Eagle River Lodge

The room was clean, spacious, comfortable, and recently remodeled, still looking like new. The bathroom was roomy and really nice. We were on the third floor, which meant plenty of trips up and down the stairs with our bags. The service was a bit odd. At check-in the employee was friendly but left out the usual details, so we had to ask about Wi-Fi and checkout time. Later, when we asked for extra towels, they seemed bothered. The next morning, a different employee was smoking under the stairs and called out to ask our room number while we packed the car. She didn't say anything else, so I followed her into the office to confirm checkout. It was a strange interaction. I'd stay again for the nice rooms, though the staff could use some customer service training.

We were worn out from driving and needed a room at 2 am. The woman at the desk was kind and helpful. Our king room was spotless, nicely decorated, and comfortable, with a big, clean bathroom. We'd definitely stay again.

Eagle River has few lodging options, and in my opinion Eagle River Lodge is the best of them, though that's not saying much. Despite its name, it's a motel, not a lodge. It's been remodeled, but it still has the bones of a cheap motel. There are three floors with no elevator, just an outdoor staircase. There's no laundry, and they don't provide daily housekeeping. I'd put it firmly in the one-star motel category. The management's response to feedback made it more disappointing. When I raised the lack of housekeeping, the manager defended the policy instead of acknowledging that I was unhappy with the service. I said five days without housekeeping was excessive, and she called it a “private lodge.” I'm not sure how that explains the policy, but I can say without hesitation that this isn't a lodge. Look up what a one-star motel is, and you'll find a more accurate description.

After 16 hours of travel and exhaustion, we arrived in Alaska to find our Airbnb rental had been a ridiculously bad experience. We had nowhere else to go and stopped at this hotel. We explained what had happened, and Jeralynn was so compassionate and generous. She and the young man at the desk were incredibly kind and understanding, and they made me cry. The room was spacious, comfortable, and had everything we needed. I can't recommend them enough.