Americana Resort and Conference Centre 8444 Lundy's Lane Niagara Falls, ON Tel: (905)356-8444 Fax: (905)356-8576 Toll Free: 1-800-263-3508 e-mail: reservations@americananiagara.com Web site: www.americananiagara.com
	Room 311 at the Americana	Bright, spacious hallways

Your hosts: The DiBellonia family

The Americana Resort and Conference Centre is more than 30 years old and the present owners have run it for 20 years. With massive renovations completed it now features a total of 210 rooms with four more accessible rooms for a total of six. The two accessible rooms we originally visited in January 2003 are in a separate unit behind the main hotel and have a peaceful view out to a park-like setting with gazebo. They are still there. In the fall of 2003 a whole new third floor was added with the accessible rooms being 310, 311, 319 and 326.

February 2004 saw the completion and opening of the full service spa Senses and this month (July, 2004) saw the opening of the 25,000 square foot indoor water park Waves, the only one of its kind in Ontario. The water park features a wave pool, tube and body slides, a kiddie pool, as well as a video arcade and food and bar service. The Americana also now offers on-site entertainment on weekends in The House of Comedy, which also has its own box office, although tickets for the dinner show or just the show may also be purchased at the front desk. The phone number for the House of Comedy is 905-357-SHOW (7469) and the Web site is www.thehouseofcomedy.com. We missed the pening of the water park by one day so we'll go back and take pictures in the fall.

PARKING: There is considerable parking around the resort and all entrances to the hotel are accessible with the exception of the main entrance. We were told that further renovations will be made early in 2005 to the front of the hotel and lobby. However, there are two designated parking spots to the right of the main entrance. Neither of these two spots would suit a side-loading vehicle, as you can’t get off the sidewalk in a wheelchair or scooter to access the ramp. You would have to park on the end of a row in the general parking lot. There is an awkward crowded double door entry system that takes you into a small hotel hallway and the entrance to Jack Tanner's Grillhouse & Beverage Co. About 15 feet to your left is the front desk.

There is also parking in front of the building holding the two accessible units on the ground level and a parking lot behind them as well. You could also park in the lot behind the units where there is plenty of space for vans that either load from the side or rear.

LOBBY: The lobby is spacious and well-lighted as it is opposite huge front doors and windows. The front desk is 45" (1.14m) high but they do have a clipboard you can use to sign things on. Perhaps the next part of the renovations will see the front desk partially lowered for people who use wheelchairs or scooters. There is a wheelchair accessible pay phone in the lobby and currency exchange can be done at the front desk. There is also a gift shop in the lobby.

CONCIERGE: There is a concierge to help you find your way around the area, buy tickets, arrange tours, etc. in the summer months in the front lobby. I wouldn't expect a concierge to come up with aids for daily living such as accessible taxis, scooter batteries, raised toilet seats or shower chairs at a moment's notice. Think ahead, look at our Troubleshooting and Services section and you can actually work with the hotel to order them ahead of time so they'll be there when you arrive.

ELEVATORS, HOTEL HALLS AND ROOM ENTRANCES: With the addition of the third floor the Americana also installed elevators with nice low buttons which also have Braille on them. The third floor hallways are extremely bright and roomy at 8 ½ feet wide.

plenty of rolling area in newer rooms	opposite beds	two queen beds on platforms

high closet rack	TV opposite bed	coffee/bar area opposite bathroom door

ROOM 311: The door is 33” wide with a lever handle but no lower peephole and opens into an area 8’ wide with an open closet on the left and the bathroom door on the right. There is no lower rack in the closet. A switch 37” high on the wall on the left as you enter the room operates an overhead hall light. Another switch 37” high on the wall just past the bathroom door operates a soft light on the wall behind the armoire. Immediately past the closet is a vanity with a sink that has a lever-handled faucet, coffee/tea fixings on the counter and a fridge below the vanity. Not all of the rooms come equipped with a fridge so if you really need one you should request one when you book you room.

The room is huge at 16’ wide and 23’ long. It features two queen beds on platforms, an armoire with TV on a rollout shelf, a desk with phone and a lamp that has a push knob and a plug with computer hookup. A nice low mirror hangs over the desk. There is a round table with two tub chairs on one wall and a bedside table between the beds with another phone, clock radio and a lamp that has a twist knob. The room thermostat is 46” high and is on the wall beside the bed. There are also open plugs for charging batteries if needed.

There is ample room to manoeuvre with 7’ between the foot of the bed and the armoire, 31” between the beds, 34” from the side of the bed to the round table and 22” from the side of the other bed to the bathroom wall.

Tub with handheld showerhead	open sink, plenty of space for toiletries	toilet with grab bar	decent lighting

BATHROOM: The bathroom door is 33” wide with a lever handle. From the door to the opposite wall is a space of 7’3” and from the vanity on the left to the tub on the right is a space of 5’. This is a beautifully appointed bathroom. The vanity is 32” high, open below, with an oval sink and a lever faucet. The toilet is 17” high and is to the right of the vanity. There is a 2’ grab bar above the toilet tank and a 30” angled grab bar on the wall at the side of the toilet. Transfer would be from the front only. There is a space of almost 5’ from the front of the toilet to the opposite wall. The bathtub is 14 ½” high and 13” deep with a 4 ½” outer lip. A bath bench or bath seat with legs is best for this tub, which the hotel will supply. There is a 4’ horizontal bar on the far wall and a 4’ vertical bar on the faucet wall. The tub is equipped with a moveable handheld showerhead and there is a ceiling light over the tub and a heat lamp in the bathroom ceiling. Towels are placed nice and low. The hair dryer beside the vanity is easily reached at 38” high. The switches and heat lamp timer are also within reach at 38” high.

View in winter from separate unit rooms	roll room at end of beds	bed area

SEPARATE UNIT WITH ACCESSIBLE ROOMS 178 and 179: This unit is apart from the other accessible rooms on the third floor. After registering, you drive around behind the main building and you'll see parking in front of the unit or in a lot to the left. The accessible units are facing onto the park-like area in the rear so I'd park in the large lot to the left and rear of the building.

Your plastic card gives you entry through two sets of automatic doors at the front of the unit. I don't believe there is a ramp at the back but you'll see that you could go over the grass right to your room patio door if you like and if there was someone there to let you in.

Once in the main entrance of the unit you'll see rooms 178 and 179 to your immediate right. Both are non-smoking rooms.
The doorway is well lighted, entry is with your plastic key card. There is a lowered peephole in the door and a 1/4" (0.635cm) lip into the room. You enter a small hallway and a low light switch at 36" (91.44cm) operates the hall light. There is no luggage rack. The room dimensions are 13'5" (3.96m) wide by 16'4" (4.9) long and the entrance hall is 64" (1.63m) wide and 10' (3m) long, so you have 64" (1.63m) of space to turn to get into the bathroom from the hall. I managed it on my scooter so a wheelchair could do it easily and there is no lip into the bathroom, which makes it even easier.

The room isn't overly large but I could drive my scooter all the way in. There were two queen-sized beds on legs in the room with a bedside table between them. There is a lamp and a clock radio/alarm on the bedside table. There isn't enough space for a cot in this room. There is also a round table and a writing desk with a chair. Two high back wing chairs complete the seating. There are enough chairs in the room that you could pull out the round table and have a meal for four in your room. There is a small fridge in the room that will keep insulin or other items cold and fresh. The fridge is easy to open as you simply pull the grooved door at the top. While this is not a cook-in room, take-out or a meal from Jack Tanner's can be easily served here or you could have a picnic in the gazebo on the back lawn. There is also a four-cup coffee maker with all the fixings in the room.
The telephone is on the table between the beds.

There are plenty of plugs to charge scooter or wheelchair batteries or plug in a lift or other equipment with two readily accessible in the hall and one on either side of the bed.

An armoire faces the bed and holds a remote color TV.

A closet has a clothes rack 4'4" (1.2m) from the floor. An iron, ironing board, extra pillows or blankets may be requested by calling front desk.

The room is equipped with a heat detector and smoke alarm but no sprinkler system and the hotel is monitored 24 hours a day by a fire alarm company and the fire department. There is no braille used in the hotel that we saw and there is not a TTY available.
Internet access is through the phone jack in your room.

The window looks out on a park-like setting in the back and is really a fully functional patio door with a screen that you could go out of if you can get your chair or scooter over a ½" (1.27m) lip on the inside that is higher at 1 ½" (3.81cm) on the outside. If you can access this door it is certainly an option in case of an emergency, one not available in many hotel rooms. Also, the night air can be lovely and sound levels should be low enough in the evenings to leave the screen open.

tub in bathroom with handheld showerhead and grab bars	open sink	toilet area, lots of room

BATHROOM - The 34" (86.43cm) bathroom door opens into the bathroom with a lever handle featuring a push lock. There is no lip in the doorway into the bathroom. There is a 70" (1.8m) turnaround in the bathroom.
The oval sink is 34" (86.4cm) from the floor and there is room to get your legs under it. The faucet is a push/pull/twist type and it is 12" (30.48cm) from the edge of the sink. There is a 36" (91.44cm) mirror over the sink and the vanity is 36" (91.44cm) long with enough space for some toiletries.
Lighting in the bathroom is good and the light switch is low. The hair dryer can be reached and there is a plug next to it.

