Ramada by Wyndham Anchorage

I left without staying because I was frightened for my safety. Before my flight, I called around 1 p.m. to ask about early check-in, and the woman said yes. I arrived about half an hour later, but two guys who looked sketchy were in the parking lot and the lobby door was locked. A sign said to use a room key or knock for the desk. I knocked repeatedly and could see nobody there, then called with no answer. It was 9 degrees outside. One of the men tried a room key to let me in, but it didn't work. After 10-15 minutes someone came out of the lobby, letting me get inside. Five or six people were in the small lobby, including two passed out on the couch. I rang the bell and waited, but nobody came. As a woman traveling alone, I was scared and left. I booked with points, but Aislyn, apparently the front desk worker, refused to refund me. It took two hours on the phone with my credit card company to get the points refunded. I wouldn't risk staying here.

The front desk woman deserves a shout-out for the beautiful succulent bowl and all the plants she looks after. The staff were sweet, professional, and answered my questions. I had a great Halloween weekend stay. The rooms were lovely; a toilet paper holder would be useful, though its absence didn't cause a problem. I'll stay here again next time I'm up there.

The maintenance man was especially sweet, and the front desk women we met were pleasant. Our room was clean. The hotel is old and could use some care, but we had no real complaints. It worked well as a base for our southern Alaska adventures.

The first floor has a strong tobacco smell, and the bathrooms have no fan, so keep that in mind when showering. Windows don't open. I also found hair in the towels and inside the dressers, as others had mentioned. The desk is sometimes unattended, though that rarely happens. Taller seats could help desk staff see guests in wheelchairs, and door stops would help wheelchair users too. At checkout, the desk worker held the door for people who could walk without help, but didn't offer to hold it for someone in a wheelchair.