Review of the DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls [Good Use of Hilton Aspire Card Resort Credit]

Niagara Falls is an incredible natural wonder along the border between the U.S. and Canada. It is world-renowned for its natural beauty and is a major tourist destination.

Many hotels have popped up over the last few years, making finding where to stay that much more difficult. Quite a few hotels are available, including major chains such as Hilton and Marriott.

I was intrigued when I noticed there was a Hilton resort in the area. I chose the DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton- Niagara Falls to take advantage of one of my credit card’s statement credit benefits.

Here’s an in-depth look at my experience at the property as a Hilton Honors Diamond member and what you should know if you’re considering staying at the DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls.

Booking DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls

Although I typically stay at Hyatt and Marriott hotels more than I do Hilton hotels, I still have top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status thanks to the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card* I carry in my wallet.

The Hilton Aspire card is the top-of-the-line Hilton card and provides several benefits, including an annual free night certificate.

It also comes with valuable statement credits that help offset the card’s hefty $550 annual fee. This includes up to $400 annual Hilton resort credits (up to $200 in statement credits semiannually) on the card each anniversary year. However, the credit can only be used at participating resorts within the Hilton portfolio.

*The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

All information about Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

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Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Automatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.

Welcome Offer

Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership

175,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$875

Annual Fee

$550

APR

20.99% - 29.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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Paying hundreds of dollars for an annual fee on a co-branded hotel card might seem ridiculous, but you should know that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is much more than your run-of-the-mill hotel credit card.

The Hilton Aspire card is not only a phenomenal card for Hilton Honors loyalists, but even those who visit Hilton hotels just a few times a year can still get excellent value out of all the benefits that are packed into this card.

So let’s have a look at what makes the card so valuable to travelers.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 14x points per $1 on Hilton purchases
• 7x points per $1 on select travel and at U.S. restaurants
• 3x points per $1 on all other eligible purchases

Cons

• High annual fee of $550

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 175,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership
• Earn 14x Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you make eligible purchases on your card at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton portfolio
• Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible travel purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or AmexTravel.com and on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies
• Earn 7x Hilton Honors Bonus Points on dining at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
• Earn 3x Hilton Honors Bonus Points for other eligible purchases on your card
• Enjoy up to $400 in Hilton Resort Credits (up to $200 in statement credits semi-annually) on your card each anniversary year when you stay at participating resorts within the Hilton portfolio
• Enjoy complimentary Diamond status
• $550 annual fee

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 29.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

After noticing a Hilton resort hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada (and since I still had my resort credit to use), I thought it would be a great idea to take the drive down from Toronto (where I was at the time). I immediately began looking at cash rates to see how much rooms typically go for.

Cash rates for many nights in August 2024 were under $200 before taxes and fees, meaning I could get this night for almost nothing out of pocket.

Since I had no other plans to use the Hilton resort credit, I booked the DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls for 1 night at the cheapest rate available: a 2-Queen Beds – Partial City View room. Since I am a Hilton Honors Diamond member, I was confident I would be upgraded to a nicer room at check-in.

The room for this 1-night stay cost CA$272.22 (about $200), including taxes and fees.

The Hilton resort credit benefit is specific to the Hilton Aspire card, so I used that card for payment. In addition to the resort credit, the Hilton Aspire card earns 14x points spent at hotels in the Hilton portfolio.

Hot Tip:

Check out our in-depth guide on the best credit cards for Hilton loyalists.

Location of DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls

The DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls is in the Fallsview Tourist Area on the Canada side of Niagara Falls. The property is less than a 10-minute walk from several attractions, including Niagara Falls State Park, Skylon Tower, Journey Behind The Falls, Fallsview Casino Resort complex, Queen Victoria Park, and the Clifton Hill neighborhood.

Getting There

There are several ways to get to the DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls, the easiest of which is by car.

Niagara Falls is a 90-minute drive from downtown Toronto via the Gardiner Expressway and Queen Elizabeth Way. Alternatively, those without a vehicle can take a GO Bus, GO Train, Megabus, or FlixBus between Toronto and Niagara Falls.

The falls are also around 45 minutes from Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF), not accounting for any delays crossing from the U.S. to Canada.

Hot Tip:

If you plan to cross the U.S.-Canada border, you’ll need appropriate documentation.

Checking In

After the hour-and-a-half drive from Toronto, my wife and I arrived at the hotel around 1 p.m., a few hours before the hotel’s official check-in time. I parked my car and headed directly inside to the check-in counters to the left of the hotel’s entrance.

