The best hotel in Niagara Falls?
As a Niagara Falls resident I have the opportunity to visit every hotel in Niagara Falls. For 2017 there are 58 hotels operating within the city limits of Niagara Falls Canada & New York USA combined. Frequently we receive e-mail regarding which is the “best fallsview hotel” in Niagara Falls or the “best hotel”. This can be a difficult question to answer. Obviously you want a great view but which is the best?
Let’s start out with some basic information. Let’s face it, Niagara Falls Ontario Canada has a superior view of Niagara Falls over Niagara Falls New York USA. Niagara Falls New York does not have any hotels which offer any type of view of the Falls. If you want to stay at a hotel with a view of the Falls it HAS to be on the Canadian side of the border. The image below depicts Niagara Falls Canada on the bottom and Niagara Falls NY USA at the top.
In our opinion the closer you are to the Falls the better the view. But there is more than one falls! The closest hotels to the Canadian Falls are the Marriott Fallsview, Niagara Tower Hotel and the Embassy Suites. Between the three the Embassy slightly edges out the Marriott Fallsview because you see more actual falling water within the “horseshoe” shape of the Falls. Higher floors are not necessarily better but they do offer a more unique perspective of the entire park and surrounding area. Either way the view is absolutely stunning and you can really feel the power of the Falls.
The Sheraton on the Falls is the closest hotel to the American Falls. While the view of the American Falls is great it’s almost twice the distance as the Embassy and Marriott are from the Canadian Falls. The one advantage the Sheraton has is for viewing the Falls at night when they are illuminated. It’s a postcard view to say the least. It’s also the best hotel for watching the fireworks.
The Hilton is situated between the American & Canadian falls and offers a unique view of both falls. If you stay at the Hilton consider reserving your room in the new tower. The higher floors offer a better view as they are higher than the casino across the street and you will have a completely unobstructed view.
One item you may or may not have considered is the size of the room. Before the Embassy Suites and the Hilton were built most fallsview hotels were designed with small rooms when compared to today’s standards. The Embassy Suites and Hiltons rooms are considerably larger than your average fallsview hotel room and can make for a more comfortable stay.
Location? While the view plays an important part of your stay it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best location for getting around to see the sights. The main area for viewing the falls is called Queen Victoria Park. It’s also where you board the Boat Ride to the Falls and access the Table Rock visitor center at the brink of the Canadian Falls. The Sheraton on the Falls is almost at the foot of Clifton Hill and you can walk from there to everything. All the other fallsview hotels are about a ten minute walk to the park. Many of the hotels do offer shuttle service to the park for a $10.00-$15.00 fee but they are not timely. If you don’t mind walking you can skip the shuttle and save a few bucks.
The Marriott Fallsview has great fine dining and a more adult atmosphere. The Embassy’s Keg restaurant is excellent and has a lively and louder atmosphere. The Hilton’s Watermark restaurant has the best nighttime view of both Falls for a very unique fine dining experience. It’s also a bit more subdued making for the perfect romantic dinner. You can’t go wrong at any of them but be prepared to pay around a hundred twenty five dollars per person for dinner.
Yes it does rain in Niagara Falls and nothing could be worse than being cooped up in a hotel room all day with kids. For this reason we give the Hilton Fallsview and Sheraton on the Falls high marks for their indoor water parks.
In our unbiased opinion of all the Fallsview hotels we think the Embassy Suites Niagara Falls Fallsview is the best hotel in Niagara Falls. The remaining fallsview hotels generally offer very good to excellent accommodations and all have their pluses and minuses.
We hope you find this information helpful and if you have any questions please feel free to send us an e-mail: info@niagarafallslive.com
E-mail requests are usually replied to within one hour!
Best regards & have a pleasant stay in Niagara,
Gordon Stephens / publisher: www.niagarafallslive.com
Best Niagara Falls Hotels
1. Embassy Suites Fallsview: Niagara’s best Fallsview hotel with an absolutely spectacular view and very good accommodations. Rooms are spacious unlike your typical Fallsview rooms. Top floor suites make for the ultimate view. A very busy hotel during peak season and the complimentary breakfast with made to order omelets is a great way to start the day.
2. Hilton Fallsview Hotel: This is really an amazing hotel! 54 floors offering great views, 2 great restaurants a waterpark and a tremendous staff. If gambling is your thing you can walk across the street to the Fallsview Casino or take a ten minute stroll to the brink of the Falls. The Hilton is great whether you are a family on vacation or if you are in town on business.
3. Marriott Fallsview: The Marriott Fallsview offers great views of the Canadian Falls and the service is fantastic. Dining at the Terrapin Grill overlooking the Horseshoe Falls is something you will not soon forget. An incredible menu prepared by world class chefs. If you like to be treated first class then the Marriott Fallsview is the place to stay.
4. Sheraton on the Falls: The Sheraton on the Falls location offers the best view of the American Falls and for watching the fireworks right outside your window! Located at the base of Clifton Hill and close to the Rainbow Bridge. You will find it easy to walk to everything including the US side of Niagara Falls. Connected directly to the Casino Niagara and the Fallsview Waterpark.
5. Tower Hotel: The Tower Hotel is the most unique hotel in Niagara Falls. Originally built as a restaurant and tourist attraction it was converted to a fallsview hotel in 2005. Floor to ceiling windows and a close up view of the Falls makes for an amazing view.
Best Non-Fallsview Hotels in Canada
6. Double Tree Niagara Falls: The Double Tree is the newest hotel in Niagara Falls and it really has a top notch atmosphere. Although they have the term “fallsview” in their name they only have a few top floors with partial views of the Falls. One item worth mentioning is they do not cater to the rambunctious crowds so you don’t have to worry about late night revelers. They are in a great central location yet somewhat away from the busy street noise you have to deal with at many of the other hotels. If you are looking for a quality hotel in Niagara Falls the DoubleTree is the place to stay.
7. Days Inn Near the Falls Niagara Falls: This is likely the most popular non-fallsview hotel in Niagara Falls Canada. With an indoor pool and complimentary continental breakfast there isn’t much to complain about. They’ve got the low price!
8. Howard Johnson by the Falls: You may be asking yourself how does a Howard Johnson’s make the list? They have clean rooms, updated furnishings, not a lot of frills and very good prices. If you don’t spend a lot of time in your hotel room while on vacation and want to save some money the Hojo by the Falls makes a lot of sense.
9. Travelodge at the Falls: The Travelodge at the Falls is located on Clifton Hill in the heart of the tourism district. While it is not the quietest place to stay it is the most convenient budget minded hotel in Niagara Falls Canada. You can leave your car parked for your entire stay and walk to everything!
10. Courtyard by Marriott: Are you looking for high quality accommodations without the super high prices of a Fallsview hotel? This Courtyard by Marriott exemplifies the Marriott philosophy of providing a first class place to stay. Their great location puts you in the heart of the restaurant and entertainment district and yet only a short walk to the Falls. If you can budget a stay here you will not regret it.
Best Niagara Falls New York Hotels
*There are no hotels with a view of Niagara Falls in Niagara Falls New York*
1. Seneca Niagara Hotel & Casino: This is the most upscale hotel you will find in Niagara Falls NY. Three restaurants, casino gaming and live entertainment make it the place to stay for those willing to spend the money. It’s about a twelve minute walk to the brink of the American Falls in Prospect Point Park, Rainbow Bridge and Goat Island.
2. Red Coach Inn: A Niagara Falls NY favorite since 1923. Gorgeous rooms along with a very good restaurant makes for an ideal place to stay while visiting Niagara. If you are looking for a romantic setting the Red Coach Inn is for you. The biggest plus is it’s across the street from the Prospect Point Park and Goat Island.
3. Sheraton at the Falls: This hotel has changed owners ten times in twenty years. Finally it has an owner who has made it a great place to stay again. While it’s a ten minute walk to the Falls it’s across the street from the Seneca Niagara Casino. A new TGIF restaurant that doesn’t have tourist prices makes it even better. Best suited for families.
While the hotel selection is somewhat limited in Niagara Falls New York the above listed hotels are your best options yet the hotels listed below we’re sure you will find them adequate.
Comfort Inn the Pointe: The Comfort Inn and the Red Coach are about the same distance to the American Falls which makes the Comfort Inn a great location to stay. Although the rooms are somewhat dated they are clean and the staff is great. There is limited availability of their rooms with a king bed so be sure to reserve well in advance during the busy tourist season (July-September).
Hampton Inn: While the Hampton Inn is about a fifteen minute walk to the Falls it’s very convenient. Spacious and clean rooms with a very helpful staff who will go out of their way to make sure you enjoy your stay. Reasonable rates and ample parking. It’s not in what I would call a beautiful setting but if you are like me and you don’t spend much time in the room while on vacation it does the trick.
Wingate by Wyndham: The Wingate by Wyndham is Niagara Falls New York’s newest hotel and has been receiving very good reviews. It’s a thirteen minute walk to the brink of the American Falls which is fine during our prime tourist season when the weather is warm. During the offseason you may want to opt for the shuttle service.
Holiday Inn & Days Inn are the two remaining budget minded hotels worth staying at in Niagara Falls NY. They are older and somewhat dated but still offer clean rooms and are in good locations in relation to the Falls and Goat Island. If you are a late sleeper you may want to skip the Days Inn as there is a helicopter service operating across the street. Other than that you won’t be disappointed with either hotel.
And that is our take on the best places to stay in Niagara Falls!