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Welcome to your Fairbanks hotel on the Chena River, Pike's Waterfront Lodge. Pike's Waterfront Lodge offers comfortable rooms and cabins many with scenic views, an aromatherapy steam room, riverside decks, restaurant, a comfortable lounge, and wifi in the public areas and sleeping rooms in main buildings. All rooms have refrigerators and microwaves and are non smoking. We offer Aveda aromatherapy bathroom amenities. Our free exercise room is open 24 hours. The 24 hour gift shop with ATM machine and food items. We have an extensive interpretative sign display on Fairbanks history and ecology of the area. We have fire pits, free Bocce Ball, mini miniature golf outside and FoosBall in the game room. We have a 24 hour coin operated laundry facility. Our hotel is minutes from the Fairbanks Alaska International Airport, next door to famous Pike's Landing restaurant. We have free shuttle service to/from the airport and railroad station. Northern Lights wake up call available in winter!
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Pike's Waterfront Lodge seems to charm guests with its Alaskan-themed decor and inviting atmosphere, highlighted by warm fireplaces and rustic vibes. While the rooms receive mixed reviews, ranging from clean and comfortable to somewhat outdated, the cleanliness of the hotel generally earns positive remarks. Despite concerns over value due to costly extras and dining options, the amenities, including cabins and aurora viewing, are often praised.
The location is convenient for airport access, though some guests suggest having a car for exploring local attractions. Service quality appears to vary, but friendliness is frequently noted.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Diverse
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Abundant
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Lodge is well decorated and very clean and comfortable. If planning on using a computer, extra electronics, the outlets in the rooms are limited, so maybe bring an extension cord. Rental car is needed if you want to explore other areas, as it can get pretty expensive using their Excursion Shuttle (which is different than the airport shuttle) Example - trip to North Pole Alaska to go to the Santa Clause House, drop off and pick up costs $100. That is just 1 trip. I got a 4 day rental car (mid-size pickup truck) for less than $250 total. Hot breakfast served every morning including eggs, potatoes and the meat type rotates. Lots of common areas to sit and relax. Restaurant is right across the parking lot. They seem to be out of a lot of food the week we were there, but burgers were good.
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Date of stay: September 2024
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ursula Gottschling, Guest Services / Front Office at Pike's Waterfront Lodge
Responded 12 Oct 2024
Quest thank you so much for the great review !!! We look forward to your next stay with us :)
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Pikes is a good sized house on the river, near the Fairbanks airport. While this house caters to a substantial number of tour buses, it clearly has a large number of independently traveling customers. Key cards and vouchers were ready upon arrival and porterage of luggage was prompt. The central part of the hotel has rich decor in the public spaces, perhaps like a premium hotel of the gold rush era. Tiffany style lamps, a gallery worth of original art and much taxidermy adorn the building. The rooms have a warm feel and an eclectic collection of furniture and period art. Our medium sized room with a small bathroom was clean and functional with a good, and increasingly rare, printed guest information folder. The room had a large flatscreen tv with lots of channels, complementary internet, refer and microwave but no safe. Good bed and pillows with average linens, good towels and minimal toiletries, adequate lighting and minimal outlets. And a competent if some what noisy HVAC and acceptable ( which a good score) in room coffee. The buffet breakfast was very good in quality and variety and at $18 a good value. Good quality and reasonably priced pub grub was available at the nearby Pikes landing restaurant. Nice stay all in all.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Pike’s is a great place! 24 hour service at the desk and on call airport shuttle was very helpful. The included breakfast was plentiful and tasty, and we also enjoyed the sauna, aurora movie theater, lobby bar, and evening ice cream. Staying in a cabin was a nice change from being on a hotel floor. After forgetting some belongings, I contacted housekeeping and all were promptly mailed to us. Fantastic service! Take note that the property is not within walking distance of anything other than their very good restaurant so be prepared to pay for taxis or ride sharing unless you have a vehicle. We’d definitely stay there again for all the services and iconic nature of Pike’s!