I was greeted by a front desk representative who welcomed me to the hotel. I provided him with identification, and he began the check-in process. However, the hotel’s systems were down, and he could not provide me with keys. Because of this, the front desk representatives were writing down guest names by hand to assign rooms.

The front desk representative apologized for the inconvenience. He mentioned that he had a room ready for us (the one we originally booked) but would upgrade us to a better room.

I requested a single king-bed room if available, as my wife was with me. However, that particular room was not ready yet. Since we wanted to head to the falls, we decided to take the upgrade and get the room keys later.

The front desk agent provided me with a parking pass for my vehicle. Being a resort hotel in an incredibly busy tourist destination, the hotel is also quite strict about parking on the property. Guests with vehicles are given a parking pass, which must be displayed on the front window. The nightly parking fee is CA$25 (about $18).

The check-in process was incredibly slow and painful. I understand that the hotel system was down and beyond the hotel’s control, but that was not the worst part. We received absolutely no recognition for being a Hilton Honors Diamond member. The representative did not acknowledge it once, despite even upgrading us to a nicer room. In addition, the representative did not mention anything about the hotel’s amenities, including the pool, fitness center, or any dining options on the property.

Worst of all, the hotel did not have a dedicated priority check-in line for those with Hilton Honors elite status. This needs to be addressed, as this could make the check-in process much simpler.

The front desk representative was expressionless and not particularly friendly or welcoming. It was evident that he was bothered by something (possibly the hotel systems being down). However, I do believe this is unacceptable in the hospitality industry, where the little things matter most.

Regardless, we were excited to head to the falls. I thanked the front desk representative and said I would return shortly.

Elite Benefits

After several hours, I came back to get the room keys. Since it was now after the hotel’s official check-in time, there was a long queue to speak to the check-in agents.

After a 15-minute wait, I approached the front desk. I spoke to a different front desk representative this time, and my experience was slightly better. The representative mentioned that the hotel’s systems were still down, so everything moved incredibly slowly. However, he did apologize and did recognize my Hilton Honors elite status.

As benefits of my Diamond status, the agent provided me with 2 separate $12 food and beverage vouchers (1 each for my wife and me) and a voucher for 2 complimentary water bottles, which could be redeemed at the lobby coffee bar.

Now that we were fully checked in, we gathered our bags and were ready to head to the room and begin exploring the hotel.

Lobby

After check-in, I walked around the lobby to see what it offered. There was a large central seating area as you walked into the hotel (and across from the hotel’s check-in desk).

The area had seating for about 10 people and a mix of sofas and armchairs. Some side tables adorned with lamps divided up the seating area.

A smaller seating area was directly behind the main seating area, which featured a small fireplace. Some stairs led up to the second floor, where the hotel’s main restaurant was. More on that later.

Another small seating area was behind the massive stone fireplace featuring a sectional couch and a single armchair.

Behind this next seating area was the hotel’s tour desk, which offered tickets for shuttles to the various waterfalls, the Skylon Tower Observation Deck, and the Dufferin Islands.

After walking around the hotel’s lobby, we were ready to head up to our room. The hotel’s 3 guest elevators were to the right of the secondary seating area.

Room

Our room, 1204, was just a few steps away from the elevators on the 12th floor.

Although I was not upgraded to a suite, we were given a better room: a 2 Queen Beds – View of Upper Niagara River room. The room had more space than we needed.

The foyer was small and led almost directly into the room. Immediately to the right of the entrance was a small nook containing a coffee machine and an ice bucket.

Directly below was the room’s minifridge, which was rather large.

Across from the coffee station and minifridge section was the closet. The closet contained the safe, hangers, and an ironing table and iron.

I then entered the room’s main area, which featured 2 comfortable, queen-sized beds against the right wall.

A small bedside table with 2 wall-mounted lamps separated the 2 beds.

Across from the beds was a large dresser, which doubled as the placeholder for the room’s flat-screen TV. We didn’t turn the TV on once, preferring streaming services on our MacBooks.

The room’s simple desk was to the right of the dresser and featured a small desk lamp.

To the far back of the room, against the back wall and window, was a small area complete with an armchair, a small table, and a lamp.

The room had a nice view of the Skylon Tower and the Upper Niagara River. Although I could not see the falls from the room, I could see the mist shooting up into the sky.

You could also see other parts of the Fallsview Tourist Area of Niagara Falls, including several other hotels and casinos.

