Holiday Inn Niagara Falls- By the Falls Review

If you’re looking for cheap hotels in Niagara Falls in the Fallsview Boulevard area, the Holiday Inn Niagara Falls – By The Falls is a great choice. In this Holiday Inn Niagara Falls review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the rooms, the pool, and other amenities.

The Holiday Inn Niagara Falls is a 3-star property. I found prices as low as $94/night during the off-season, which is a fantastic deal for Fallsview hotels. The rooms are clean and well-maintained. Plus, the location is perfect if you want to be close to the Fallsview Casino or some of the best dining options in the Falls.

I stayed here for an overnight trip during March break with my mom (Grandma) and my two kids, Brie and Zen. We usually stay at The Falls Hotel and Inn, since it’s right at the top of Clifton Hill. However, for this trip, we wanted to check out a Fallsview area hotel instead. While I’ll probably stick with our go-to spot for future trips with the kids to Niagara Falls in the winter, this one is worth coming back to for a summer trip. I may even come back for a solo winter casino and food trip.

My Holiday Inn Niagara Falls- By the Falls Review

Overall Rating: 8/10

Holiday Inn By the Falls Family-Friendly Features

Budget-friendly prices
Free parking (A huge win in this area!)
In-room fridge
Indoor pool
Breakfast available on-site (for a fee)
Plenty of restaurants just a short walk away

Location and Parking

Rating: 9/10

What makes this hotel a real standout is that the parking is completely free. This is basically unheard of for a Niagara Falls hotel. The parking lot is right behind the hotel and is accessible from Murray Street or Fallsview Boulevard. The lot is large, so there’s no issue finding a spot. Plus, there’s an entrance to the hotel at the back that’s accessible during the day.

Location-wise, you are in a great spot for a Fallsview area hotel. The Fallsview Casino Resort is right across the street. It only takes five minutes to walk to the casino’s main entrance. There are also a ton of great restaurants within a block of the hotel. This includes an attached steakhouse and the Margaritaville right next door.

Points of Interest Near Holiday Inn Niagara Falls :

OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino– 4-minute walk
Fallsview Casino – 5-minute walk
Skylon Tower– 6-minute walk
Table Rock/ the top of the Falls– 16-minute walk
Clifton Hill-16-minute walk

Check In, Lobby, and Staff

Service rating: 8/10

There are a few parking spots in front of the hotel for checking in. When we got there at 5:30 p.m., they were all empty. Inside, the lobby isn’t anything special or grand, which is expected from a 3-star hotel. The seating area is along the left window that overlooks the outdoor pool. It’s separated into two areas by back-to-back couches with black chairs across from them and a glass coffee table between them.

Across from the seating area is a small check-in counter, with the entrance to the restaurant to the right of it. The check-in process was quick and easy, with no lineup when we got there.

Check-in time starts at 3:00 p.m., which is typical, but the check-out time is 12:00 p.m. This was a pleasant surprise for us. We were happy to be able to sleep in and take our time in the morning. Brie was even happier to be able to go for another swim before we checked out.

Holiday Inn Niagara Falls- By the Falls Rooms

All rooms include Wi-Fi, a TV, a coffee maker, and a mini-fridge. You can also book connecting rooms if you need more space.

Standard with 2 Queen beds (Sleeps 4)
Standard with 1 Queen bed and a sofa bed (Sleeps 4)
Accessible standard with 1 Queen Bed (Sleeps 2)
Standard with 1 King bed (Sleeps 2)
Standard with 1 King bed and a balcony (Sleeps 2)
Standard with 1 King bed and a jetted tub (Sleeps 2)

Standard 2 Queen Room Review

Holiday Inn Niagara Falls- By the Falls Rooms

Rating: 8/10

I’ll be honest, not much stands out about the room at first glance. It’s a pretty standard setup. When you walk in, you’ll find a small kitchenette area tucked into a hallway that leads to the bathroom. Straight ahead is the bedroom, which has a patio door that opens right onto the parking lot.

Bedroom

In the main part of the room, the two queen beds sit along one wall with an end table between them. In the corner, there’s a lamp, a small table, and a surprisingly comfy armchair. Next to that is the dresser with a smaller TV on top. You also get an attached desk with a mirror and a nice office chair.

While it’s not a huge room, it didn’t feel nearly as cramped as other hotels I’ve stayed in. The space between the beds is wide enough for two people to pass each other easily. There’s also plenty of room between the second bed and the sliding door. Brie, Zen, Grandma, and I could all move around without constantly bumping into each other, which is a huge win for a family of four.

Kitchenette

The kitchenette area is a bit unique. It’s in its own little hallway, which keeps it separate from where you sleep. On the kitchen side, you have a counter with a half-size sink, a coffee maker, and a mirror. Below that is a decent mini-fridge. It has four shelves and door storage, but no freezer.

Across from the sink is a large closet with mirrored sliding doors. There were four hangers for our coats inside, plus plenty of floor space to tuck away our luggage and shoes.