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Not within walking distance of Fairbanks so have a vehicle or use taxi, ride share or bus.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a pretty average stay at Pike’s. It was one of the less expensive places to book in the area, and we got what we paid for. Pike’s campus was huge. It included at least two buildings of mostly hotel rooms, but also a reindeer viewing experience, restaurant, theater, and more. But also, as we were checking in, I noticed many of the atypical hotel services were not available (see photo). The hotel is definitely committed to an old-fashioned decoration aesthetic. It struck me as a little hokey and maybe covering up for it being a while since signficant renovations. Nothing was broken, but there were plenty of dings on the furniture. I also had a general feeling that the carpet had been vacuumed, but had some long-lived dirty in there. We appreciated the mini-fridge and coffee maker in the room. The location is super close to the airport, but we didn’t notice any noise from the flights overhead. It was a convenient drive to restaurants, supermarkets, and downtown. But the downside was that there was a ton of human-made light, so I can’t imagine how strong the Northern Lights would have to be in order to see them from the hotel. We booked an Aurora View room, and it looked out over a neon-lit restaurant. And also note the cabins in the parking lot in the photo–they aren’t cozied into nature at all. So just know what to expect if that’s what you’re booking. The bathroom had a nice large counter. There was a fan, but it wasn’t super effective. The shower had hot water, but not excellent water pressure. The bathroom was clean, although the multiple fabric curtains around the shower seemed like a weird touch that would hold funky moisture and smells. The fitness center was tiny, but adequate. It had a few freeweights (up to 30 pounds) with a bench, and 2 bikes, an elliptical, and a rower. It was a bit stuffy, but there was a window for blasts for colder air. Breakfast appeared to be included with all rooms. It was a pretty great buffet with scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, make-your-own waffles (with chicken nuggets so you can have chicken-and-waffles!), oatmeal, a couple of pastry options, and more. It was tasty and the staff were very nice while refilling or tidying away plates. The staff was a mixed bag: The clerk who checked us in gave us the most minimal greeting and information, but got the job done. The guy serving the ice cream ($1.50 per scoop, with some lovely flavor options) was really friendly. The breakfast team was nice. Parking was included, and there was a big lot. The staff did a good job of shoveling during snow showers.
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Date of stay: February 2025
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CONS: Not worth the money to stay here. The location is perfect to the airport but there are more clean & updated hotels nearby. Our room had a horrible odor (pet?) the minute we walked in & we couldn't air it out. There was pet hair all over the only couch to sit on in the room & it was disgusting. There was a barking dog 2 doors down from us that wouldn't stop because the owners left it! I called to complain to the front desk & was told there was nothing they could do about it until 10pm when it was "quiet time". It would be nice if they had "no pet rooms" for those of us who don't travel with pets but would like to have a clean room. We stayed for 5 days & breakfast was decent. It would be nice to have it changed up a bit without eating the same thing everyday & maybe some fresh fruit supplied. Our room was never cleaned. Only towels were supplied & I had to ask for them along with additional shampoo.
PROS: Olivia at the front desk was amazing! She was so nice & polite. The hotel had a personality of it's own. The on-site restaurant was good with decent food.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
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Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ursula Gottschling, Guest Services / Front Office at Pike's Waterfront Lodge
Responded 1 Oct 2024
I am so very sorry we disappointed you during your stay with us Ma'am.
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To jump straight to it, I have no idea how this hotel receives four or five stars. Hence, I thought it useful to provide this review to give other travelers much more realistic information and set expectations. First, about half of the hotel staff are helpful and friendly. Corey was great on airport shuttle pick up and the front desk. He is polite, friendly, professional. The man that was the bartender was also friendly and pleasant. The other 50% of the hotel staff are not particularly helpful or friendly. Many working the front desk seemed bothered to be asked a question. While the cabin I stayed in was clean, I was told housekeeping staff was too busy to clean it when I asked on day three of a five night stay for it to be cleaned. Instead, I was asked what I needed, which was mainly towels (and I was given them), but having someone collect the trash would have been great too (and not too much to ask for). I have traveled all over the US, Africa, Asia, and Central America, and having your room cleaned once during a five night stay is not a crazy or demanding request. In general, the hotel appears a bit shabby and the carpets could use a good cleaning. Next, people rave about the location, which is odd to me. In the summer, I can understand being on the river, but, no matter the season, you are still a bit far away from town. Don’t get me wrong, downtown Fairbanks isn’t far. But there is still nothing really by this hotel except Pike’s restaurant, which is also past its prime and fair at best. There is absolutely nothing you can walk to to check out the sites. I think the claim to fame to staying at this hotel in the winter is seeing the auroras, but you can also see them from other parts of the city and outside city limits is even better. That being said, I did appreciate the airport shuttle, which was very convenient. If I visit Fairbanks again, I would stay at a hotel more centrally located so you could walk to a variety of restaurants, bars, attractions, shops, etc. I encourage others to check out other hotels before booking here as half of the staff, location, and general appearance and upkeep of this hotel are not fantastic for what you are paying. It was definitely a disappointment.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ursula Gottschling, Guest Services / Front Office at Pike's Waterfront Lodge
Responded 31 Jan 2023
Nicole I am very sorry that we disappointed you during your stay with us.
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Overall I left disappointed. The location contains great historical value and I thought I would love this location! This was my base camp for seeing the Aurora as we stayed 6 nights - 4 chasing the Aurora. Our room had some strange odor beginning on the 3d night, but I overheard the front desk say they were booked so knew they couldn't move us. Didn't understand shuttle cost before check-in, and then discovered what wasn't free shuttle ended up costing more than Lyft or Uber – which is already high due to being Fairbanks Alaska…. Since I didn't rent a vehicle until my last two nights - I felt "trapped". They cut overall room cleaning due to staffing shortages, but they were very prompt in providing towels and coffee on request. $20 breakfast buffet was ok, but not worth that price. My wife just skipped breakfast. Next door restaurant was extremely good, but was surprised at pricing. I had an amazing trip, but I my state that my stay was not a highlight of the trip and kept me thinking that I should have stayed at one of the other locations.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2023
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ursula Gottschling, Guest Services / Front Office at Pike's Waterfront Lodge
Responded 10 Oct 2023
Michael I am so sorry we disappointed you during your stay with us Sir.