Bottom Line:

Overall, the room was incredibly basic, which is what you would expect of a typical hotel room. Aside from the nice views, nothing in the room was particularly interesting.

Bathroom

The bathroom was also relatively basic. As you walked in, a large mirror was on the left wall, illuminated by an overhead light fixture.

Directly below was the bathroom vanity. The hotel only provided a single disposable hand soap.

Below the sink was a small storage area with a hair dryer, a spare toilet paper roll, and extra towels.

The room’s toilet was directly in front of the bathroom vanity.

Lastly, the shower/tub was to the right of the toilet. The shower was simple but had excellent water pressure.

The hotel provided Crabtree & Evelyn-branded toiletries, which felt luxurious.

Bottom Line:

Unfortunately, the bathroom was even more basic than the room. It would have been nice if the hotel had provided more toiletries, as a single hand soap was insufficient. Lotion and a separate bar of soap for face and hands would have been nice.

Amenities

As you’d expect from a relatively large resort property, the DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls offered several amenities for guests.

Fitness Center

The hotel featured a fully equipped fitness center with various cardio machines, including ellipticals and a Peloton exercise bike. The fitness center was open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

There were also 2 treadmills for simple cardio.

The gym also featured a Precor FTS Glide, a high-end, total-body workout machine.

There was a large selection of free weights and kettlebells, some as heavy as 50 pounds.

A small corner had a padded mat, a jump box, and a yoga ball.

Swimming Pool and Sauna

The hotel also boasted a large, well-maintained indoor pool next to the fitness center. 

The pool was open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A dedicated whirlpool had space for approximately 10 adults.

The sauna was quite large and could comfortably fit 10 adults. It was open daily between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Spa

Five Lakes Spa Aveda featured a comprehensive menu of customized facial, hand, foot, and body treatments, massage treatments, and organic hemp oil-infused treatments.

Business Center

A dedicated business center had 2 desktop computers and a printer.

Laundry

A 24-hour-a-day laundry facility also contained a single coin-operated laundry machine and dryer. The facility was hidden away and not easy to find.

Guest Pantry

Across from the laundry facility was a guest pantry. The pantry contained a microwave and 2 vending machines that included many popular snacks and drinks, including Lay’s potato chips, Cheetos, Skittles, Coca-Cola, and Sprite.

Parking

The property had on-site self-parking, available for CA$25 nightly (about $18), with in/out privileges. The hotel was strict about parking rules, and the entire lot was checked multiple times throughout the day.

Food and Beverage

Although I prefer not to eat at hotel restaurants, I was still surprised at the limited dining at the DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls.

Buchanans Steak & Seafood

The hotel had a single on-site restaurant, Buchanans Steak & Seafood, on the second floor. The restaurant specialized in steak and seafood and offered both a dining room and takeout. Guests could also have their breakfast there daily between 7:30 and 11 a.m.

The menu at Buchanans Steak & Seafood was quite diverse and featured several great grill options. However, I also found it extremely overpriced, so we didn’t eat there.

However, we came for breakfast in the morning because we had 2 $12 food and beverage credit vouchers for being a Hilton Diamond member. Fortunately, breakfast prices were much more reasonable.

My wife had the Belgian waffle with fresh berries and whipped cream, and I had the continental breakfast, which included a bakery item or bread; fresh fruit; plain Greek yogurt; coffee, tea, or hot chocolate; and chilled fruit juice or milk.

Overall, breakfast at the hotel was not that bad. I am glad we could use the vouchers efficiently with little out-of-pocket expense.

Moose & Squirrel Lobby Bar

The property also featured Moose & Squirrel Lobby Bar directly across from the check-in desk.

The lobby bar had a diverse range of snacks and beverages, with pastries, sandwiches, bagels, muffins, and wraps.

The lobby bar also featured nice, Canadian-themed artwork.

Service

My only real interactions with the hotel staff came when I checked into my room. Unfortunately, those interactions were not all that great overall. Simply put, the front desk representative who initially checked me into the room needed some hospitality training to be more welcoming and acknowledge my status.

Final Thoughts

The DoubleTree Fallsview Resort & Spa by Hilton – Niagara Falls is a relatively basic property with a great location near the Skylon Tower and Niagara Falls. It is a solid option for those wanting to be near the action.

Although the upgraded room was relatively simple, it provided the comfort we needed for a night. Best of all, I utilized the Hilton resort credit from the Hilton Aspire card, making this night almost completely free.

Unfortunately, the hotel did not recognize my Hilton Diamond status, which was a bummer. However, relatively simple protocols could easily address this.