This seems to happen every summer: I go on a mini tour of the Niagara Falls area and return with a list of petty grievances.
Well, to be fair, not all of them are trivial. I just find some of the things very odd when it is at a tourism mecca. I mean it is one of the wonders of the world, right?
We are asked to do 'staycations' and spent our money locally or regionally.
Why is service so bad? Why are there such reduced hours? It's like everything closes about 10 p.m.
I definitely know the hotels were busy as rooms were hard to come by. This was also during the week.
In the one hotel, we needed handicapped parking. There were actually two hotels separated by a roadway. There was one reserved handicapped spot, obviously always occupied.
We were sent to the second hotel. We asked if they had handicapped parking in that lot.
“Um, there should be one.”
“Well, I know there should be, but is there?”
“I’m not sure”
He was the person checking us in. He likely should know this answer.
We managed to get our luggage into the complex. Keep in mind that we asked about handicapped parking, so maybe that would have been a hint we needed some assistance.
No trolleys, and certainly no bell hops. No staff at all, so we dragged our suitcases, totes and purses down five hallways. I am not exaggerating. In the middle of one hallway were four steep steps with no handrails. It was so ridiculous, we had to laugh.
Who designs these places?
Have you noticed no phones in the rooms anymore. So, how is a guest supposed to call room service (if there is any) or ask for towels or report an issue or get a wake-up call. Without a cellphone, you’d be sunk.
We overheard someone say the hotel was on a fire watch until the next day.
“Say what, now?”
I’d never make it down five halls and four steep stairs. Good thing my will is up to date.
By morning, the smell of burnt rubber permeated the hallways from a construction site outside. We would have complained, but there was no staff at the desk.
For all these pleasures, we paid over $400.
But hope springs eternal, so maybe the next place in the next city will be better.
It seemed nice enough and there was a restaurant attached to the hotel, so that would save some driving. But, wait, it's not open Mondays or Tuesdays. So, we can’t eat on those days?
Again, I think this lack of staff and reduced hours has to do with COVID times, but haven’t things somewhat returned to normal?
Again, it’s a tourism area. Bars were closing at 10.
Even some Tim Hortons restaurants were closed overnight.
That all seems counter-intuitive for any city, but especially those with casinos, entertainment and a vibrant nightlife.
Each hotel offered daily cleaning service ... if you requested it. For $400 bucks a night, I do think I want fresh towels, a baby shampoo and to have my bed made during my stay. But they make it seem like such an imposition.
Check your bill sometime. I’ve never seen so many taxes: hospitality tax, tourism tax, parking fee tax. Talk about gouging.
I used to adore spending nights in hotels. It was a luxurious treat. Not anymore.
Oh, one place did offer a free apple or a cookie.
But avoid the bottles of water in the room, because those are not complimentary. Those are $4.25.
All that before we even went out to do any sightseeing or pay any admissions.
The slogan is “Ontario. Yours to discover.”
I did. I tried. And I discovered I can’t afford it.
Wendy King is a columnist with BarrieToday.
