort also has an outdoor heated pool and a fitness center.