The Best Hotels in Juneau, Alaska

Four miles from downtown Ketchikan, the Black Bear Inn is the only luxury waterfront inn in the area. There are four suites, each with private entrances, fireplaces, and, often, ocean views. Alternatively, book a one-bedroom condo or The Bunkhouse cabin for a little more privacy. Inside the main building, you’ll find a hand-built fireplace and a game library. But don’t skip the experience of bringing the day’s catch back to the outdoor kitchen, which is set to steam fish or cook crab, dining with a water view, and kicking back by the firepit.

Built by indigenous Alaskans, right at the rim of the Tongass National Forest’s stretches of cedars, hemlocks, and spruces, this lodge brings just enough rustic sensibilities to its rooms to remind you that you’re at the edge of the wilderness. Native art and artifacts are displayed in the lobby, and the tlingit (pronounced klin-kit) tradition of sharing abundance spills over into the hotel restaurant menu. Think cedar plank salmon, reindeer sausage, and fries dripping with candied bacon and cheddar.

Crisp, clean furnishings in these rooms leave the massive ocean views to do the talking. Stay steps from the marina and the Golden Square Mile’s shops, restaurants, and museums. Pile the whole crew into one of the enormous booths at McGivneys Sports Bar Grill for can’t-miss cocktails and crabcakes. The 24-hour fitness center is stocked with stationary bikes and treadmills for those still seeking an aerobic boost after whale watching or browsing the history and art exhibits at the Alaska State Museum.

These pet-friendly rooms are equipped with a mini-fridge, coffee maker, and microwave, as well as a separate seating area in some suites. The onsite restaurant, T.K. Maguire’s, will send a plate of prime rib right to your door. Free parking is among the perks here, as is the close proximity to Juneau International Airport.

This gold-rush era home was restored to a bed and breakfast with individually appointed rooms — keep an eye out for wallpaper designed in the 1800s and original fir wood floors, as well as whirlpool tubs and in-floor radiant heat. The owners live in this four-story house and devote attention to cooking breakfast with fresh-caught Alaskan crab, orchestrating a hiking tour of the nearby rainforest, or simply pointing weary legs in the direction of the rocking chair or garden hammock for some respite.

True to its name, cushy queen feather beds await you at this B&B-style boutique hotel, which blends old and new in the décor under a prevailing sense of country comforts. Prep for a day’s excursions to view Mendenhall Glacier, fish at Auke Bay, or ski Eaglecrest with a complimentary full hot breakfast, including made-to-order omelets or blueberry pancakes. An on-site fish freezer is available to store your most perishable Alaskan souvenirs and laundry facilities help reset for the next outing.

This 215-room downtown hotel greets you with a chic, urban feel. Westmark Baranhof is just a short walk to the state capitol building and the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway, which soars 1,800 feet to Mount Roberts’ summit in a jaw-dropping five minutes. At the top, drink in views of Admiralty Island’s peaks, the Chilkat Mountains, and Gastineau Channel. Borrow a motorized boat from the hotel to take in the sights from water level and rest up in the land of the midnight sun by drawing blackout curtains closed at the day’s end.

If you’re looking to stay near the city but would prefer a more secluded spot, book this boutique hotel. Pearson’s Pond Luxury Inn & Adventure Spa is located just outside Alaska’s capital in the midst of its lush greenery. The glaciers and ponds of Tongass Forest are close by. The inn has a lot of special amenities, such as private kitchenettes and hot tubs, in addition to a beautiful garden. There’s also a fire pit outside where you can enjoy s’mores in the traditional, campfire way.