Where to stay in Anchorage for independent

[dkoitz]

I see a lot of people recommending The Captain Cook hotel in Anchorage. It runs about $280 a night. We will be traveling independent using a rental car. Are there any other lodging recommendations?

[NancyIL]

I always check hotel reviews at http://www.tripadvisor.com. Are you looking for the BEST accommodations or something costing less than the Captain Cook? There are quite a few hotels in Anchorage, so you'll save some money by staying outside of the downtown area.

[dkoitz]

Thank you! I'll check Trip advisor. It doesn't have to be in down town, were willing to drive a little to save a little.

[stired]

We made reservations at Hawthorn Suites in Anchorage. Several folks on this site have recommended it. Not as fancy as the Hotel Captain Cook, by any means, but evidently clean, large rooms with kitchenette, free hot breakfast buffet, close enough to downtown and close to Alaska RR. We got AAA rate of $187/night. Also, someone who stayed there last summer said the hotel stored some of their luggage for them while they went to Denali!

[dkoitz]

Thanks a bunch, I'm going to check it out right now.

[Sandy R]

I have been waiting for a thread like yours! I researched hotels for months for our September 2006 visit to Anchorage. Money wasn't really an object... but I learned quickly that there were no 4* or 5* hotels in Anchorage. So, with that in mind, we wanted a solid 3* hotel that was comfortable and clean and fairly new. We had a rental car so we didn't need to be right downtown. I read cruisecritic and fodors hotel reviews and was terribly confused. To be safe, I made reservations at Captain Cook, Marriott, Sheraton and Homewood Suites.

 

I continued to read tripadvisor reviews but most of them was disappointing except for Homewood Suites. I had previously been steered by tripadvisor to a wonderful hotel in Venice, Italy and a manor house in Amboise, France... so we went with Homewood Suites and cancelled our other bookings. We weren't disappointed! The one bedroom suite was perfect and an added plus was central air and heating and the windows open... we could smell the wonderful crisp Alaska air when we wanted to. The hotel is only a few years old and still looks new.

 

We each got a complimentary bottle of water when we arrived because we're Hilton members... I would recommend if you stay there, you join, it's free. Homewood has 3 shuttles, one into the city center, one to the airport... which we used so we didn't have to rent a car at the airport... it's cheaper to rent downtown (a fact I learned on cruisecritics), and one to another area of town.

 

When we arrived in Anchorage at 11 pm, we discovered a wheel of one of our suitcases had been torn off. And, we were embarking on a 28 day cruise 2 days later. The hotel arranged for their shuttle to take us to a luggage repair shop the next morning. They waited for us and brought us back to the hotel. Then we took their other shuttle to town and picked up our rental car. Homewood Suites is terrific!

 

Sandy

[GlacierLady]

I really enjoy staying at the Dimond Center Hotel. It has a strange location in the parking lot of a shopping mall with Walmart across the street but I also find it very nice for shopping as you can easily walk. The thing I like best is the 5' soaking tub. The beds are very comfy with down comforters and lots of pillows. Another plus for me is it's south of Anchorage ( not near downtown) and about 10 minutes from the airport.

[Chenega]

There are several good hotels out on C street including a Mariott Springhill Suites, a Hilton Garden Inn, the previously mentioned Homestead Suites, a pretty fancy Super 8, and a Fairfield by Marriott.

 

With a car, it really opens up your options. Downtown hotels tend to be pricey and book lots of people on tour packages.

[dkoitz]

I really appreciate all the imput. It gives me a good base to follow since there is so many lodging options. I will keep checking the board for future postings and recommendations. Thanks again!:)

[Budget Queen]

For some cheaper options, Anchorage has some wonderful B&B's. I've also stayed several times at the Ramada on Muldoon for just a bed, before/after the rail or pick up of a rental car. Offers both shuttles.

[fti]

Take the trip advisor reviews with a grain of salt. Though they try to weed out the false ones, I have heard more than one story of either hotel employees giving glowing reviews or competitors beating down their competitors with negative reviews.

 

I have also stayed at the Ramada on Muldoon. Not super review on tripadvisor but very adequate.

 

I am planning on staying at the Extended Stay Deluxe downtown next summer with an incredible rate through hotwire that I got a couple of months ago. I didn't check if the rate is still there but it was going for between $37 and $50/night plus taxes. Newly renovated, right downtown.

[vivian02]

I was up in Anchorage a year ago and this is what I learned. Once you get into June the Hotel and rental cars get expensive. Make sure you have made reservations ahead of time for a car rental. If not you might not find a car. Hotels are the same. The closer you get to your summer trip the harder it is to get Hotel reservations. I did some bidding on priceline and of the three nights I needed a room I won bids on two nights. The one night I had to make resevations ahead of time. My winning bids on priceline was the Downtown Sheraton which turned out to be a really nice hotel. As I recall my winning bids were around $120 a night. The night I booked on my own was at the Fairfield in by Marriott. I paid $152 for that night and was pleased with the hotel and its services. There was a new Hotel 6 behind the Mmarriott and I have no idea what price they were charging. I think the nicest hotel Anchorage has is the Captain Cook. This information should get you started for what to exspect next summer. This May I'm headed to Rome and I am sure Rome and Anchorage are about the same when it comes to Hotel prices.

However the wine in Rome is cheaper. Tim

[GlacierLady]

Take the trip advisor reviews with a grain of salt. Though they try to weed out the false ones, I have heard more than one story of either hotel employees giving glowing reviews or competitors beating down their competitors with negative reviews.

 

I have also stayed at the Ramada on Muldoon. Not super review on tripadvisor but very adequate.

 

I am planning on staying at the Extended Stay Deluxe downtown next summer with an incredible rate through hotwire that I got a couple of months ago. I didn't check if the rate is still there but it was going for between $37 and $50/night plus taxes. Newly renovated, right downtown.

Did you make the reservation for next summer at those rates?? I've never found those low of prices during the winter even with a resident discount.

[NancyIL]

Did you make the reservation for next summer at those rates?? I've never found those low of prices during the winter even with a resident discount.

 

I also got the Extended Stay Deluxe on 8th Ave. for $37 plus tax ($48.59 total) through Hotwire. Hotwire is similar to Priceline, but instead of naming your own price for a hotel of a certain quality level and in a particular area - Hotwire tells you what price you will pay. You won't know what hotel you're getting until after your credit card has been charged - but John (fti) was kind enough to test the waters several months ago, and he let us know that this particular bargain was the Extended Stay Deluxe.

[curiousl8y]

I also got the Extended Stay Deluxe on 8th Ave. for $37 plus tax ($48.59 total) through Hotwire. Hotwire is similar to Priceline, but instead of naming your own price for a hotel of a certain quality level and in a particular area - Hotwire tells you what price you will pay. You won't know what hotel you're getting until after your credit card has been charged - but John (fti) was kind enough to test the waters several months ago, and he let us know that this particular bargain was the Extended Stay Deluxe.

 

[waves hand] Me too! Two nights in August 2007 at the Extended Stay for $48.59 per night total, through Hotwire, thanks to fti and this message board! I don't know if it's still available, I booked mine last year in August or September, as soon as I read about it here.

 

Linda