Hilton HHonors - Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview

I saw an ad in the weekend paper for the new Hilton in Niagara Falls, Canada. So, I pick up the phone and called the property directly to ask a few questions ...

First off, the property does NOT have a website (yet), nor are there any printed brochures of the hotel. The friendly reservation agent couldn't even tell me how many rooms the hotel had (is this some kind of marketing ploy?). Finally, I inquired about Hilton HHonors. She was familiar with the program, but could not tell me what kind of upgrades the front desk provies (based on availability).

They claim to be a FIVE-STAR property (and have rates to match!), but certainly not off to a good start. Has anyone stayed here???

Has anyone stayed here? If so, what's your "take" on the property?

Hi dlfyer,
There was someone recently asking for comparisons between the two Hiltons in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Suggest you do a search here to find their responses, as I think they will answer your questions.
Don't forget to try the Casino Niagara, very close to either hotel.
Good Luck!!

bj-21.

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'Tis better to have played and won, then never to have played at all.

[This message has been edited by blackjack-21 (edited 03-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by blackjack-21 (edited 03-10-2001).]

I stayed at this property in November.

I was upgraded to a jacuzzi suite overlooking the Falls. The room was large, with a sitting area w/ TV and business desk. The hotel has a restaurant on the top floor with great view of the falls, but I had room service (very expensive). There is a coffee shop in the lobby. Valet parking was $7 CDN/night. All hotel employees were very friendly and helpful. The rates in winter are great, I paid $79 CDN. I only wish I had that room for a few more nights since the view was so spectacular.

Only mentioned the TV in the sitting area because it is in addition to the one in front of the bed.

[This message has been edited by FlierLie (edited 03-11-2001).]

Are there any hotel rooms anywhere, that don't have TVs?

I always marvel at the range in quality of TVs from hotel chain to chain.

Tempted by the low rates, I'd considered staying here and so checked it out briefly when in Niagara Falls two weeks ago at the Sheraton Fallsview.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/000992.html

It seemed very nice as did the new Marriott!

The Sheraton Fallsview, Marriott and Hilton are very near to each other and ALL offer rather spectacular views of the Falls! So does Sheraton on the falls! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

BTW, the Hilton has a 25" TV in each room if it matters!

Stayed here a few times, and have had great service each time. Last time paid for a cheap room, and was upgraded to the Jacuzzi Suite. When we got to the room it was a smoking room, so called down to front desk and they upgraded us again to a two room suite, which was REALLY nice.

Valet parking? Don't bother. There is free street parking everywhere except on the main street.

Make sure you're on the 19th floor or higher, or you won't have a view of the falls.

Originally posted by Scoop:
Stayed here a few times, and have had great service each time.

Concur; my wife & I stayed there shortly after they opened (the pool wasn't open yet). The falls-view rooms are worth the extra bucks. I thought the restaurant food was so-so, but there are tons of other restaurants within walking distance.

Anyone living near Niagara that is looking for a cheap stay to get the 50,000 bonus, check out the Hilton on the canadian side for 69 canadian dollars which equals $44.

I think it is only for Sunday to Thursday next week (April 29-May3), but I'm not sure about the dates.

I stumbled upon this deal while looking for a close by hotel to get my 4th stay. I'll be there tonite, the last nite of the low rate.
I wonder if we'll get upgraded on this rate?

Planning to stay here this summer in Niagra Falls. Anyone ever stayed here? The pool looks fabulous. I would love to hear from anyone who has stayed here about what the rooms are like, etc. Also, any information about the restaraunts nearby would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

We stayed there on points for our 25th last June. They were very nice, and upgraded us to one of the upper floors, with a view of the falls. Included breakfast coupons as well. We were not expecting any of that, as we were using an award stay. My compliments to both the program and the hotel. The lower rooms do not have a view of the falls, nor do the ones on the back side. I would not mind paying extra, as it is quite nice. The location is withing walking distance to most everything in the area, and we took a Gray Line tour to see the rest. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

I have heard great things about this hotel. I beleive it is fairly new.

I can't comment on the Hilton, having stayed last summer at the Canadian-side Hampton which had no view of the falls.

However, I can recommend the "Over the Falls" guided tour. The guide was very knowledgable and friendly, and we saw the falls from just about every viewpoint there is. A Maid of the Mists trip and a stop near the power plant was included.

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Middle_Seat

Welcome to FT. You might want to use the search button at the upper right. I typed in "niagara" (w/o the "") and I obtained 18 postings with a lotta good info. The pool is indeed nice but usually very crowded with 10 years old and under kids.......and their moms and dads Itsa nice new hotel with great falls view rooms. They treat HH VIP members properly too.

