49 Best Hotels in Juneau, the Inside Passage, and Southeast Alaska, Alaska

Near Ketchikan and Juneau, the park system has a small number of cabins for which reservations can be made up to six months in advance. Sleeping capacity ranges from 4 to 10 people.

Gold-rush pioneer John Olds built this American foursquare home in 1906, and a major restoration transformed it into downtown Juneau's most elegant B&B. Owners Linda Wendeborn and Mark Thorson are laid-back and accommodating, and guests can expect lively conversation with their gourmet breakfasts and afternoon wine and treats. Rooms are tastefully decorated with handcrafted antiques. The fourth-floor Governor's Suite has a fireplace, a hot tub, and a 180-degree view of downtown Juneau. Two rooms on the bottom level have private entrances and look out on a lush garden, where the hot tub sits under a gazebo.

This quiet two-story lodge, one of the few Gustavus places open year-round, faces the Good River, has beautiful grounds, and is a five-minute walk from the beach. Seven quiet guest rooms have doors that open to a wraparound veranda. Lodging includes at least a continental breakfast and ground transportation, but guests can also opt for a full meal plan. Kayaking, flightseeing, and Glacier Bay cruises are arranged by the owner.

A standard all-suites hotel near the airport, the Aspen is well suited for business travelers and travelers with children. Though in an industrial area, it's within walking distance of one of Juneau's easiest and most popular trails, the Mendenhall Wetlands Trail, on the far side of the airport.

This mid-range, all-suites hotel, which is among the town's more modern properties, offers spacious, comfortable rooms with kitchenettes. It's an easy walk downtown, and Mountain Market is right across the street. 

Built in 1902 by Lee Guthrie, a gambler and owner of one of the town's most profitable gold-rush saloons, the white-clapboard two-story inn—about two blocks from downtown Skagway—is furnished with original Skagway antiques and handcrafted quilts. Every guest room has a private bathroom. 

A stay at this lakeside B&B about 4½ miles northwest of Juneau's airport provides a glimpse into local living—you can explore small, quiet Auke Lake by paddleboat, canoe, or kayak; enjoy it from the shoreside hot tub; or walk the 3-mile trail that circles it. The owners can provide personal recommendations for investigations farther afield. Room choices include four themed suites and one standard room; all have a private bath and refrigerator.

Once Juneau's most prestigious hotel, the Baranof Hotel has begun to show its age, although it does retain some of its old glamour. The ground floor offers the property's most inviting spaces; the dark art-deco lobby creates an old-money atmosphere reminiscent of 1939, when the hotel first opened, and a small lounge, the Bubble Room, is a popular spot for legislators when they're in town. Rooms on the front side have the best views, but street noise may keep you awake at the lower levels.

A quick floatplane ride from Sitka, this cozy fishing lodge is on Baranof Island, a remote and magnificent location from which to explore the surrounding landscape and view wildlife that includes bears, whales, and eagles. Fishing packages that start at $5,850 per person for five nights include transportation from Sitka, boats and guide service, lodging in cabins with private baths, and gourmet food and wine served at communal meals. Special wildlife photography seminars and fly-fishing classes are offered throughout the summer. The lodge has two wood-fired hot tubs, and nearby is a natural hot spring.

Built of spruce logs on a 97-acre property facing the Icy Strait, this inn's strengths include an inviting lobby with a central fireplace and moose antler chandeliers and spacious and luxuriously furnished guest rooms. A full-service restaurant (open to the public for dinner) specializes in seafood but also serves steak, vegetarian entrées, and wild game. Room rates start at $435 per person per night; the price includes meals and air transport from Juneau.

Named for the state ferry landing directly across the road, this Best Western property has large, comfortable rooms decorated with mission-style furniture, and although the hotel is more than a mile from downtown, there's no need for a car; a free shuttle provides transport around town. The Landing Restaurant is usually packed with families, and its colorful breakfast clientele consists of locals and ferry passengers. Upstairs, Jeremiah's Pub offers dining in cozy digs and a relaxing no-smoking lounge built around a stone fireplace. Some suites have private balconies.

The views of the Tongass Narrows from inside this waterfront B&B are remarkable, and the three suites all have plush furniture, comfortable beds, and porches or balconies. In lieu of group breakfasts, the kitchen is stocked with fruit, baked goods, and other items, and guests can eat at their leisure. The easygoing owners, Nicole and Jim Church, offer as much (or as little) conversation as you're comfortable with. The Black Bear also has a top-floor one-bedroom apartment for rent, as well as a two-bedroom cabin.

With scenic views of the town and Thomas Basin from 135 feet above Creek Street, Cape Fox Lodge is cozy yet luxurious, and offers spacious rooms with traditional tribal colors and watercolors of Alaska birds. A towering, log-framed lobby has Tlingit and Haida artwork and an interesting collection of museum-quality artifacts, and there's often a roaring fire. All rooms have views of either Tongass Narrows or Deer Mountain. Numshee Jitters (that's "Crazy" Jitters in Tlingit) is the lobby's coffee shop, and the busy Heen Kahidi Dining Room serves three meals a day.

In the summer, overflowing flower boxes surround this Haines motel, where the accommodations are plain and somewhat dated, but most rooms have great views. The second floor opens onto a deck with tables and chairs, and the patio down below serves as a nightly meeting place for guests. A lounge next to the front desk is a good spot for a postfishing cocktail, and you can have meals delivered to your room courtesy of the Bamboo Room restaurant. Car rentals are available and the hotel offers shuttle service to the ferry and airport. The honeymoon suite has a hot tub.

