I've read all the posts about hotels but most are rather dated... nothing about experiences this past summer 2006. No hotel appears to be deluxe but IMHO the Marriott sounds newer and nicer. Would like to hear how those that stayed there this summer, liked it. Don't want the Captain Cook because there's no air conditioning and the windows only open a few inches.

Thanks... Sandy

Have you read the summer reviews on www.tripadvisor.com? Doesn't sound good.

Based on recent reviews, I'd choose Homewood Suites or Holiday Inn Express. Both are good hotels elsewhere - and have good reviews in Anchorage.

Please ... what is this about the lack of air conditioning in Anchorage?

Do you know what the average high temp there is in July?

BTW, the Homewood and HI Express are probably fine, but their locations aren't all that great. I get the impression that starrsville is basing all of his/her info on web sites.

Deluxe? The Cook is no Ritz-Carlton, but outside of major markets, it would probably be close to the best you'd find in most cities of this size.

You are completely correct, repete.
As I said in my post, the information I shared was from www.tripadvisor.com. The OP asked about summer 2006 experiences and I asked "have you read the summer reviews on www.tripadvisor.com"?

Pretty straightforward right there. And, my comments regarding the HS and HIX are clearly "based on recent reviews" and "good hotels elsewhere".

I didn't get tne impression from the OP that location was the #1 concern, but "newer and nicer" and "air conditioning". It's been a few years since I've been to Anchorage (and Juneau, Talkeetna and Fairbanks) but if I had the same concerns as the OP, I'd still probably pick the HS or HIX.

No intent to misrepresent my opinion.

Thanks to both of you for posting. I guess I should have explained that the dated posts were on fodors, that I had also read the tripadvisor posts, that no hotel appeared to be deluxe. That's why I wanted to hear from posters who had actually stayed at the Marriott Anchorage this past summer... or the Hilton, or the Sheraton... or any of the higher priced hotels near the city center.

I just wanted to point out that air conditioning in Anchorage (though not Fbx)is overrated.
I like things cool (as my steamy DC-area air-conditioning bills confirm), but in nearly 10 years in Alaska, never needed AC.

I feel sorry for folks who hit the very rare warm spells (even then the temps drop nicely at night -- for example on the hottest day of the summer this year the low was still 52.

But it's a gamble with very good odds to skip the AC. July average high is 62. It officially topped 80 once this summer and from May to Sept. there were nine days that topped 75.

Depends on the room at the Cook. I've stayed there (rarely - I don't much like the place or its owners) on the west side of the west tower and had the room get quite warm from the "solar gain" caused by the PM sun in summer - the air temp is not hot (as repete says, 80F is faintin' time in ANC) but because the radiant heat warms the curtains, bed linens, etc. Remember too that in July the sun stays up a long time, so if your room faces west or south you get a lot of hours for the radiant effect. Rooms on the east or north faces of hotels have less difficulty in this regard, BTW. The Cook is oriented so that (all? I think so) rooms face either east or west, so room temp in the summer can be an issue. It's less an issue with the Marriott or the Sheraton.

I haven't stayed at the Marriott but I haven't heard negative reports from people who have. Certainly the location is good. Perhaps I should consult Tripadvisor more, although a recent stay in an Irish B & B highly recommended by Tripadvisor users led me to wonder from which turnip truck said users had fallen.

Gardyloo... thanks for the info on the Cook and radiant heat, etc. Two years ago, the night before flying home from Dublin, we stayed at "the" nicest hotel at the airport because of an early flight. There was a "heat wave" in Dublin and we found when we arrived in our room, there was no air conditioning and the windows only opened a few inches. Although it was only one night, I still remember the experience. You know the saying, once burned - twice burned...

I should strongly qualify my remarks that this might be an issue if (a) the room faces the afternoon/evening/late evening sun, and/or (b) the sun is out at all. Many is the ANC July day where the sun is out only if you're in a plane above the clouds.

And even when the room is warm, it's not hot. Dublin/London can be way more uncomfortable during the summer than ANC because of humidity.

I don't think you are going to find "deluxe" in Anchorage.

Regarding tripadvisor - Our favorite hotel in France was booked based on tripadvisor reviews. Maybe we lucked out - but I do consider the reviews when choosing a hotel in a location I've never visited before. Not burned yet.

Starrsville... I booked the Locanda Orseolo in Venice, Italy because of tripadvisor reviews. It you ever find yourself there, it's the best! I always read tripadvisor before booking a hotel but the Anchorage hotel reviews don't do it for me. I think you're right... there are no deluxe hotels there.

Gardyloo is right about the exposure angles, also I think they seem to renovate on a tower-by-tower basis. For the record, I've heard nothing bad about the nicely-located Marriott either -- but can't comment more because I have no firsthand info.

I'm a little jaded about tripadvisor reviews. I guess I've seen too many over-the-top whiners on my travels and so many whiner/vendetta posts seem to surface there.

I've gotten some decent info there. The domestic stuff isn't all that bad but the international reviews seem to be all over the board. Some of the Greece stuff I checked out before spending a month there last year was flat out wrong factually, not to mention the opinions.

Thanks, Sandyris. Hopefully, I'll be celebrating a milestone birthday in Italy next year. I'm taking notes of your place.

I've been trying to remember since posting where we stayed in Anchorage - but can't remember. It was a high rise downtown. Obviously, didn't make much of an impression on me!

Sandyris, just checked out the venice hotel website. It's lovely! I've bookmarked it for future reference - in planning next year's trip.

Many thanks!

Starrsville... did you read the Locanda Orseolo raves on tripadvisor. It's everything they says and so much more. Ask for Room 15... newly redecorated and overlooking the canal where gondolas glide by with singers accompanied by accordians or violins.. truly magical. In any case, get a reservation ASAP, they're rooms book fast.

Sandy

I stayed three nights at the Anchorage Marriott a few months after it opened, in the summer of 2000. Our entire wall facing the mountains was glass and we had a glorious view of Denali each morning before it was obscured by clouds. The hotel was simply beautiful then; I'm sure it has been well used by tour groups since then but it's hard to believe it could be less than beautiful now. We enjoyed the indoor pool, too. Friends of ours stayed at the Captain Cook at the same time and we were nowhere near as impressed with their room as we were ours.

Postal... thank you so much for posting. Now I know we made the right decision to stay at the Marriott.

Sandy

All this Cook bashing has got to stop, I mean give me a break, Gardylou basis their opinion on their dislike on the owners (which I'm sure they know very well). All I have to say is that I will never stay anywhere in Anchorage unless its at the Cook. Its the only hotel that has a "Cheers" like atmosphere, every one know your name. You can stay at the Marriott but just take a 5-10 minute walk through of the Cook's lobby and you will see exactly what you are missing. Overated? Its part of an organization that has hotels like the Broadmoor and the Peninsula Chicago. Come on

Sandy, we stayed in Marriott in the end of July this summer. We spent there two nights and everything was great. The room, beds, shets that were changed after our first night, location, service, people, valet parking, breakfast and afternoon snacks that were included in our rate. Every evening we watched sunset from our window on 19th floor. We had a clear full view of Mt. McKinnely during our entire stay.
Last April we stayed in Locanda Orseolo in Venice and I agree it was what we expected after reading all reviews on tripadviser but I do not agree about Marriott in Anchorage. We had a wonderful stay there and will definietly return for maybe a longer stay.

Sandyris, your old thread may help answer your current question. Good luck with your planning!