MisterNice

Hmmm...I didn't find the pool too interesting. But, I am a single guy and probably look for different amenities than a family would. The restaurant on the top floor was nice for breakfast and wonderful for dinner...

My wife and I spent one night here in January. We got there at 11am and they checked us right in. One of the most courteous front desks I have ever used. I am a diamond member but I didn’t feel that made too much difference. The staff seemed genuinely warm and friendly to all whether you were a HHonors member or not. We had a high floor room with a tremendous view of both the Canadian and American falls. The room was pretty much soundproofed but had a small vent that you could open and hear the falls, even in January when so much is frozen. The room was spacious with a king size bed and a sitting area with sofa etc. A large picture window ensured an excellent view of the falls and well beyond across the border. The bathroom was large with separate shower and hot spa tub. When you were in the hot tub there were windows that you could open and see through into the room if you wanted to. All in all, it was a very comfortable stay. We did see the pool and it did seem busy. I think some of its novelty and attraction is that there is a glass wall allowing you to see above and below the water line from the hotel lobby. There is even a sitting area in front of the wall. The pool itself looked average. I think there were slides etc in the pool. I may be wrong as we were there for one night only but I don’t remember many eating places close by. There is a very nice Denny’s almost next door that we used.

This hotel has their own website:

www.niagarafallshilton.com (http://www.niagarafallshilton.com)

They do not, however, have an Executive Lounge. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif One guesses they cater to the leisure traveler (honeymooner), and not the corporate client (?).

Their restaurant prices are R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S!!!

If you are still interested in staying at this property on one of their special "2 Night Packages," I have a $50.00 off certificate.

It's yours for the asking -- just e-mail me your snail mail address!

I stayed there with my girlfriend last May, and it is a beautiful hotel. I got a free upgrade to a view of both falls for being a gold member. But if you are going there for the falls, the view is worth paying for. The higher up you can get, the better. Also, the rooms with views of both falls have a two-person Jacuzzi tub.

Definately go directly to the hotel's homepage for better bargains. They have two night packages that offer breakfast at their gourmet buffet every morning of the stay. Although it will not let you book more than 1 package per stay online, if you call up, they will give you two back-to-back packages, giving you breakfast every day and shuttle passes to the casino area.

By the way, the pool is one of the best I've seen. Your never too old to hit the waterslide http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

On it's way, marchdisney! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I stayed there in Februrary. Due to a mix up our room wasn't ready when I arrived, and a whole comedy routine ensued with them trying to get a rush on the room whilst offering us a complimentary drink in the restaurant. (unknown to the front desk the restaurant was closed because it was not season). They were so embarassed by this that they upgraded us to the 32 Floor (highest floor under the restaurant) with a fantastic view onto the falls, jacuzzi and complimentary champagne. All in all not bad. The pool was a different story: When the waterslide is "open", it is swarming with kids and you can't really enjoy it. When there's no kids, there's no slide. And there were no towels. "Sorry Sir, they have been sent to the laundry and will be back in half an hour". (He said this to everyone, for two hours, never once changeing his "half an hour" story).

One word of warning though: They were constructing a Hyatt right in front of the hotel, which will probably mean that most of the falls view will soon be lost except for the highest floors.

This is an old thread, but in case anyone is searching through, I wanted to update it with info regarding issues with the view mentioned above. I just returned from a stay at the Hilton Niagara Falls. Indeed the new Hyatt Regency has risen across the street (not done, but I think the main structure is topped out) surrounded by what will be the new location of Casino Niagara. While the construction detracts a bit from the overall feel of the view out the window, it didn't block the view of the falls, nor will the completed hotel block it, at least for most rooms. We were in a room on 29th floor near the left-hand side (facing front) of hotel, and the new Hyatt across the street only blocks the view of Goat Island. The view of both falls is intact, and should be just as or nearly as good from all rooms that previously had view. I'm guessing the location and orientation of the Hyatt tower was carefully chosen and negotiated. Since the Hilton is pretty new as well, plans were probably already underway and taken into account.

By the way, the hotel is great. Extremely friendly staff all around. Make your reservation from the hotel's direct web site http://www.niagarafallshilton.com/ for the best deals by far. They do two-night packages with free breakfast and $75 coupon for one dinner (also free casino shuttle if you like) which can be combined back to back or combined with an extra single night like I did. Unlike some "package" deals, the price for thes in the room type I booked (the Jr. Suite with "premium falls view" floors 17-22) was actually less per night than a single, even with the freebies. The buffet breakfast normally runs $20 Canadian. The dinner prices are pretty out there (think $40 or so Canadian for main course) but the $75 voucher makes it worth it for the view, which is amazing. Note that the room was only promised at levels 17-22, but they put us on 29. The hotel seemed very empty at this time of year as you might expect mid-week. We saw others, but elevators were mostly ridden alone and the whole place seemed pretty quiet. The room is pretty nicely done with extra sitting area, etc, and furniture that looks better than typical "hotel room chic".

HHonors fans may be interested to know that rising just a short ways away on Fallsview down next to the Marriott and Minolta Tower is a new Embassy Suites which looks like it will be the tallest hotel up there. (The top looked almost as high as Skylon Tower as viewed from the latter.) Its view will not be encumbered at all by another hotel. Looks like it should open sometime next year, maybe spring-ish.

I just booked one night at this hotel for Aug. I've stayed here before, it's okay, but I'm not as excited as some of our other board members are - BUT:
My rate was $99 CAD, which came out to about $74 US with taxes. The rate was only available on the hotels website
http://www.niagarafallshilton.com/
Click on exclusive internet deals to find these rates.

I stayed there last summer in a suite for under $100 US. Was nice and had a great view of the falls. I wonder how the ES hotel is with views? Anyone been there?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NCRBILL:
I stayed there last summer in a suite for under $100 US. Was nice and had a great view of the falls. I wonder how the ES hotel is with views? Anyone been there?</font>

I believe it opens today. I got 2 award rooms for 8 August, requested falls view room. I'll let you know my impressions of the ES in a few weeks.

Just got back from the Niagara Falls Embassy Suites, VERY nice! Be sure and check the type of room you reserve, it is very confusing between premium fallsviews and regular fallsview, that is the floor you are on, not the view. The view of just the Canadian Falls is not nearly as nice as the view of both American and Canadian (both labeled as Premium Fallsview with different prices), and the fireworks can only be seen from that side of the hotel if you want to watch them from your room. We reserved the Canadian side and were very pleased they upgraded us to a view of both falls.

The managers reception was only so so, we were disappointed not to have the typical inner courtyard associated with Embassy Suites, but can understand why they don't do that in this location. The breakfast was a regular buffet at the TGIF connected to the hotel and was very nice. All in all, a great stay, would definitely go back, but have no experience with other hotels in the area to compare. BTW, the construction next door had zero impact on our stay, view, etc.

Thanks, caro, for your report on the new ES in Niagara Falls. Sounds great. Booked it today for Mrs. bj-21 and myself, starting tomorrow, for two nights. Super rate for a jacuzzi room--$114 CAD, after the CAA/AAA discount, or the CARP/AARP rate (same discount, and as yesterday was my birthday, I can qualify the the seniors rate too). Only a cityview room (possibly upgraded to fallsview when we get there), but we really are only going to soak in the jacuzzi after some serious blackjack playing for a few days at the casino, so the view isn't a priority.
But a nice, new, quiet room is. Hope it's as nice as you said.
Looking forward to getting down there tomorrow, but, wow, $20 a day for parking, for both self-park and valet??
We'll check out the progress on the new casino while we're there.

bj-21.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by blackjack-21:
Thanks, caro, for your report on the new ES in Niagara Falls. Sounds great. Booked it today for Mrs. bj-21 and myself, starting tomorrow, for two nights. Super rate for a jacuzzi room--$114 CAD, after the CAA/AAA discount, or the CARP/AARP rate (same discount, and as yesterday was my birthday, I can qualify the the seniors rate too). Only a cityview room (possibly upgraded to fallsview when we get there), but we really are only going to soak in the jacuzzi after some serious blackjack playing for a few days at the casino, so the view isn't a priority.
But a nice, new, quiet room is. Hope it's as nice as you said.
Looking forward to getting down there tomorrow, but, wow, $20 a day for parking, for both self-park and valet??
We'll check out the progress on the new casino while we're there.

bj-21.
</font>

You have to watch out for the parking....it really adds to the bill to any hotel at NF. There is nowhere to park either (taht I could find) that would be cheaper and I was there last month.

