We chose the Niagara Marriott on the Falls for a one-night visit, primarily for its convenient location and promise of stunning views, with the added benefit of utilizing our Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status.
The Highlights: Views and Bonvoy Perks
Our stay was generally comfortable and clean, offering a spectacular, unobstructed view of the Niagara Falls—which was exactly what we came for. The location is excellent for exploring, as we could walk to the boat tours and around the falls in 20-30 minutes. We believe there were shuttles too, but we didn’t bother asking around because it was such a nice weather and we love walking.
Marriott Bonvoy Experience: The hotel excelled in recognizing our status, providing a complimentary upgrade to a huge, two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite before we even arrived. Check-in was swift and professional. A welcome gift of ice wine chocolates was a highly appreciated, kind touch.
The Room: The suite was enormous, well-equipped with all standard Marriott amenities (coffee/tea, bathrobes, etc.), and offered a great view.
Staff: Hotel and restaurant staff were professional, efficient, and genuinely friendly.
The Drawbacks: Age and 'Penny-Pinching'
While the views were exceptional, the hotel is showing its age in several areas, which made the overall experience feel overpriced for what was delivered.
Aging Facility: The building felt dated, with older furniture and decorations. The elevators were notoriously slow. A key disappointment was the perpetually dusty exterior windows, which frequently marred the "amazing views" the hotel is famous for.
The M Lounge: The M Lounge was a letdown. Located on the 19th floor, it was a small, uninviting space with minimal offerings—mostly just crackers and limited drinks. The old chairs and unappealing atmosphere made it feel, frankly, like an old diner.
Exorbitant Parking: The $45 overnight parking fee for hotel guests felt outrageously high, practically renting a separate room for our car. This pricing seems to be an area-wide tactic to maximize income from tourists.
The Breakfast Conundrum: Our complimentary "cold breakfast" benefit was a confusing and slightly annoying affair. The distinction between what qualified as "cold" (and thus free) and "hot" (off the silver dishes, and thus forbidden) was emphasized repeatedly by the staff. This over-complicated, restrictive approach to a status benefit suggests a strong "milk every penny" mindset, which cheapens the Marriott brand experience. The dinner at the hotel restaurant, which offered a tasty steak, felt more like a typical diner than a high-end hotel venue. Still their dinner meal deal was great offering a full bottle of local wine, one starter and two mains.
Location for Views: While close, the hotel's position provides a view mostly from the top of the falls. For the most encompassing, beautiful view of the falls, we believe hotels further up north that offer more distance may be superior. The close-up view, however, is still breathtaking.
Final Verdict
The Niagara Marriott on the Falls delivered on its promise of a comfortable stay with exceptional views. It is proficient in upholding its Bonvoy commitments. However, the combination of an aging property, lackluster non-essentials (like the M Lounge), and the aggressive, income-maximizing policies (parking, restrictive breakfast) leaves a mixed impression. We would only consider a revisit if a significantly better price were offered, otherwise, we would opt to try a competitor.
