If you are grading Chena Hot Springs Resort, look at it as two completely different entities. The resort 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. read more

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Review for the restaurant only! 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. read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Chena Hot Springs Resort Restaurant - Little Chena plate - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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We stayed at Chena Hot Springs for 2 nights in February and had such a memorable experience. It's a 3-star resort about 60 miles north of Fairbanks, and we came specifically for the hot springs, dog sledding, and to chase the Northern Lights. We stayed in the Moose Lodge -- the rooms were comfortable and conveniently located. It's about a 1-minute walk to the restaurant and just 2 minutes to the pool and hot springs. The outdoor hot springs and hot tub were definitely the highlight! There's also an activity center where everyone gathers around 10 pm while waiting for the aurora -- it has a small café, which was nice while we waited. We booked the aurora tour and went up to Charlie Dome at 10:30 pm and were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights -- absolutely magical. Dog sledding gets very busy, so definitely reserve in advance. Overall, a trip to remember! read more

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Chena Hot Springs Resort offers many activities. We went with a group of friends to experience the hot springs and the Ice Museum so this review focuses on that (and a short visit to the restaurant). We purchased a day pass to the pools ($20 or $18 for seniors) plus towels for $5. There is a standard pool and hot tub that allows all ages, and there were kids doing kid things. Only adults are allowed to be in the hot spring pool so this was quieter. Certain sections were hotter than others and there was a cool spray which was refreshing. My dissatisfaction was with the showers. No hooks to hang towels or clothes so I put everything on a bench and got undressed. This might be an issue for some but I was ok with it. But then I ran from shower to shower and every dispenser had NO soap. I finally got soap by the sinks. We went to the restaurant for lunch but with one server and I assume one cook, we realized we would not have time before our scheduled time in the Ice Museum. Our server recommended soup that would be quick so that is what we did. The Ice Museum was nice but IMO too many people were scheduled. We all squeezed in shoulder to shoulder. They were making the martini glasses when we were there, but it was difficult to see with so many people. We added the appletini in the frozen glass and this was nice. The bar had stools covered with fur. Todd was funny and engaging. All in all, happy we went, but annoyed at too many people in one time slot and lack of attention to women's showers. read more

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While visiting Alaska, I spent a few hours at the ice museum and hot springs. I bumped my rating up to a 4 because of the great customer service we received when getting our ice museum ticket. We missed the cutoff by four minutes, and they typically don't reopen the door once the tour starts. Thankfully, the staff member I spoke with made an exception due to our tight schedule and let us in after the group had already gone inside. The ice museum is a must see. The apple martini was delicious, worth the price? Probably not, but it was definitely part of the experience, lol. After the museum, we headed to the hot springs. The locker room is pretty stinky when you walk in, and the floors are wet and a slimy. I accidentally put my toes down while changing and immediately regretted it. You can pay for a locker or risk getting your clothes wet. Once you're through the locker room, you enter the pool area. There's an old koi pond, and it's very humid since it's indoors. From there, you can choose the hot tub or walk straight out to the hot springs. The springs themselves were amazing, some areas were hotter than others, which made it fun to move around and find your perfect spot. We stayed for about an hour and a half before heading out. It's supposed to be 18+ in the springs, but nobody was checking ages when we went, and I did see several kids in there. The drive is roughly 90 minutes from Fairbanks. I wish there had been more snow when we visited. I bet the springs look amazing at night with fresh snow on the ground. Parking is free, but definitely bring your own towel! read more