Trip Report on our two night trip to the new ES in Niagara Falls.
We almost didn't stay there, after I called for reservations, and was told that the parking charge was $20 CAD per day. My wife said a definate "no" when she heard of the fee. But, it was my vacation week, and since we weren't off to Vegas, and it was just after my birthday... I had called other hotels in the area, and found that they all had a parking fee, so we decided to stick with the ES, even though $20 is a bit much. Anyway, we got there after a quick hour's drive from our home near YYZ, arriving shortly after check-in time of 4 PM. Parking is either valet or self-park (for the same fee), and since the self-park is outside, while the valet parking is underground, I elected to let the valet parking take the car.
Inside a large, well lit lobby, we were greeted by friendly staff who informed us that we had been upgaded from our reserved cityview jacuzzi suite (shown on the website as between floors 10-15) to a fallsview jacuzzi suite on the 23 floor, because of my HHonors Gold status. Or, for an additional $60, we could further upgrade to a full view of both sets of falls. No thanks, we happily took the upgrade to the fallsview room that was first offered.
The 23 floor room was excellent, with a full view of the Horseshoe Falls just below us, and further upriver, with Buffalo and Fort Erie in the distance. Large sitting room with sofa and table in the front room, medium sized bathroom with jacuzzi tub (large enough for two, if you're skinny!!!), seperate shower, and VERY comfortable king-sized bed, with extra thick mattress and pillows in the large bedroom.. Two TV's, and a small table and two chairs in the bedroom. The room was very comfortable, clean, and quiet. We heard no noise from nearby construction, nor any noise from the hallway or adjoining rooms. Amenities were a bit slim, as they offered shampoo, conditioner, and lotion, besides the usual Neutrogena soaps. Coffeemaker, minibar (pay as you use, of course) with a refrigerator on the side, small microwave oven, closet safe (no fee), extra sink in the hallway between the living and bedrooms.
Large basket of "goodies" on the table in the front room. Toothpaste and brush, razor and shave cream, disposable camera, candies, kids coloring books and crayons, large bottle of Evian water, and other items. Nice...but...we found the "menu" that came with the basket--LARGE charge for all the items you use. Also they leave four tokens on the table, for use with the soda machine on each floor. Use the tokens and you are billed $3 CAD or $2 US for a can of soda.
Staff were great, all very friendly courteous, and helpful. Question though: We have never seen a "tip bowl" at a front desk , and each check-in desk had one. Didn't know that a tip is expected to check you in or out of a hotel. First time we've seen this--none left.
Shortly after our arrival in our room, a housekeeper brought a letter of welcome from the manager, and the Embassy Touch small box containging two bottles of water, a pack of Oreo cookies, chips, and a Neutragrain bar because of our HHonors status. Globe & Mail was outside our door each morning.
The manager's reception was nothing special. Usual popcorn, chips, pretzels, sodas. Liquor was for sale only, as per provincial laws, we were told, but they didn't appear to have much of selection of anything. Kind of a makeshift set-up.
Breakfast buffet (included as usual at ES), was at the attached TGIF, and was good, with a choice of cereals, breads, bacon, sausage, french toast, orange juice, very fresh pastries, and made-to-order omlettes and eggs. Served from 7-11 AM. Staff there were also friendly and helpful.
The pool (we didn't see it, so can't comment on size) is on the 9th floor, as is the room for the manager's reception.
Room service menu. Prices!!!! How about $65 for surf and turf. Or $14 for a hamburger ($16 for an "Embassy Burger??), $12 for a garden salad. All prices in Canadian dollars, although (obviously) they were lower when shown in US dollars. Needless to say, no thanks.
As to the parking fee, we did notice cars parked at the nearby Hilton with cards on their dashboard showing "Hilton Paid Parking", and we've heard all the hotels in the area charge for parking, but no idea of the fees.
The couple checking out ahead of us asked at the front desk if they could exchange their Canadian dollars back to US. Front desk informed them that there would be a $5 fee for the conversion. Don't know what exchange rate they gave.
Restaurants in the area are very high, even the family restaurants.
Location of the ES is excellent, for viewing the falls, and it's situated one block from the new casino site. Nearby is also the Hilton, Marriot, Radisson, and next door to the Minolta Tower. Construction noise from the new casino project was nonexistant at the ES, but the roads all around that area are chewed up a bit, and filled with construction equipment, which might make for a noisy stay at the Hilton, dirctly across from the new casino.
Several people asked us to find out about the progress on the new casino opening. We asked at the current casino, and were told it would probably open in January or February, but from what we saw, I'd say that those dates may be a bit optomistic. The outside, for the most part, appears almost complete, including what will be the new Hyatt hotel attached to the casino. But I think there's still quite a bit of more "finishing" touches to go yet, including the interiors. The doorman at the ES said that he heard that while they were trying for February, more likely April might be more realistic. In the meantime, the "temporary" casino is just fine, and was very busy on all three days we were there, including today, before we left for home.
Summing up--the ES was really nice, fine staff, excellent accomodations, they recognize HHonors members appropriately, and the room rate, $114 CAD for both AAA/CAA members, or seniors, for a cityview jacuzzi suite, compared favorably with a rate of $99 US for a jacuzzi room, that we saw on a sign outside the Sheraton Four Points that is farther from the falls, and is an older hotel.
Of course, GST and PST was included, even on the parking fees, as was a "Hotel Marketing Levy" of $5.70 charged per day, and which, when we enquired about it, we were told it is a charge by the Niagara Falls municipal authority. What is this?? Anyone know?

bj-21.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by blackjack-21:


Of course, GST and PST was included, even on the parking fees, as was a "Hotel Marketing Levy" of $5.70 charged per day, and which, when we enquired about it, we were told it is a charge by the Niagara Falls municipal authority. What is this?? Anyone know?

bj-21.</font>

I read a review of the ES on a travel web site that the Hotel Marketing Levy is an optional fee that the hotel will take off your bill if requested. We were in a hurry and we did not dispute our $8.50 fee as we checked out by television.