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Pike’s Waterfront Lodge has immense potential and with minor improvements, could absolutely dominate the hospitality market in Fairbanks. Overall this was a very enjoyable stay that met all of our group’s needs. All employees were extremely friendly, but the standout MVP for our group was Tiffany at the lobby bar. Tiffany was extremely friendly and made our group feel at home - so much so that we made a point to visit her every night of our 3 week stay for “business meetings”. Katrina filled in for Tiffany one night and went above and beyond to make us feel at home and helped share local cuisine with us. The campfires at night added to the ambiance of a late spring / early summer visit and made for an enjoyable place to decompress after a long work day. Some tips for improvement include refinement to the restaurant next door (reevaluate menu pricing / value / hours of operation) and hotel housekeeping. We had to request linen changes even though hotel policy indicated it would be done every 4 days. Again, overall this hotel far exceeded our expectations and we would certainly return with our large group in the future. Kudos to Jay, Dawn, and Tiffany for being standouts in support of our group visit. Keep up the great work!
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Date of stay: April 2024Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Great value w/ everything you need, but don’t be afraid to ask for things - hotel staff willing...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mother Nature is our real boss & did not expect a winter storm on 10/21 - 10/23 & hoped the luxurious log cabin I booked at Pikes Watefront Lodge would offset bad weather conditions . After schlepping luggage in several inches of snow to log cabin 12 only to discover no Wi-Fi connection, the front desk switched me to a 3rd floor room in the main lodge where the hustle and bustle of travelers & housekeeping services was less than desirable. The two double bed rooms aren’t renovated & did not have a separate sitting area near the Chena River. Although my rate was adjusted, the hotel should have advised during the time of booking, Wi-Fi connection in log cabins is non existent & a work in progress. I would not recommend this hotel for solo travelers. Additionally their black car service required minimum of 6 people per party. On the plus side, breakfast potatoes & eggs were decent and dining room attendee’s were friendly & attentive. Pikes Landing restaurant’s halibut chowder soup was overpriced; nearly $20 for a 12oz portion.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ursula Gottschling, Guest Services / Front Office at Pike's Waterfront Lodge
Responded 14 Nov 2024
Judy I apologize that we disappointed you during your stay with us Ma'am.
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We came to Fairbanks to see the Northern Lights and booked our stay at Pike’s. I have mixed feelings about our stay. The staff was nice, especially Brian. He was very kind and helpful. The room itself was OK. The carpet was in desperate need of cleaning. I mean it was really bad. There are a lot of heavy drapes and lots of fabric which appeared to not have been cleaned in a very long time so my dust allergies really kicked up. They only clean the rooms every four days if you’re staying that long because they are short-staffed. On one hand it was nice because we didn’t feel like we had to get out of the room so it could be cleaned, but on the other hand, the room could really use a deep cleaning; probably beyond what a maid can do. The room we stayed in was labeled as an “aurora view” room, but there is so much light pollution from the hotel itself that you will definitely need to have a car so you can get out of town a bit to see the lights. We did that and it was spectacular. The breakfast at the hotel was excellent. Probably the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. The room had a coffee maker as well which we really appreciated. Overall our stay at Pike’s was really nice. I would have given them five stars if the drapes and the carpet were cleaner. I understand that it’s very cold in the winter so they may need all that heavy fabric, but they really need a deep cleaning. If you have dust allergies, bring allergy medication. You may need it. All in all, we had a nice stay. Fairbanks is very remote, so prices are understandably high. It’s expensive to get goods and services in much of Alaska, so be prepared for that. Rent a car so you can get away from the city lights and do some exploring, and most of all, have a wonderful time. It’s a beautiful place.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Rent a car so you can explore and get away from the city lights. Bring allergy medication if you...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ursula Gottschling, Guest Services / Front Office at Pike's Waterfront Lodge
Responded 17 Feb 2024
Hi Cat ! I am sorry about your allergies but the carpeting is cleaned on a monthly basis and the drapery is velvet and heavy but dust free. Thank you about the breakfast and the comment about the nice stay and we look forward to your next stay with us :)
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Cary, North Carolina93 contributions41 helpful votes
You may be able to see the Northern Lights from Pike’s, and they do offer a wake-up call should someone on the property see them. I was not successful seeing the lights from Pike’s, but had great views from a location about 20 miles outside of Fairbanks, where the city lights are not as much of a problem.
There are more places to choose from in the Fairbanks area.
PRICE RANGE
$244 - $378 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
pike`s waterfront hotel fairbanks, pikes waterfront hotel, pikes waterfront fairbanks
LOCATION
United StatesAlaskaFairbanks
NUMBER OF ROOMS
208
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Pike's Waterfront Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to Pike's Waterfront Lodge?
Nearby attractions include Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum (7.1 km), Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center (6.6 km), and University of Alaska Museum of the North (3.0 km).
