Niagara Falls?

[jekajekalynn]

Agree, we stayed @ the Comfort Inn @ Clifton Hill. Was worried that room would be noisy being next to the bustling Hill area. But our room was in the 1st wood's are complex. We had a ground floor, totally quiet. We could open our windows & hear the Falls. If we squinted, we could "sort-of" see them.LOL.

Nice entertainment area attached to hotel. We had a reasonably priced pkg that included a few meals, arcade tokens, simulator shows & wax museum.

The parks dept offers variying tour options...we went for the biggie; saw an butterfly attraction, Maid of Mist, Walk along River, Tunnel Under Falls Tour, etc...was nice & could spread out over 2 days. DH & son did the Aerocar over river, for extra fee - they loved it.

Only 2 things we didn't care for: Hard Rock restaurant (why do I keep trying them hoping they'll improve?) and Amercian check-point coming back (actually asked my DS if we were his parents?).

Have fun planning.

Ugh... I totaly agree with you about HRC.. Though I liked the ambviance.. the food was sub par to what I was expecting (although I LOVED the Blue Hawaiin drink! lol) and the girl who sat us was surly and clearly wanted to be somewhere else ,,, Here is how a conversation with her went


me-"Hi, is the restraunt open?"

girl "yeah" she looks off in her own little world and there is a awkward pause .

then she finally says after a few minutes of us just standing there scratching our heads "Ohh.. would you like a table?" (No... I just like to go around and ask attendents if there work place is open.. )

Me "Yes"

She huffs off with us and she is CLEARLY annoyed that she has to seat us , the customers.

 

[rockin_rep]

Ugh... I totaly agree with you about HRC.. Though I liked the ambviance.. the food was sub par to what I was expecting (although I LOVED the Blue Hawaiin drink! lol)

LOL, i totally agree!

We have eaten at nearly EVERY Hard Rock Cafe in america. Yep, we really have!

On our many out-west road trips to california and back, we've hit every Hard Rock Cafe. We also ate at the original HRC in London, very cool!

And at ALL of them, the menu / food was the exactly same. Sometimes a good thing after spending weeks in the national parks and you want something familiar (i love their chicken strips appetizer!) but certainly just your basic fare.

The ambiance is different in each however, and it's great fun to wander around checking out all the displays.

 

[keishashadow]

LOL, i totally agree!

We have eaten at nearly EVERY Hard Rock Cafe in america. Yep, we really have!

On our many out-west road trips to california and back, we've hit every Hard Rock Cafe. We also ate at the original HRC in London, very cool!

And at ALL of them, the menu / food was the exactly same. Sometimes a good thing after spending weeks in the national parks and you want something familiar (i love their chicken strips appetizer!) but certainly just your basic fare.

The ambiance is different in each however, and it's great fun to wander around checking out all the displays.

We've learned to ask for a table instead of a booth. Always seem to get a sight-seeing crawling on our table & over our food.LOL

The Myrtle Beach site is the best (of the worst) I've tried, Pittsburgh's is always too crowded for us. The one @ Universal looked nice from the outside, but after suffering thru their "Kitchen" on-site @ HRH; we picked Margarittaville & had a blast.

Not sure why we keep hoping the food quality will kick up a notch but, as you say...sometimes you're looking for the safeness of familiar sites.

 

[pigletof4]

We've learned to ask for a table instead of a booth. Always seem to get a sight-seeing crawling on our table & over our food.LOL

The Myrtle Beach site is the best (of the worst) I've tried, Pittsburgh's is always too crowded for us. The one @ Universal looked nice from the outside, but after suffering thru their "Kitchen" on-site @ HRH; we picked Margarittaville & had a blast.

Not sure why we keep hoping the food quality will kick up a notch but, as you say...sometimes you're looking for the safeness of familiar sites.

We always stick to the same foods when we eat at the HRC. We always get the boneless chicken wings with medium sauce and usually a salad. DH has gotten a hamburger on occassion, but has said it's nothing to write home about.

 

[Nice Guy]

My family and I are going to Niagra Falls in the late summer.

Anyone know of a good hotel for a family of 5?

many thanks!

 

[threeboysmom]

We are a family of 5 as well. I think I've settled on the Comfort Inn at Clifton Hills that a couple people here recommended. Problem is some of the travel discount sites won't allow a family of 5 to book a room there - want you to book 2 rooms. But I think according to the Comfort Inn website, you can put 5 in the room as long as you get a roll-away bed as well. Anyone know for sure?