On another note, the funicular is a mess. The funicular is "behind" the ES (approximately one block away) and leads down to the parking lot which is across the street from the Journey of the Mist (? where you go behind the Falls). The "box office" looked run down and deserted. There was a sign but there were no hours listed. We walked over at about 9:30 am on 09/26/03 and from what we saw we thought the funicular was only open during the summer. Then, we got our car, paid $12 to park in the lot below the funicular and walked across to the Journey. At about 11:30 am, we returned to our car, looked up and saw two moving funiculars. Also, we asked the valets at the ES about the funicular and they did not seem (or pretended) to know anything about the funicular. Another reason we thought it was closed for an extended period of time.

website price down to $79 canadian for basic room for some october dates.

booked here for $55.oo usd on Expedia. Mid-week, I'll post if I get any Diamond benefits on the Expedia rate.

Dugernaut--

Great rate!!! Let us know how the trip turns out.

bj-21.

The Niagara Hilton has some rates now for as low as $69 CAD!

November 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-26, 30, December 1-4, 7-11, 14-18

This is for a Queen-city view. I took advantage of a deal last year ($79 or $89) and as a gold got upgraded to the second top floor, jacuzzi-suite, falls view, with 2 full breakfasts.

Has anyone stayed in both the ES and Hilton for comparison sake?

I stayed here this week on my $55 Expedia rate and thought I would offer my opinions.

I crossed at the Rainbow Bridge and spotted the Hilton on the side of the building and navigated my way by sight. The hotel is directly across the street from the new Casino, and there is a lot of construction in the street. Stopped in the front and the valet directed us to check-in. I presented my Diamond card and was upgraded to a jacuzzi suite on the 18th floor. I opted for self-park at $10us per day and was directed to a small lot on the hill above the hotel. You need to get out of the car and walk over to the gate and insert your room key to get the gate to open. Not very convenient. Back down the hill and into the hotel.

Very nice an modern looking with a small bar/lounge and the pool area. I asked if they had another lounge, and was told it was only open on weekends.

The room was large and overlooked the Casino across the street and a view of the top of the American Falls. The room was nicely appointed, and the bathroom looked great on paper but not very practical. I'm 6'2 and the way the bathroom is designed, it was not very comfortable. The glass shower is very small and the shower head it fixed up high, so it wasn't very comfortable. The location of the toilet was even worse. I thought it was just me, but my coworkers commented on it also.

The hotel looks like it has just opened, but I was surprised to learn that it had been around for 3 years. They need to fix the entrance and stock the lobby bar ( US Air has more choices )

I doubt I would stay there again, with so many new choices, I think I would look at either the Renaissance or the Embassy Suites on my next visit.

Just booked a $45 USD rate for Tuesday before T-Giving on hotel web site. That compared to $81 at hilton.com. Thanks for the tip!

My question: I noticed that the reservation didn't ask for my Diamond #. (I put it in the comment section, though, requesting the 2 room jacuzzi suite with falls view) Does that mean that there could be a chance I'd be SOL requesting an upgrade because I didn't book it through hilton.com?

Suggestions? I'd really like a falls view room more than anything because I've got my kids traveling with me.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by a2sportsguy

Does that mean that there could be a chance I'd be SOL requesting an upgrade because I didn't book it through hilton.com?</font>According to the HHonors Ts&Cs (http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/points/points.jhtml#points_for_hotel_stays), by booking at a website other than a Hilton one, you should be eligible for elite perks, but not stay or night credit. If the booking was at an opaque site like Expedia or Priceline, you additionally are ineligible for perks. <font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Stays that are booked via third party websites other than the websites of Hilton HHonors airline partners are not Eligible Stays irrespective of rate paid, for the purpose of earning points, miles or stay credit toward VIP tier status. Stays booked via "opaque" channels where the brand is unknown at the time of purchase are not Eligible Stays for the purpose of earning points, miles or stay credit toward VIP tier status, or the receipt of VIP tier benefits such as upgraded accommodations / amenities or access to health clubs.</font>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by blackjack-21

The couple checking out ahead of us asked at the front desk if they could exchange their Canadian dollars back to US. Front desk informed them that there would be a $5 fee for the conversion.</font>The trick is to end up with an amount of Canadian currency less than your final hotel bill at the time you check out. Pay part of the bill to use up your cash and put the remainder of the bill on your credit card. No $5 fee. This is pretty easy to accomplish unless you've been quite lucky at the casino.

