very pleasant hotel experience! partner and i stayed here for a couple nights on the 3rd floor, and the view of the lock/ships going by throughout the days (which was a lot of them!) made this a truly memorable stay. the natural lighting in the rooms is amazing. the rooms themself were very clean, tidy, and cutely decorated! simple, but also unique. i loved the style. bathroom was also very clean and nice. and the staff is wonderful! the man who works the front desk is beyond kind and very helpful, even gave my partner a free boat book! the rooms also had a mini fridge that also had a freezer which was a nice surprising addition and came very useful to us. i was also very surprised how quiet it was our whole stay- did not hear a peep at all from any of the other guests! one of the people in the next room to us too had small children too. so i’m very thankful that they had soundproof walls.
the only cons i could truly think of: while there is air con in the rooms, they are definitely due for an upgrade. we had it running 24/7 on the coldest temp possible and we were still very hot at points! though for a 2 star hotel- you get what you pay for and take what’s given. i’m just glad they had AC! as others have mentioned as well- the halls are a little shabby and run down, sure, but again- it’s a 2 star hotel. plus, it’s not like you’re spending all your time in the halls. the rooms and view of the canal lock definitely make up for that. also, it would be great if they updated the beds from double to at least queen sized- my partner and i unfortunately had to sleep in separate beds for our stay which sucked! we didn’t have to- but otherwise it would’ve been very cramped (i’m 5’, he’s 6’1). it also would’ve been nice to have access to a few more cable channels as well. but that’s just a minor nitpick! oh, and there also is no elevator.
all in all, despite the very few cons, we highly recommend this place. we will definitely book here for another stay if we are ever in the area again. amazing pricing too!!
(note- someone in another review mentioned having a bad view of the canal, but i think they must’ve just got a room on the first floor or something! fantastic view from 3rd floor. seems that would be the floor with best view.)
This is not a five star hotel, but it has a truly unique view. You can see everything from tankers to sailboats go through lock 7 on the Welland Canal, and the front desk has books with information about them. It's convenient if you're visiting the Shaw Festival or Niagara Falls, and Thorold has a nice variety of restaurants. I've been staying at it for over 25 years and it's my favorite place to stay in the Niagara region.
Verified
We planned on attending two shows at the Shaw Festival plus a day of hiking on the Bruce Trail. The location was perfect for both activities- a 25 minute drive to Niagara on the Lake and 15 minutes to the trail head. Also , the inn is four blocks from the old downtown. Check out the Early Bird for breakfast and Donnelly’s for dinner. The Inn’s rooms are basic, but big, bright and super clean with fresh paint and new carpeting. The view of the canal from our balcony was great. We spent quite awhile watching the ships traverse the canal.
☺Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Verified
We planned on attending two shows at the Shaw Festival plus a day of hiking on the Bruce Trail. The location was perfect for both activities- a 25 minute drive to Niagara on the Lake and 15 minutes to the trail head. Also , the inn is four blocks from the old downtown. Check out the Early Bird for breakfast and Donnelly’s for dinner. The Inn’s rooms are basic, but big, bright and super clean with fresh paint and new carpeting. The view of the canal from our balcony was great. We spent quite awhile watching the ships traverse the canal. | Liked: cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Love this place! We stay here every year around the same time. The nostalgia of the hotel and the location makes this a prime spot for us. We have family near by in St Catherine’s but always choose to stay here as we love watching the lock when we are back at the room. The staff is great (same staff we have seen for the past years we have stayed there), they know us even though we are only there yearly. It’s not far from anything you may be interested in and most places deliver here! We will be back again next year and look forward to it!
Verified
A cute, very basic inn with a great view. Almost across the street from a nice park (no playground) and in a neighbourhood with lovely historical homes. A must-stay for anyone with a four-year old boy or senior man who will get a kick out of watching all the boats going through the locks. Lovely walking path along the canal not far away. | Liked: cleanliness | Disliked: amenities, property conditions & facilities
Verified
A cute, very basic inn with a great view. Almost across the street from a nice park (no playground) and in a neighbourhood with lovely historical homes. A must-stay for anyone with a four-year old boy or senior man who will get a kick out of watching all the boats going through the locks. Lovely walking path along the canal not far away.
☺Cleanliness
☹Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Verified
Owners and staff are so friendly and helpful. The rooms are spotlessly clean and it felt like a brand new mattress. It is a dated property with cinderblock walls, an old bathroom, and windows that didn’t work well. But I would still stay here again when I’m in the area because it’s so neat to be able to watch the ships on the canal from your balcony or even your bed! | Liked: cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities