The front desk initially told us that the upgrade policy was not up to him, but rather Marriott’s terms and conditions. That would have been a perfectly reasonable explanation if Marriott’s actual T&Cs supported what he was saying. After I pulled them up and showed him the applicable language, he reluctantly provided the upgrade. It’s always a promising start when the guest has to explain Marriott’s own loyalty program to the front desk.
Unfortunately, the room did little to improve the experience.
The lobby has been pleasantly remodeled, which apparently is where the renovation budget stopped. Room 806 felt considerably less “updated.” The lock/handle on the door leading into the seating area literally spins around because the screws aren’t even properly secured. This isn’t some minor cosmetic complaint—it’s basic maintenance that should be obvious to anyone inspecting the room before assigning it to a guest.
Then we discovered that the hotel apparently cannot provide heat until the fall.
Maintenance explained that the property can only operate either heating or air conditioning at one time, so providing heat isn’t an individual-room adjustment—the entire hotel system would have to be switched over. Their solution was a space heater. There’s something almost impressive about staying at a full-service Marriott overlooking Niagara Falls in 2026 and learning that climate control essentially works on a seasonal honor system.
For a hotel commanding premium rates based largely on its location, I would expect the rooms and mechanical systems to have made it into the current century along with the lobby.
The two genuine bright spots were the bellman, who was excellent, and the view of Niagara Falls, which is spectacular. Unfortunately, Marriott can’t really take credit for the second one.
Overall, this is a very generous 3-star review, and even that feels a little charitable. Had I paid the cash rate being charged for this room, I would have been genuinely angry. Thankfully, we used a few Marriott points, will be checking out after one night, and can chalk it up as a relatively inexpensive lesson.
Great view. Nice lobby. Excellent bellman. Beyond that, the hotel feels like it’s trying to charge modern luxury-hotel prices while operating rooms and infrastructure that desperately need modernization.
I wouldn’t return until there is a meaningful renovation of the actual guest rooms—not another lobby refresh designed to make the first five minutes of the stay look better than the remaining twenty-three hours.
