New hotels in Niagara Falls

On the New York State side of Niagara Falls (distinct from the long-established Niagara Falls, Ontario destination across the river in Canada) two hotels anchor recent investment: a 2024 new build on Rainbow Boulevard and a 1924 landmark restoration targeting 2027. Both sit within a quarter mile of Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the United States, and both represent the first hotel investment of note on the New York side in some time.

What to do

A weekend in Niagara Falls, USA

Start at Niagara Falls State Park, established in 1885 and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux: the oldest state park in the country, free to enter and drawing more than nine million visitors a year. Cave of the Winds takes visitors down 175 feet into the gorge to within about 20 feet of Bridal Veil Falls, while the Maid of the Mist boat tour departs from the base of Prospect Point's Observation Tower for a run into the mist of the Horseshoe and American Falls, both are seasonal attractions worth checking ahead of a visit.

A full week

With more time, Whirlpool State Park a few miles downriver offers overlooks of the Niagara River's rapids and whirlpool at street level, plus a staircase down to river-level hiking and fishing. The New York side sits about 25 minutes from downtown Buffalo, close enough for a day trip covering both cities' hotels and attractions, and the falls themselves are illuminated after dark for a different vantage point than the daytime crowds along the state park's overlooks. A longer stay also allows time to cross to the Canadian side for the classic postcard view of Horseshoe Falls from above: a different perspective than the New York side's closer, more immersive vantage points at Cave of the Winds and the Observation Tower.

Where to stay

Rainbow Boulevard, downtown: Cambria Hotel Niagara Falls

Cambria Hotel Niagara Falls opened in spring 2024 at 311 Rainbow Boulevard, a ground-up, seven-story new build forming part of a $20 million mixed-use development: reported as the first new hotel construction of note on the New York side of the falls in some time. The 120-room hotel broke ground in the fourth quarter of 2021 and had its ribbon-cutting on April 15, 2024, attended by New York Governor Kathy Hochul; rooms start from $120.

Near Horseshoe Falls: Hotel Niagara (announced)

A quarter mile from Horseshoe Falls, Hotel Niagara is a 1924 landmark building, designed by Buffalo architects Esenwein and Johnson and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, being restored into a 150-room upper-upscale hotel by USA Niagara Development Corporation, a New York state agency, with developer Brine Wells Development LLC. Once among the city's finest lodging and banquet addresses, its final operating chapter was as a budget-tier Travelodge that closed in 2006; the building then sat vacant for roughly 19 years before this repositioning. The project first broke ground in 2019 and has slipped repeatedly since, with construction planned to restart toward a 2027 opening: total project cost estimates have grown from roughly $42 million to a range of $49.8-58.8 million.

Which hotel for your trip

Travelers who want a new, straightforward stay

Cambria Hotel Niagara Falls' 2024 new build on Rainbow Boulevard is the more conventional, recently built option among the two.

Travelers waiting on Niagara Falls' next opening

Hotel Niagara's restoration of a 1924 landmark a quarter mile from Horseshoe Falls will add an upper-upscale option once its repeatedly delayed timeline reaches 2027.

Travelers pairing Niagara Falls with Buffalo

Either hotel works as a base, since both sit about 25 minutes from downtown Buffalo's own hotels and attractions, making a two-city itinerary straightforward without switching states more than once.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same Niagara Falls as the one in Canada?

No: this guide covers Niagara Falls, New York, on the US side of the falls, a separate city from Niagara Falls, Ontario, across the river.

What is the oldest state park in the United States?

Niagara Falls State Park, established in 1885 and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux: it sits within a quarter mile of both hotels covered here.

Is Hotel Niagara open yet?

No: the 1924 landmark building has been vacant since 2006 and is being restored toward a 2027 opening, after repeated delays since construction first began in 2019.

What is Cave of the Winds?

A Niagara Falls State Park attraction that takes visitors 175 feet down into the gorge, to within about 20 feet of Bridal Veil Falls.

How far is downtown Buffalo from Niagara Falls, New York hotels?

About 25 minutes by car.

What was Hotel Niagara before its current restoration?

A budget-tier Travelodge that closed in 2006, after decades as one of the city's finest lodging and banquet addresses following its original 1924 construction.