TOILET - The toilet seat is 18" (46cm) from the floor and there is 32" (81.28cm) on the right of it for a side transfer as well as room to transfer from the front. There are grab bars around the toilet: 24" (61cm) bar on the back and a 33" (84cm) bar on the side. There is a tank on the toilet and extra tissue on it. Some people use the top of the toilet tank to help them lift up off the toilet seat to a standing position. Most toilets in hotels have backs or tanks on them but if they don't we'll let you know. The toilet paper holder is within easy reach.

TUB/SHOWER - The tub is 16" (41cm) deep, has a 4 ½" (11.43cm) lip on the outside and a soap dish that is 4 1/4" (11cm) deep into the wall on the inside. There is a hand-held shower head that can be lowered and let dangle if need be. The tub has a lever style faucet you simply turn to the position you want. The back of the tub has two, 36" (91.44) horizontal grab bars, 9 (23cm) inches apart.
The rear of the tub has an L-shaped grab bar on it and there's a J-shaped one near the faucet and showerhead.
There is 64" (1.63m) from the edge of the tub to the toilet, certainly enough room for a wheelchair, and the tub is 32" (81.28cm) across from the soap dish to the edge of the tub and this tub does have an edge so you could sit on it, in a pinch. A bath board could be put across the tub but it would be on a slight slant, I think. There is a light in the shower and a nonslip bath mat provided.
The hotel will rent aids like a bath chair or bath board for you if you ask ahead.

ROOM ENVIRONMENT - The air-conditioning and heat are in a low unit in the bedroom area and are easy to use for people with weak hands as there are simply several buttons you push and a twist dial for the temperature. If you need help just call the front desk. The nice thing about these rooms is that you can open the back patio door and get all the fresh air you like. In the summer, it's nice to be able to cool down with air-conditioning but equally as nice to be able to feel the warm breezes and watch the curtains blow.

There is no room service but you can call the switchboard and they will put you through to Jack Tanner's where they'll make you up a meal you can pick up. Jack Tanner's also serve a full a la carte breakfast.

Pop and ice machines are right around the corner of the room.

Manicure area in Senses	personal area	ultra modern sinks

lip on spa shower

SPA/BOUTIQUE: The full service spa Senses is located on the 2nd floor and you step off the elevator into a lovely carpeted area and wide double glass doors that lead into the spa. The spa, which features massage and body treatments, esthetics, facials, yoga and pilates as well as a men’s zone and couples room, is accessible but you may need help in certain circumstances. The washroom in the spa is accessible and the vanity is open below but there are no grab bars. The steam room and shower are not accessible. The outer change room is accessible but the small private change room is not. Lockers are nice and low and easily reachable from a wheelchair or scooter. The women’s wait room is named The Sanctuary and offers a nice relaxed setting complete with fireplace.

Some of the massage tables are motorized and can be lowered for a patron with a disability. Massages are offered up to 85 minutes in length. The Utopia Room is set aside for couples wishing side-by-side treatments. Afterward you can unwind in the luxurious suite and enjoy a private Swiss shower or just relax and reflect.

RESTAURANT - Jack Tanner's is a light-hearted casual dining place featuring booths and table and chairs in the non-smoking section. The selections range from pasta and grille items to seafood and finger foods. Prices are moderate.

Pool area

POOL AREA - Currently, the hotel also has a pool area but the hot tub area and dressing room are not accessible. You could roll into the dressing room but the washroom area in it is too small to use. The pool has steps down into it with a single railing. Towels are issued at the front desk to guests only.
There is also a squash court and a gym with a huge TV in it and plenty of workout equipment.

CONCLUSION - The Americana Resort has six good accessible rooms now if you can manage a tub with bars and a hand-held shower. The older rooms in the separate unit are smaller than the new ones. The view from the ground level rooms when we were there was pristine snow glistening in the sun extending out to the gazebo and then a large farmer's field. The perfect individual flakes reminded me of Ivory Snow, a detergent made back in the ‘50s.
The resort's new water park is really fun for the kids, the hotel is just minutes from the falls by car, is surrounded by other hotels, and not far from the Factory One Discount Shopping Mall.

I'd suggest you check out the Americana Web site at www.americananiagara.com to see all that the resort has to offer.

Visited January, 2003 and July 2004.