Pike's Waterfront Lodge - Fairbanks, Alaska

Melanee M.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 10 days in Fairbanks and our stay at Pike's Lodge. The breakfast was very good with a great variety of food. The common areas were conducive to our family get together for games and fellowship and the ice cream bar each night was a bonus. Our excursions were so good and we really appreciated the quick and efficient shuttle service to and from the airport. Would highly recommend y'all!

Lui L.

We had a multiple day stay in one of the nicer rooms with hot tube - a nice add-on after cold winter days. Rooms were clean and tidy, breakfast better than typical 3* hotels in USA. Service was very friendly and the 24h shuttle very useful.
We did not fully enjoy dinner at Pike´s restaurant though as meals were too cold!
We would come back nevertheless.

Pam H.

Very relaxing setting. We were there in December and of course the river was frozen over but beautiful. Not a lot to do within walking distance and not a lot of restaurants either. They have a car service, but a little pricey unless you’re sharing it with others.
They have a complimentary breakfast with good selections and ice cream for $1.50 every night. Staff is very helpful and friendly.

Linda G.

Pikes lodge is full of regional charm. Their decor and pictures are old and give one the feeling, in a good way, of going back in time.

The important things, like mattresses are new and firm, yet they still have thick wood tables, very comfortable lobby with games and lots of cozy gas fireplaces brought the common spaces.

I loved the charm of their decor and attention to making all guests feel like family.

The airport and train shuttles were very convenient for getting around.

Janette S.

What a great place to stay. My favorite part of the hotel was the public areas. The main lobby had comfy couches and chairs to sit on. There’s an adjacent seating area with more couches and chairs, a small bar area which has comfortable chairs and tables. When at the hotel after our Fairbanks adventures we sat in these areas enjoying the fire place and chatted about our plans and stuff.
The morning breakfast options were simple but tasty. Freshly cooked scrambled eggs were frequently refilled. I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels recently and I must say, fresh cooked scrambled eggs are a delight compared to some chain hotels premade omelets.
I will definitely stay here again when I return to Fairbanks.

Mariya P.

Loved staying at Pikes! We initially only stayed here the day of our flights in and out of Fairbanks. But i would have stayed longer! Beds are comfy, room is warm (we went in late December), breakfast included, and plenty of activities even in the winter! We tried the billiards table, the short movie about auroras, fires outside at night, sledding hill, walk across river to the Love Alaska sign, etc. The best part is that they did a wake up call when they saw the Northern Lights and it was right there over the river and in the city. We could stay inside and be told when they were visible. They also have a complementary shuttle to and from the airport and some parking spots with engine plugs for the winter (not all spots do though). Had a great time!

N B.

There are little things that a hotel can do to make its guests feel welcome. Have iced water available at the entrance next to the coffee; maybe have some snacks or wee treats from 3-5 or something. Just a few examples that I would have really appreciated.
We had a 2 queen bedroom cabin, #7. While it was cute and quaint, there was absolutely no place to hang our stuff. Bathroom shelving was minimal and there were no hooks in the bedroom area for our winter gear. We just threw everything on the floor which made for a big mess. Additionally, every room needs a broom to sweep up all the rocks that you bring in in the boots and some free bottles of water in the fridge.
Stephanie at the front is the best thing about this hotel. She was helpful and extremely friendly. Other front desk attendants, not so much. In fact, one of the young ladies was just downright rude. I had asked her if the wake up calls for the northern lights viewing was a sure thing and she said no, the guy who makes the calls just does what he can.
We had an excursion service from the hotel planned to take us to a tour and it was cancelled unexpectedly for no reason. Were it not for Stephanie we would've ended up having to pay a lot more to get to where we needed to go.
I did not feel the 'welcome to the friendliest hotel in Fairbanks'
vibe that is posted at the entrance.

Jenny W.

We had a pretty average stay at Pike’s. It was one of the less expensive places to book in the area, and we got what we paid for.
Pike’s campus was huge. It included at least two buildings of mostly hotel rooms, but also a reindeer viewing experience, restaurant, theater, and more. But also, as we were checking in, I noticed many of the atypical hotel services were not available (see photo).
The hotel is definitely committed to an old-fashioned decoration aesthetic. It struck me as a little hokey and maybe covering up for it being a while since signficant renovations. Nothing was broken, but there were plenty of dings on the furniture. I also had a general feeling that the carpet had been vacuumed, but had some long-lived dirty in there.
We appreciated the mini-fridge and coffee maker in the room.
The location is super close to the airport, but we didn’t notice any noise from the flights overhead. It was a convenient drive to restaurants, supermarkets, and downtown. But the downside was that there was a ton of human-made light, so I can’t imagine how strong the Northern Lights would have to be in order to see them from the hotel. We booked an Aurora View room, and it looked out over a neon-lit restaurant. And also note the cabins in the parking lot in the photo–they aren’t cozied into nature at all. So just know what to expect if that’s what you’re booking.
The bathroom had a nice large counter. There was a fan, but it wasn’t super effective. The shower had hot water, but not excellent water pressure. The bathroom was clean, although the multiple fabric curtains around the shower seemed like a weird touch that would hold funky moisture and smells.
The fitness center was tiny, but adequate. It had a few freeweights (up to 30 pounds) with a bench, and 2 bikes, an elliptical, and a rower. It was a bit stuffy, but there was a window for blasts for colder air.
Breakfast appeared to be included with all rooms. It was a pretty great buffet with scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, make-your-own waffles (with chicken nuggets so you can have chicken-and-waffles!), oatmeal, a couple of pastry options, and more. It was tasty and the staff were very nice while refilling or tidying away plates.
The staff was a mixed bag: The clerk who checked us in gave us the most minimal greeting and information, but got the job done. The guy serving the ice cream ($1.50 per scoop, with some lovely flavor options) was really friendly. The breakfast team was nice.
Parking was included, and there was a big lot. The staff did a good job of shoveling during snow showers.