Alaska - B&B or inn suggestions in Seward and Homer?

It's taken ages, but I have finally nailed down the itinerary for our AK trip in July. Now all I have left to do is book two stays: one night in Homer or somewhere north of Homer (after our return from Kodiak) and two nights in Seward (before and after our kayaking-camping trip).

I'm looking for a comfortable inn or B&B, with a private bath. On both occasions, coming off far more rustic, cold, and probably rainy expeditions, we're going to need seriously comfortable beds and (hopefully) a hot tub.

Any suggestions?

Unfortunately, I'm not personally familiar with lodgings in those areas (I've always done them as day trips from ANC), so the best I'd be able to do would be to try to help point you in the direction of some online and offline resources (off the top of my head, see of http://www.alaska.org has anything--they've been one of my favorite review sites, and make sure to buy a copy of The Milepost).

I would recommend my friend's wonderful new cabin in Hope (http://www.alaskablackbearbnb.com), but Hope's a good three hours from Homer...I'm guessing you'll want accommodations closer than that!

It's taken ages, but I have finally nailed down the itinerary for our AK trip in July. Now all I have left to do is book two stays: one night in Homer or somewhere north of Homer (after our return from Kodiak) and two nights in Seward (before and after our kayaking-camping trip).

I'm looking for a comfortable inn or B&B, with a private bath. On both occasions, coming off far more rustic, cold, and probably rainy expeditions, we're going to need seriously comfortable beds and (hopefully) a hot tub.

Any suggestions? July? Prepare to shell out the bucks ...

There are heaps of B&Bs around Homer which is a useful thing since there aren't that many hotel/motel rooms compared to the number of visitors around in July. Two of the larger hotel/motels in town are the Lands End on the spit (expensive during peak season) and the Best Western Bidarka near the high school.

A good site to peruse for info on Homer B&Bs is:

http://homerbedbreakfast.com/


As for Seward, the place will get completely booked out and pricey around the 4th of July, but the rest of the month will just be pricey :)

Both the Homer and Seward Chambers of Commerce put out visitors guides for each summer and both CoCs have info on all types of accomodations in their areas. The folks at the Homer visitor center won't make recommendations on accomodations or tours, etc (they're supposed to be vendor neutral), however they can and will answer objective questions to help people narrow down their choices.

Thanks to both of you. I've been looking at the B&B sites--just wondering if anyone has direct experience.

jackal, can you give me an idea of how long it will take to drive from Homer to Seward? We will be arriving in Homer (from the ferry) on the morning of the 19th and need to be in Seward by around 3 PM on the 20th. I was thinking to stay in Homer on the night of the 19th, but maybe we should start driving around the peninsula that day and stay someplace in the middle? (Hope?)

I do have the Milepost, thanks. Haven't looked at it in a while since I have been consumed with getting the fishing and kayaking trips set up, but now I will get back on that.

Thanks to both of you. I've been looking at the B&B sites--just wondering if anyone has direct experience.

jackal, can you give me an idea of how long it will take to drive from Homer to Seward? We will be arriving in Homer (from the ferry) on the morning of the 19th and need to be in Seward by around 3 PM on the 20th. I was thinking to stay in Homer on the night of the 19th, but maybe we should start driving around the peninsula that day and stay someplace in the middle? (Hope?)

I do have the Milepost, thanks. Haven't looked at it in a while since I have been consumed with getting the fishing and kayaking trips set up, but now I will get back on that.
I'd expect a drive time of about 3-3.5 hours to either Seward or Hope. Then, from Hope, it's about 1-1.5 hours to Seward. (Hope's not exactly in the middle--it's about 45 minutes back towards Anchorage from where the Seward and Sterling highways meet--see this Google Map (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=16937819071948560973,60.530266,-149.556885&saddr=Homer,+AK&daddr=Hope,+AK+to:Seward,+AK&sll=60.286131,-150.633545&sspn=1.402251,5.635986&ie=UTF8&ll=60.286131,-150.5896&spn=1.402251,5.635986&t=h&z=8)).

I love my friend Maggie's place in Hope, but note that while she calls it a B&B, you don't get a cooked breakfast. However, the spacious cabin is very well furnished and comfortable (on her site is a link to a slideshow with some pics), and if you can sit down with Maggie and listen to her tell some stories of growing up in the Territory of Alaska and her days as the first female firefighter and police officer at the Anchorage airport, you'll come away having heard about the real Alaska. (She's actually in the final stages of getting a book with her stories published--it should be out by early summer and, from the bit of the manuscript I've read, should be a great read.)

If you decide to keep more to the main roads, Quokka's suggestions for where to look up B&Bs is a great start. Also, back to my favorite: alaska.org has a B&B map here (http://alaska.org/lodging/alaska-bed-and-breakfast-map.htm). While they don't have ratings for each B&B, they're not necessarily vendor-neutral--that is, if it's on the site, it's a good place. You might want to check out the places at tripadvisor.com, too, just to make sure. (The Milepost is a great resource, but they're completely vendor-neutral--in other words, whoever wants to pay for an ad in the Milepost gets an ad in the Milepost, so while it can be comprehensive, I'd definitely seek a second opinion on any place listed there.

