Skip the extra toiletries and fancy amenities. For me, true hotel luxury means feeling completely immersed in the destination while staying inside my room.
That鈥檚 why I splurged $1,000 for a two鈥憂ight stay at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel on my inaugural visit to Niagara Falls, Ontario, back in 2022.
From the moment I opened my eyes until the moment I drifted off, I enjoyed a front鈥憆ow view of the iconic waterfalls.
Checking in, I anticipated being dazzled by the scenery through my window, but the Sheraton Fallsview held extra surprises that made the price feel justified.
Upon entering my room, I was surprised to discover that Niagara Falls was visible right from my bed.
I knew the room would offer a waterfall view when I booked, but I wasn鈥檛 sure about the layout. The open floor plan and floor鈥憈o鈥慶eiling windows let me soak in the epic vista from the comfort of my bed.
The Sheraton Fallsview Hotel sits directly opposite all three waterfalls that compose Niagara Falls: the American Falls on the left, Bridal Veil Falls in the center, and the U鈥憇haped Horseshoe Falls on the right.
Watching the water from my queen鈥憇ize bed was incredibly relaxing, and I looked forward to falling asleep each night, knowing the view would be the first thing I saw in the morning鈥攚ithout any crowds to contend with.
Unlike many hotel stays I鈥檝e had, the falls were so captivating that I never turned on the TV during my entire visit.
I hadn鈥檛 anticipated my room having a Juliet balcony with a door that opened to let me hear the water thundering below.
The hotel鈥檚 website notes that the Sheraton is the only property in Niagara Falls offering this kind of terrace, complete with a glass door that opens to the outdoors鈥攖hough I couldn鈥檛 step out onto it.
I hadn鈥檛 expected the waterfalls to be so audible from my room. With the door open, their roar was surprisingly loud, and peering out gave me a clearer view of Niagara Falls.
Listening to the falls was surprisingly soothing, reminiscent of the white鈥憂oise tracks I sometimes use to drift off, but smoother and far more powerful.
I usually start my mornings with a playlist, but at the Sheraton Fallsview I leapt out of bed and opened the door to get ready accompanied by the sounds of crashing water.
As night fell, I had no clue the waterfalls would burst into a vibrant light display.
Though the falls are stunning by daylight, staying in this room made me realize they might be even more beautiful after dark. Once the sun set, I peered out the window to see the waterfalls illuminated in shifting colors, thanks to the Niagara Falls Illumination Board.
Niagara Parks reports that the falls glow every single night of the year, with the changing colors symbolizing sunrises, the aurora borealis, rainbows, and sunsets.
I was unaware of the nighttime color glow before my trip, so without a hotel view I might never have witnessed it. Each evening at the Sheraton Fallsview, I wheeled a chair to the window to take in the nightly spectacle.
At 10鈥痯.m., I watched a fireworks display burst over the illuminated waterfalls, all without the hassle of dealing with crowds.
I also hadn鈥檛 realized my room offered a front鈥憆ow seat to the nightly fireworks show.
On my first hotel night, I was already captivated by the light show when the fireworks began erupting above the falls, leaving me utterly amazed.
According to Niagara Falls Live, the fireworks occur nightly at 10鈥痯.m. from late May through early October, lasting about six minutes each evening. I found the display truly magical.
Catching the fireworks from my bed was a delightful surprise, and I loved skipping the crowds that gather below. I felt like a VIP perched on my private balcony and believed the $500 nightly rate was completely justified.