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What a quirking place! Part resort and part tourist attraction. All wrapped around a campground type atmosphere. The main attraction is of course the hot springs, but there is also an Ice House and a tour of the complex available during your stay. They grow some of their own food in greenhouses and create their own power on the premises (which is part of the free tour). A visit to the Ice House comes with an added fee of $20 per person. All the rest is included with your admission fee. (Or Included in the room rate if you are staying overnight). Let's talk about each part of this resort individually. First, the Hot Springs. Really cool, not literally, because they are actually quite warm (hot in some places). It was enjoyable to soak in the springs, especially when it was raining. I can imagine that it would be really neat in winter! (Frozen hair!) The spring water did have a bit of a sulfur smell, but not horrible. In the evening ducks were joining in the warm water as well! A mother and six duckling enjoyed the water fountain in the middle of the springs, while other ducks would just splash down and swim around like they had a membership to the club! In most cases, the people in the water were very friendly or kept to themselves, but each time I was in the water there was always at least one guy that was over-talkative and had to tell you everything that you "needed" to know about the springs . The Ice House. For $20 you got admission to the "freezer" for about 30-40 mins. It also included the use of a warm parka, because the room is kept freezing at about 20 degrees. For an extra $20 you could get a handmade ice martini glass filled with a (terribly sweet) appletini. You got to watch a technician carve the glasses out of ice blocks as you came in, and also you got to take the glass outside after the tour to smash it! The drink sucked... but the experience was kind of unique. Inside the Ice House there were multiple rooms and works of art (all made of ice). The rooms included a large space with a wedding chapel, a bar and at least 3 bedrooms complete with ice beds. The front room was where they made the glasses and created the artwork. The Resort. The rooms included in the "resort" were bare bones and small. Not much to do at night! TV didn't really work at all, no air conditioning and pretty uncomfortable beds. Doors bang loudly in the morning, so don't expect to sleep in! There is a restaurant in the main lodge and the sandwiches are pretty darn good... but of course a bit expensive (you are kind of trapped there, so it's to be expected). The restaurant also has a bar, but it was kind of weird because they only let a few people into the restaurant at a time, I'm assuming because they are short on staff? There was an Activities Center that had some food including pizza's available (until 10:30). This is the area where the tours all start and it also has a coffee shop and canteen/gift shop. I know I listed a bunch of negatives about this place, but I'm actually so glad I went. It's an outdoor hot springs in the middle of nowhere Alaska for gods sake! How cool is that! read more

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THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE HOT SPRINGS ONLY!! Hot Spring: amazing! The water was nice and hot, and the further you go, the hotter it gets. I really liked that they added gravel to the bottom of the pool so it didn't feel sticky or slippery. For me, the hot spring itself was 100/100. My only gripe is that not everyone seemed to follow the rule about showering before entering the pool. Changing Room & Showers: This is the area that needs more attention. I don't expect a luxury thalasso spa, but I do wish the changing rooms and showers were kept a bit cleaner. The showers also need stronger water pressure. It would be great if staff could have someone check and clean the facilities more frequently throughout the day. Lockers: cost $0.50! but make sure you have everything with you. Once you lock it, that's it! you'll need to insert another quarters to "re-use"it. Again, this review is ONLY for the HOT SPRINGS--NOT THE HOTEL, since we were car camping in a nearby area. read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Went again, this time with the family. Since I've been before I knew what to expect and how to prepare everyone. We had a hotel in Fairbanks and just went for the hot spring. Bring quarters, cash, towels, flip flops, water and Gatorade. If you have those things, you'll have a good time. Just don't stay on site! And prepare for a long drive down a road that is a bit scary, so you want a driver that is a skilled Alaskan and good tires. It is definitely a bit run down, but this place is so unique, and the water is absolutely healing. We all felt better after our time there. Our family had a great time. We will definitely be back. read more

Such an incredible place. First you must go dog sledding. It is such fun! Then you have to soak in the hot springs. It was about 15 degrees when we were there but once we got in the water it was so awesome! We had drinks and dinner at the bar and everything was good. There was a really long wait for a table but service was good once we were seated. You must put this on your list! read more

FOR HOT SPRINGS ITSELF and activity center Hm they have 2 yelps. The hot springs is a worthy price! Outdoor hot springs $20 day pass + $5 towel rental. Bring slippers and a swimsuit. The swimsuits are $40. If you are coming in winter, its quite hard to source a swimsuit (even walmart is relatively sold out). They may have limited used swimsuits for $5. Children are not allowed in the Outdoor hot spring, but they are allowed in the indoor pool. The staff are very nice. There is a shelf to store shoes and lockers that require 50 cents per use. They also have waterproof bags for sale. Bring your towel with you as there are limited hooks at the entrance, the corridor to the Outdoor hot springs is extremely cold! It ramps down to the water, squat as you go in and it'll be warm. The lockers can be quite crowded, you shower before and they have body wash available. Prepare for photos if its subzero because the water in your hair can freeze ( glasses will too), wet your hair in the shower tho as the spring is sulfury. The Outdoor hot spring is big enough for the groups of people, there is a lot of blocks and rocks that are kind of slimy. Sand on the bottom around standing height so not really swimming. Water shoes can be appreciated. Another great thing about visiting here for a day trip is they have an activity center (where they sell tour tickets). It has WiFi and a relatively big area with tables and microwave to stay out the cold. The staff is chill and the cafe is reasonably priced (has ramen, some salads, snacks, coffee, etc). Relatively quiet and good if you need to do work. Driving here is a one street road within a forest and there are loss of signal in some area. If you go to during the day and back at night, its not the typical route so be careful of ice. Overall, I found the staff nice and for what's available its a decent price for the anemities. read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Inside - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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We really love our day at Chena Hot springs, first of all the have a very nice staff, they all are really friendly and very helpful. The hot springs are amazing, they lockers are clean and big enough for all the people Who is always visiting, the ice bar is just simply perfect, I know how they do that but all in there is really cool, the time they give is actually not enough to be inside there, the cafes and restaurants are also very good they have all in there. read more

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We visited as part of a tour, so did not stay in the rooms, but did visit the hot springs, ice museum and restaurant. Hot springs are great, nice and relaxing. You do need to be aware of uneven footing on the pond bottom, and there are random cables and pipes running through the water at shin level. Walk slowly! Due to all the steam rising off the water, it can be challenging to keep a clear view of the sky but it is worth it to watch the Aurora while soaking. The locker rooms aren't great. Cramped, very little seating, and it would be nice if they had spin dry device for suits like many swimming centers do. Ice museum was a let down. There were a few nice pieces but mostly "meh." You can't leave at will, so need to be standing by at the 25 and 45 minute points to exit. I imagine if you had a panic attack they'd let you out. Restaurant was not great. We had a party of seven so had to wait quite a while for a table. Once seated we were given water but then ignored for 35 minutes. Finally flagging a server down she told us "oh, I thought you belonged to the bar," pointing at the bartender. Yes it was a big table between the bar and restaurant, but it didn't magically appear that night, so they should have had a system worked out who waited on the table. Once we got our food it was fine. I had scallops which were middle-of-the-road, not "best ever" as our tour guide said. I had a baked potato that was just a dab above room temperature. Lucky I didn't catch botulism from it. We had to wait a while for our checks, which they were nice enough to separate out, but they had put someone else's crab cakes on my bill. We were already an hour late for our time in the springs, so since the said crab cakes were ordered by our tour guide, I just told him "I'll pay for these as your tip." (but I tipped again later anyway, he was great). read more

Hot Springs: We went to the Hot Springs and had a great time. It's a really awesome to experience and I would definitely recommend it for anyone visiting the Fairbanks area. This was one of the highlights of our trip. I felt the price to enjoy the springs and use of the lockers, etc. was fair and they even have a frequent user plan if you want to go often. Restaurant: Super helpful and happy staff. Abel, seated us with enthusiasm and our server, Paul, on his second day at Chena, was joyful and fun to chat with. We brought a bottle of wine to pair with our meal and was impressed by the romaine lettuce from the Chena Fresh garden that was in our Caesar salad. The scallops were so so delicious and we split the halibut. The only con was that it was super warm/hot in there. Pro is that they were using fans to help circulate the air so it didn't get too hot. :D read more

