Doubletree Resort Lodge and Spa Fallsview 6039 Fallsview Blvd. Niagara Falls ON L2G 3V6 Tel: 905-358-3817 Fax: 905-358-3680 Web site: www.niagarafallsdoubletree.com
	The Doubletree	Arts and Crafts Mission style details

Number of rooms in the hotel: 224 – number of accessible rooms: 3

Part of the Hilton chain, this 18-storey Doubletree Resort Lodge and Spa is the latest addition to Niagara’s luxury hotel accommodations, having opened just two weeks prior to our audit. It was not fully operational at the time of our July visit as the Five Lakes AVEDA Day Spa, which will feature Estee Lauder products, is scheduled to open in late summer. The hotel is just two blocks from the brink of the falls and within walking/rolling distance of most major attractions including the new Niagara Fallsview Casino Complex. The three accessible rooms are non-smoking, identical in layout and numbered 302, 304 and 305.

PARKING: The hotel is situated between Fallsview Boulevard and Stanley Avenue with entrances from both streets. Guests drive up and park in a large covered porte cochere to register. Although there were no lined parking spaces in this area at the time of our visit, management indicated that they were currently working on accessible parking. There is ample parking around the hotel. There is no bellman on duty but assistance is available at the front desk.

Covered parking to register

ENTRANCE & DOORS: The entrance to the hotel is a huge glass automatic double door system and everything is flat from the covered portico and into the lobby.

LOBBY: Once in the door you’re in a huge lobby with fabulous rustic architecture reminiscent of a Grand National Park Lodge. It is decorated in the arts and crafts mission style of Frank Lloyd Wright with lots of stone pillars and wooden beams. Comfortable sofas and chairs, end tables with lamps and telephones and a fireplace are featured throughout the lobby. The front desk is to the left as you enter and the fully licensed Moose & Squirrel Coffee Pub and bakery is on your right where you can enjoy a Starbucks coffee or something a little stronger.
The front desk and tour desk are not lowered but staff will gladly assist you in registering. Just past the tour desk and around to the left is a bank of low telephones. There is also a business centre run by Mail Boxes Etc. that offers a number of services including printing, photocopies, faxes, laminating and binding, packing services, mailboxes and FedEx. And if you’ve forgotten your camera you can rent a digital camera there.

ELEVATORS, HOTEL HALLS & ROOM ENTRANCES: The elevators are large and have a mirrored back wall so that anyone in a wheelchair or on a scooter facing the rear can see what floor they’re on. The elevator buttons are nice and low and have Braille on them. The elevators also beep at each floor. The hotel hallways are well lit and more than 5’ wide. On each floor there are lovely framed reproductions of Group of Seven paintings in keeping with the rustic theme. The room numbers have Braille on them. We audited Room 305 and all three accessible rooms have lower peepholes and lever handles. The doors are 34” wide with a ½” high and 4” wide marble fire lip. Immediately inside the door there is a light switch 42” high on the left that operates an overhead hall light.

beautiful beds	Comfy chair	opposite bed	desk opposite bed

lowered rack in closet	overall room	space between bed and TV

BEDROOM: The hallway into the bedroom is 48” wide with a ceramic tile floor and a lovely full-length mirror on the wall to the right. The bathroom door is immediately on the left. The carpeted bedroom is beautifully furnished with two queen beds on legs. The beds, unique to Doubletree, are Sweet Dreams beds and feature plush-top Serta mattresses, quality white linen, down blankets and four fibrefill jumbo size pillows on each bed. There is a three-drawer dresser at the foot of the bed with a TV. Next to the dresser is a coffee station with a mini fridge. A luggage rack sits beside the coffee station. On the other side of the dresser is a writing desk and chair with a telephone and plugs for a laptop computer. A lamp with a twist knob also sits on the desk.
A night table sits between the beds with a double lamp, telephone and clock radio. There is an armchair and floor lamp with a push knob in the corner of the room. There are several open plugs in the room suitable for charging a battery. Considerable thought went into making the room fully accessible as the closet has a bifold door, lower clothes rack 46” high and lots of wooden hangers and pant hangers. An iron sits on a low shelf 48” high and we were told smaller ironing boards are forthcoming.
There is plenty of room to manoeuvre in the room as it is more than 29’ from the door to the window, 4’ from the foot of the bed to the dresser, 3’6” from the foot of the bed to the desk, 2’4” from the side of the bed to the wall and 6’5” from the side of the other bed to the window wall. There is 2’ of space between the two beds.
The rooms also have a strobe light to alert you to fire and speakers in every guest room.

