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Does Luxury Exist In Alaska?

  • Wendy Cole
  • Apr 29
  • 6 min read

When one tries to describe Alaska as a destination, one of the first words you think of is “big” and another one is “beautiful”. What few people expect to hear when describing Alaska is the word “luxury”.

Luxury in the Oxford Dictionary is described as “the state of great comfort” and there is great comfort and luxury to be found in Alaska. Luxury in Alaska is rustic, authentic, service orientated, exciting, comfortable, and real.


Seasonality and Climate

Some lodges or chalets, located on the coast are seasonal, open May through September, while other interior lodges are open year-round. Summer season enjoys temperatures, depending on the location between 50 F to high 60’s F and even 70’s F some years with barely visible snow on the mountains. The bonus to summer is the long summer days with the sun setting at midnight, allowing guests to maximize their days. For the winter, it can be chilly in some locations with snow and ice but still extremely beautiful to witness the majesty of the season and enjoy some winter sports.


Lodges and Chalets

To help navigate luxury properties in Alaska, the following lodges and chalets are some of the properties, known for their elements of luxury available in Alaska. Some guests enjoy pairing two locations to enhance their Alaskan experience with a coastal property and an interior property. These lodges and chalet can be an individual experience or enjoyed with three nights at one location and four or more nights at another location.

  • Stillpoint Lodge – located in Halibut Cove, in Southcentral Alaska, this boutique adventure lodge features 9 individual cabins with up to two bedrooms including a new VIP Suite cabin. They offer fully inclusive pricing which includes outbound adventures like bear viewing, ocean fishing and glacier kayaking. Known for their wellness features including yoga, meditation and massages plus their chef prepared menus are all locally sourced including from their own gardens. An extensive wine cellar offers nice pairing dinners, selected by the lodges Sommelier and top shelf alcohol is included. Available for ages 6 years of age and older, open seasonally from the end of May through mid September. Stillpointlodge.com

  • Sheldon Chalet – located in Denali, this exclusive all-inclusive chalet features over 2,000 sq ft with spectacular views of the Don Sheldon Amphitheater of the mighty Ruth Glacier, 10 miles from the summit. With 5 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms for up to 10 people, this property requires a full buyout with minimum of three night stays. Guests enjoy inbound and outbound helicopter flightseeing tour from Talkeetna or Anchorage, Alaska, a gourmet menu, prepared by a world-class chef, use of adventure apparel + gear, guided exploration and adventure. Sheldon Chalet is open year round. SheldonChalet.com

  • Ultima Thule Lodge – an adventure centric wilderness outpost inside the vast Wrangell/St. Elias Mountains, this all-inclusive lodge features stays between Sunday and Thursday for up to 12 within individual groups or Thursday to Sundays for up to 6 people. Fly-out adventures are available daily (except arrival day) and chef prepared, locally sourced menus are enjoyed and transfers to and from McCarthy Airport are included for this remote location. Open seasonally from May through September. UltimaThuleLodge.com

  • Tordrillo Mountain Lodge – located 40 minute float plane ride north of Anchorage, this lodge features winter sports like heli skiing and snowboarding in winter, fishing for king salmon and spring skiing in June and July and heli fishing, hiking, biking and efoil boarding in the summer. With 6 onsite private cabins and a main lodge, this property is popular with those looking for a little more extreme sport adventure, while enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the region. Prices include meals, non-alcoholic beverages, excursions (based on length of stay) and lodge amenities including yoga and massages. TordrilloMountainLodge.com

  • Tuka Bay – is located at the entrance to a nine-mile fjord at the southern end of Kachemak Bay, near Homer, on the coast in Southcentral Alaska. With six cozy cabins and a main lodge which offer sweeping views of the rustic seaside, this all-inclusive lodge offers massages, yoga, cooking classes, as well as wine and cheese tastings in its peaceful cove. Outbound excursions are included like bear viewing and ocean fishing, based on length of stay. Open between May and September. TutkaBay/WithinTheWild

  • Winter Lake – Situated on the western edge of the Alaska Range, guests arrive by floatplane in the summer and ski-plane in the winter. Fly-fish or raft remote rivers, travel by helicopter to dramatic active glaciers for summer dogsledding, or hike historic trails with opportunities to potentially view Mount Denali. This all-inclusive lodge features 6 individual cabins and a main lodge and is open year round. WinterLake/WithinTheWild


Traveling around Alaska

Getting to Alaska is one of the biggest questions we receive due to its size. As an example, to get from Juneau to Anchorage easily is by plane. Alaska Airlines shows a 1 hour, 42 minute flight time. To get from Anchorage to Homer is either a floatplane for 50 minutes, a regional air carrier flight on Ravn for 35 minutes, or driving for 5 hours.

To help make this easier, some of the luxury chalets and lodges work together to provide operators and travel agents with the best options and pricing for transportation.

Transportation Q&A:

  • Can I rent a car and drive around Alaska: Yes, car rentals are available in Alaska and some companies allow pickup in Anchorage and drop in Homer or other larger towns/cities. Driving will take extra time in Alaska due to limited roads, weather and terrain.

  • Private Jets Flying to Alaska: Yes, there are several private jet airports in Alaska and we see a lot of our luxury clients arrive this way.

  • Are towncar or limo’s available: There are some towncar services available but limited to larger cities like Anchorage. We recommend SUV service over towncar due to the environment.

  • Are floatplanes/seaplanes for two passengers only: No, there are various sizes of floatplanes available, even up to 10 passengers.

  • Train travel, can I go everywhere in Alaska: There is good train service in Alaska but it won’t take you everywhere.

  • For more information on gettingaround Alaska, Travel Alaska has good information: Travel Alaska Transportation Information

Explore Alaska

Alaska Tour Operators & DMC’s

Let’s face it, Alaska is an interesting destination to piece together when you are planning the trip of a lifetime. There are specialists who are Alaskan experts and have the contacts and knowledge to ensure your trip is perfect. Below are some of the operators and DMC’s that know luxury and know Alaska:

Alaska is a great option for people looking for an authentic experience with some rustic luxury on the side while exploring this beautiful state. Contact the properties directly or the operators/DMC’s noted above for additional information.

Tips For Alaska

  • Some properties will include gratuity while others don’t and suggest up to 20% additional for tips. If your clients prefer to pay gratuity upfront, check with the property if it can be prepaid. Gratuity for the property does not always include the excursion operator so advise your clients to carry some cash for guides, fishing coaches, etc.

  • Comfortable shoes or hiking boots are recommended. Unless your clients are attending a dress event, the ball gowns, suits and high heels can be left at home. Comfortable clothing, even in finer restaurants are acceptable in Alaska. One of the few places where billionaires blend in with jeans, hiking boots and ball caps. Be prepared to layer, it may be chilly in the morning in summer but warm up nicely so layering works best. Pack lightly, weight does matter…..this will help with the limited weight for floatplanes and helicopters (and its also a good reason not to fib on your weight when a property/excursion operator asks)

  • Book in advance. With some properties only open 12 weeks of the year, there is limited availability plus limited space on outbound excursions and activities. Some properties are booked two years in advance. If you have clients interested in Alaska, don’t wait till the last minute or they may be disappointed.

For more tips and insight on luxury in Alaska, please contact us at wendyc@hospitalitygrowthsolutions.com. Use of this article is restricted to written approval by @HospitalityGrowthSolutions2022




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