Hal Cruisetours hotel accomodations

[moonchild]

Just booked Hal cruisetour #6 and had thought this would be a great way to see Alaska without too much of a hassle. However, after reading comments on the hotels Westmark I am very concern that I have made a mistake.

I had assumed because of Hal reputation and that they would have nice accommodations. I am reading that these hotels are shabby, needing updating, etc. I am not expecting to stay in Sheratons but the comfort level of a Hampton inn for the money I have put out on this trip.

Are there anyone on the boards that have actually gone on these cruise tours that can give me feedback other than what I have read on tripadvior?

[GeriatricNurse]

Just booked Hal cruisetour #6 and had thought this would be a great way to see Alaska without too much of a hassle. However, after reading comments on the hotels Westmark I am very concern that I have made a mistake.

I had assumed because of Hal reputation and that they would have nice accommodations. I am reading that these hotels are shabby, needing updating, etc. I am not expecting to stay in Sheratons but the comfort level of a Hampton inn for the money I have put out on this trip.

Are there anyone on the boards that have actually gone on these cruise tours that can give me feedback other than what I have read on tripadvior?

 

 

I did the HAL Cruisetour #11 June 20th. to July 1st. I stayed at both Westmark Anchorage and Westmark Fairbanks. I thought both hotels provided excellent accomodations and dining! You will enjoy your HAL Cruisetour! I too thought that it would be a great way to see Alaska and I wasn't disappointed! I would/will do another cruisetour again! Hopefully, your cruisetour also includes the "Mt. McKinley Explorer"!:)

[amberkins17]

We also did CT #11 just a few weeks ago. We were originally booked in both Westmarks but were changed to the Hilton in Anchorage. Of the 3 hotels across the cruise tour, the McKinley Chalet was the only one below par. The Hilton Anchorage was first, with the Fairbanks Westmark just below that, and the McKinley Chalet WAY below both.

 

The only issue with the Westmark in Fairbanks was what we referred to as the "gunshot" toilet -- when flushed, it sounded like a gun going off ... and it echoed all over so we'd hear the gunshots all night long from other rooms (and we were at the end of a hall so really only had one next-door neighbor and no one across from us since that was the door to the stairwell).

 

The McKinley Chalet has nice public areas but the room was, to put it nicely, "rustic." Let me preface the following with the fact that I hate camping or anything similar so that might help others understand my perspective. So .... The a/c did not work at all and it was 88 degrees the day we were there. The sheets felt moist because it was so humid. We almost felt like we were going to have to cover ourselves in bug spray to sleep the night as there were several visible mosquitoes in the room as soon as we got there. The rooms are very small ... one tiny living room (barely enough floor space to house our luggage) with a very small love-seat and a little desk with chair (desk so small there was no usable space as it was completely full with a table lamp and the hotel paperwork). The bedroom had the unusual arrangement of a full size (double) bed and a twin bed. Thankfully I found a table fan in the closet (which I only opened to see if I could straighten the broken door that was hanging off its hinge and intruding into the limited bedroom space) .. and even more thankful that we were only spending one night there!

 

The bottom line is that, despite this, we LOVED the cruise tour and would do it again even knowing the accommodations aren't ALL top notch.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[moonchild]

Thank you for your responds! I was starting to worry.....

[agabbymama]

Moonchild,

 

Your first inclination that HAL has a great reputation is indeed the one you need to concentrate on. We did HAL Cruisetour #1 Yukon Wilderness. When we debarked in Skagway, we took our luggage to the Westmark. Looks like a nice Motel 6 or Holiday Inn.

 

Once on the road, we stayed at the Westmark in Whitehorse, Dawson City, Tok and Fairbanks. On to the McKinley Chalet Resorts at Denali and unlike amberkins17, we thoroughly loved the McKinley Chalets. The cabins are set up like a duplex (2 cabins on the bottom floor, and 2 cabins above with their own walkway) so it appears that you have your own cabin in the woods. They are rustic (you are in the wild woods of Alaska). With knotty pine furnishings. And we were pleasantly surprised that the cabin had a living room, bedroom and bathroom. Sort of like a cabin in the woods. They are spread out over a huge territory, and there are shuttles to transport you to the various cabins and back to the main lodge. Then we were put at the Anchorage Hilton instead of the Westmark (unknown why), but it was an absolutely stunning hotel with lots of glass and nothing missing whatsoever from what you'd find at any Hilton in the lower 48, very nice indeed.

 

Here are a few links

http://www.westmarkhotels.com/index.php

http://alaska.org/denali/mckinley-chalet.jsp

http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/ANCAHHF-Hilton-Anchorage-Alaska/index.do

 

We found them all to be clean and comfortable accommodation with restaurants attached, and look just like the photos on the website. We did not complain at all about the accommodations. Although the meals were almost twice what we pay here in Southern California. Have a great time!

[moonchild]

Moonchild,

 

We found them all to be clean and comfortable accommodation with restaurants attached,

 

That is what I was looking for, lol:o

[moonchild]

Hopefully, your cruisetour also includes the "Mt. McKinley Explorer"!:)

 

Yes it does,and I am looking forward to it!