sink	hair dryer	hand held showerhead and grab bars	toilet and grab bars

BATHROOM: Accessing the bathroom on a scooter was a breeze as management had the foresight to install pocket doors -- the only hotel we’ve audited to date with this kind of door. The bathroom is tastefully decorated and there’s room to manoeuvre with a space of almost 8’ from the door to the opposite wall, 5’2” from the vanity to the bathtub and more than 4’ from the front of the toilet to the tub.
The vanity is 33” high, open below 30”. A bath seat sits under the vanity. There is an oval sink with lever faucet. Management accompanied us while we audited the room and they suggested moving the hair dryer closer to the edge of the vanity.
The toilet is 15 ½” high with a 2’ grab bar on the back and a 3’ grab bar on the side. Transfer would be from the front.
The bathtub is 15” high with a 5” outer lip. There are two 30” parallel horizontal grab bars on the far wall – one 9” from the top of the tub and the other 20” from the top of the tub to assist you from a seated or standing position. A vertical 2’ grab bar is on the faucet wall beside the adjustable handheld showerhead. It has a lever temperature control faucet and both high and low soap dishes. Towels are reachable on a rack 48” high. It’s obvious a lot of thought went into making the bathrooms accessible.

interior of Buchanan's

RESTAURANTS: The Moose & Squirrel Coffee Pub in the lobby is open for breakfast and lunch as well as light snacks throughout the day. Takeout is available. Hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
Buchanan's: You come off the elevator on the 2nd floor to a huge open carpeted area with a centre atrium overlooking the lobby. This floor features Buchanan's dining room which offers all-day casual fine dining of regional and classic cuisine. The dining room seats 112 with tables and chairs and booths, and dress is smart casual. There is also a small private dining room that seats six. Breakfast featured a la carte menu at the time of our visit but will be going to a buffet. Buchanan's hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
This floor also houses the multiple banquet and conference facilities.
Washroom: There is an accessible washroom on this level with Braille on the door. A light goes on as you open the door into a huge tastefully decorated washroom. The accessible stall opens out with a U-shaped handle. There is a slide lock on the inside and a low coat hook 47” high. The door is 34” wide and the stall dimensions are 58” x 59”. The toilet is 18” high with a 2’ grab bar on the back wall and a 30” grab bar on the side. An unusual but welcome feature in the accessible stall is the open window.

Lobby washroom sinks	too high towel dispenser	bathroom stall in lobby washroom

LOBBY WASHROOM: The outer washroom area features six oval sinks in the long vanity with the end one cut out for legroom. The sinks have lever faucets. There is a nice full-length mirror and a low baby change table. The only drawback to the washroom is the fact that the paper towel holder is too high at 58”, which we brought to the attention of management.
Exiting the washroom could also pose a problem if you are using a wheelchair or a scooter and you are alone, as the door is large and you’re opening it towards you.

ramp to pool	note shallow end and high water	note steps and rail out in water

The recreational facilities are located on the lower lobby level and include the pools, fitness centre, video arcade and a lounge area. There is a ramp up to the unique pool area that features a toddler splash pool/family swimming pool with wall-to-wall steps allowing for easy accessibility. You could sit on the edge and lower yourself in and just float away. The pool has a maximum depth of less than 5’. There is a hand rail out in the water at the wide steps and if you do fall, you simply fall into the water. Smart thinking! Just above this pool is a two-lane 30’ lap pool for the more ambitious workout. There is also an accessible whirlpool and an accessible roll-in cedar sauna.
The fitness centre is furnished with cardio and strength equipment as well as a large exercise area and separate male and female locker/shower rooms.

Large roll-in shower with small lip in pool washroom	pool washroom sink	pool washroom toilet	roll-in sauna

The washroom is huge with an accessible shower with a built-in seat and an adjustable handheld showerhead. There is a large L-shaped grab bar in the shower. A person unable to step over the small lip might be able to transfer by leaning toward the wooden seat and turning around and scooting over close to the wall of the shower. The vanity has an oval sink with a lever faucet and is open below. The large accessible stall has pulls on the back of the door to close and a 2’ horizontal grab bar on the back of the toilet and a 30” bar on the side. Guests may use the pool shower if it is easier than the tub in their room.
The Five Lakes AVEDA Day Spa, scheduled to open in late summer, will feature massages, facials, European wraps, luxurious hand and foot treatments and a boutique offering hair and skin care products, cosmetics and accessories. The spa specializes in Estee Lauder products.
Also on this lower lobby level is a guest laundry and a guest pantry with snack machines as well as a guest microwave and sink, very handy if you needed to heat something or perhaps warm a baby bottle.
This hotel took three years to build and it is quite obvious that a lot of thought went into the construction. Management was ever mindful of accessibility in the design and there are many wonderful amenities. They also welcomed the few suggestions we made. You can check their Web site for more information and for any special packages offered throughout the year.

Audited July/2004