Bathroom

I found the bathroom to be a bit more spacious than most. It has a full-sized bathtub and shower combo on one side, with the toilet and sink across from it. The counter isn’t huge, but it fit our toiletry bags just fine.

Décor, Lighting, and Room Condition

For a budget hotel, the décor was actually quite nice. The beige wallpaper kept the room bright and wasn’t peeling or stained at all. The lighting was on the dim side, which is typical for a hotel. But the room filled with light when we opened the curtains. Luckily, the curtains worked well to block out the light at night. They kept the room nice and dark so we could sleep in.

The armchair looked fairly new and was a great spot to relax. Nothing here is fancy, but everything was in good condition. The room looked recently updated and well-maintained. The white bedding was fresh and clean, and the pillows were soft and fluffy. The best part? Everything was comfortable, and we all slept great.

The only real wear and tear I noticed was in the bathroom. The tub enamel was peeling near the faucet. Otherwise, it was clean, and the tub surround looked good. The white shower curtain was spotless. I saw a bit of wear on the ceiling and wallpaper, but no mold or major stains. The counter looked newer and was in great condition.

Noise

The rooms aren’t very soundproof, so we could easily hear people talking as they walked down the hall. Luckily, we were in the very last room, so we didn’t have many people passing by. Our room faced the parking lot, and we didn’t hear any noise from outside.

Holiday Inn By the Falls Amenities

Pool Rating: 7/10

The outdoor pool was closed since this was a winter trip. I noticed some rooms overlook it, which would be awesome for families with older kids in the summer.

We headed to the indoor pool as soon as we dropped off our bags. After walking around in the cold all day, we really needed to warm up. Even Grandma came to relax in the hot tub with us! There were a few families with young kids when we arrived, but the area is spacious enough that it didn’t feel crowded.

The pool is a decent size with a nice staircase entry at the shallow end. The deep end only goes to 4.5 feet, which is great for safety. My only complaint is the seating. There were less than a dozen chairs on the deck. There is enough room to fit more, and they would definitely need them on a busy day.

As nice as the pool looked, the water was way too cold for us. Zen and I both tried to get in but didn’t make it past the second step. Even Brie—who usually lives in the water—struggled. It took her three tries to work up the courage to jump in. She immediately went for the ladder to get out! However, there were younger kids in there that didn’t seem to mind the temperature at all.

On the second day, Brie was a bit braver. It probably helped that we hadn’t been out in the cold all morning first. She took her time getting in, but she managed to stay in for about 10 minutes before retreating to the hot tub. Luckily, the hot tub was very warm. It’s a good size, too, so you shouldn’t have an issue finding a spot to thaw out.

I was also happy to see a sauna right beside the hot tub. I didn’t remember seeing that in the hotel description, so it was a pleasant surprise. Grandma and the kids don’t care for sauna’s, so I was the only one who checked it out. It’s actually a decent size for a hotel sauna—far bigger than most I’ve been in.

Fitness centre

Rating: 5/10

The fitness centre is small, with just four machines crammed in there: two treadmills, an elliptical, and an exercise bike. I went in to take a look, but with all the walking we did (14,000 steps!), I had no reason to get a workout in on this trip.

Food

I can’t really comment on the on-site restaurant because we didn’t eat there. While Coco’s Terrace Steakhouse is super convenient for a winter trip—especially with an entrance right off the lobby—we decided to eat elsewhere. Niagara Falls has so many options for food, and for this trip, the kids were much more interested in the Rainforest Cafe and a big breakfast buffet.

If you’re looking for restaurants closer to the hotel, you’ll find plenty of great options within a 5-minute walk or less. Here are some of the closest spots:

Ready to book your stay?

If you’re planning a Niagara Falls trip and want a budget-friendly hotel in the Fallsview area, this is one of the best options you’ll find.

Check current Holiday Inn Niagara Falls- By the Falls rates.

If you’d rather upgrade to a 4-star hotel, these are my top Fallsview hotel recommendations. :

Final thoughts on the Holiday Inn By the Falls

So, is the Holiday Inn Niagara Falls- By the Falls worth it?

Overall, the hotel is definitely a great value for the price, especially during the off-season. If you’re looking for Fallsview hotels and don’t want to pay for one of the four-star properties nearby, this is a great choice. It’s budget-friendly, and while basic, it still has an updated, clean feel.

The highlights that make it stand out from other cheap hotels in Niagara Falls are the free parking, the 12:00 p.m. checkout, and the indoor pool area. Having a hot tub and sauna on-site is a huge plus after a long day of exploring Niagara Falls in the Winter.

Location-wise, it’s perfect if you’re planning to check out the casino or the nearby attractions. Plus, it’s not a bad walk to the Falls or Clifton Hill. If you’re still debating what to do in the Falls, check out my Is the Clifton Hill Fun Pass Worth It? post, or my review of Ripley’s Selfie Studio.

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