Wingate by Wyndham Anchorage Downtown/Ship Creek

The location had potential, and staff were polite, but the repeated problems made our stay really frustrating. Coffee was hit or miss: there are no in-room coffee makers, and behind reception there were several times with no cups, no prepared coffee, or no hot water. Breakfast was included, but staff were taking the last food when we came down, leaving nothing for guests. We also tried to book the courtesy shuttle. The general manager was supposed to handle bookings 24 hours ahead. We asked 48 hours before departure, but were told to come back the day before. We'd booked river views, double beds, and a kitchenette, but were first given a room without a kitchenette. While we were in there, someone at the desk called to ask if we were on site, which was confusing. They agreed to move us the next day and said the new room would be ready in 10 minutes. Five minutes later, they said housekeeping hadn't started and it would take 45 minutes. After repeated follow-ups, we waited nearly 8 hours to get in. The replacement room had no heat or towels. We heard about laundry problems, towels used on floors by maintenance, and the rest being sent to a sister hotel. They also said guests stealing towels contributed to the shortage. Several days later we asked again and were told none were available, though housekeeping started at 10am and we might get some then. Our daughter's bunk had only a base sheet, no pillows or blankets, and the master bed had very basic pillows. The room did have a microwave, an oven with hot plates, a sink, and a full-size fridge, but no cutlery, dishes, cups, or coffee maker, so the kitchenette wasn't usable for cooking. One morning the receptionist said she was meant to finish at 7:00am, but by 8:10am nobody had arrived to relieve her, which suggested staffing problems. The wrong room, long delays, lack of heat and bedding, coffee and breakfast problems, and staffing issues fell well short of what we expected.

The beds seemed newer and were comfortable. The shower also felt new and clean, with great pressure and hot water. Everything else felt old and very dirty. It can be a decent, very economical choice if you mainly need to be near the train depot. We picked it for the location, the closest train depot option I could find, and because they showed rides to the depot. In summer, the walk was no problem. In winter, I asked at check-in for a ride and the front desk woman put us down for the 730 shuttle. We took our luggage to breakfast at 7 and checked again, but the man at the desk said he didn't have us on the list. He called the driver, who couldn't arrive until after 745, too late since the train advises arriving by 730. We ended up walking through icy conditions with roller bags, out on the street dodging cars. I wasn't happy.

This hotel is affordable, and the rooms were clean and well maintained. Breakfast is included, which adds to the value, and we got an unexpected view of Ship Creek that showed a side of the local landscape many visitors miss. It's in an industrial zone, but the surroundings were surprisingly quiet, so I got a peaceful night's sleep away from downtown bustle. It's a no-frills place that worked well as a comfortable, clean base for exploring without spending much.

The lobby and entrance felt chaotic and poorly managed. People who didn't seem to be regular guests were gathered by the entrance, and FEMA representatives were providing rooms. I understand hotels may work with organizations, but nobody had explained this, and the atmosphere didn't feel organized or comfortable. I had to switch rooms three times because of serious problems. One smelled strongly unpleasant, another door wouldn't latch properly, which felt like a safety concern, and in the end I accepted a downgraded room just to have something usable that felt somewhat secure. Having to keep moving and downgrade was unacceptable. The front desk staff were polite, but couldn't offer lasting fixes. After trying several times to make it work, I cancelled the rest of my stay and booked another hotel. My experience at Wingate by Wyndham Anchorage Downtown/Ship Creek was very disappointing, and I'd strongly suggest considering other Anchorage options.