Chena Hot Springs is about an hour from Fairbanks. The road there was covered with ice and some cars had slid off the road and flipped. Be very careful with the road going here. We had a reservation to stay the night but after many mixed reviews on the food, we didn't think that would be a good idea - so we canceled our stay and went for the activities. The property is beautiful. They have many activities during summer and winter months. Taking a dog sled ride, and seeing how mushers work with the dogs. There is an ice castle, ecological building, the hot springs, cafe, restaurant, ice fishing and more.... We went to pet the dogs, which was fun. The Ice Castle - is cool but not what we expected. They shoved 2 large groups of people into the ice castle (packed like sardines). Because the castle is kept cold via the ice inside- they only open the doors a couple times a day. If you can handle being in large groups, pushing to get where they want and can handle the echos - this is a great tour. They were so busy with people that we decided to not try the Hot Springs. We also tried the restaurant. After - seeing many mixed reviews on this, we were not sure. The host at the front counter said we needed to wait for a table to open (15 minutes) but when we were seated, they had many empty tables. They let us know that the server was the only one and he was also working the bar and that he might be a couple minutes. Within 5 minutes of being seated - 3 other employees asked if they could start a drink order for us. The server took 15 minutes to get us drinks and 30 minutes with many reminders to get me water. The food came before my ice water. The crab cakes were amazing. We also tried the chowder - which we think is what made us sick later in the day. The taste was off. Our son got the King crab legs and said they were good. My husband got the Salmon, rice and veggies. The salmon was overcooked and dry on the edges, and okay in the middle. Rice was nothing special and the veggies were okay. I had the Halibut, with a potato and steamed broccoli. When the dish came out, it was drenched in butter. I asked them to send it back (butter makes my stomach upset). They brought the dish back with white rice (I can't have), and the broccoli tasted of grease and bland. I asked why I got the rice and was told because the potato comes with butter. Of course I reminded the manager that potatoes can be baked and enjoyed without butter. The halibut though, this was a show stopper. Cooked perfectly, moist and flaky and seasoned to perfection. I informed the manager I would be okay paying for the fish, but the rest I wasn't and nor did I want to wait another 30 minutes to get the food. They gave us a 10% employee discount off my fish plate. We couldn't tell who did what and seemed very unorganized, and a big lack of communication to patrons or other employees. We decided not to get desert. We will not be coming back here, nor would I recommend. read more

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Food are actually surprisingly good here. Their complimentary breads are super warm, soft and tasty. Steamed clams appetizer is rather average, not flavorful and a lot of shells without clam meats inside. Alaskan halibut is a little too dry and too bland. But their pasta are amazing!! Both smoked salmon and chicken pastas are delicious!!! Highly highly recommend! read more

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The downward spiral continues: Rooms are even more run-down than when I last visited, and the prices grow ever higher. Quality is now sub-Motel-6. Showers have no pressure and smell like a fistful of pennies. Rooms are kept outrageously not, with limited thermostat control. They have now have 3 beers on tap, down from 14. Food is hilariously overpriced and the upselling is hardcore. ("would you like cheese, bacon, and mushrooms on y our burger?"). Additionally the restaurant often has wait times. Don't worry about the wait times though, you can visit the: gift shop contains all manner or cheap, made-in-China trinkets marketed like they are made in Alaska. There is tons of obnoxious signage about how there are NO REFUNDS and ALL SALES ARE FINAL and SMILE YOU'RE ON CAMERA. So damn tacky and trashy. The road in to Chena is lightly maintained when the snow starts. read more

Do not recommend. I spent part of the day here, only to realize that a lot of the activities were sold out. I booked their shuttle from Fairbanks (left at 2 pm and got there about 4 pm). I started off in the restaurant (since I didn't know how long the wait would be). Staff was kind of rude (I mean they were short staffed too that night so service was kind of slow) and told one man he wouldn't be able to order without his wife there. I sat at the bar with no wait and got the cup of clam chowder for $8, which was good but could've been a little bit bigger portion-wise. I then ordered the bowl of ice cream for $5 with chocolate sauce, walnuts, and whipped cream. It took about 15 minutes + to get the ice cream and check, so I missed the sign up for the 5 pm ice museum tour. Meanwhile, one server told two of the ladies I was sitting next to at the bar they were out out of halibut, while just later he told the couple sitting to my right that he saved some halibut just for them. I went to go sign up for the 7 pm tour for the ice museum after dinner, only to be told they were sold out. Then, there was a mix up with my shuttle and it was booked for the following evening back to Fairbanks. The front desk had to call a private shuttle service to get me back to Fairbanks that night (since there was no cell service). There was also no way I could've driven that road by myself with all the ice. I was going to check out the hot springs while I was waiting, but didn't seem worth it to strip off several layers of clothing (and some reviews I had read said the locker rooms were dirty and that there was glass and algae that could be found in the springs). So, basically I paid the shuttle to drive me there to sit around (the aurora wasn't visible either that night). 2025 #6 read more

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Pro tip: do not book a tour to come here. $200+ pp for a 10hr tour which ended up being just 5 hours (6pm-11pm onsite to do activities that are worth $40) is SO not worth. Just rent a car and do your own aurora searching. Aside from that, the activities included in this tour were OK. I wouldn't do them again. Activity Center: provided 2 free luggage tags pp which was cool. A lot of kirkland snacks. Water was $1.50 per bottle. $5 minimum for credit card but staff hooked it uo this time bc I don't normally carry cash. Ice museum (30-45 min): dark and a little hard to take pictures. The squishing of people and pushing when entering/exiting is the worse. I feel like some order or lining up of people to grab parkas could definitely help with the chaos. Guide was funny and engaging, tho I think some information as to how long it took to make some pieces would be nice. The art and sculptures themselves were amazing though!! Props to the ice master. Provided parkas were musty and slightly wet, some ripped at the hems. Kinda gross. Hot springs: relaxing and had a strong sulfur smell (boiled egg smell). Skin was nice and smooth after. However, the facilities definitely need upgrading (rusty showerheads, jenky lockers that took my 0.50 cents but still wouldn't open- luckily staff were easygoing and helped). Body (i assume; there was no labeling) soap is provided. Some areas of hotter water than others. Spent maybe 30 min in the water (total 1hr in facility). Not well lit at night so careful of rocks. Gets kinda deep (~5 ft) at the end of slope. For 18+. Indoor pool: grimy. Hot tub at the end of day had floating dirt. Staff should enforce that ppl shower before entry... Restaurant: Reservation was made for us but they weren't staffed well enough for a Tuesday night so service was kinda slow. Food was sooooo mid and overpriced, would not come back. Warm fluffy bread provided were nice. Scallops were tiny and for $27 for 6 pieces with no sauces or seasoning aside from butter is wild. King crab cakes ($29) were softer than I would have liked and the crab was def not fresh - consistency of imitation crab. Disappointing. Lastly, the hot wings ($17 for 10) were prob the best bang for your buck. Pretty big wings with a nice kick, tho slightly salty. Paired well with ranch. Veggies were small - thinnest carrots/celery sticks I've had with wings. Glad we just ordered appetizers... 1.25 lb king crab for ~$83 was tempting tho and the legs seemed sizable Others at our table ordered pho ($29 for a seafood pho!! Most I've ever seen) and they said it hit the spot.. smelled like pho but only had onions (not the usual basil, ngo gai, etc) read more

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Pros I liked the hot spring regarding some other reviews mentioned it was run down etc. But lower your expectations though. The property has a quirky vibe to it. But beautiful kinda quirky. Room was clean, quiet. Cons: Took LITERALLY about 30 minutes to check in! Everyone had that "omg kill me already" face on them, but the manager still didn't add one more front desk person. It was just that one person. Restaurant took an hour to get in. So.... you better bring your own food to snack on. *Front desk also did not inform me I need to give the keys back to the front desk when checking out. And I accidentally took of the key in my pocket, but then I called and was informed I can just drop it off at one of the hotels in town they have partnership with. But still got charged for $50. Tried to email them, didn't respond to me until I said I will be disputing that charge with my credit card company. read more

