Casino Road Trip
First impressions:
The property’s exterior—a striking, 26-story, 604-unit tower of multiple hues of blue glass—is the first hint that Seneca Niagara is not your garden-variety casino-hotel complex. Confirmation comes on the other side of the main entrance, where guests are greeted by a soaring space.
The 10-station registration desk is positioned in front of a wall-length LED video board offering a changing display of images, which sometimes start to rotate, thus giving guests the surprising—and sometimes disorienting-- sensation of moving while standing still.
The large reception area is dominated by a blue enclosure housing the elevator lobby. It’s framed on all sides by wooden planks arranged to form geometric shapes. But what makes this part of the complex so unusual is that it’s not only the location of three main restaurants, but it’s also where the Event Center is located (at a large number of casinos, the Event Center is in a remote spot).
Accommodations: At 350 square feet, standard rooms are slightly larger-than-average. They have an upscale feel and offer excellent views (although the famed falls, which are about a mile away, aren’t visible from the hotel; for that you need to stay on the Canadian side of the Niagara River). The bathroom features a glass-enclosed shower. If possible, an upgrade to a “falls-view” corner suite is highly recommended, not just for the spaciousness and luxury (including a Jacuzzi), but also for the superb views of the surrounding area.
Game on: The main (non-smoking) gaming space is among the most dramatic in North America. It has the look and feel of a 20th century train shed, but with an explosion of color thanks to the multitude of electronic devices (the property’s two casinos boast a combined 3,600 machines) and a spectacular, Technicolor art installation that lines the rear of the non-smoking gambling den. There are also a total of 90 tables featuring all the popular games. A great feature of the smoking-permitted casino is that it is located behind glass doors, which means the smoke doesn’t waft into the non-smoking zones.
That’s entertainment: The Event Center offers a fairly typical array of second-tier headliners and tribute artists.
Let’s eat: The restaurant inventory is both extensive and uniformly strong. The higher end includes the Asian-focused Koi and La Cascata, a casually elegant Italian room that shares space with Koi (both are located off the main lobby). On the second level is The Western Door Steakhouse a sleek, sophisticated dining salon that is a definite must for the carnivores among us and offers heaping helpings of the kind of indulgences for which such operations are noted. My steak was gold-medal level, thanks to its perfect combination of taste and texture, and the service was impeccable.
Say spaaaaaaaa: The Il Mulino Spa is an excellently appointed oasis in which to refresh and recharge, physically and mentally. This hot tub obsessive spent hours in the perfectly heated whirlpool, and the massage from a therapist named Stephanie was an awesome anecdote for the roughly eight-hour drive from South Jersey (especially the hot packs she placed on my back).
The indoor pool area is likewise first-rate, with excellent hot tubs and two adult-swim periods daily. Adjacent is a large patio for catching rays.
Off-campus: Obviously, the falls are not to be missed; the Maid Of the Mist boat ride is a one-of-a-kind experience (and also the ultimate water-park-type experience). And Seneca Niagara hotel guests can avail themselves of a free golf-cart shuttle to and from the park from which the boat embarks. Also, worth checking out is the town of Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ont., about a 30-minute ride from the hotel. It’s a picture-book tourist center in Ontario wine country with plenty of stores, bars and restaurants and delightful Victorian architecture. It’s also the home of the Shaw Festival, which runs annually from February to December and is named in honor of playwright George Bernard Shaw.
