Niagara Falls Marriott on the Falls Review – My Worst Marriott Experience

Marriott on the Falls Niagara Falls Canada Review

After staying at numerous Marriott hotels across the globe, I can say that I had my worst customer service experience at Niagara Falls Marriott on the Falls.

As I always do, I asked for an upgrade at the Bonvoy check in counter. The Asian-Indian woman had no idea what a courtesy upgrade was and demanded money. I told her that I have had upgrades from many other Marriotts and this had never happened before. I told her about my last Marriott experience in Manila. She reluctantly moved me to a king bed from 2 queen beds.

It’s not that I didn’t like not getting an upgrade. Many other Marriott hotels had declined me before, but with a smiling face and saying they were unable to accommodate me. But this rep didn’t even know how to handle it.

After a couple of hours, I went to the Bonvoy counter again for slippers, as there were none provided in the room. This time there was Chinese lady who asked me to wait, so she can give me the slippers to take back to my room.

My partner was shocked because it is humiliating to hand over amenities to the customer. I asked her, “Isn't someone supposed to take it to the room?” She said, “No, I will give it to you now.”

Instead of arguing, I returned to the room with a pair of dangling slippers. It was like a demonstration of how bad a Marriott can be.

I am a Bonvoy member but they never mentioned any thanks or appreciation for it, like they do at all other Marriotts. I wanted to call Marriott to complain, but my lady stopped me and asked me to let it go and still have a good vacation after some unprofessional associates ruined the name of Marriott within our first 2 hours of checking in.

Next morning, I wanted to print a copy of my itinerary, but the printer in the business centre had no ink. I notified someone and she said to come back after 30 minutes. I came back after 2 hours and still they hadn’t changed the ink.

I asked someone else again and she said to email her my itinerary and she would print it from a printer in her office. I was not comfortable emailing it and let it go.

I couldn’t help thinking about other Marriott hotels I had been to and their unparalleled service and attention to detail! My next Marriott stay is expected to be in Bangkok, Thailand and can’t wait to check in at a different Marriott again!

How to Pay TTC with A Credit Card or A Bank Debit Card

How to Pay TTC Fare with A Credit Card | How to Pay TTC with a Bank Card

The Toronto transit system (TTC), also called the Metro in many places, now accepts credit cards and bank cards to pay your fare. The various payment options available to pay TTC fare are:

- Visa

- Mastercard

- American Express

- Interac® Debit

- Visa Debit

- Debit Mastercard

- Apple Pay

- Google Pay

You can use mobile devices or smartwatches to pay TTC fares as long as they are equipped with Apple Pay or Google Pay.

There are no additional charges to use the convenience of using a credit card or bank card at TTC Presto reader machines. You will be paying the same $3.30 TTC fare (as of this writing) you would normally pay with your Presto card.

Also, you will enjoy a two-hour transfer when you use your bank or credit card on a Presto reader, the same as a Presto card.

When I charged my American Express card on a Presto reader, it only showed “accepted”. I tapped again after one hour – again it showed “accepted”. It looks like a Presto reader doesn’t show if you are within your two-hour period or past your two hours.

I checked my Amex account online and saw only a $1 charge. My guess is this just a pre-authorization charge and the actual charge will appear within a few days.

Paying with your credit card debit card feature is a good decision and it will make peoples’ life a lot easier, especially for tourists traveling to Toronto. I am thinking about not carrying my Presto card anymore to save space in my wallet.

I have a video documenting my experience paying TTC with a credit card (Video was recorded, edited, and published from my Pixel phone):

How to Pay TTC Fare with A Credit Card

Huntsville and Orillia, Ontario Trip | Cottage Country Travel

Cottage Country Canada Trip Challenge

My trip to the cottage country in Ontario, Canada will begin in a day. This will be my first trip within Canada this year (2022).

I have created a YouTube Travel Playlist for this trip, which will feature travel videos from Canada's popular cottage country locations in Huntsville (Muskoka) and Orillia (Simcoe County).