ZERO STARS. So grimy. Tourists please don't waste your time. Pictures online are YEARS old. Grimy pools and grimy lockers. read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Green water in the hot tub - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

We spent 2 beautiful days at Chena Hot springs Resort and loved it! The room was fine with cabin-y interior but definitely could use upgrades. However we were here more for the outdoors than indoors, so still a 5 star worthy experience. The staff was friendly (except for a couple of people at the restaurant) and someone was always present to answer our questions in the lobby or activity center. Hot springs were a wonderful experience, though their showers/locker room could use more frequent cleaning. We were here for Aurora viewing and it was well organized. They have nice warm yurts and pretty good location for Aurora watching. But even on the second day when we didn't take tour, we saw beautiful show in the sky from hot springs itself. Overall we had fun and loved our stay. Highly recommend it! read more

Wasted hours driving to a total scam! $20 day pass & $5 towel seemed reasonable, but $20 for flip-flops?! Locker room disaster! Rusty, dirty lockers needing quarters to lock. Water everywhere, hair on the floor... Valentine's Day weekend excuse doesn't justify this filth. The whole scenario freaked me out so much that I walked straight out and left immediately! If they can't maintain a clean and upgraded shower/locker area -- which is NOT hard for a well-known resort -- I can't trust their pool cleaning. I didn't want to risk diseases or skin issues. DO NOT COME TO THIS HOT SPRING. P/S: If you have enough savings to spare, go to Japan and try their hot springs (onsen)! Trust me, their service and hospitality are on another level. read more

Ooof what a missed opportunity to match the quality and service to the prices they charge. The good- hot springs experience (not necessarily including the locker room area nor the indoor pool and hot tub). The bad? Likely all the rest. We originally booked for 3 nights and cut it short to 2. I suggest going for a day trip only for the hot springs and finding other accommodations. We paid $300+ per night for what felt like a motel room (was dinghy and dark and who knows if the carpet was ever cleaned. I feel nauseous thinking back of the bathroom). The restaurant had friendly service but I think the workers felt like they had to make up for the 1+hour waits for table irregardless if you wanted to sit down to eat or be at the bar for a beverage. The chowder was lukewarm both times we ordered and was a bit lumpy in the wrong ways. The playground was terrible. My daughter referred to it as where children's dreams go to die. Oh my god don't get me started with the ice museum. The exterior IS NOT MADE OF ICE. We paid for a tour but it was really an entrance fee without any details provided. read more

I have attached a video of when we first turned on the water. Whole property is extremely outdated.

I stayed one night in the dry cabin, Jade cabin. The check in experience was fast and friendly. I loved the Cain itself, comfy bed, well insulated, with floor heaters to use. The hot springs were great, I stayed until they closed @11:45pm. The outhouses for the dry cabin left much to be desired. I went to the hot springs bathroom to use the restroom. The restaurant experience could be improved. Long waits, they seemed understaffed, the food was great but they could use someone to step in and do a lot more with that space. Overall 10/10 read more

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Hot springs were lovely. Staff is rude. Not helpful. Makes you feel like you owe everyone something. We waited 30 minutes just yo sit down for lunch at 2pm. We missed buying tickets to the ice museum tour by 2 minutes and they would not let us jump in. The tour had not even started and they literally closed the door on our face. We wandered over to look at the dogs and staff was nice over there. Basically rudest place we visited in Alaska. read more

