Any Suggestions for Hotel Deals in Anchorage

[fti]

Also cancelled one of my two $46 rooms at the Hilton for what was originally our arrival day in Anchorage - until I moved our cruise to one leaving Vancouver 2 days earlier.

 

The Hilton with the honeymoon package?!? I hope not :D . I wish I could have taken over that reservation.... and I am not even married!

 

John, I just can't thank you enough for your helpful, money-saving info!

 

You are quite welcome. I have become known as the "coupon king" between family and friends because I sniff out good deals, use coupons for lots of things, etc. I love to travel and I figure if I can travel for less, I can travel more often! I especially love getting great airfare deals but that topic is for another time!

[NancyIL]

The Hilton with the honeymoon package?!? I hope not :D . I wish I could have taken over that reservation.... and I am not even married!

That was the one, but I had 2 separate nights reserved, so we'll still be there on the "Romance Package" on day #6 of our land trip - before going to Seward the next day. I would gladly have given away the reservation if I could've, but since it was made in my husband's name and with his Hilton Honors number, that wouldn't have worked.

 

You are quite welcome. I have become known as the "coupon king" between family and friends because I sniff out good deals, use coupons for lots of things, etc. I love to travel and I figure if I can travel for less, I can travel more often! I especially love getting great airfare deals but that topic is for another time!

That's my role among my family and friends, too - but especially if it involves visiting a Disney theme park. :)

 

One airline tip - if anyone lives near an airport served by Southwest Airlines - download Southwest DING to your computer: http://www.southwest.com/cgi-bin/systray?action=download&refId=2005050000000002

 

It has specials good for one day only, and they have some terrific deals!

[bunduo]

This one might be a question for an Anchorage native. There is two Extended Stays in Anchorage...a midtown location and the downtown location. The downtown ES (on 8th street) is the location for $37/nt on Hotwire. If they are just now adding kitchenettes to the downtown location, is it possible that Extended Stays just aquired the property? Tripadvisor has some mixed reviews but I suspect the reviews are for the midtown location, not the location being offered on Hotwire.

 

Does anyone know for sure or should I call and find out?

[fti]

This one might be a question for an Anchorage native. There is two Extended Stays in Anchorage...a midtown location and the downtown location. The downtown ES (on 8th street) is the location for $37/nt on Hotwire. If they are just now adding kitchenettes to the downtown location, is it possible that Extended Stays just aquired the property? Tripadvisor has some mixed reviews but I suspect the reviews are for the midtown location, not the location being offered on Hotwire.

 

Does anyone know for sure or should I call and find out?

 

I am not an ANC native, but the downtown property was an Aspen hotel until recently. Double check on tripadvisor - they are usually pretty clear about which hotel is being reviewed. Hopefully it is pretty clear if the reviews are for the midtown or downtown location.

 

John

[AkSusan]

Aspen Hotels here in Alaska sold all there properties to Extended Stay this year except the Valdez and Soldotna properties.

 

The midtown location was originally built as an Extended Stay Aspen hotel so when it was built it had the kitchenettes in them. I've stayed at the Aspen hotels in Soldotna and Juneau (haven't stayed here since it became an Extended Stay). I've had rooms at both of these facilities that had a wet bar sink, microwave and refrigerator.

 

Susan in Anchorage :)

[NancyIL]

The downtown location is still listed as the Aspen Hotel at Trip Advisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60880-d239763-Reviews-Aspen_Hotel_Anchorage-Anchorage_Alaska.html

 

The Extended Stay Deluxe reviews are for the OTHER location, not the one downtown: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60880-d446932-Reviews-Extended_Stay_Deluxe-Anchorage_Alaska.html It does look as though some people's reviews of the downtown location ended up being attributed to the mid-town location.

[NancyIL]

I never paid attention to the review of the Aspen Hotel in Anchorage (now the Extended Stay Deluxe) in Frommer's Alaska until I happened to look at the hotel recommendations today. But then - I wasn't planning on staying there until I got it on Hotwire yesterday! You can read the review here, and hopefully it will put some minds at ease: http://frommers.com/destinations/anchorage/H48750.html

[bunduo]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion Susan, Nancy...everybody! After reading the reviews, it looks like this property has a habit of bumping people to the other location. Heck, for $37, I guess there isn't a whole lot of room to complain. :)

 

-Matt

[fti]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion Susan, Nancy...everybody! After reading the reviews, it looks like this property has a habit of bumping people to the other location. Heck, for $37, I guess there isn't a whole lot of room to complain. :)

 

-Matt

 

I haven't read the reviews but if you check in early enough you can always refuse to be "walked" as it is called in the hotel industry. If they do walk you, you are entitled to whatever you can negotiate. Usually the first hotel pays for your stay at the second hotel but if you already prepaid through hotwire, this is not easy to do. For me, I wanted this hotel for its amenities that were shown on hotwire, especially the airport shuttle. Plus, one night I booked this downtown location for its convenience. Being sent to the midtown location would not sit well with me in this case. Fortunately I know my rights in this regard in case I really don't want to get walked.

[NancyIL]

I haven't read the reviews but if you check in early enough you can always refuse to be "walked" as it is called in the hotel industry. If they do walk you, you are entitled to whatever you can negotiate. Usually the first hotel pays for your stay at the second hotel but if you already prepaid through hotwire, this is not easy to do. For me, I wanted this hotel for its amenities that were shown on hotwire, especially the airport shuttle. Plus, one night I booked this downtown location for its convenience. Being sent to the midtown location would not sit well with me in this case. Fortunately I know my rights in this regard in case I really don't want to get walked.

 

One consistent complaint about the downtown location was from people wanting an early morning airport shuttle, and they couldn't get one because the shuttle went to the train station at that time. (Made me glad I didn't book the hotel for our last night because that could've been US wanting an early morning shuttle to the airport.) Make sure you get shuttle times clarified when you check-in so as not to be scrambling for a taxi at the last minute.