winstoda

Anyone have any experiences with this property?

Shareholder

No experience with this property, but just a reminder that it will not be very close to Niagara Falls themselves, unlike several other Sheraton properties which are right in Niagara Falls, Ontario. St. Catherines is the major small city in the Niagara region, which is why they use that suffix in the hotel's name. This property will be convenient if you want to visit some of the wineries of the region, go into the more charming Niagara on the Lake townsite, and generally wish to stay away from the carney sideshow, casino tackiness of Niagara Falls itself. However, if you want to overnight and see the Falls in all their glory, pick one of the others. Otherwise, I guess it will be as good, or bad, as any other medium-priced Four Points. [And since you are using US$s, even the most expensive hotel will be quite reasonable. So it really depends on what you want to see and do when in the Niagara region.]

winstoda

Thanks Shareholder. I'm very familiar with the area. When I visit the Falls I stay at the Sheraton on the Falls, I may need to attend to some business farther up the QEW and the St. Catharines hotel location suits my needs best. Just wondering if anyone knows anything of the property.

Pacha

would also like some feedback if any of you guys have stayed there by now. I just reserved a couple nights in june, so please let me know. also any upgrades as a gold member??

CCHAN1970

There was some interest in this place sometime back.
I stayed there recently and was really pleased with it. Paid CAN$141 for a suite with 2 separate bedrooms and a nice living room with mini "kitchen" (wet bar) facilities. Every room is a suite. This was formerly called Niagara Suites. The staff was also pleasant and efficient. I wrote to the manager about 2 weeks before about celebrating my 1 yr old daughter's birthday there and when we walked in, there was a surprise gift with lots of balloons in there.
Except for the location which was a bit hard to find without a good map or directions, the place is really a good site for trips to Niagara on the Lake (vineyards) and other farm (stonefruits this time) visits.
Highly recommend it if you are bored with the Falls.

Windjammer

Does anyone have any information about the Four Points Suites in St Catherine? I will be staying with my family this summer and booked two rooms; a 2 bedroom suite for 5500 points per night and a one bedroom for 4000 pts per night. Seemed like a good use of points.

How far is this hotel from the falls? Any suggestions for kid's activities? All comments would be appreciated.

Steve

choptliva

The 4 pts St. Catharines (it's Catharines with an "a," btw ) is a very nice and clean property very much unlike a typical 4 pts. I stayed there quite a few times and found the facilities and staff to be great.
Suites are spacious and well laid out.
St. Catharines is about 12-15 miles from Niagara Falls, mostly highway, so it is not far from the falls at all.
In St. Catharines itself, there is Port Dalhousie which (at least last time I checked) has a beach with a small amusement park kind of set up in the summer. In the Niagara Region, lots of wineries with tours, etc., though not so much for kids. Niagara on the Lake is a nearby town with quaint stores and neat retail things.
I highly recommend the property, especially when traveling with a family, and considering the prices, it's great value for money! ^ ^

passport

Any recent experiences at this hotel? Mrs. passport and I are thinking of staying there this summer for a few days while exploring the Niagara wine country.

luxe

We stayed at Four Points St Catharines in November, a few years ago. It is not too far from the wineries of Beamsville Bench along the Niagara Escarpment. It is also close to Glendale Avenue that leads to the wineries around Niagara-on-the -Lake via Vertical Lift Bridge over Welland Canal. The area around the hotel itself was not that interesting and St. Catharines appeared deserted in the evening. We had a nice dinner at a very lively Keg full of locals, up the street.

We liked the hotel very much. Even at Preferred level we were upgraded to a huge, apartment-like suite. The hotel was comfortable and efficient. I would stay there again, especially when "grazing the bench".

Mozzarella

My daughter attends Brock University which is right next door to the 4Points. It is actually in Thorold which is immediately south of St. Catherines. As previous posters have indicated, the rooms are all small suites. The hotel itself isn't within walking distance of anything but a short drive to the Falls and wine country. I've stayed there 3-4 times in the last couple of years and IMO a better than average 4Pts.

jnswinnipeg

Any recent experiences here?

SPG Junkie

I've been with my family and friends on several occasions at this hotel. Most recently, I had a stay last summer. Service is quick and professional. Standard interior of a Four Points, but the all suite rooms makes it ideal for families. It's in the suburbs with a McDonald's and Tim Horton's nearby. Niagara Falls is about a 15 minute drive, but it certainly is a viable economical alternative to staying in Niagara. Rooms are spacious and the pool is adequate. Beware that this hotel often hosts sporting teams, which can get quite noisy at times, especially into the evening. Overall, a typical Four Points with suites as their standard room offerings.

DavefromSt.Vital

This property used to be fairly isolated in a sea of parking. It had been running down for years and as recently as a year or two ago it was announced that it would likely convert to student residences for adjacent Brock University as it would need extensive renovations to meet brand standards. However, the owners eventually decided to renovate and stay open.

Recently stayed here for a Niagara Icedogs hockey game. Was pleasantly surprised to find the area built up, but there is nothing much to interest a hotel guest within walking distance beyond a McDonald's and a Tim Horton's. Paid $119 CAD for the government rate for the smallest room-type on a Saturday (a busy time in Greater Niagara) but was still upgraded as Platinum to a gigantic two bedroom two bathroom suite. Platinum amenity choices offered at check-in were continental breakfast for two, a bottle of wine or points. Had more than two people so took the points and do not know what qualifies as "continental".

Renovations are underway but they are definitely not complete yet. The sofabed in the living room had cushions that were so worn out that they sank into the mattress space, there was some damage to the wallpaper and there were foot-long hunks of paint hanging down into the "light well" outside the room. However, what has been renovated looked good.

I would agree that this property would be a good one for Brock University, St. Catharines itself, wine country, etc., although I think a soon to open Hampton Inn closer to downtown and right on the QEW will take away people who don't need suites. I am not sure that I would stay here if the desire was to experience Niagara Falls, especially for the first time. Book a room with a good view of the falls instead. Yes, it is expensive and tacky tourist central, but if you book the right view (and trust me, they vary greatly) you will not forget it.