Weatherpine Inn — Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake

We were in Rochester, NY, on babysitting duty with our grandchildren when my wife decided she needed a break from all the activity. She suggested an overnight getaway, and since it was late March—when the weather can limit some of the more exciting options—we opted for a quick visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL). Most of the stores, restaurants, and wineries were open, and as a bonus, it looked like hotel rates dropped during the off-season. We were happy with our rate, especially since it included free parking, which is quite the perk in town (I spotted signs listing parking at $5 per hour!).|Booking this B&B online was seamless. When we arrived, we were greeted by John, the owner, who kindly showed us two room options. Given that this is an older wood-frame building, we knew firsthand that first-floor rooms could be noisy if there were enthusiastic stompers above. With that in mind, we selected a second-floor room for a quieter stay.|A unique feature of this B&B is that all rooms have an exterior door, so you don’t have to walk through the building to exit. Both the first and second floors also have a nicely decorated veranda outside the rooms, a perfect spot to sit and watch the neighborhood activity.|The Room:|The room was well-appointed with all the expected B&B touches—carpet, wallpaper, wall art, a four-poster bed, and a comfortable chair for TV viewing. Speaking of the TV, it was a 40” flat-screen with two remotes (for reasons unknown), but the channel selection was... nostalgic. If you love old game shows and sitcoms from the 1960s and '70s, you're in luck. Premium channels? Not so much.|We did have a small issue with the TV. John initially showed us how to navigate it using the screen desktop, which seemed easy enough. However, after returning from dinner, we couldn’t get anything to play—not even mirroring from an iPhone worked. John: A simple instruction sheet might help!|Speaking of instructions, the pamphlet provided in the room had seen better days. It was so worn that you might hesitate to touch it, and the included photocopied map was practically illegible. John: Time for an update! Maybe even add those TV instructions while you’re at it.|Room Highlights:| • Very comfortable bed| • Exterior door leading to the veranda and exit| • Small, eclectic replica of a gas stove (actually electric, but it does work)| • An unusual ceiling fan/light combo with a remote (wall switch must be “on” for it to function; effectiveness on warm days is questionable)| • High bed with a small set of movable stairs for easier access| • Mini fridge| • Coffee / Tea maker.|Missing Essentials:| • Our room didn’t have washcloths or soap, though shampoo and conditioner were provided.| • No hairdryer or iron that we could locate, despite being listed in the room’s amenities.|The Breakfast Situation:|This was a bit unclear. When I asked John about breakfast, he mentioned that we hadn’t paid for it when booking, which was surprising since I hadn’t seen a breakfast option at all. I asked if we could add it, and he agreed—for $20 per person. We decided to pass and instead headed uptown to the Stagecoach for a great meal at a much more reasonable price.|Final Thoughts:|This B&B is a solid option, and we enjoyed our stay. However, the walk to town might be a bit long for some, so keep that in mind. Also, downtown parking is all paid, with posted rates at $5 per hour. Apparently, bicycles are available for guest use, though the weather kept that from being discussed during our visit.|All in all, a charming place with a few quirks, but nothing that can’t be improved with a little attention to detail. John, if you’re reading this—new pamphlets, TV instructions, and a quick amenity check would...

Things I Liked - I liked that the B&B was across the road from the Pillar & Post, which is where our dinner reservation was.||I liked that the building had a wraparound porch on each level with comfortable chairs.||The room was clean but small. A small fridge was in the room with 2 cans of pop and 2 bottles of water in it so that was nice.||Things I Disliked · I really hated that they were advertised as a Bed & Breakfast but they didn't serve breakfast! If I had known they didn't serve breakfast, I wouldn't have booked there. What's the point of a Bed & Breakfast without breakfast?||Our room was on the second floor, up a very steep set of stairs. Fortunately, the owner carried our bags up for us but we ended up carrying them back down, which was somewhat difficult. The owner had said he would come back to help if we just let him know.||The pillows were flat and I woke up...

Se avete intenzione di andare a visitare le Niagara falls e volete stare tranquilli vi consiglio questo B&B. Siete a 20 minuti dalle cascate e potete parcheggiare l'auto a 5 $CAD nel parcheggio del Casinò per tutto il giorno. Una volta fatta la visita vi verrà voglia di tornare nel paese tranquillo di Niagara on the lake. A noi ha ricordato il film Pleasant Ville. Sembra di essere in un altro universo dove criminalità, brutta gente, traffico e sporcizia delle città non esistono. Bellissimo. Phyllis, la proprietaria, parla italiano perché è di origine italiana e fa delle colazioni spettacolari. Le piace parlare e condividere i ricordi dell'Italia. Per noi è stata come una parente anche se non lo siamo. Ogni giorno qualcosa di diverso e piacevole. Alle 9:00AM tutti a fare colazione allo stesso tavolo con gli altri ospiti dove chiaccherare e fare nuove conoscenze. È come stare da amici e famigliari. Doug è il marito ed è molto gentile e cordiale. Entrambi i proprietari ci hanno trattato come figli e non come ospiti. Sembrava facessimo parte della stessa famiglia. Sensazione bellissima. Quando siamo andati via ci è venuta la tristezza come quando si lascia un pezzo di cuore da qualche parte. Entrambi i gestori vi daranno consigli utilissimi sia per visitare le cantine dove producono il vino e il famoso ice wine con la possibilità di fare degustazioni (chiedete i coupons gratuiti e la mappa a Phyllis o a Doug). Potete prendere le bici ad uso gratuito della struttura e andare sul lungo lago o nel centro della cittadina o nei parchi o in piscina. Provate la frutta del posto, ottima. Parlando a colazione con altri guests abbiamo capito che molte persone vengono qui anche per il teatro. Nelle vicinanze ci sono anche ottimi ristoranti dove il buon vino non mancherà e nemmeno il buon cibo. Noi eravamo nella camera Garden con un piccolo patio privato per passare la serata. Il bagno aveva la sauna/doccia. Consiglio questa camera. Ogni camera ha il suo ingresso privato e quindi siete liberi di andare e venire quando volete. Le camere sono pulite e messe a posto ogni giorno. |Che dire...grazie a Phyllis e a Doug per i bei momenti passati insieme, i consigli e la familiarità donataci!!!|Abbiamo lasciato un pezzo di cuore qui e ci torneremo appena possibile per goderci questo paradiso in Ontario. Provare...