Glacier View Condo Suites

The staff were friendly and accommodating, and they sorted out a mix-up with our reservation date. That was the bright spot. The hotel felt wildly overpriced for a 60-year-old place that smells odd. Our room had a full kitchen left over from its time as Army officer quarters during the Cold War, and it looked like nothing had been renovated since then. Ceiling tiles showed water damage, the metal supports were rusty, there was brown goo growing on the freezer ice trays, shower tiles were broken, and the bathroom outlet covers were broken too. The main room blinds were broken, which was especially bad with the sun staying up past 11 this time of year. The busy train yard next door kept the lights and noise going all night, so we got no sleep. If you expect a two-star hotel in an overpriced tourist trap town, maybe you won’t be as disappointed.

The mountain view was spectacular. We could open the window and hear water running down from the snow-capped mountains, which made the stay special. The rooms were dated but clean, and the top two floors of Begich towers are the hotel portion of a 1950s government-style building, so it really does feel like an apartment block with local residents around you. Check-in was at the Anchor Inn bar, a short drive away, but they communicated clearly ahead of time. Phillips Cruise Dock is about a half-mile walk away, so if you don’t mind walking, you can leave your car and skip the $15 parking fee. I’d recommend the place.

We really appreciated having a full kitchen so we could make food while traveling. The ocean-view condo was roomy, and the view was gorgeous. Our kids liked watching the trains, harbor, and trucks. There weren’t enough bowls and plates for four people, though. The woman at the restaurant was very nice and helpful. One tip: booking by phone or through the property’s own website seemed to be about $20 cheaper than Expedia, which appears to add that fee.

We left after seeing the room and booked another hotel in Anchorage for the night, writing off the $250 as the cost of a good story. The room was clean, but very dated, with a strong WWII feel and some white paint. The beds looked old but clean, and the bathroom was tiny, with 1950s pink tile. It was the end of August and the room felt around 80 degrees. Getting there was an adventure too. We’d arrived in Whittier for the 26 glacier cruise, which was fantastic, and then realized the town is small, with most of its 200 or so residents apparently living in one 15-story former WWII barracks. Check-in was at a dive bar where locals were hanging out. The bartender handed us a key for room 1406 and pointed us toward the high-rises. On the drive, we saw a black bear wandering through town for food. At the building, some locals were outside. We rode up and tried the key, but a woman inside called out, “excuse me?! Whose there?!” We went back to the bar, where the bartender scrambled to work out what happened. A woman at the bar offered us a place to stay, and then the bartender explained we’d been given the wrong key and our room was 1405. Back at the barracks, we found the hot room. The place may or may not have bed bugs, but the beds seemed old. Hope this gives someone a chuckle.