Be weary of construction... it can take hours away from your trip if you get stuck... ugh... but the roads are much nicer to thank. I have no clue what is in store for this year, but just be forewarned...

I'd say bring a tent:D On my brief jaunts to the Peninsula with friends, we just put up a tent and sleep on the beach (above the tideline)

But another idea could be to rent a Moterhome... they seem to be quite popular despite the price of gas...

And to Jackal:


Coffee pot, toaster, microwave and refrigerator/freezer available


Sounds more like a house then a cabin:D Oh well... the cost of luxury!

This would have been like 2004, but we spent a night at A Swan Nest Inn (http://www.seward.net/~swannest/) in Seward. It was Labor Day weekend so tourist season was winding down and we were able to walk in and snag a really reasonable rate.

It was a pretty nice place and nice folks owning it, too. We had dinner at the Salmon Bake Restaurant (http://www.sewardalaskacabins.com/SalmonBake.htm) which I also recall being pretty decent.

And if you still have the energy and time in Seward, the Harding Icefield Trail (http://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/harding_icefield_trail.htm)at Kenai Fjords is really top class. I'm very biased as I spent a summer in high school working on that trail...but it really is spectacular!

Sounds more like a house then a cabin:D Oh well... the cost of luxury!
It is a lovely little home-away-from-home (one of the most relaxing getaways I know of). Her actual "house" (house in the, er, rural-Alaskan style), just down the hill from the cabin, is probably the nicest place in town...leaving her, by default, the mayor of Hope...:D

Thanks, gang. After a weekend of looking I have decided to do the "Homer" night closer to Clam Gulch/Soldotna (we have a lot of time to do the drive and somehow the idea of digging for razor clams is bizarrely appealing). I've got some promising possibilities there.

For the "Seward" night I have decided that I want to pay up for a bit more luxury--it's our last night, and the previous three nights will have been spent camping and kayaking (i.e. possibly cold and wet). We'll either stay in Seward itself or start driving back north toward Anchorage and stay somewhere en route. We just need to get back to Anchorage by the end of the next day. The only semi-luxurious place I came up with so far was Kenai Princess Lodge in Cooper Landing, but they have no availability (and that looked awfully bland anyway).

I'm thinking that there might not be luxury even if we want it (I haven't found anything particularly compelling), but if anyone has ideas for higher-end stuff somewhere between Seward and Cooper Landing, that would be great.

Thanks, gang. After a weekend of looking I have decided to do the "Homer" night closer to Clam Gulch/Soldotna (we have a lot of time to do the drive and somehow the idea of digging for razor clams is bizarrely appealing). I've got some promising possibilities there.

For the "Seward" night I have decided that I want to pay up for a bit more luxury--it's our last night, and the previous three nights will have been spent camping and kayaking (i.e. possibly cold and wet). We'll either stay in Seward itself or start driving back north toward Anchorage and stay somewhere en route. We just need to get back to Anchorage by the end of the next day. The only semi-luxurious place I came up with so far was Kenai Princess Lodge in Cooper Landing, but they have no availability (and that looked awfully bland anyway).

I'm thinking that there might not be luxury even if we want it (I haven't found anything particularly compelling), but if anyone has ideas for higher-end stuff somewhere between Seward and Cooper Landing, that would be great.
Not much civilization exists between Seward and Cooper Landing (no offense intended to residents of Moose Pass), so there's not much, except for maybe some B&Bs. The Kenai Princess is nice enough, but you picked a good word--bland--to describe it.

If you want to treat yourself, drive to Girdwood and stay in the Alyeska Prince Hotel. It's not more than two hours from Seward and is only 45 minutes south of Anchorage.

Otherwise, the only other thing I can think of is the Summit Lake Lodge, probably 20 minutes north of the Seward Highway/Sterling Highway split. Good food, but I'm not familiar with their accommodations.

Thanks, gang. After a weekend of looking I have decided to do the "Homer" night closer to Clam Gulch/Soldotna (we have a lot of time to do the drive and somehow the idea of digging for razor clams is bizarrely appealing). I've got some promising possibilities there.

Well, if that's what you're into, however the Homer area is quite an interesting, amusing and even pretty place. Soldotna and Kenai on the otherhand tend more towards the boring and even grim. Kenai and Soldotna are good places to base yourself if you want to try combat fishing though.



I'm thinking that there might not be luxury even if we want it (I haven't found anything particularly compelling), but if anyone has ideas for higher-end stuff somewhere between Seward and Cooper Landing, that would be great. Between Seward and Cooper Landing is Moose Pass and you'd be hard pressed to find anything "luxurious" there.

Around Cooper Landing there's the Princess which is ok, but sorta bland overall and has a very mediocre restaurant.

There are also a bunch of "B&Bs or cabins" around Cooper Landing with some of them very nice, however the entire area is overrun by fisherpeople in July leading to some obscene prices for what you'd get.

Beyond the junction and on the way to Girdwood and Anchorage is the Summit Lake Lodge. I've stopped by for food there occasionally, but I've passed on staying there mainly because the Summit Lake area just always seems cold, windy and empty no matter what the time of year. Also the rooms are pretty plain.