[This message has been edited by pdhenry (edited Nov 20, 2003).]

Wouldn't http://www.niagarafallshilton.com/ be considered a Hilton web site? That's what I used to book with. My HHonors # was never requested during the booking process.

You should have put in your HHonors number in the rectangular box on the booking page, where you can enter comments or requests. At any rate, give them your HHonors number at the front desk, when you check in, and be sure it shows on your folio at check-out.

bj-21.

This much is certain: When the doors to the 58-story wing of the Hilton Niagara Falls open in about three years, the structure will tower over the region. Tower, as in towering over Niagara Falls, Ont., and its sister city, Niagara Falls, N.Y. On a clear day, the tower will be visible from the upper floors of many downtown Buffalo office buildings.

It will be a new landmark on Niagara Falls, Ont.'s rapidly expanding skyline....

The new wing will be taller than the Skylon Tower and one of the tallest hotel projects in Canada. The tower carries a $100 million (Canadian) development price tag, adding 500 rooms -- actually suites -- to the five-year-old Hilton. The entire Hilton complex will have 1,000 rooms and suites.

"This will be a landmark project for Niagara Falls," said Noel Buckley, Niagara Tourism president.

The Hilton will also be the only hotel in Niagara Falls that has a universal theme. The first six stories will have an outer shell that gives the property a European, almost Tuscan-like design. The restaurants and stores that will be an integral part of the hotel will also carry that theme. The revamped property will come with a number of amenities, including a 40,000-square-foot adventure pool that comes with a waterslide and spa, a 1,000-seat theater and 40,000 square feet of meeting and conference space....

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5625945/

Sounds great! I have also enjoyed many stays @ the ES here too.

WOW! Whatta place. I guess if it is all-suites it wont have a nice executive lounge (maybe because the many kiddies would over-load it). NF,ONT continues to make NF, NY look like a back water place. As I remember, about 10-12 years ago they were about equal.

MisterNice

My brother, who is HH Gold, just completed a stay at the Niagara Falls Hilton. He booked the lowest HiltonSavers rate for a cityview room on hilton.com. When he checked in, he was denied an upgrade to a better/higher floor room, even though hilton.com shows tons of availability of better rooms. He was given breakfast buffet coupons though. Is this common practice at this property? Shouldn't a HH Gold member get an upgrade?

My brother, who is HH Gold, just completed a stay at the Niagara Falls Hilton. He booked the lowest HiltonSavers rate for a cityview room on hilton.com. When he checked in, he was denied an upgrade to a better/higher floor room, even though hilton.com shows tons of availability of better rooms. He was given breakfast buffet coupons though. Is this common practice at this property? Shouldn't a HH Gold member get an upgrade?

Stayed here last summer, two res both gold, three rooms in all, all upgraded, two from rock bottom rates, one from a higher rate. Can't complain. The upgrades were to the 28th floor, if l recall, one king suite with pullout sofa and jacuzzi and two doubles in the other two rooms.

The views were nice, but maybe worth 15-20 minutes or so. We did not pull chairs over and stare out, like say in the Rainbow tower at HHV. Still I paid the higher rate to guarantee one room would have a good view and that would be the party room. Received breakfast certs for all members of party, 10 guests total in the three rooms two days each. The breakfast certs were wonderful as were the views from the restaurant.

My brother, who is HH Gold, just completed a stay at the Niagara Falls Hilton. He booked the lowest HiltonSavers rate for a cityview room on hilton.com. When he checked in, he was denied an upgrade to a better/higher floor room, even though hilton.com shows tons of availability of better rooms. He was given breakfast buffet coupons though. Is this common practice at this property? Shouldn't a HH Gold member get an upgrade?What you are entitled is:from HH's website (http://hhonors.hilton.com/en/hhonors/benefits/levels.jhtml):
...with Towers or Executive Levels, Gold VIPs will be provided with a guest room on the Towers or Executive Level floor, whenever possible. In cases when Towers or Executive Level accommodations have been fully booked, Gold VIP members will be offered either (1) the use of the Towers or Executive Level lounge, including complimentary continental breakfast each morning for the member and one additional person or (2) personalized certificates for each day of the stay for the member and one additional person valid for complimentary continental breakfast in the hotel coffee shop or all-purpose restaurant. At hotels without a Towers or Executive Level, Gold VIP members will be offered complimentary continental breakfast each morning for the member and one additional person. And when in hotels or when paying a rate where a complimentary breakfast is a benefit for all guests, Gold VIPs will be offered a special amenity as an expression of our appreciation. Since there is no executive floor at that hotel (that I am aware!) breakfast coupons is was all he should have received. Of course, hotels should be a bit more generous...

