These Are the 13 Best Hotels in Alaska

Alaska is one of the few places where getting to your hotel can be as memorable as the stay itself. You might arrive by floatplane, bush plane, boat, train, or after hours on the road, and where you choose to stay often determines what you’ll experience once you get there.

I lived in Alaska full-time for eight years and still return for several months each year, staying everywhere from fly-in fishing lodges and remote wilderness retreats to historic city hotels and glacier-side resorts. The properties below reflect the range of experiences the state does best.

For this edition of Afar’s Hotels We Love series, we’ve selected 13 hotels that are integral to the Alaska experience. Some are gateways to national parks and wildlife encounters; others are ideal bases for exploring Anchorage and Alaska’s coastal towns. Together, they offer some of the best ways to experience the 49th state.

Alyeska Resort

Matt Hage

Situated just 40 miles from downtown Anchorage and the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, the year-round Alyeska Resort feels worlds away, tucked into a glacier-carved valley off the scenic Seward Highway. The 299-room property has long been one of Alaska’s premier full-service resorts, and a recent multi-phase renovation introduced new accommodations and amenities without changing its character.

The biggest addition is the Black Diamond Club, a hotel-within-a-hotel with upgraded rooms, a private lounge serving complimentary breakfast and evening wine and hors d’oeuvres, and dedicated concierge service. Elsewhere, the resort offers eight restaurants and bars, a fitness center, and a heated saltwater lap pool with mountain views.

Outdoor recreation is the main draw. Alyeska is home to the longest continuous double-black-diamond ski run in North America, more than 1,600 acres of skiable terrain, and has been part of the IKON pass since 2023. The Nordic Spa’s hydrotherapy circuit of hot and cold pools, saunas, and steam rooms sit among the forest, while the 60-passenger tram climbs 2,300 feet up Mount Alyeska to Seven Glaciers, known for its seafood.

Borealis Basecamp

Courtesy of Borealis Basecamp

Tucked into the boreal forest north of Fairbanks, far from urban light pollution, Borealis Basecamp feels off the grid while offering the comforts of an upscale lodge. The property made its name with its now-iconic geodesic igloos and has since expanded into a larger seasonal retreat with a wider range of accommodations and activities.

The property’s 36 geodesic igloos, built using the same structural design as shelters used by scientists working in Arctic environments, remain the main draw, with curved, transparent ceilings designed for watching the chartreuse- and magenta-hued northern lights from bed. Newer cube-style cabins add more space and floor-to-ceiling windows, providing another front-row seat to the aurora.

Winter days are just as busy, with dog sledding, snowmachining (Alaska’s term for snowmobiling), guided snowshoeing, and visits with the property’s reindeer.

Related: This Hotel Is One of the Best Places in Alaska for Aurora Viewing

Denali Backcountry Lodge

Photo by Frank P. Flavin

One of only a handful of accommodations to stay inside Denali National Park and Preserve, Denali Backcountry Lodge offers rare access to one of North America’s most spectacular landscapes. Set in the former mining settlement of Kantishna, an old mining settlement 90 miles into the park, the lodge combines that remote setting with standalone cabins, hearty meals, and guided adventures.

Cabins have private bathrooms, electricity, and large windows overlooking the surrounding wilderness. Days are spent hiking through alpine meadows panning for gold in braided riverbeds, biking to Alaska Range viewpoints, and searching for grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolves, and other wildlife.

Getting here is part of the adventure. With a rockslide closing the Denali Park Road beyond the halfway point through at least 2026, Kantisha is currently reached by bushplane or helicopter, leaving this corner of the park far less visited. That includes Wonder Lake, where on clear days, Denali is reflected in its glassy waters.

Hotel Captain Cook

Courtesy of Captain Cook Lodge

After the 1964 earthquake—the second most powerful ever recorded—devastated much of downtown Anchorage, real estate developer Walter J. Hickel (who later served two terms as Alaska’s governor) vowed to build Alaska’s biggest and best hotel. The result was the 546-room Hotel Captain Cook, which is part of Historic Hotels of America and continues to be one of Anchorage’s landmark hotels.

Interiors nod to the voyages of Captain James Cook, with dark wood, brass accents, and maritime artwork throughout the three-tower property. Rooms are spacious, many with views toward the Chugach Mountains, and the service, especially the concierge, is a standout.

The Crow’s Nest restaurant uses French technique on regional ingredients, serving dishes like king crab bouillabaisse alongside a 10,000-bottle wine collection. On clear days, its 360-degree views stretch from Cook Inlet to the Alaska Range and Denali. The hotel is within walking distance of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, museums, and many of Anchorage’s tour operators.

Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge

Courtesy of Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge

Set on Fox Island in Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge offers one of the closest overnight experiences to Kenai Fjords National Park without camping. Reached by boat from Seward, the lodge occupies a secluded stretch of coastline where eight cabins sit just above the water, backed by spruce and hemlock forest.