If you want luxury, head to Girdwood and the Alyeska Prince.

Well, if that's what you're into, however the Homer area is quite an interesting, amusing and even pretty place. Soldotna and Kenai on the otherhand tend more towards the boring and even grim. Kenai and Soldotna are good places to base yourself if you want to try combat fishing though.
Hm, will keep that in mind. I don't think we are into the combat fishing thing (we will have just come off a few days of salmon fishing in Kodiak anyway) but somehow the idea of razor clams is just hypnotic to me. As for Homer, we will have two full days there anyway before and after our ferry journey to Kodiak. I have heard it is great and look forward to spending time there.

I am indeed coming up a bit short on the luxury front but I think at this point I will be happy with a hot breakfast and a bathtub. I have found something called Tern Lake Inn which looks nice, and a bunch of decent-looking B&Bs. The e-mail deluge starts now...!

but somehow the idea of razor clams is just hypnotic to me. Well hopefully your date with the clams will be somewhere between the 1st and the 7th or between the 17th and the 31st of July.

It's been years since I've been clamming on the Kenai, however we found the Ninilchik area to be more enjoyable to clam on a really low tide day. Clam Gulch is basically a muddy beach and can get overrun when the tides are low. Ninilchik has the little village with its fishing fleet and photogenic church as well as the beach.

Well hopefully your date with the clams will be somewhere between the 1st and the 7th or between the 17th and the 31st of July.
It will be the 19th. Hope that works!

It's been years since I've been clamming on the Kenai, however we found the Ninilchik area to be more enjoyable to clam on a really low tide day. Clam Gulch is basically a muddy beach and can get overrun when the tides are low. Ninilchik has the little village with its fishing fleet and photogenic church as well as the beach.
Thanks--will make a note. I've got lodging candidates there too!

Thanks, gang. After a weekend of looking I have decided to do the "Homer" night closer to Clam Gulch/Soldotna (we have a lot of time to do the drive and somehow the idea of digging for razor clams is bizarrely appealing). I've got some promising possibilities there.

For the "Seward" night I have decided that I want to pay up for a bit more luxury--it's our last night, and the previous three nights will have been spent camping and kayaking (i.e. possibly cold and wet). We'll either stay in Seward itself or start driving back north toward Anchorage and stay somewhere en route. We just need to get back to Anchorage by the end of the next day. The only semi-luxurious place I came up with so far was Kenai Princess Lodge in Cooper Landing, but they have no availability (and that looked awfully bland anyway).


Hm, will keep that in mind. I don't think we are into the combat fishing thing (we will have just come off a few days of salmon fishing in Kodiak anyway) but somehow the idea of razor clams is just hypnotic to me. As for Homer, we will have two full days there anyway before and after our ferry journey to Kodiak. I have heard it is great and look forward to spending time there.


Well hopefully your date with the clams will be somewhere between the 1st and the 7th or between the 17th and the 31st of July.

It's been years since I've been clamming on the Kenai, however we found the Ninilchik area to be more enjoyable to clam on a really low tide day. Clam Gulch is basically a muddy beach and can get overrun when the tides are low. Ninilchik has the little village with its fishing fleet and photogenic church as well as the beach.

Ssh...:D

I might be down there... then again thanks to AS' new route I might be in OGG too...

It will be the 19th. Hope that works!


Bit of a weak tide (http://www.alaskaadventuresuites.com/tides.htm) at -1.9 but it works...

It isn't really that bad... when out there in your hip/chestwaiters, raingear, and jacket... just think of what I'd be doin...

tank top, swim suit and my tevas! (Bucket and shovel too! (plus license))

Rain or shine, it always worked for me... bit nippy some days, but after you start diggin, well, you usually warm up.

Also, don't be too zealous when finding the clam... there is a reason they are called "razor clams"...

And cleaning them is quite the experience!

One more thing... the daylight will also be an interesting experience... Solstice is even more of an extreme, but its still quite pronounced mid-July, especially when compared to the "Lower 48". I went on a trip to IND last summer and was amazed it was dark by 8PM... absolutely astounded! (I usually never leave AK during the summer)

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and advice. Everything is finally booked, miraculously. I took Quokka's advice to stay in Ninilchik rather than farther north for our razor clam adventure--we'll be at Deep Creek B&B, run by Salty Dog Charters. They've got the hot tub, which I'm sure will be very pleasant after our two nights on Kodiak Island (Zachar Bay Lodge) and a night on the ferry.

For the pre-kayaking night in Seward we will be at Soo's B&B, and for the post-kayaking night we will be at Bear Lake Lodgings, just outside town. Real luxury just didn't pop up, so I settled for what looks to be at least a slightly higher level of comfort that night. None of these places are particularly pricey (at least, for a person who is inured to routinely shelling out $400-plus in NY, where I frequently travel for work). The top rate is $160 at Bear Lake. Not bad, really.

I can't believe this trip is finally all sorted out. It has taken months! And a stunning amount of research! I just hope it doesn't rain the whole time...