So much to say. Let's start with the restaurant. If I could give the food 6 stars, I would!!! Ate dinner and breakfast here and both meals were phenomenal. Dinner came with house made bread. The salad had tomatoes grown in their greenhouse. I would drive out of my way for their Pho. It was soo delicious and the perfect touch to a freezing day. Next up - activities. The ice museum was only ok. I prefer the other ice museum in Fairbanks. This ice museum had some really unique features and the ice was truly art, although not really kept well. The main wall was partially melted and there was a feeling of deterioration throughout. The apple martini was fabulous but traveling with non drinkers meant they had no options to enjoy anything while inside. Great for a quick photo op, but that's about all. Staff at this facility clearly care very much, they were always going above and beyond. They were able to show our family the northern lights thru the warm indoor Aurora Viewing room, they were constantly cleaning up after guests and overall hustling. Lastly, the room...well...the reviews here haven't changed much. Although the room was clean, it was definitely dated. There was no way to make the room warmer either which in -24 degrees meant the room was probably 60-ish. Shower before you arrive because the sulfur smell from the water sure doesn't make you smell all that great, even if you are clean. I'd recommend this facility - just limit your time to 1-2 days. read more

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What to bring: - Swimsuit (or available for purchase) - Flip Flops (or available for purchase) - Water Bottle (or available in vending machine) - Towel (or available to rent for $5) - Dry clothing to change in and out of - Two quarters for each locker (or bills to exchange) In the realm of mineral hot springs around the world, this is a 4 out of 5 as far as US natural mineral springs go, (Europeans, Canadians. and Scandinavians may rate it lower relative to what they have available.). In the United States, we like a hot spring to have some "rough and natural" elements to help remind us that it is indeed still natural and not commercially created or falsified, and here those rough elements are the boulders that surround the spring, the outdoor location, and the gravel bottom of the outdoor hot spring. To help provide a dry area for towels to hang and dry walkways to walk on, there are some covered paths from the pool area to the outdoor hot tub and mineral spring. I'm glad we came for the $20 day pass to just the hot spring rather than the overnight resort fee, as the sky was cloudy and the day was rainy, both of which made the other features of the facility less appealing with regard to being able to wait all evening for the Aurora to appear or walking the trails in the forest with a dry path underfoot. I'm also glad they posted the mineral content across time, as that's one of the important aspects of a natural mineral spring. Service is a bit sparse, but once you've checked in and signed a waiver and purchased anything extra like a towel rental, you may only need it to exchange a wet towel for a dry one, as everything else you can do on your own with vending machines and 50 cent lockers. Kids (under 18) are not allowed in the outdoor areas, so keep that in mind if you arrive as a family or single parent, you'll need children to be attended inside in the chlorinated pool, while you enjoy the natural spring outside. read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Natural Hot Springs - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

Hot springs and geothermal greenhouses! Took a day trip to Chena Hot Springs with my mom and auntie, and was very happy with the experience. The outdoor pool was the highlight - it is adults-only and has a gorgeous snowscape for the backdrop! I was not sure how long we would last in the hot waters, but with in and out privileges, we were able to take breaks for meals, and to tour their geothermal greenhouses. The hot springs are open from 7am to 11:45pm. We went on a Saturday and there were tour busses arriving from Fairbanks throughout the day- making it a crowded experience at peak times. Overall, I thought the experience was well worth the cost, and would make a repeat visit (preferably during a weekday to avoid crowds)! read more

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I am giving this rating for the stay as we did NOT stay at the resort. We just went for the day. We had an amazing experience with the Hotsprings activities. We did the Aurora Ice Museum and the Hotsprings of course. The Aurora Ice Museum was nice because you got a martini glass made out of ice. The tour guide was also very timely and nice. The Hotsprings, a word of advice, if you want a true serene experience for the Hotsprings, go early in the morning or late in the evening AND during the snowy months. The warmth you felt with the sun zero temperature, was serendipitous! Link: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFp8qnsp/ for more Alaska tips! read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Hotsprings - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

We definitely enjoyed the hot spring, the ice museum was fascinating but the food at the restaurant wasn't up to mark. The service was pleasant and the ambience is pleasant. This place can get very busy and the food can take some time to arrive, we ordered salmon, lamb chops, scallops, halibut qnd chios and the moose goose juice. The only things that were good were moose juice and the lamb chops. read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Salmon - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Great location! Great location! Great location!!! People are friendly, food was surprisingly great!!! Great for hot spring bath, and wonderful hiking. Building needs some updates :( read more

