prince of wales hotel review

My Honest Prince of Wales Hotel Review

ByKristin

Looking for an honest review of Prince of Wales Hotel? I’d been to Niagara on the Lake many times before finally booking a stay at its iconic hotel – the beautiful Prince of Wales.

Below, I will give you my uncensored and honest review about each of the hotel’s different amenities (the location, rooms, staff, pool, dining, spa, cleanliness, and more,) to help you make the decision about choosing this hotel for your Niagara on the Lake getaway.

In case you’re short on time, here’s what you need to know in a nutshell about what I thought of our stay at the Prince of Wales:

  • Did it meet expectations?: For the most part, it did. I only have one complaint (but I think we were just unlucky)
  • Would I recommend it to others?: Yes! Definitely. The location is ideal for being able to walk everywhere downtown, and that can’t be said about every hotel or B&B in the area.
  • Would I stay there again?: I would. We enjoyed the location, and the uniqueness of the hotel

I’ll break down what we liked, and didn’t like about the hotel, so you are going there prepared. Let’s jump into the details behind my review of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara on the Lake!

*For reference, I was visiting Niagara on the Lake as a mother-daughter trip with my daughter for her 13th birthday. We stayed in one of the cellar rooms with two queen beds for 1 night*

The Location (5/5)

The location of the Prince of Wales hotel is my favourite part. It’s so close to everything. From the hotel, we we were able to walk to

  • restaurants and shopping, they’re just up the street
  • The Queen’s Park Gazebo in 5 just minutes
  • The Shaw Festival Theatre in 5 minutes

The location alone is a reason to consider the hotel, because it’s one of the only accommodations that is right on the heart of the main strip. I’ve stayed at many bed and breakfasts in the area, which are located on more private and secluded streets. That’s a nice experience too, but I really loved being close to everything at the Prince of Wales.

The Aesthetic (5/5)

The aesthetic of the hotel is so unique and alluring. It has a haunting, eerie feel. My daughter said, “it feels like we’re on the Titanic,” and I agree. They have put a lot of effort into maintaining the Victorian charm, and it shows.

They have oil paintings on all the walls, colourful wallpaper, lots of detail in the wooden finishing, and fresh roses everywhere. It’s so rare to find a hotel like this – especially in the age of chain hotels where everything looks the same. This hotel is practically an antique in itself and it makes staying here more of an experience rather than just a place to rest your head.

Our Room (5/5)

We were impressed with how big our room was, especially considering it’s an older hotel. The room had two queen beds and was very spacious. The beds and pillows were comfortable, the shower had good pressure, and I actually really liked the toiletries they provided.

The only thing that I didn’t like about the room itself was that the shower water temperature was a bit hard to control. I like showers extremely hot, but this one got so hot that I had to turn it down (and it took forever to turn down.) I assumed this must be because it’s an older building, and it didn’t negatively impact my opinion.

The Cleanliness (3/5)

The cleanliness of the hotel was the only thing that left us a bit disappointed. (Overall, it was clean.) I noticed a few small things that were overlooked in our room (mascara stain on one of the robes they provide, and a slipper from a previous guest under the bed) but honestly, this is no big deal.

But then, I noticed the utensils they provide – and discovered that the utensils were very dirty, with food remnants still left on them by previous guest(s)! It grossed us out so much that we didn’t want to touch the fruit, or the water bottles they provided. I let the reception know, and they thanked us for telling them and told me that they would inform housekeeping. I’m assuming this was just a fluke, and our room attendant just missed this.

The Pool (5/5)

My daughter and I went to the pool for a late Friday night swim, and we had it almost completely to ourselves! The pool matched the rest of the hotel’s aesthetic and charm – it’s such an old pool, I’ve never seen a pool like that before. Each tile is laid by hand, and so much detail in the ceiling art.

The hot tub could have been hotter, and so could have the sauna – but I get the sense they aren’t used super often. The pool’s temperature was perfect. As a bonus, hardly anyone else was here so my daughter and I had this pool to ourselves. What an experience.

The Staff (4/5)

The staff at the Prince of Wales hotel was kind and helpful. I wouldn’t say it was above and beyond service, because it seemed like most were in training. Overall, we didn’t have any issues them.

The Restaurant/Spa (N/A)

I’ve never eaten at the restaurant or done any spa treatments so I can’t comment on those. However, the afternoon tea here is amazing! If you for whatever reason choose to stay somewhere else, then at least book the afternoon tea at Prince of Wales! It’s such a nice experience!

high tea at the prince of wales hotel

Other Things Worth Mentioning about the Hotel

  • Prince of Wales Hotel is bigger than you think! Some of the hotel rooms (such as ours) are actually in a different building from the main building. It took a while for us to get used to knowing our way around, as it isn’t as straightforward as regular hotels – but this is part of its charm!
  • Your room is cleaned twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. In the evening, they left a rose on each of our pillows. It was a nice surprise that we weren’t expecting. Actually, we were a bit creeped out at first and I called the front desk just to make sure it was them who left the rose. No, I’m not kidding. It’s a just gestere though. The rose is in a plastic tube with water so you can take it home.
  • The location is THE BEST. You won’t find a place that is closer or more conveniently located to everything. Read my post on things to do in Niagara on the Lake to plan your visit

It’s The Right Hotel For You If…

  • You have mobility issues/don’t like walking (you can’t get much closer to everything)
  • You’re celebrating a special occasion (it does aim to provide a luxury experience)
  • You value the historic, Victorian aesthetic to it
  • You’re looking for a unique experience
  • You’re sick of chain hotels that all look the same (this will be different from anywhere else you’ve stayed)
  • You’re staying more than 1 night. We stayed for 1 night, and it felt a bit rushed. I would have liked more time to just admire and spend in the hotel since its such a unique one

Final Thoughts on My Review of Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara on the Lake

I’ve stayed at many places in Niagara on the Lake, and they’ve all been great. The town is very known for its bed and breakfasts. Want other ideas of places to stay to compare it to? Here’s my list of best places to stay in Niagara on the Lake. I hope that my review was helpful to you in making your choice!