Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge Hotel

Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge is one of the most beautiful places we've ever stayed. Between the incredible craftsmanship of the lodge, manicured lawns with beautiful flowers, getting a glimpse of the Northern Lights during the middle of our 2nd night there (hotel staff awakened us and numerous other guests at our request), and then waking to a crystal clear view of Mt. McKinley our last morning, we were truly impressed. The staff were all friendly and helpful. We were fortunate to have our room upgraded to the main building upon our arrival and it was large, modern, comfortable, and clean! We didn't have a mountain view, but that was easily remedied by walking a short distance down the hall to the spacious lobby with its huge double-sided stone fireplace and comfortable sitting areas. Large picture windows and doors separate the lobby from the terrace overlooking the mountain range and Mt. McKinley. The restaurant was a little pricey, but the quaint village of Talkeetna is just a few minutes down the road with a few inexpensive restaurants and friendly locals to meet. Wildlife abounds around this place. A mother black bear with her cub were seen near the lodge our first morning. Lots of activities in the area; however, the Jeep Safari we went on was a bit disappointing. The young female guide was incredibly nice and entertaining, but I would skip that uncomfortable bumpy trip as the only animals we saw were a porcupine (I personally missed it) and an artic squirrel. The flight-seeing tour of McKinley that last morning was truly the highlight of the best vacation we've ever had. It's a shame this Lodge closes down for the winter, because it would be a perfect retreat.