I don’t usually write negative reviews, but our experience at the The Oakes Hotel Overlooking the Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario was beyond disappointing. I’ve stayed in motels with less-than-ideal conditions, but this experience was a whole different level. While we didn’t expect luxury for the price, paying $400 per night set the expectation that we would receive a decent stay, but unfortunately, this wasn’t the case.
I visited Niagara Falls in 2023, and this review is based on my experience at the time. I’m hoping things have improved since then and that they now clearly mention all the details on their website.
The hotel was so disappointing that I didn’t even take proper photos, can you imagine? But I do have a video of the room 🎥 and honestly, the view from the lounge was just as disappointing.
Misleading information on the Oaks Hotel website
First, the online photos are incredibly misleading. They mainly feature the main tower and rooms with a view of the falls, which creates the impression that most of the rooms will have this view. However, the reality is that the hotel has two separate buildings: the tower and courtyard building with motel-style rooms with no view at all. There was no picture of that anywhere neither on the website nor on social medias to get an idea of the rooms in the motel section of the property, and we were shocked when we received the room keys.
Room review
The rooms with falls views are in the tower and come at an exorbitant price tag of $800-$1000 per night. To be honest, I would much rather stay at a well-known hotel chain for that price, where I can count on a much higher quality experience.
What was even more frustrating was the staff’s indifferent attitude toward our concerns. Their lack of interest in addressing our grievances was disappointing, especially given the misleading information.
As for the room itself, it was extremely basic, with worn-out furniture and a squeaky bed. The noise isolation was so poor that we could hear traffic throughout the night, which made it difficult to sleep. The bathroom was also quite basic, with outdated fixtures and a strange locking system on the door.
Other amenities at the hotel
The hotel didn’t offer much in terms of amenities. The only benefit was a complementary drink at the concierge and lounge access, but there were no other facilities available. The lounge was also quite basic with a view of the falls, but the glasses were stained, and the sofas were worn-out. Only a clean window would allow you to fully enjoy the view. However, it was occupied throughout by the tower guests.
Overall experience
I have never written such a negative review before, but this hotel was overpriced and underwhelming in every sense. We did try to share our feedback with the staff, but they didn’t seem to care at all.
Based on my experience, I strongly recommend looking for alternative accommodations, as suggested by friends who had a much better stay. This hotel did not meet our expectations and was not worth the money we spent.