Cabins are simple but comfortable, with private bathrooms and large windows overlooking the bay or forest, while the central lodge serves meals spotlighting local seafood.

With no cell service and limited Wi-Fi, the lodge encourages guests to focus on enjoying the outdoors. Along the shoreline, guests will find tide pools, kelp tangles, and sun-bleached driftwood, with sea otters rafting just offshore and seabirds constantly in motion overhead. Trails wind up from the beach into mossy forest, where the ground is soft underfoot and salmonberry bushes line the way.

Time on the water is still the highlight. Beyond kayaking and fishing, every stay includes a full-day boat excursion into Kenai Fjords National Park, bringing travelers face-to-face with tidewater glaciers, puffins, hauled-out seals, sea otters, and often whales.

Related: Visiting a National Park, but Don’t Want to Rough It? Book a Room at One of These Dreamy Hotels

The Lodge at 58 North

Photo by Jeremy Koreski

Set along the Naknek River just outside King Salmon, The Lodge at 58 North is a remote, fly-in fishing lodge that offers serious angling alongside a high-end, all-inclusive experience. It also stands out as a woman-owned and largely woman-guided accommodation, still a rarity in Alaska’s fishing world. The setting at the heart of the Bristol Bay watershed offers access to some of the state’s best salmon and trout waters, with daily guided outings tailored to experience level and conditions.

Accommodations are intentionally limited with just five modern cabins, keeping the experience small-scale and personal (the average guide to guest ratio is 1:2). Each has private bathrooms and separated sleeping and lounging areas, plus large windows framing views of the Naknek River.

Days are structured around the fishing—either near the property or heading out on a 1950’s era Beaver floatplane to more remote stretches (including places like Katmai National Park, an area known for its prodigious coastal brown bear population). Back at the lodge, excellent three-course chef-prepared meals are rarely repeated throughout the season (the team makes creative use of seasonal, Alaska-harvested ingredients). A well-stocked bar and relaxed common spaces (including a wood-fired sauna) round out the experience.

Related: A Caribbean Island Escape, an Alaska Fishing Lodge, a Venetian Craft Hotel: 7 Women-Owned Hotels

Orca Island Cabins

Courtesy of Orca Island Cabins

If you’re craving an active immersion into some of Alaska’s most far-flung lands, Orca Island Cabins is a good option. Here, the only accommodations are yurts—but don’t think you’ll be roughing it. Each of the eight waterfront tents on this private island includes a queen bed, a futon, a fully equipped kitchen, private bathroom facilities with running water, and a spacious deck extending over the water, perfect for enjoying the midnight sun.

It’s a lovely base for exploring the greater Resurrection Bay—guests have access to sea kayaks, rowboats, stand-up paddleboards, and fishing gear, with plenty of quiet coves, salmon-spawning streams, and shoreline to explore. Wildlife sightings (seals, otters, and the occasional whale) are common; there are also forested hiking trails to wander, an island art gallery showcasing oil paintings in the plein-air tradition, and a communal fire pit that tends to draw people together at the end of the day.

Salted Roots and Rustic Roots

Courtesy of Salted Roots

Nestled in an old-growth spruce forest and surrounded by fiddleheads and fireweed just outside Seward, Salted Roots is an eclectic collection of 12 boutique luxury rentals. Salted Roots originally opened in 2019 with just two glass-front A-frame cabins, each with two bedrooms, a full kitchen, a bathroom with a shower and freestanding soaking tub, and a private deck. Soon after, they added two cottages with a similar layout and a converted 1970s bus. Then, in 2023, the husband and wife duo took over a neighboring property that had three seaside craftsman cabins and a lodge with four private rooms, rebranding it as Rustic Roots.

Sustainable practices include on-site composting, solar-powered energy, recycling programs, and an herb and vegetable garden guests can harvest from for their meals. Amenities include a sauna, yoga studio, and multiple fire pits. The location offers easy access to a quiet stretch of the Lowell Point beach and it’s close to Kenai Fjords National Park, making it a convenient base for glacier cruises, hiking, and wildlife tours out of Seward.

Sheldon Chalet

Courtesy of Sheldon Chalet

Few hotels are more remote than Sheldon Chalet—it is located ten miles from the summit of Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. Roughly 80 years ago, Don Sheldon, a legendary Alaska bush pilot who pioneered the technique used for glacier landings, claimed a five-acre plot overlooking Ruth Glacier under the Homestead Act. For decades, his property included just a bare-bones structure used by climbers. It wasn’t until 2018 that his children opened the luxury lodge.

