Hampton Inn & Suites Fairbanks

The location is useful if you’ve got a car or the right gear. There are stores and restaurants nearby, including McDonalds next door, Panda Express within a reasonable walk, and Walmart and Sportsman's Warehouse across the highway. In January, with temperatures around 20 below and sidewalks buried under snow, walking was a different matter. I went over for a few things and was glad I had Yaktraks and proper winter clothing. We brought what we needed. The biggest letdown for us was the indoor pool and hot tub being closed our entire stay. We were told the emergency exit door had frozen shut. I swim for exercise and enjoy a hot tub, so that was disappointing. The fitness room looked fine. Laundry had two washers, one out of order, and two dryers. The lobby shop had plenty of snacks and microwave meals. Staff also kept one of our bags between our Hampton stays, which saved us taking it to Borealis Basecamp. We stayed five nights total in January 2026, split between three nights here, a trip to Borealis Basecamp, then two more nights before heading home to see the Aurora. Rooms on both visits were spacious, clean studios with a fridge and microwave. The first TV remote didn’t work, but the desk swapped it; after that the TV was fine and had a good channel selection, including HBO. On our return visit, the remote worked, but the lotion and hand soap bottles were empty, and most USB ports at the desk and on one side of the bed didn’t work. I had enough adapters with me. Both rooms had mattress pad covers that kept slipping off because they barely gripped the mattress sides. Breakfast was standard Hampton fare, decent but not exciting. The sliced smoked maple kielbasa-style sausage served on two mornings was very good. I didn’t see milk out to drink, only for cereal, and we always found seats. The shuttle van was being serviced, so the hotel covered a cab from the airport on our first stay and back to the airport after the second. We knew about the van before arriving and tried Uber, but after 20 minutes without updates and few drivers around, I called the desk. They said they’d call a cab. While we waited, a man kindly offered to share his taxi; the driver dropped him off, then took us to the hotel. The clerk paid the fare and I tipped. On the return visit the van was meant to be running, but we still needed another cab. Arrange transport ahead if you can. One last hiccup: I’d picked a fourth-floor north-facing room for a better view on the second stay, but it wasn’t ready when we arrived from Basecamp around 1:30 PM. They stored our bags, and we walked just under a mile round trip across the highway for a late lunch. We waited at Starbucks for a text, expecting one when the room was ready. Nothing had come by 3:30, half an hour after check-in, so we went back. The room was ready, and the text arrived an hour after we’d already settled in. Staff were friendly and helpful throughout, within the limits of what was broken. Service was the usual Hampton standard, which is why I tend to choose the brand through the Hilton app.

The shuttle service was the standout. It picked us up within minutes of landing at 2am, took us right to a tour company the next day, and collected us from the train depot that evening. All the drivers were friendly and knew a lot about Alaska. Erin was especially thoughtful: when something was left on the shuttle before our tour, she offered to turn around and bring it. We told her not to, and she kept it safe at reception until we got back. There’s a Walmart, Arby’s, and McDonalds within walking distance too. I’ve always liked Hampton Inn, but this Fairbanks location really stood out. The staff deserve seven stars if I could give them that.

The rooms are great, but breakfast was the same every day. And if you’re choosing this place for the hot tub, think twice: it’s been broken for four days, with nobody seeming to know what’s wrong or when it’ll be fixed.

A nice, clean room and wonderful staff. Just what I needed to recover after a long flight.