Travel Channel

Where to Stay

Did you know...
That there are more than 12,000 hotel and motel rooms in the Niagara Region? And that this number is surpassed in Canada only by Toronto and Vancouver?

Not bad for an area that has some 200,000 people at the most, with the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario, weighing in at about 80,000. But, of course, that doesn't take into account the 14-18 million visitors who flock to the region each year from every conceivable part of the world.

Suffice it to say that you won't go begging for a room when you head down to the Falls—be it for a honeymoon, a long-awaited family vacation, or a crucial business trip. Better still, the choice and type of room is just as varied as the number, with luxury hotels lined up alongside neon-glitter motels, and Niagara-on-the-Lake European-style B&B's tucked away in the same countryside as full service campgrounds.

Scrambling for a view
Of course, for the true Falls aficionado, nothing but the best will do—and that means getting as close to their object of desire as possible. That, in turn, means a room at one of the high rise deluxe hotels between Clifton Hill and the Horseshoe Falls. Starting at the top of the hill, you'll find the Brock Plaza and the Skyline Foxhead, often referred to as the Grand Old Lady and her Much Younger Sister. The Brock is redolent with original 1920's Art Deco furniture, chandeliers and marble; the Skyline is sleek and built with a wall of glass to enhance the view.

Along the ridge above Queen Victoria Park are a number of other well-known hotels including Quality Inn Fallsview, Sheraton Fallsview Hotel & Conference Centre, Renaissance Fallsview, and Days Inn Fallsview District. Any of these will make a guest feel right at home amid the mist and the roar.

Those who want to sleep near the Falls without paying for a fancy hotel can opt for Travelodge Clifton Hill, formerly known as the Honeymoon City Motel and on the site of the first motel ever built in the city. What better shrine for the Honeymoon Capital of the World? Claiming the title of closest inn to the Falls is Michael's Inn, one block north of Casino Niagara and featuring various theme rooms for the more imaginative guests!

Lundy’s Lane: A motel battleground
Starting out close to the Niagara River and stretching westward into the Niagara Region countryside, this road is famous for two things: as the site of the Battle of Lundy's Lane during the War of 1812 (commemorated in the Lundy's Lane Historical Museum); and as a present day corridor for many of the motels in the area. Here you'll find both the chains in the form of Days Inn, Econo Lodge and Travelodge Bonaventure, and such stand-alones as the Gardens Motel with its country setting, and Voyageur Inn, featuring home cooked meals and a fireplace in the lobby area.

If your idea of accommodations calls for a little more privacy and a little less noise from cars backing up to doors, then you've got to get on the reservation hotline for one of the Niagara Region's incredibly varied bed & breakfasts. There are B&B's scattered throughout the countryside and vineyards from Fort Erie to the south to St. Catharines to the north. These include a few in the Falls area itself, such as Niagara Inn Bed and Breakfast, Cooper's Bed and Breakfast, and The New Hadden Hall along the Niagara River.

But the absolute mecca for B&B's has to be the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, north of the Falls and home to the world-renowned Shaw Festival. Here, amid turn-of-the-20th century homes and boutiques that seem untouched by the passage of time, you'll find everything from the Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast with its adjacent Ice Creamery & Market to the Victorian Kiely Inn and Blairpen House Country Inn, with an historical library and balconies off the rooms.

Getting the massage
If it's creature comforts you're wanting, check out Niagara-on-the-Lake's Pillar and Post Inn or Prince of Wales Hotel.

Okay, so you're more the hardy outdoors type who likes to wake up to the stars overhead and the crunch of leaves underfoot. Well, you're in luck. The Niagara region has some 30 full-service campgrounds in all—from the very basic pitch-your-tent variety to sites offering two-bedroom cabins, hot-and-cold running water and electricity for that TV set.

There's Campark Resorts for camping right in the middle of the city; King Waldorf's, located on the banks of the Welland River just south of Marineland; Scott's Tent & Trailer Park with game room and swimming pool; and Niagara RV Rentals with its own boat launch.

From plush hotel to historic inn, gaudy motel to Victorian B&B, basic tenting to comfortable RV-ing—it's all here near the roar of the Falls!

Please Note: Room rates and other costs fluctuate greatly depending on the time of year. So please check all rates to make sure you're not in for a surprise when you arrive.

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