The Wildbirch Hotel - JDV by Hyatt

I love how clean and welcoming the shared areas are, with no dingy, stained carpeting. The little giftshop has nice things, and the front desk will sell you a brownie late at night if you’re craving something sweet. The parking lot is easy to reach from the hotel and feels fairly secure; some rooms look out over it so you can keep an eye on your car. I almost didn’t leave a review because I worry prices will rise once WildBirch gets discovered 😆, but the staff deserve the thanks. See you again soon! After years of trying to find a regular Anchorage hotel that doesn’t feel stressful, I’m so glad I found this one. I’ll stay whenever I can. Both times, it’s been quiet, and the staff have been very helpful. Rooms are newly renovated with distinctive, tasteful decor, and the rooms and linens were super clean. I also love the scent of the bath products. I’ve found Hyatt customer service lacking when trying to sort out online price discrepancies, so I’d contact the delightful hotel staff directly.

We booked a harbor-view room but were first given one facing a wall beside a noisy road. Once we told the front desk, they quickly moved us. The staff were friendly and the room was very clean. It’s a small hotel close to the airport, less than $15 for an Uber, and within walking distance of the train station if you’re heading to Seward. It’s a noisy spot, though. A busy local highway runs behind and beside the hotel, so trucks and motorcycles are likely, and planes, both large and small, are loud when they pass, though less frequent. The so-called harbor view is really the parking lot and local highway. For a quieter stay, you might try farther south than 4th Street, which could reduce traffic noise, though I suspect planes would still be audible. Ask for a room with a proper bathroom door too. Ours had a sliding door with gaps that made it almost like having no door at all, so you could hear everything.

I liked that the windows block out all the light, which was handy for napping or sleeping in daylight. The rooms are updated and have their own character, and there are several nice restaurants just a short walk away. Staff were friendly, the bed was comfortable, the shower was good, and the coffee and tea in the room were great. It suited my needs really well.

This is a great place for a short visit, with excellent hotel facilities and good meals through the breakfast voucher. I hope they can get Google and Apple Maps to show the right hotel location. If you get an Uber, drivers may drop you down the street and pick you up there too. At night, there are some unsavory people hanging around the pickup spots.