Our quick answer
Newport Bay Club is our overall choice, but Sequoia Lodge wins for atmosphere. For us, it is probably Sequoia in winter and Newport Bay in summer.
The setting
Sequoia Lodge
Sequoia Lodge has one of the best settings of any Disneyland Paris hotel.
It sits amongst the trees and feels tucked away from the busier parts of the resort. It is cosy, peaceful and especially lovely in the colder months.
There is something about walking back through the woodland in the evening that makes it feel completely different from the other Disney Hotels.
Newport Bay Club
Newport Bay sits on Lake Disney and feels much grander.
The lakeside views are gorgeous, the hotel is bright and spacious, and the whole setting feels elegant rather than rustic.
It is beautiful, just in a very different way.
Our choice: Sequoia Lodge
For pure atmosphere, Sequoia wins this one.
The rooms
Sequoia Lodge
We like the theming in the Sequoia rooms, but there is no getting away from the fact that they have been tired.
They have been ready for a refurbishment for a while.
That said, with new rooms arriving as part of the current overhaul, this comparison could change quite significantly.
Newport Bay Club
We really like the Newport Bay rooms.
They are bright, comfortable and the nautical theming works brilliantly.
Some rooms are beginning to show their age too, but overall we still prefer them to the older Sequoia rooms.
Newport Bay also has another major advantage for larger families: there are room options that can accommodate five people.
At Sequoia Lodge, families of five will generally need two rooms.
Our choice: Newport Bay Club
At the moment, Newport wins this comfortably.
After the Sequoia refurbishment, we may need to revisit it.
The pools
Sequoia Lodge
The indoor pool is really fun.
It has excellent lodge theming, a slide and a jacuzzi, and it feels like part of the hotel experience rather than just a swimming pool.
The outdoor section is much smaller and does not get a huge amount of sun because of the surrounding trees.
Newport Bay Club
Newport Bay has a much more relaxed resort-style pool.
There are indoor and outdoor sections, and the whole area feels spacious and pleasant.
Our only warning is that the outdoor pool can feel absolutely freezing, even when it is supposed to be heated.
Our choice: Draw
We like both for different reasons.
Sequoia is more fun and themed. Newport feels more like a proper hotel pool.
The overall hotel feel
Sequoia Lodge
This is where Sequoia is incredibly difficult to beat.
The huge fireplaces, dark wood, comfortable lounge areas and woodland lodge atmosphere give it a warmth that none of the other Disney Hotels quite replicate.
When the fire is on and it is dark outside, it is brilliant.
Newport Bay Club
Newport is almost the opposite.
The lobby is enormous, bright and beautiful, the interiors feel grand, and the hotel always seems incredibly clean and fresh.
And yes, it smells amazing.
Seriously, the smell of Newport Bay has become part of the experience for us.
Our choice: Sequoia Lodge
For atmosphere alone, we would give Sequoia the edge.
Character meets
Sequoia Lodge
We really like the character meets at Sequoia.
The problem is the timing.
The advertised morning meets can clash directly with Extra Magic Time, which leaves you choosing between park time and meeting a character at your hotel.
We have also randomly found characters appearing later in the day, which is brilliant, but we wish those times were advertised more consistently.
Newport Bay Club
Newport Bay is much easier.
We have seen multiple character meet opportunities throughout the day and into the evening, with characters including Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto in their Newport Bay outfits.
That makes it much easier to fit a meet around your plans rather than sacrificing valuable park time.
Our choice: Newport Bay Club
This is one area where Newport is clearly more convenient for us.
Which one is better in winter?
Sequoia Lodge.
This is where the hotel is at its best.
The trees, darker evenings, warm lodge atmosphere and fireplaces all work perfectly together.
If we were booking a colder-weather trip and the prices were close, Sequoia would be extremely tempting.
Which one is better in summer?
Newport Bay Club.
The brighter interiors, lakeside setting and bigger outdoor pool suit warmer weather much better for us.
It simply feels more summery.
And what about larger families?
This can make the decision for you.
If you are travelling as a family of five and want to stay together in one room, Newport Bay is likely to be the more practical choice.
That was actually one of the reasons we originally moved from Sequoia Lodge to Newport Bay when our own family grew.
We ended up loving Newport so much that we kept going back.
So, which would we choose?
If the prices were similar, we would probably choose Newport Bay Club most of the time.
We prefer the rooms, the character meets are easier to work around, and the hotel is particularly practical for larger families.
It feels like the stronger overall stay for us.
But this is much closer than that sounds.
Sequoia Lodge has an atmosphere Newport cannot quite replicate, and in winter we would be very tempted to choose Sequoia instead.
The upcoming room refurbishment could also shift the balance considerably.
Our verdict: Newport Bay Club is our overall choice, but Sequoia Lodge wins for atmosphere. For us, it is probably Sequoia in winter and Newport Bay in summer.
