Clarion Hotel & Suites Fairbanks near Ft. Wainwright

The breakfast was good and the beds were really soft and comfortable, two things that matter a lot to me. But the guy working at breakfast was rude. The exercise room lights come on with motion sensors, which is neat until you’re standing still checking your phone and suddenly end up in the dark. We also couldn’t use the upstairs outdoor patio. It only had outside access then, and the stairs were chained off.

We’ve stayed at Clarion hotels many times on our trips, but this one didn’t meet the standard, which was a real shame on our 25th anniversary. Before our vacation, we called to ask about a ride from the airport and were told to call on our arrival day and allow at least 2 hours. Once we landed, they said nobody was available to pick us up, so we had to get an Uber. When we asked how to arrange a ride back, the person at the counter admitted they didn’t provide transportation. That was very misleading after we’d been told they did. Getting into the laundry was also a challenge even during the hours it was supposed to be open. Customer service needs to improve.

I never stayed here, and after this experience I hope I won’t have to. My scheduled shuttle was about 15 minutes late, so I asked the front desk to call it. The phone they gave me didn’t work. I told the staff I’d be at Westmark down the road if the driver came, then walked over and tried calling the shuttle myself, with no answer. I went back to Clarion, waited another half hour, got impatient, and returned to Westmark to call again. That time they said the shuttle had come to Clarion while I was away the first time, and gave a detailed description of me so I wouldn’t be left behind. The Clarion staff apparently knew nothing about it. Terrible customer service. The shuttle was rescheduled for the next day, but I still had to pay $50 for a night at the hostel in town. I hope others find the staff more helpful and less distracted by their phones, so they don’t lose time and money too.

The facility is a bit dated, but we had a good two-day stay. The staff were welcoming and accommodating, and the location was efficient for us. There was ample parking and large common areas, plus a decent-sized room where everything worked. We also made use of the exercise room, which had updated equipment, and the self-service guest laundry that takes credit cards.