This was a great surprise on a recent stay in Fairbanks. It had been raining quite a bit and the…read moreother campground in town by the fairgrounds was pretty soggy. Not Sven's! They let me pitch my tent and even have my cat. Was quite handy to stay there since I could use the community kitchen and walk my cat around without being intimidated by traffic and lots of people. There are cabins and tents with multiple beds, some dorm style. There is a bit of airport noise, but I am usually pretty fussy about quiet but it didn't really bother me. Inexpensive way to explore Fairbanks, eat at restaurants, visit the University Museum, and more.

Stayed few nights and was perfect. Staff was active but not real friendly to others kept in their…read morelittle group. Nice layout with everything easy to use. Individual bathrooms, Hot water, large stocked kitchen, plenty of tables and chairs. Some activities like corn hole, volleyball, ping pong, smoking and social areas, and group fire ring area, even have a grill to use. Lots of trees and greenery, gravel paths. Our wall tent would sleep 4-6, so two of us had plenty of room. Table and chairs, couch, shelves and beds of course, table lamp small porch with chairs. Edge of town but very quiet location, enjoyed our stay and would do again.

The worst hostel I've ever experienced. I love hostels, but unfortunately this one was extremely…read morenegative. Not only did we find a random person sleeping in one of the beds of our private room one night, but we were also yelled at for having a beer in the dining room as this is "a non drinking hostel". This rule is not listed on any websites, including Billie's, in the hostel itself or upon checkin, or on any 3rd party bookings. We also had to share our "private" space with someone who enjoyed chanting at night outside our room at a loud volume. Really horrible experience, wouldn't recommend to anyone.

Wonderful hostel that I would like to stay in again! Billie and her family + friends are very kind…read moreand helped us with anything we needed during the stay from recommendations for viewing the aurora to understanding the bus schedule. The hostel was always warm despite the winter chill outside and I felt very comfortable. There is also ample community space and I enjoyed meeting people from around the world. I definitely recommend staying here while you are in Fairbanks!

Had a great two night stay here. The location is central to everything downtown. 2 hour parking…read moreoutside and close to a free lot, 3 blocks away. Free WiFi. Super clean. Cozy rooms with TVs. Kitchen is nice, and we used it to cook one night. Two showers and bathrooms. Some books and also info about the area around. Host is very kind. A nice deck out back also!

From the owner: Fairbanks Downtown Hostel has an amazing location in the heart of the city and within a walking…read moredistance of the Chena river. We offer private rooms with a flat-screen TV and free WiFi access, a terrace, a fully stocked kitchen, laundry and lots of other amenities. Guests can enjoy the in-house restaurant as well as many other local bars, restaurants,shops and museums all within a minute walk!

Alaska Grizzly Lodge: an absolute gem about 15 minutes north of downtown and easily one of the…read morehighlights of our trip. It's run by Janet, Fred, and JB: all incredibly friendly people who go out of their way to make your stay special. You can tell they genuinely care about every guest having a great experience. One of the coolest parts: you can see the Aurora right from the property since it's tucked away from city lights in lightly wooded surroundings. That said: I still recommend doing at least one guided tour because the experience can be even better. What really stood out: Janet tracks maps, cameras, KP index, and weather forecasts every night, stays up until 3am, and will literally knock on your door if the Northern Lights appear. That level of service is amazing. They're also very knowledgeable: not just about the Aurora, but even the annual ice sculpture festival. The breakfasts were delicious. JB and Fred prepared both continental and cooked meals that hit the spot. The rooms were clean, cozy, and comfortable, with an extra heater if needed, though central heating was always on. The common area was spacious, with plenty of tables and lounge seating to relax. The guests were all friendly, which added to the welcoming vibe. Bottom line: this place didn't just provide a place to stay, it made the trip!