A great choice for visitors planning to make the famous 33-mile Chilkoot Trail hike, this lodging is a half mile from the trailhead and offers special packages for hikers that include pre- and posttrail lodging, train transportation from the trail's end at Lake Bennett, and several meals. Even if your plans call for less adventurous activities, the Outpost is a comfortable, quiet retreat. The property consists of eight cabins, three constructed as suites with sitting rooms and private baths. All stays include breakfast.

Within walking distance of downtown Craig, the Dreamcatcher has three rooms with outside entrances and private baths. Guests can enjoy morning breakfast and coffee on the back patio, which overlooks Port Bagial; whale sightings are not unusual.

This workaday downtown motel is a good option for guests on a budget who are interested in preparing their own meals and exploring downtown Juneau on foot. Many rooms include kitchenettes stocked with dishes, pots, and pans, and several are big enough to accommodate groups of up to six people. In the Willoughby District, about a five-minute walk from the center of town, the lodge is adjacent to the Sandpiper Café, a popular breakfast spot, and is a half block from a supermarket. The motel offers shuttle service to the ferry terminal and airport.

A modern lodge 3 miles from the center of town, the Edgewater Inn's waterside rooms, including three spacious suites, are decorated with simple furniture and have balconies overlooking the Tongass Narrows—a good place to watch seals, otters, and eagles. Ask for a room with a view unobstructed by the restaurant. The inn provides courtesy van service to anywhere within the city limits, but if you don't feel like riding into town for dinner, the property has a fine steak-and-seafood restaurant.

A high-rise by Juneau standards, the seven-story Four Points by Sheraton (formerly the Goldbelt) is one of the city's better lodgings, with decent, if somewhat overpriced, rooms. Fans of Northwest Coast art will appreciate the authentic Alaska Native carvings on display in the lobby, as well as the contemporary panels in the rooms. The restaurant, McGivney's Sports Bar & Grill, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and has a lounge area. Waterside rooms on the upper level have views across the Gastineau Channel, and some rooms have king-size beds.

Crammed between the large buildings along Front Street, the Gilmore is a rustic historic property best suited for travelers who value character over modern amenities. Thanks to its small dimensions, the late-1920s-era lobby has a European feel, and the front desk is staffed by friendly locals. All rooms are on the second or third floors, with no elevator. Downstairs, Annabelle's Famous Keg and Chowder House serves seafood, pasta, and prime rib. Upgrade to one of the marina-view rooms; otherwise, you will be facing the wall of the building next door.

Choose your own adventure at the Glacier Bay Country Inn, from basic rates (one-night stay plus meals) to extensive (four nights, all meals, a two-day fishing excursion, and a one-day Glacier Bay cruise). Other add-on options include bear watching, kayaking, and chartered flightseeing tours over the park. Surrounded by 160 acres of meadows and forest, the Inn also boasts one of region's best restaurants—and you need not be a guest to dine. 

Built of massive timbers and blending well with the surrounding rain forest, the only accommodation in the national park has rustic rooms (accessible by a boardwalk); a large porch overlooking Glacier Bay; and a roster of activities that includes whale-watching excursions, kayaking trips, guided hikes, and boat tours of the bay. If it swims or crawls in the sea hereabouts, you'll find it on the menu in the dining room, which is open to nonguests as well. The lodge pushes packages, which include all meals, transfers, and a boat tour on your first day.

An unassuming beachfront home 2 miles from town, the Grand View offers spectacular vistas across Zimovia Strait. Rooms, some with antiques and some decorated with Alaskan wildlife themes, have private baths and entrances, plus access to a large common area, a library of Alaska travel books, and a fully stocked kitchen. The decking around the second floor creates a covered area on the first floor where guests can enjoy a barbecue.

This charming Victorian-style hotel—the smallest property in the Best Western chain—is less than a mile from the airport in the Mendenhall Valley and has spacious and homey rooms. Each room is brightened by cheerful colors and comes with jetted bathtubs and, as the name would suggest, beds topped with voluminous feather comforters. Guests especially appreciate the big breakfast buffet that includes omelets, pancakes, and hot cereals. Dinners are available from Tuesday through Saturday.

On the National Register of Historic Places, this gracious yet somewhat tired hotel housed in former officers' quarters has original claw-foot bathtubs, nonworking fireplaces decorated with Belgian tiles, and charming and nicely maintained rooms. A few inexpensive ones share a hall bath. You can rent cars on-site, and a courtesy van to the ferry is available.

One of Hoonah's few lodging options, the Icy Strait Lodge is a great base from which to explore this small, friendly Tlingit community. Rooms include private baths; one suite with a full kitchen is also available. The lodge, open year-round, has a restaurant and bar; live music is performed occasionally, so if noise is a concern, ask for a room facing the bay away from the action. Boat and vehicle rentals can be arranged through the lodge staff.

More than a century old, this quaint hotel's delightfully old-school hotel rooms are on the small side, but they have character in spades: one-of-a-kind antique furnishings, cozy quilts on the queen beds, and tile floors with pedestal sinks in the bathrooms. The Inn at Creek Street also manages the Bayside Hotel, a more upscale property with 10 rooms just over the bridge, and a handful of vacation rentals, including three two-level suites along Creek Street that feature kitchenettes, jetted tubs, loft bedrooms with spiral staircases, and decks overlooking the water. Suite amenities at other locations vary, so check with the hotel.

Decorated with local Native art, this two-story inn offers standard motel accommodations with private decks off the upstairs rooms. Breakfast and dinner are available to guests for an extra charge. Each room has a 32-inch flat-screen TV and a Keurig coffee machine. The hotel gets high praise for its cozy atmosphere and helpful owners, Edith and Dale Olin.