Accessible only by helicopter, bush plane, or a very long hike, Sheldon Chalet stands as a beacon of exclusivity—not even birds or moose can get here. The hexagonal-shaped lodge has five opulent bedrooms, each with king-size beds adorned with faux furs, ensuite bathrooms, and close-up views of the granite peak. Guests can spend their days going on a snowshoe glacier trek, learning how to spelunk in a snow cavern, or trying their hand at ice climbing before retiring to the lodge for a meal crafted from locally sourced ingredients and inspired by the flavors of the region. Bonus: In the winter, guests have a good chance of seeing the riotous ribbons of light that is the aurora borealis.

Tordrillo Mountain Lodge

Brandon Cole for Tordrillo Mountain Lodge

Just a 45-minute float plane ride from Anchorage along the banks of the Talachulitna River and Judd Lake, Tordrillo Mountain Lodge is a multi-structure resort that combines a six-room main lodge, a private four-room lodge, and two standalone cabins, all with views of either the Alaska or Tordrillo ranges and experiences that offer close encounters with the mountains.

In the winter, that means helicopter-assisted skiing, with runs that drop from high alpine terrain into powder (some of the runs hover at 7,500 feet).

In the summer, the same aircraft opens up a different kind of terrain, from glacier hiking to tackling the resort’s private via ferrata to remote fly-fishing streams. New for 2026 is the AlpenSauna, a helicopter-accessed sauna relocated throughout the season to scenic wilderness settings.

After a day of adventures, guests can retreat to the lakeside hot tub or cedar sauna, make use of the bikes, SUPs, kayaks, eFoils, and snowshoes, or choose a vintage from the 500-bottle wine cellar to sip on before a multi-course dinner made with locally-sourced ingredients in the main lodge.

Tutka Bay Lodge

Courtesy of Tutka Bay Lodge

Outdoor and culinary adventurers alike are drawn to Tutka Bay Lodge, a 35-acre property situated at the entrance of a seven-mile fjord in Kachemak Bay. Each of the six oceanfront cabins is distinct, sleeping anywhere from two to five guests, and some include lofts or private patios.

Rooms are decorated seasonally with fresh-cut peonies from the owner’s farm, lamps made with sea glass, and paintings from regional artists, and are stocked with a complimentary mini-bar full of locally-made beers, sodas, and s’mores fixings. Guests can kayak through impossibly clear water to hidden coves in search of otters and porpoises, hike past alpine meadows, take a float plane to Lake Clark National Park to see grizzly bears, or deep-sea fish for salmon, halibut, and rockfish.

Tutka Bay sets itself apart from other Alaskan lodgings in its culinary offerings—it is helmed by two renowned Alaska chefs, Kirsten and Mandy Dixon. Visitors dig for steamer clams or stop by a local oyster farm for their evening feast and can take daily lessons in the resort’s onsite cooking school. The culinary focus blends regional ingredients such as seafood and vegetables with global influences. Before they leave, guests can visit the salt distilling station to have a taste of Alaska at home.

Ultima Thule Lodge

Arturo Polo Ena/Ultima Thule Lodge

Guests at Ultima Thule can rest assured they’re in good hands: The lodge is run by the intrepid Claus family, particularly Paul Claus, the legendary bush pilot and adventurer who is known as much for his skilled glacier landings as his mountaineering exploits (he’s gone as far as Everest and as close to home as nearby Mount St. Elias).

Hand-hewn logs from the original cabin built by Paul’s father, John Claus, still form a wing of the main lodge, though much has been added to create the world-class resort. There are now five private cabins outfitted with Craftsman furniture, plush featherbeds, and bearskin rugs; a wood-fired sauna; and a large vegetable garden whose harvest—along with local game and fish—forms the foundation of many of the meals. But the real appeal here lies in the unscripted adventure excursions, some led by Paul himself in a two-seater Super Cub light aircraft, which may take guests from exploring an abandoned gold mine one moment to viewing herds of Dall sheep roaming across vast Wrangell–St. Elias National Park the next.

Wildbirch Hotel

Kevin G Smith/Kevin G Smith Photography

Set in downtown Anchorage, the Wildbirch Hotel was designed with nods to Alaska without leaning on lodge clichés. The front desk was built from vintage fly-rod cases, and painted salmon taxidermy by local artist Romney Dodd and rotating works by Alaskan artists adorn the public spaces.

The 252 guest rooms and suites are compact but well designed, with topographic-map headboards, walnut leather chairs, oversize windows framing the Chugach Mountains or Cook Inlet, and enough room to stash outdoor gear between adventures. The hotel has factored in accessibility: Multiple room types were designed for guests with mobility needs.

On the ground floor, a coffee shop doubles as a retail space selling locally made goods, while the restaurant, Crimson, attracts both travelers and locals with live music, seasonal outdoor seating, and views toward the port. A brewery and tasting room are in the works, part of a broader push to make the hotel as much a neighborhood hub as a base for exploring beyond the city.