UPDATE! As I write this, I am sitting in the lovely common area of the lodge, watching the sun come…read moreup. I am updating my review because once we got here, the hosts were wonderful, and the lodge is exactly what we wanted. Very comfy, nice amenities, cozy chairs for reading, etc. The hosts, Janet and Fred, are very friendly and knowledgeable about both the local area and aurora viewing. Fred handles the hot breakfast every day and has been eager to accommodate my dietary requests, even tho I offered to bring my own items. Janet handles the night shift and happily wakes guests personally if and when the aurora decides to pop up. As others mentioned, there are multiple viewing balconies so you can see the lights wherever they decide to show themselves. Who knew that the "northern" lights are sometimes in the south? Well, now I know! In short, the place is great. I wish we could stay longer! Hopefully they get the website back online and get the other communication issues resolved soon. They are working very hard to keep up with everything (Fairbanks is not the most gentle climate for a big ol' wooden building!) and I wish them all the best with the business.

ITS A SCAM! DO NOT BOOK HERE!…read more This is an overpriced hostel. They have no actual restaurant onsite and only have a microwave sandwich. This is not advertised in their "Luxury" desciption. Room is a Motel 6 room. Two pillows per hard, lumpy bed. Even Motel 6 gives you 4 per bed... They also force you to remove your shoes, you are not allowed to wear them inside the building or to your room. They force you to wear slippers. This is not posted online. Walls are filthy, I don't ever know how you mess up a wall so badly. Check out the pic. Then they force Covid rules and restrictions like masks and 6 foot social distancing but then force us to share a fridge and table with strangers? 100% scam, do not book here! We are fighting out travel agent and CC provider to combat these thieves with with false and misleading advertising. $600/night is a total scam!

Upon arrival (after self check in via text and not seeing ONE person) we found towels with what…read morelooked like blue tooth paste on them and an empty can of soda sitting in bathroom. No one on-site to handle things like this. No way to obtain an extra blanket etc. Beautiful property however it's run like an AirBnB and not a hotel. Views are amazing however it is very isolated. Our car was only one in parking lot. However we found out later other people were staying there. Maybe using cab service? Just found whole situation odd including the slippers they asked guests to wear while in building. Over priced for what was offered.

If you are grading Chena Hot Springs Resort, look at it as two completely different entities. The…read moreresort itself is firmly in the average-star range, but the legendary natural hot springs are a 5-star masterpiece. The property itself is a bit of a mixed bag. It has a rustic, old-school Alaskan wilderness charm, but the amenities and lodging options are showing their age and need some modern updates. The rooms and facilities are basic, and the dining is decent but unexceptional. That said, it is a convenient home base for activities like the Aurora Ice Museum northern lights photography in the wild. The outdoor Rock Lake hot springs is where it completely redeems itself. Soaking in the natural, mineral-rich geothermal waters while surrounded by the freezing Alaskan forest is a bucket-list experience. The boulder-lined pool is massive, and walking along the sandy bottom to find your perfect temperature spot is relaxing. Pro tip: If you don't want to commit to its older lodge rooms, the resort is an easy 60-mile drive from downtown Fairbanks along Chena Hot Springs Road, making it a perfect candidate for a day trip. Keep in mind the outdoor rock lake is restricted to adults, which keeps the soaking environment incredibly peaceful and quiet.

Review for the restaurant only!…read more Appreciated finding them open for breakfast when we were in the area recently. They were not at all busy, friendly service but a tad slow. We ordered the Little Chena and Big Chena. I definitely recommend going with the Big (or opting for the potatoes and toast with the little), as there was a big difference in for what you get for the cost if you make the error I did with the Little...one pancake and 2 eggs for $17.50, that was a dumb mistake on my part. As for the food, pretty good overall. Eggs cooked, potatoes, and bacon all cooked well...pancake a bit rubbery for me.

Amazing place, friendly staff beautiful rooms. Saw…read morenorthern lights over top of building and around area told where to get best lights. If coming to city again would stay..

The staff is super friendly and accommodating. When I found myself in need of last minute lodging,…read morethey made me feel welcome and taken care of.