Of all the hotels at Disneyland Paris, Hotel Santa Fe is the one that makes you smile before you've even checked in. The whole place is themed around Pixar's Cars, and that starts the moment you arrive, with an entrance dressed up to look like a drive-in movie, so you roll up feeling like you've driven straight onto Route 66.
It's not your typical big single-building hotel either. Santa Fe is modular, spread across separate blocks rather than one main building, and it's split into four areas, each named after a Cars character: Lightning McQueen, Sally, Luigi and Mater.
General information
There's plenty of parking dotted around the hotel buildings, which is a real bonus, as it means you don't have to lug your luggage too far to your room. Some of the buildings also have a lift, so it's worth asking about that at check-in if stairs are a concern.
Getting to the parks
Shuttle buses run regularly to both the parks and the train station, so you're never stuck waiting around. And if the weather's on your side, you can walk in instead. It's around 15 to 20 minutes on foot, so it's an easy stroll when you fancy it rather than a trek.
Eating and drinking
The main restaurant is La Cantina, a Mexican-themed buffet, and we found it good value for money. Breakfast is a buffet too, with the infamous Mickey waffles taking pride of place, plus a good range of continental and hot options. Keep an eye out for the yummy Madeira cake with a Mickey head running all the way through it. Come dinner, the theme shifts to Tex-Mex. There's a children's section if you've got fussier eaters with you, and to finish, a classic selection of Disney puddings. There is a freestyle machine however unlike the USA parks they do not offer refills.
There's also a Starbucks, which you'll find in the main reception building at the front of the hotel. Perfect for buying a hot chocolate before getting the shuttle bus to the parks on a cold winter's morning.
Character meets
As you walk through reception at times you may bump into Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse or Goofy, doing a posed meet and greet. The exact times and characters can vary, so it's worth checking when you arrive. Also there can sometimes be one of Disneyland Paris's PhotoPass photographers there as well, so make sure to have your PhotoPass ready.
Shopping
The gift shop is called the Trading Post, and it stocks Cars-themed merch alongside some classic Disney items too. One thing well worth knowing is that you can have your shopping from the parks sent back to the hotel for collection later in the day, so you're not carrying bags around for hours. You can also buy some sweet treats and drinks in the shop as well.
The rooms
The rooms are basic but comfortable. As you come into the room there's hanging space for your clothes, and up on the top shelf you'll find the safe, with room beside it to store your luggage. There's also a TV. For storage you get a large chest of drawers, which are nice and deep, with a big top surface, though it's not a desk as such. The Cars theming carries right around the room too. There's no air conditioning, but the rooms do come with a ceiling fan, and you can ask for an additional fan if you need it. There's also a wall heater, which is welcome on those cold winter days back from the parks.
A couple of practical heads-ups. There are no tea and coffee making facilities, but you can ask for a kettle if you'd like one. And there are only around three sockets in the room, so we'd recommend bringing an adapter and a power bar with you to keep everything charged. If you're travelling with a little one, you can also ask for a cot. The bathroom is a nice touch, with Piston Cup shower gel, Mickey-themed toiletries and toilet paper, a Disney hairdryer, and all the usual towels and cups.
Have a look around in our room tour:
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Our thoughts
We've stayed a few times now at the Santa Fe, both in summer when it's warm and over the cold winter season. It's a nice little hotel, basic but comfortable, and a good one for families.
