Glacier Bay Country Inn Review

Reviewed by jonny1921 from San Diego, CA on 1/5/09
I had the great opportunity to go to Alaska last June and since then I cannot wait to go back. I first went with my wife for 6 days and then she went home and 3 friends of mine came up and we stayed for another 6 days. I have been all over but never have I wanted to return as much as this vacation. The only thing that went wrong is that the trip ended. We were recently asked to send reviews as to how our trip was and I could not believe I had not done this sooner since it was the best trip I have ever been on. The INN: We stayed at Glacier Bay Country Inn. We thought it looked a lot more authentic and unique and had heard that the food there was amazing and we could not have made a better choice. We were able to fly directly in on Alaska Air to the small airport/runway of Gustavus, AK (we were told its population is 200 people). From there we drove a few miles out of the "town" into the forest and all of the sudden the trees cleared our view and there was the Inn with several cabins scattered around a well kept green lawn. The Inn is surrounded by two meadows where we were able to pick wild strawberries and spot occasional visitors such as bears, wolves, and moose. The Rooms: We stayed in a cabin which is highly recommended. The beds were very comfortable and the cabin was cozy. The rooms had every bit of comfort while still maintaining the feel of Alaska or at least what we expected Alaska to be.
Food: First off one difference is that all meals are included in the lodging price. Normally when there are deals like that you expect cafeteria or buffet style meals that are mediocre. Actually while speaking to guests at other lodges we had heard several mention that the food was not that great. Some had said their dinners were good but that breakfast and lunches were lacking. This was not the case for Glacier Bay Country Inn. Breakfasts consisted of pancakes, waffles, French toast, eggs, bacon, bagels, toasts, juices and much more. The lunches were always a very well made sandwich on fresh bread with cookies, chips, candies and snacks packed for the day’s adventures. The dinners deserve a whole review of themselves. Chef Jon was absolutely amazing as was Ken who was assisting him. We had tri-tips, halibut, salmon, crab, prime rib, chicken and much more. Each made in a way I had never tasted before. I have since emailed Jon to tell him how great his food was. My wife and I still talk about it. One night he said he was going to "try something new" and gave us a pecan pastry kind of dessert with ice cream that was better than anything I have ever tasted. Maybe it was the whole experience mixed in with the food but it was unforgettable. I am normally a guy who doesn't really pay much attention to food but we looked forward to dinner each night and are looking forward to coming back this summer to try it again. We have already booked and have been told that Chef Jon will be back so we are anxiously waiting and hoping we can once again ask him to "try something new"
Fishing: Well fishing is what we went for and it is what we got. The staff at the Inn had scheduled guided fishing trips as a part of the package and the first day for halibut fishing started off slow. Real slow. I had caught what they call a "ping pong paddle" Halibut (about 5 - 10lbs) and we threw it back. We were a group of 4 and the others caught some smaller fish. It wasn't until after lunch that we hit it big. We each caught on to some pretty big Halibut. I caught a 167lbs Halibut (the biggest of the trip might I add) and my other 2 friends caught a 140 pounder and a 75 pounder. The other friend had an approximate 90 -100 pounder on the line but the current got so strong that we got him right up to boat but when he fought back we never saw him again. We battled for about another 15 minutes (and it was a team effort with that current) but after about 45 minutes total the line snapped. This was the same friend who had a nice 60 -70 pounder get stolen two days later by a sea lion. He had the bad luck but ended up going home with about 75+ lbs of Halibut. We also went fly fishing with a guide who took us to an Island nearby. We had a lot of success and the mixture of the fishing and the postcard scenery really made it all an unforgettable experience. I had always heard of Bristol Bay and the Kenai as being the best places but I had a few friends go up there last year in early October and they came back a little let down. We had a great fishing experience and were able to catch our limit almost every day. And we were practically alone when we went fly-fishing. We actually never saw another person when we went on the guided area and when we went nearby the lodge there were just a few people here and there which made it a real neat experience being practically alone in such a vast wilderness.
Service: We really made some great friends while we were up there. Lisa, the host, was so nice and accommodating and the Chef and the rest of the staff were always trying to make our stay as comfortable as possible. It really seemed like we were all just having a great time enjoying ourselves together in Alaska (except we didn't have to wash dishes). The owner's were also there and they were so nice and friendly. It turns out this was their first year running the Inn and you could tell they were very interested in making our experience the best it could be. They had their son up there at one point with some of his friends and you could tell this place was just as much a retreat for their family as it was for ours and our friends.
Location: The location was key since I spent the first 6 days with my wife who is not big into fishing. The Inn is located just a few miles from Glacier Bay National Park. This is one of the main things that drew us to the location since they offer so many activities. With my wife we went kayaking through the Humpback whale preserve, we took a day cruise through Glacier Bay National Park to see the glaciers and wildlife, we went on a hike to an airplane wreckage that the staff gave us maps to, we walked through the meadows and forest on the property (I think it was something like 150 acres), took pictures of birds, wolves, bear, and moose (I know for guys that is sometimes lame but my wife loved it), and fed bald eagles on the boat dock. There is also a makeshift golf course but I forgot my clubs and my wife would have killed me. Besides all of that there are guided hiking excursions, whale watching boat tours, and of course some of the best fishing that I have ever had.
Overall: Well we are going back next year and I rarely say that about too many places. My wife and I decided that we would like to return each year. Some of our friends have gone to other locations and some have had good experiences but to our surprise several have come back with comments like "It was ok". Well Glacier Bay Country Inn was more than ok to me and I know my wife and friends feel the same way. We joke around that we have become unofficial sales reps for Glacier Bay Country Inn because we are always sending our friends to the website. (www.glacierbayalaska.com). We strongly recommend it to anyone who is considering a vacation for this summer. The price was actually one of the cheaper we had found in comparison to other lodges. We are not wealthy so price was a factor but I cannot imagine there is any better value.

Member Rating: 5.0
Ratings details: Room: 5.0 Atmosphere: 5.0 Service: 5.0 Value: 5.0