 

[Skywalker]

We stayed 5-to-a-room there last October, so it can be done. And I agree, it is a great hotel in a great location for a great price. (I grew up in Niagara Falls and hate the hotels on Lundy's Lane, even though they are cheaper.)

 

[taximomfor4]

My family and I are going to Niagra Falls in the late summer.

Anyone know of a good hotel for a family of 5?

many thanks!

We stayed at eh Embassy Suites Fallsview on the Canadian side. We paid AAA rate in peak travel season (June) for one night. There are different floor levels (higher vs lower) and you can get non falls view, view of one Falls, or view of both falls. We paid for view of both falls, middle level of rooms. Ended up with a free upgrade to the upper floors instead. The view was breathtaking. If you would like to see a pic, I'll post one. LMK. Anyway, it comes with a managers reception for every guest (with 2 free alcoholic beverages per room I think). Oh, and free breakfast in the mornings in the Fallsview restaurant in the hotel. There they have buffet of tons of breakffast foods, and also a cook you can go to for a special-ordered omelet. You do pay to valet park, but we were only needing to buy one meal a day while there for our party of 5 so still saved a bit. We liked it so much, we called that evening to add another night. No AAA rates were left so we forked out full price for the second night. Had a great time.
The room is a suite. We put the 5 and 7 yr olds to bed on the pullour couch in the front room, then there is a kitchen area,bathroom area with jaccuzzi, then the bedroom with the fallsview.

Beth

 

[Nice Guy]

Thanks so much for that information! I am going to look into Embassy Suites right away.

Any pictures you post would be sincerely appreciated.

Did you by any chance go to Marineland and that Marvel Superhero place? I'm trying to find out some information about them.

Thanks again.

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

Thanks everyone for the great information!

We’re planning a mid-June trip to Niagra Falls and are tentatively planning on staying at Embassy Suites. A suite with a generous complimentary breakfast is a great deal for a family of six!

 

[laurajetter]

We stayed at eh Embassy Suites Fallsview on the Canadian side. We paid AAA rate in peak travel season (June) for one night. There are different floor levels (higher vs lower) and you can get non falls view, view of one Falls, or view of both falls. We paid for view of both falls, middle level of rooms. Ended up with a free upgrade to the upper floors instead. The view was breathtaking. If you would like to see a pic, I'll post one. LMK. Anyway, it comes with a managers reception for every guest (with 2 free alcoholic beverages per room I think). Oh, and free breakfast in the mornings in the Fallsview restaurant in the hotel. There they have buffet of tons of breakffast foods, and also a cook you can go to for a special-ordered omelet. You do pay to valet park, but we were only needing to buy one meal a day while there for our party of 5 so still saved a bit. We liked it so much, we called that evening to add another night. No AAA rates were left so we forked out full price for the second night. Had a great time.
The room is a suite. We put the 5 and 7 yr olds to bed on the pullour couch in the front room, then there is a kitchen area,bathroom area with jaccuzzi, then the bedroom with the fallsview.

Beth

This is exactly where we stayed and loved it! The breakfast buffet was a wonderful start to each day! I'm sure I have a photo of our view, but I'll have to dig around!

Laura

 

[taximomfor4]

Ok, Just scanned these. I took these from our room at the Embassy Suites...

 

[mafibisha]

We too, often stay at Embassy Suites, including this one. (we are Hilton Honors members and love earning points wherever we can) We also love Embassy for the addition room (read: privacy ) and free bountiful breakfast.

However ~

I would not stay at this one again with children, its not at all kid friendly, other than the extra room, mini kitchen and free breakfast.

For one, the location is far from all the kid type activities, AND you must take a 'people mover' type thing DOWN a very steep hill from the hotel to the falls. (also a charge, can't recall the amount).

The location / view are cool when you wake up and look out the window but the majority of the time we were usually outside IN the view, and enjoying it, not just watching from the window. However, for a romantic getaway where you'll be spending the majority of your time in the room, it would be great.

Also, I didn't like having to get back into the car and drive to all the attractions. It ate up alot of our time.

So nice view or not, I will definitely stay somewhere else next time, probably on Clifton Hill in the heart of the touristy stuff, shopping, Maid-of-the-Mist ect.

 

[dizagain]

BUMP! We're going in July!

 

[S. C.]

We may also be going to Niagra Falls this summer.

 

[taximomfor4]

We too, often stay at Embassy Suites, including this one. (we are Hilton Honors members and love earning points wherever we can) We also love Embassy for the addition room (read: privacy ) and free bountiful breakfast.