I am trying different formats and styles of videos in this playlist. There will be short-length videos, some long videos, and lots of YouTube Shorts.

The Trip Challenge is to post as many updates as possible throughout the trip. For this reason, I am taking my laptop. My goal is to stop over here and there to post fresh videos. However, due to circumstances and network availability, I may not be able to update anything.

The reason for this Cottage Country Canada Trip Challenge is to take lessons and design my upcoming trip to Asia next month, which is an even bigger and longer trip.

I will have to drive about 3 hours to reach my first destination and I am hoping to stop over somewhere in the middle and publish a quick post.

As of now, it looks like I got some favourable weather and it is expected to be sunny and warm, hovering around 25° C (77° F). Although this is hot, but it’s nowhere near the weather in Dhaka, which has a hot and humid tropical climate.

January is the coolest month in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with temperatures averaging near 26 C (78 F), which is their winter but the same temperature as summer in Canada.

You can follow all these trips on my YouTube Channel right here: www.YouTube.com/ADawn

What Are the Best places to Visit in Toronto For Free?

Top 3 Free Things to Do in Toronto

My top three best things to do in Toronto list is different than what you may come across on most other top tourist spots in Toronto recommendations. Notably, I eliminated crowded tourist landmarks such as CN Tower, museums, and many other tourist hot spots.

Rather, my top picks are where no one usually goes, compared to other top visited attractions, and you will find hidden gems in these top three picks. All these top picks are kid friendly and virtually free. Let’s begin.

Toronto Islands

The Toronto Islands, also known as the Island, or Toronto Island Park, are a chain of 15 small islands located in Lake Ontario, a short 13-minute ferry ride from downtown Toronto. The 3 most popular islands are Centre Island, Ward Island, and Hanlan’s Point.

On the Islands, you’ll find sandy swimming beaches (including a Clothing Optional Beach on Hanlan's Point), bike, canoe and kayak rentals, a marina, sports & park facilities, big grass fields for picnics, a theatre, nature trails, a fire station, and some residents. 

Visit my detailed How to Go to The Toronto Islands for more on this.

The Tall Ship Kajama

One of the best Toronto boat cruises is on a 165-foot-tall ship Schooner leaving from Toronto’s downtown Harbourfront.

I find the price of $35 to be a great value for sailing on Toronto Harbour and Lake Ontario. They even go close to the Islands, fire a canon, and sing. There is a mini bar offering drinks, snacks, and food. Washrooms are clean.

Overall, I recommend this tour. Employees are very friendly as well. Visit Kajama Tall Ship - Toronto Boat Cruise for more on this.

Trillium Park

Trillium Park is located next to Ontario Place in Toronto. It is a stunning urban waterfront park.

It has the best views for both sunrises and sunsets and offers an unobstructed view of the CN Tower and Toronto skyline. Regrettably, many Torontonians have never heard of Trillium Park.

Visit Trillium Park Toronto for more on this.

How To Get To Toronto Islands | How Long Is Ferry Ride to Toronto Island?

How to go to the Toronto Islands

 What You Need To Know About the Toronto Islands

The Toronto Islands, also known as The Island, is a group of 15 interconnected islands located in the heart of downtown Toronto. The Toronto Islands offer a little piece of paradise, away from the big city’s hustle and bustle, just minutes away from the downtown waterfront.

The island is 5 kilometres long and you can easily walk from one end to the other. The 3 most popular islands are Centre Island, Ward Island, and Hanlan’s Point.

On the Islands, you’ll find sandy swimming beaches (including a Clothing Optional Beach on Hanlan's Point), bike, canoe and kayak rentals, a boating marina, sports facilities, big grass fields for picnics, a theatre, nature trails, an EMS and fire station, an amusement park and a 150-year-old community of 600 people living in cottage-like homes.

How Long Is the Ferry Ride to the Toronto Islands?

The average ferry or taxi ride takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

How much does it cost to go to the Toronto Islands?

