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Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge

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  • 23601 Talkeetna Spur Road
     Talkeetna, Alaska 99696
    (907) 733-9500
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stvchin
stvchin
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
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Editor Pick

Great Hotel with Excellent Mt. McKinley Views

  • September 13, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by stvchin from Tustin, California
Great Hotel with Excellent Mt. McKinley Views

The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is a luxury resort located in Talkeetna with great views of Mt. McKinley. Talkeetna is a small town with limited choices of housing, from several downtown historical hotels, smaller lodges or vacation rental homes, or two luxury resort-type hotels, of which the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is one of them. Just for information, the other luxury hotel/lodge is the McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, which is operated by the Princess Cruises line and is about 30-45 minutes north of Talkeetna.

We booked our room online at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge’s website. They were running an online special for buy one night, get the next night free. A room for one night with a Mt. McKinley view was $409, but we would be getting the following night for free, so we opted for that. They have rooms which face away from Mt. McKinley, but the price difference is minimal.

The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is just south of Talkeetna Airport off Talkeetna Spur Road. While you’re on Talkeetna Spur Road, it’s hidden from view by the trees, but there is a monument sign on the road. The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge consists of a main lodge with several smaller lodges off to the sides. Both the inside and outside of the lodge buildings are as you would imagine a traditional lodge to appear. The lodges have cedar plank siding, large windows, thick support columns of river rock, and nice stained and lacquered beams and logs supporting the high ceilings. The main lodge has a nice and cozy double sided river rock fireplace in the middle, reaching all the way up it’s cathedral ceilings about 3 stories up, supported by stained log column and wood beams. The main lodge has a check-in area, gift shop, a nice great room area with the river rock fireplace, and two restaurants, Base Camp Bistro, and the Foraker Room. There are also 3 different sized conference rooms off a hallway from the main lobby.

Our room was on the second floor of the main lodge and had a Mt. McKinley view. The lodge itself sits on a slight hill, so we have a view over the forest and a straight line of sight to Mt. McKinley. Our room was very nice and comfortable, it had a coffee maker, refrigerator, and other amenities found in modern nice hotels. The Mt. McKinley view was gorgeous. The view was totally unobstructed, except for some haze and clouds in the morning hours. The view is actually quite mesmerizing, with many different things to look at to keep us gazing at the mountain for quite a while. From our window, you can make out the southern layout of the Alaska Range, which Mt. McKinley is a part of.

The great room in the main lodge is a nice area to sit, order a nice cold beverage, or a hot chocolate, depending on the season, and sit by the crackling fireplace. There are sweeping views of Mt. McKinley through the 3 story tall windowed wall. A large viewing deck immediately outside faces Mt. McKinley, also with drink service, is a popular place to hang out and take in the sights and sounds. There are tables and lounge chairs on the deck, but they are taken up pretty quickly. One thing I especially like about the viewing deck is a display which helps identify the various peaks and mountain features on the Alaska Range. Much time was spent indentifying and debating on what the different peaks and geographical features were. There is a third floor sitting lobby where people can sit, enjoy a beverage or two, and take in views of Mt. McKinley, unobstructed by anybody on the lower viewing deck. The nights here are very quiet, but bright. In the summer, the sun doesn’t set until around 11 PM, and it stays bright until about midnight. With hardly any city lights around us, a lot of people stayed on the viewing deck, gazing straight up at the multitude of stars and constellations that are easily visible from the deck. Staff members were available to help us identify the various constellations.

On the grounds, there are several trails around the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge property that people can take a hike or jog on. The concierge desk has guided tours of the trails, where they will point out survival techniques, sights, and any wildlife. While the grounds of the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge are private property, it’s not unusual to see wild birds, or even a moose or two on or near the property. There is also a geocaching adventure where you can bring your portable GPS unit, or rent one from the lodge, and go on a little treasure hunt for hidden items on the property. I talked with a few people that have done the geocaching, and they said it was a lot of fun for the kids. There are items such as ammo boxes hidden in the forest with written hints and the next set of GPS coordinates.

The Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is a very nice place to stay. If you like a nice hotel-like environment, as opposed to a vacation home or camp-like environment, then the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is worth a few extra dollars, especially with any online specials. The rooms were very nice, the service was good, the views are excellent. This is not really a lodge per-se, but more like a 4 star hotel in any major city. Looking back at our experience at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, we probably could have booked a non-McKinley view, and saved some money, since we spent most of our time in the great room, or the viewing deck, or the third floor lobby, and got our fill of Mt. McKinley there.

From journal Homecoming to Alaska

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