Anyone has any experience with the Hilton at Niagara Falls? Thanks!

Theres a link to search on each page. Search all FT from the top bar to the right of big FT logo - select help menu, search is near the bottom and also the middle bar below the big FT logo just over half way across. Also when viewing a forum, search this forum the lower bar and at far right. When viewing a thread, search this thread is in the similar place.

In this case the easiest way to search would be search this forum on keyword "Niagara"

Thanks moderator. Really appreciate your kind instruction. Will try it as suggested. Thanks again! :)

I stayed there..it was a nice hotel...nice view of both falls from restaurant and my guestroom...very cool indoor waterslide & pool...

but then again all Canadian hotels at Niagara seemed better than US Properties...

I stayed there several years ago when it was just opening. I have not stayed in any other hotels in Niagara Falls and when I go back I will stay at the Hilton again. Was very nice and restaurant on the top floors was also nice with good view of the American Falls. After being there I would definately stay on the Canadian side regardless.

NF Hilton is directly across the street from the new casino, and gets very busy on weekends, so if you're planning a trip, think about booking as early as possible. We prefer the Embassy Suites Hotel, which is just 1/2 a block from the casino, is newer then the Hilton, with better views of the falls. Hilton elites usually get upgraded rooms, with great views of either the Horseshoe Falls, or both sets of falls. You may want to use the search here also to see comments about the ESNF. Just a suggestion for an alternative.

bj-21.

Thanks all for your replies. Good to know what others think of the place 1st before bringing families to the place.

Took the wife there last year while in ONT for Niagra on the lake wine tours.

Manager upgraded us to a real nice room with views of both falls, had the hot tub in the room and 2 breakfest cpns. Nice view at brkfst of the falls, with a cool 3 story water slide. Nice place and would stay again. Parking was a bit of an issue but hey I've delt with worse.

Took the wife there last year while in ONT for Niagra on the lake wine tours.

Manager upgraded us to a real nice room with views of both falls, had the hot tub in the room and 2 breakfest cpns. Nice view at brkfst of the falls, with a cool 3 story water slide. Nice place and would stay again. Parking was a bit of an issue but hey I've delt with worse.

Don't miss Niagra on the lake (Ontario) if you go to the falls. While the Hilton & ES are nice, there are some very nice and unique hotels and inns in Niagra on the lake. Very nice in the summer.

Now that the new casino is up, you are far better off at the ES down the block. I'm Gold, and the upgrade at the ES put me in a 43rd floor jacuzzi suite with a vew of the falls.

That same upgrade at the Hilton gets you a view of the new casino :(.

Don't miss Niagra on the lake (Ontario) if you go to the falls. While the Hilton & ES are nice, there are some very nice and unique hotels and inns in Niagra on the lake. Very nice in the summer.

Niagara on the lake - was told that the road is very confusing. Is it worth a visit? Thanks alot.

Now that the new casino is up, you are far better off at the ES down the block. I'm Gold, and the upgrade at the ES put me in a 43rd floor jacuzzi suite with a vew of the falls.

That same upgrade at the Hilton gets you a view of the new casino :(.

Will definitely check that out. Thanks all for sharing of infor and experience.

I did a search and couldn't find anything. I noticed the HNF has wi-fi, but I can't find out if it's free? Has anybody stayed there recently that can answer me?

Thanks!

Anyone have experience getting upgraded as a Gold?

They have family rooms, and the logical upgrade for that would be from family room facing the city, v family room facing the falls. Is it unrealistic to hope for that (assuming availability)?

Any other comments on upgrades at this property welcome!

Anyone have experience getting upgraded as a Gold?

They have family rooms, and the logical upgrade for that would be from family room facing the city, v family room facing the falls. Is it unrealistic to hope for that (assuming availability)?

Any other comments on upgrades at this property welcome!

Maybe off-topic but why did you not choose the Embassy. I do not like the brand but the view is outstanding and much better than Hilton....

Maybe off-topic but why did you not choose the Embassy. I do not like the brand but the view is outstanding and much better than Hilton....

Not off topic at all, great advice, I appreciate it!

I guess there is no upgrading at the ES but if the view is better ...

