I've got it narrowed down to a few places and wonder if anyone has experience or preferences? Or any recommendations outside this list.

Soo's B & B
Alaska Saltwater Lodge
Harbourview Inn
Breeze Inn
Bellaine Inn
Bell in the Woods

Thank you. We'll be there for 2 nights.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn for a few nights this past September and liked it a lot. It is right on the waterfront. Request a room overlooking the harbor.

I had to commit and finally chose the Alaska Saltwater Lodge. 2 miles South on Lowell Point. http://www.alaskasaltwaterlodge.com/
Trip adviser has great reviews and I think we'll enjoy the quiet setting and water view. Anyone been there? Thanks.

We stayed at an off-property duplex owned and operated by the Harbourview Inn. It had a fantastic view of Resurrection Bay and was very beautiful inside with leather sofas and 2 nicely decorated bedrooms. I would not hesitate to stay there again.

Stayed at Harborview Inn in June 2006. Nice small, clean room. Easy walk to everything including downtown area.

I stayed at the Edgewater and it was nice. The staff isn't the friendliest but it is close to the water and everything downtown. You get breakfast included as well, cereal, toast, juice and coffee.
The Hotel seward was across the street and it looked nice as well.

The other interesting looking one also close by is the Guilder hotel, I think its called.

We stayed at the Saltwater Lodge last summer in one of the larger, two bedroom units. It was very clean, although rustic, and it's outside of town, not close to anything. Make sure you have a car (we didn't, and were sorry). The very nice owners live in town, but they come out in the morning to make breakfast for you and pick up people who booked trips with them. If you just want to stay at the lodge, it does have a beautiful view with some otters that play in the water all day right outside your window. We also spent a couple nights at the Holiday Inn by the harbor, and IMO, it was just a lot easier to get around and see the town from there. We loved the SeaLife Center. Hope you have a great trip.

We are booked for the A. Saltwater Lodge also..Has anyone ever taken tours with them?

Has anyone got comments on the Breeze Inn in Seward?

RE: Saltwater Lodge tours - My husband took their all day fishing trip and had a ball. They came out to the lodge to pick him up and then left from the small boat harbor. They got the fishing lunch special at a restaurant across the street (There's also a Subway that opens very early and will pack a lunch for you.) He caught quite a few halibut and a really ugly fish (lungfish?) that weighted almost 40 pounds. I wish I could show you the pictures. I know the owners do tours of Kenai Fjords, but we already had a tour booked with another company. They also do kayak tours, but I'm pretty sure that you have to be experienced kayakers.

Thanks for all the advice, each of you have such great ideas, but I'm finding it varies from one another a good bit. Gets confusing which way to go in the planning. I think I like the idea of only 2 nights in Denali, then heading back south, leaves us with 3 nights to plan. One in Palmer (Thursday), one in Anchorage (Saturday), question is where in between (Friday)??

OOPS. I posted this on the wrong topic. I meant this to go under How many nights in Palmer??

we stayed at the Saltwater Lodge, but due to a timing conflict, had to go with another outfit for the kenai fjords tour. Still- the lodgin was excellent, although it is almost B&B style the way you can hear other rooms. Some of the rooms are more isolated though
The biggest reason, of course, to go with the Saltwater tour is because there will be only a few other people on the boat. less people, less competition for rail space and photographs.
What time of year are you going? If you are going during peak season, I would definitely recommend going with there tour. If you are travelling during the shoulder seasons, you will be able to book the day before- and can ask around to see how many people are signed up for certain tours. The bigger companies have bigger boats- and those are pretty darn nice when they're empty!