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I love Chen's Hot Springs and all of their offerings! The hot springs are very hot do, be prepared. I have found them to be too hot to tolerate in the warmer months. But they are a lovely experience, sitting outside with pretty views of the surrounding hills. The ice museum and ice bar are very fun and a great experience. We've also done an ATV tour which was fabulous, gotten a wonderful message and dined in their restaurant. All highly recommended experiences! The staff are very friendly and attentive as well! The tour guides are full of personality! read more

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Loved the hot springs, however the woman's locker room had much to be desired. Very crowded and only one hairdryer worked. Other than that, it was a wonderful experience. read more

We got the day pass for $20 at the hot springs and pool but we probably stayed for max an hour here. You take off your shoes at the front area, sign a waiver, pay for the fee, and go into the bathrooms. There's loads of lockers where you can store your stuff for 50 cents. The bathroom was musty and there were lots of small puddles on the tiled floors. The showers and bathrooms were kind of old and messy. Once we got into the hot springs, there were so many people, I got overwhelmed. It felt a little uncomfortable. They have a huge parking lot with options for other activities that you'd have to pay for such as museums, massages, aromatherapy, etc. This is also in a resort that confused us. You have to go to the blue building labelled pool for the day pass. read more

Beautiful location and great pool but the resort is run down and poorly managed. Management does not seem to care about guests needs or comfort. Rooms are run down and things do not work, Including thermostats. Restaurant cant handle all of its guests and it randomly shuts down. Stay somewhere else if you want to visit the pool but don't give hard earned money to a business that doesn't care about its customers. read more

Very nice, cute and homey lodge. We did a day trip from fairbanks and went to the hot springs first. It was great to see a legit hot spring that was HOT. Really relaxing and enjoyable. After the hot springs, we went to the restaurant inside the hotel. The beef pho is skippable but the yellow curry is not too bad. We also did the aurora tour with the resort and it was amazing. Amazing guides who were super helpful and friendly. Unlimited hot beverages, oatmeal and cup noodles. Would 100% recommend the tour and the hot springs! read more

Chena Hot Springs Resort - Northern Lights view on the tour - Resorts Near Me - Fairbanks, Alaska

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Nice little spa near Fairbanks. It's about an hour drive but nice and scenic. It's a cozy spot, simple and no frills. Don't come here expecting 5 star it's more homey comfort nestled in Alaska wilderness. The staff are friendly and welcoming. They have basic set up, the spring is natural as you can smell the sulfur. Nice quiet and remote. Reasonable price. Came here and got a massage and spent the day in the hot spring. Decent price. The massage was good for the price. Did not spend the night so can't speak for lodging but overall not a bad day trip if your in Fairbanks read more

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Every single item is overpriced. What makes it worse is that the problem doesn't stop at the price they're also selling products that are lower in quality than many cheaper options on the market. read more

WARNING: 4/08/2025 - This place is over an hour away from anything, and once you're here, you're basically stuck. Many people come for the aesthetic photos and the chance to post online--but don't count on it. There's no cell service, and the WiFi is unreliable at best, making it nearly impossible to get online. The hot springs are a huge letdown--dirty, full of trash, and clearly neglected. The locker rooms are filthy and never cleaned. Stall doors are broken and don't lock. The pool water is murky, with visible algae, and the hot tub is green and foamy. It's shocking this place is still allowed to operate--it's a serious health hazard. Our room had black mold in multiple spots (see photos), and there was visible damage throughout. We originally booked a private cabin, but were "upgraded" to the Moose Lodge instead--a major downgrade. They claimed a pipe burst, but said the cabins are supposed to be dry... doesn't add up. This is the third hotel of our trip, and although we were supposed to stay another night, we're leaving early--refund or not. Our safety and comfort are more important than spending another minute here. read more

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