Hi Trina,

The ES is newer then the Hilton, having opened just over two years ago. We stayed there often, and were never disappointed. Upgraded as a gold every time, so it doesn't hurt to ask when you book and then again when you arrive. Rooms facing the falls are great, having an unobstructed view of the Horseshoe Falls, or in some cases both falls. Both hotels will be packed this time of year, so try to book early if possible, and get there early for a possible upgrade if available. Small pool on the ninth floor, along with a Keg restaurant and area where the manager's reception is held. Parking fee ($20 CAD per day) is a pain, but all the hotels in the NF area charge a fee. The ES is half a block from the Fallsview Casino Resort, while the Hilton is across the street on Fallsview Ave., and connected to the casino by a walkway over the street. Probably a better view from the ES, if that's what you're looking for, as there's no building obstructing your views if you're on the fallsview side, while the Hilton is partially obstructed by the casino tower (which also has a nice hotel, but no frequent guest points, as it's not in HHonors). Haven't stayed at the Hilton, so we can't compare it to the ES.

Suggest you do a search here on FT for both the Hilton and ES for additonal comments, and look at TripAdvisor.com for many more on both properties.

bj-21.

Not off topic at all, great advice, I appreciate it!

I guess there is no upgrading at the ES but if the view is better ...
Try to book a so called "3 room presidential suite" on one of the top floors. This gives you two bathrooms and two bedrooms, one can be used a a nice big living room and you will have undisturbed birds eye view over both falls - really great. Great when travelling with kids. The only disadvantage can be - happened to me once - that you and up in the clouds with any view ;-). The rate is about 400 Canadian.

The rooms on the floors mid level will put you eye-to-eye with the Canadian fall. Sometimes great too and cheaper.

Best
Thomas

I stayed at the Hilton last year, in a fallsview room, and it was a pretty decent room, all in all. The in room jacuzzi was a really nice touch. I'm not sure if the ES features that, but it was a big plus. ^ ^

The Hilton has an indoor pool with a 3 story water slide. If you have kids this is a good reason to stay at the Hilton. If you diamond, you get breakfast upstairs. I've stayed at the Hilton, but not the ES. The ES is much closer to the Falls. They told us at the hilton that they are too close. That's its better to be further back so you can see more....
They have to say that though.

Stayed there last month. Gold gets you one level upgrade. I went from cityview suite to fallsview. Also received free breakfast.

View was good of both Canadian and American falls but had a better view of the Canadian falls last year from a suite at the Marriott.

The ES NF also has in-room jacuzzi's in many suites. Depending how full the property is, that'll be the upgraded room you may get. Best room we had there on a low cityview rate was an upgrade (HHonors Gold) to a 38th floor fallsview room with fireplace and jacuzzi. Excellent views of both the Horseshoe and American Falls.

bj-21.

Thanks for all the input. The dates we're looking at appear to have lots of availability - which is surprising (around labor day).

Just to totally confuse the issue, you may want to also look at the Doubletree. Stayed there last August at a very reasonable rate, and got given a balcony room overlooking the falls (as an HH Gold, then). Great for watching the fireworks over the falls. For some odd reason, only one floor of the hotel has balconies, which means there are perhaps only eight such rooms. So, don't count on one without a specific commitment from the property.

Grand Niagara Resort is planning a $267 million expansion of its golf course facility in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The expansion plans call for a Hilton hotel, a conference facility, time-share condos, homesites, a winery, a pair of manmade lakes and another golf course.

website link (http://www.commercialpropertynews.com/cpn/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002986238)

Great timeing the wife and I are looking at going up their soon. Also looking at spending a day or two at Niagrara on the Lake. Thanks for all the advice.

My wife and I stayed at the Niagara Falls Hilton less than two weeks ago and got upgraded as a Diamond to Room 2910 facing the falls. We had unobstructed views of both falls even though the Casino Tower was right in the middle obstructing only the park area between the falls. The view at night was spectacular with a full moon an a very clear night. Many of the other hotels are closer (Embassy Suites, Marriott, etc.) and offer unobstructed views of both falls.

We did get the complementary full buffet breakfast served at the top floor dining room and the view was exactly the same as from our room which was a couple of floors below the dining room.

If staying at the Hilton and in the middle to lower floors then get a room close to the middle of the hotel near the elevator because the Casino Tower will then only obstruct the park view between the two falls.

The parking fee is $20CAD per day for valet and self parking in one of two parkign lots. One parking lot is on the Hilton property and is usually full and the other is just across the street in the Hooters parking lot. A key card is required to open the car parking lot gate.

Has anyone stayed at the Hilton Fallsview or the ES lately? Planning on going in June and trying to decide which hotel to stay at. Will be staying on points, if that matters.

Have stayed at both. I like Hilton because of room upgrade and breakfast.