However ~

I would not stay at this one again with children, its not at all kid friendly, other than the extra room, mini kitchen and free breakfast.

For one, the location is far from all the kid type activities, AND you must take a 'people mover' type thing DOWN a very steep hill from the hotel to the falls. (also a charge, can't recall the amount).

The location / view are cool when you wake up and look out the window but the majority of the time we were usually outside IN the view, and enjoying it, not just watching from the window. However, for a romantic getaway where you'll be spending the majority of your time in the room, it would be great.

Also, I didn't like having to get back into the car and drive to all the attractions. It ate up alot of our time.

.

tI guess for our family (dh, me, dd6, ds5, dd2) it worked out great. We were only doing one full day of touring so we bought the package deal thingy... it included unlimited use all day on the incline thingy (which the kids got a kick out of..."it's a RIDE!"), Butterfly Conservatory, Cave of the Winds Tour I think, Maid of the Mist, and the walkway down by the rapids which was really neat! Oh, and unlimited use of the whatever-line buses which drove us from activity to activity. All for one full day. On our half day, we swam in the hotel pool. We also walked all around on our last morning...walked to the Rainforest Cafe.

I should warn that the managers reception is great for the couple of drinks and unlimited soft drinks (from like 2-7pm) and snack foods...but those only include munchies...no hot snacks. Chips, party mix, pretzels, fresh popcorn, veggies, etc.

Beth

 

[Nice Guy]

Thanks for the pictures Taxi mom of 4.

A few posts up, there's a thread from someone who said that the embassy suites was not kid-friendly and told the reasons why.

Could you please comment on what was said based on your experience at the Embassy Suites, fallsview.

Many thanks!

 

[TiggerPiglet]

We're actually planning on going there in late Aug. Has anyone ever stayed at the Marriott Fallsview? We're planning on staying there with points.
I'm so excited about going, I went as a kid and had a great time. My DH has never been, so he's really excited about seeing it for the first time.

 

[jekajekalynn]

Here's a little review of mine of some of the attactions on Clifton Hill and Falls Ave that I have been to:


Clifton Hill Attractions: Movieland Wax Museum:
Very kitchy, but neat . Worth a look-see , but if you're traveling with kids be sure to take the 'chicken' exit at the end!! They moved the museum further down the hill, and with their expansion they added a 'haunted house-y" kind of thing at the end.

Ripleys Believe it or not! Museum:

Again, kitchy but neat..

Great Canadian Midway:

My dh and I love this place!!! lol We make a special day of it when we go to Clifton Hill. It's like one HUGE chucky cheese . They also have a ride and a movie in there too, but my dh and I were to busy playing the token games. hehe

Dinosaur Park Mini Golf:

Really neat mini-golf. It has roaring dinosaur statues. lol The only downside to this place is that the mini-golf is RIGHT BEHIND a motel , and the ppl staying there can watch you play from their verandas. (which happened a few times... )

Guiness World Book of record museum: Waste of Money... Not even worth the ticket. Skip this and just go to Ripleys.


Legos Museum: very small attraction but really neat. Worth a look. Apparently one man spent a lot of time and $$ making these very intricate lego sculptures. If you like the Lego thing outside of DTD you will love this. hehe

I don't know what it is about Niagara Falls... but MAN.. they have TONS of haunted houses!! ALOT of them are strictly for upper teens because they are too scary. One though isn't too scary at all and is the Frankenstein one on Clifton Hill.

Marvel attraction: nice little deversion to take the kiddies to. Has token games, a few neat rides, and a black light Hulk mini golf .. Though be prepared to get VERY frustrasted by the glow in the dark minigolf.. lol The neatness of the glow in the dark stuff is overshadowed by the fact that the darkness makes it VERY HARD to play and make a good put..

WWE thingy- Has a "pile driver" .. typicial state fair kinda ride.. Has a WWE store too.

And of course there is the whole street on Falls Ave, including must-sees like the Hershey Store, Coke store and whatnot..


Ohh and here's a link to the stuff on Clifton Hill.

Clifton hill

 

[taximomfor4]

Thanks for the pictures Taxi mom of 4.

A few posts up, there's a thread from someone who said that the embassy suites was not kid-friendly and told the reasons why.

Could you please comment on what was said based on your experience at the Embassy Suites, fallsview.

Many thanks!

I did, probably while you were typing too, of course! Check above post!

I didn't feel at ALL like kids were not welcomed. Many of the families I saw had kids. In fact, I sort of think the opposite... most of the rooms are set up to sleep 6. And there is a TGIFridays downstairs.

Beth