The Best Luxury Hotels to Book in Alaska, USA

You can’t visit Fairbanks without at least trying to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. Aurora Villa, only a half-hour drive from the city center, will spoil you with private rooms featuring floor-to-ceiling windows for your viewing pleasure. Gawk at the winter wonderland outside all day long while staying warm and cozy inside. Quiet hours are between 10pm and 8am, though you’ll have no problem following them; you’ll be too slack-jawed and speechless watching the Aurora Borealis dance.

The Ultima Thule Lodge in Alaska will make you feel like you’re a million miles from civilization. The lodge’s wood-fired sauna, farm-to-table cuisine, yoga yurt and Alaskana library are the only attachments to the indoor world you’ll need. Chances are you won’t indulge in them for long, as you’ll be too busy exploring abandoned gold mines, flying over glacier fields, paddling across lakes and tracking Dall sheep across the mountains. When you return to your cabin and see the Chitina River against the mountain backdrop, you may want to live off the grid forever.

Ski from the Chugach Mountains right to your suite door at Alyeska Resort. Several ski lifts and trams are within a mile or less, giving you instant access to the slopes. Newbies in your group can even take a few lessons while you carve a path up and down the mountain. Sad that your pets can’t stay in your deluxe double room? Alyeska’s staff will throw you a bone and gladly arrange a dog-sledding trip for you.

Alaska’s natural beauty is incomparable, but there’s definitely something to be said about its most populated city. The top-floor suites will grant you access to the complimentary food and beverages in the exclusive Captain’s Deck lounge; you can also use the separate men’s and women’s Athletic Clubs. With 10,000 bottles of wine to savor at the Crow’s Nest, your cup will runneth over with red wine, red king crab and 360-degree views of the city bathed in a fiery red sunset.

Complimentary massages, wine and beer tastings, and yoga classes are all on deck during your stay at Tutka Bay Lodge. There are also many other activities available, including glacier trekking, fat tire biking and hiking the Alaskan backcountry, all of which will work up an appetite. Your stomach will thank you for signing up for a culinary lesson at the on-site cooking school, while dining at the lodge includes delicious Alaskan options such as ocean charcuterie, pickled salmon and foraged green dumplings.

Look both ways before crossing the trail at Winterlake Lodge; the Iditarod Trail runs right through the property. Also, keep your eyes peeled for the many migratory birds that might fly by as you sip your morning coffee on the deck. Between river rafting and natural history tours, pass the time with guitar sing-alongs or ping-pong matches. Here, the minutes fly by, especially when you’re being whisked away by helicopter to secret scenic spots.

You’ll find it difficult to stay put at Stillpoint Lodge. While the quiet wilderness surrounding your cabin is exceptionally serene, you’ll much rather hear tales spun by the legendary balladeer Hobo Jim when he makes his way in from the Kenai Mountains. Activity-wise, take your pick of tide-pooling, island cruising, whale watching or wildlife viewing, all included in your stay. Massages, forest bathing and hot tubbing are also available, so maybe you’ll have that sit-down after all.

After a long flight to the 49th state, you’ll be thankful that the Lakefront Anchorage is so close to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. In a matter of minutes, the free shuttle will take you to the hotel – unless you’d prefer to fly in and use its private floatplane dock. Either way, you’ll probably find yourself at the dock one way or another to head out on a fishing trip.