14 Best Hotels in The Bush, Alaska

On an intimate beach on the Chukchi Sea five miles outside Kotzebue, Iñupiat families and locals come to fish, and visitors can spend time here in one of the four simple cabins, joining fish camp activities, sharing meals, and browsing locally made art and craft pieces and meeting the people who create them. The price includes activities and payments to Kotzebue elders who share their Iñupiat way of life with guests. The cabins can accommodate two people, with bedding, continental breakfast, and dinner included. There's a shared shower in the main building and an outhouse on the beach.

Bird and wildlife watchers can get a singular experience at St. George's only hotel, a small, rustic building with a dark-wood interior and a mix of modern and vintage furniture. The government built the place in 1930 to house visiting officials and transient workers, and it's now a National Historic Landmark. It can accommodate up to 18 guests in 10 sparsely furnished rooms with shared bathrooms. There is also a communal kitchen and living space. Guests should bring food to cook in the communal kitchen because there are no restaurants on the island and only one small store with limited hours. The hotel is run by the St. George Tanaq Corporation.

Close to shops, eateries, and local watering holes, this inn offers more than 50 modern rooms within easy walking distance of Nome's historic district. The staff is friendly, and there's even vehicles for rent if you want to explore the hundreds of miles of Far North roads.

This rustic space offers small rooms with two twin beds in a yellow industrial-looking building about 2 miles south of the Dalton Highway's northernmost point. All rooms share baths. Guests can pay extra for a third person, who must bring their own sleeping gear (rooms are tiny and have no space for cots or extra beds). Meals are available for reasonable fees. The shuttle to the Arctic Ocean in the morning costs $89 per person.

Enjoy single, double, and family-priced lodging with private bathrooms in these small cottages of various sizes, all of which come with a kitchen, phone, Wi-Fi, and TV. They also manage various size cabins, duplexes, and other units for larger groups.

The airy, three-story atrium lobby with a large stone fireplace lends a European chalet sensibility to this hotel with brightly lit rooms and Alaska-themed artwork. Many of the rooms have wonderful views overlooking the water and come with either two queen beds or one king-sized bed, full bathrooms, and coffee makers. There are several eateries, including Margaret Bay Café, the Cape Cheerful Lounge, and evening-only dining at Harbor Sushi.

Close to birding spots and a mile from a seal rookery, the King Eider offers 40 rooms with basic amenities and meals, lodge-style common areas, and a simple gift shop with limited hours. The hotel caters to groups on bird and wildlife tours. Independent travelers can buy meal vouchers at the hotel to eat at the seafood processing cafeteria. The hotel is central to island services and activities, but remote from the rest of the world.

At the King Eider Inn near the airport, you'll find comfortable rooms with simple furnishings and decor, and it doesn't cost much more to select a unit with a kitchenette. Prices vary depending on the month, availability, and type of room. Ten of the rooms have kitchenettes and one is a suite. They also have a small selection of vehicles for guests to rent.

This B&B filled with ivory carvings and scrimshaw by local artists makes everyone feel welcome. The place offers a variety of room set-ups, along with kitchen areas and a full breakfast that comes with the room. Latitude also does birding tours.

Within a three-story building about a half mile from the Bethel Airport, the Long House offers modest rooms with Wi-Fi, refrigerators, microwaves, and filtered water in every room. The Red Basket Restaurant is also on-site.

Typhoon Merbok significantly damaged this iconic inn in late 2022, but the new owners have steadily returned the Nugget to its former glory, with the same kitschy Victorian Gold Rush–era decor and engaging vibes. Outside, a signpost marks the mileage to various points, serious and silly, around the globe. Inside, frontier memorabilia abounds in the lobby and lounge. Rooms are small and clean, although not nearly as atmospheric as the public spaces. Many Arctic tour groups stay here.

Popular for extended stays, Noxapaga offers five different apartments and houses in different residential locations around town. The largest suite can accommodate up to five guests. All suites have internet, full kitchens, and laundry facilities.

Although it's been a Kotzebue fixture since 1975, the Nullagvik Hotel offers the most modern rooms in town, along with communal areas, like a meeting room for 100 and a third-floor observation lounge overlooking the Chukchi Sea. Amenities include Wi-Fi, televisions, microwaves, and mini-refrigerators, along with access to an exercise area and a restaurant on the first floor. The lobby coffee stand will satisfy those looking for lattes.

Hospitality is never in short supply at this simple two-story property in downtown Bethel with several rooms overlooking the Kuskokwim River. The main building has 11 rooms, the waterfront house has 10 rooms, and the river house has 4 rooms; there's also a private house. Guests can choose private or shared baths. New owners took over in 2024 and may make some changes. but the scenic location remains the same.