An adult round-trip ticket costs $8.70. A one-way taxi ride costs $12, but you don’t have to pay when coming back to the city taking the ferry (even if you took a taxi to the island) because it’s provided for free and no tickets are needed to ride back from the island to the city.

Pro Tip: Buy Ferry tickets online. It’s much faster and easier.

Visit the City of Toronto Ferry Tickets Online Link for more info.

How to Take the Ferry to the Toronto Islands

The ferries to the Toronto Islands depart from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. This is the ferry terminal located on Queen’s Quay between Yonge and Bay streets, right next to the Westin Harbour Castle hotel.

All three ferry routes to Centre Island, Ward Island, and Hanlan's Point depart from the same terminal next to each other. All three ferry schedules run on an hourly basis. Centre Island and Ward’s Island boats depart Toronto on the hour and Hanlan’s Point ferries depart on the half hour.

Visit the link City of Toronto All Ferry Schedules Link for more info.

How to Take TTC to the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal  

You can take a short walk from Union Station or take the 510 Spadina streetcar or 509 Harbourfront streetcar to the Queens Quay stop and walk in 1 to 2 minutes.

How to Take a Water Taxi to the Toronto Islands

Several water taxi services depart from downtown Toronto to go to the Toronto Islands, such as Centre Island, Ward Island, and Hanlan's Point. The taxis have no fixed schedule and they leave once there are enough people to make the trip profitable. I had trips when there were only 4 passengers on board.

There are many Water Taxi services to choose from. Some popular ones and I tried are Tiki Taxi, Pirate Taxi, Toronto Harbour Tours, and Toronto Harbour Water Taxi.

For Water Taxi locations, visit their websites. Harbourfront Centre also has a map of water taxi locations.

Is It Better to Take a Taxi or a Ferry to the Toronto Islands?

Taking a ferry or a taxi to the Toronto Islands costs about the same (only $1.30 difference). I have tried both many times and here is my pro tip.

Toronto Island ferries give you a different experience than taking taxis. I feel like I am taking a ship and enjoy the experience of being in a bigger space with more people. But during the weekends or holidays, ferries can get crowded and you may want to avoid that.

Water Taxis offer faster service with no waiting or maintaining a schedule. A Water Taxi is like taking an Uber and taking a ferry is like taking the subway; both are excellent and offer different levels of experience.

Which Toronto Island is The Best to Visit (Centre Island, Ward Island, and Hanlan's Point)?

Centre Island

Centre Island offers the most activities and this is where most people go. It’s got Centreville, an amusement park, a beautiful lookout point and more places to eat than the others. On the other hand, Centre Island is also the most crowded.

Centre Island covers 600 acres of parkland and is in between two other primary Toronto Island destinations - Ward's Island on the east and Hanlan's Point on the west.

Ward's Island

Ward’s Island is on the east side where you will find some residences and also has a nice cafe, playground, soccer field, beaches and more. The beach here is less crowded. There are also nice paths and a boardwalk to stroll on.

In my opinion, Ward’s Island offers the best view of Toronto City and the skyline. I also enjoy the solitude of being less crowded.

Hanlan's Point

Hanlan's Point is right next to the Billy Bishop Airport and you can literally view the parked planes and runway. There is also the Gibraltar lighthouse and the only clothing-optional beach in Toronto.

The clothing-optional beach is separated from the regular beach and they are next to each other. In my opinion, Hanlan's Point beach is the longest and offers the best views overlooking Downtown Toronto and the Mimico skyline.

Pro Tip: Hanlan's Point is the best place to watch the Toronto Canadian International Air Show.

In brief, if you are looking for more activities and places to eat, go to Centre Island. If you are looking for solitude and relaxation, including better beach experiences, go to the Ward Island and Hanlan's Point.

Toronto Islands Videos

For my all Toronto Islands videos, visit the below Playlist:

Toronto Islands - Things To Do & What You Need To Know