Alaskan Hotel and Bar

I loved this place full of flavor and history. It's funky, there's bar noise downstairs, downtown noise, no elevators. But staff are super, super nice, welcoming, and even accomoddate leaving luggage there before and after check out. Oddly 1 night was more expensive and without a private bathroom. The less expensive room had lots of extra courtesy samples, towels and attached private bathroom with shower. Probably least expensive hotel in Juneau and with such a better vibe than the hostile hostel.

This has all the features (or quirks) of an historic building, so don't expect a luxury hotel. But, if you set your expectations with that in mind, you can have a great stay here. We knew there was no elevator and thankfully were on the 2nd floor. We were in a "suite" with private bath and kitchen (#212), although kitchen is a stretch - yes there is a stove, sink and small refrigerator (no shelf) but no utensils, plates or cookware. There is a microwave and coffeemaker but no cups. The bed is comfortable, the shower is good (but no place to put soap or shampoo), the antique furniture adds to the charm. A towel rack near the sink (in the bedroom) would be helpful. The building is also a bar, so be prepared: when we arrived late Wednesday it was Karaoke night and the noise carried throughout the building. Thursday was Open Mic night, also a rowdy time. But other nights were pleasantly quiet. The staff at check-in was very friendly and helpful. Located conveniently downtown, near food trucks and coffee shops, it's an easy walk to museums, libraries and other sites.

Check your expectations. This is an 100 year historic hotel with perhaps the most central location possible. Sure, it's less than perfect, but it the mark for me: affordable, comfortable bed, charming in its way - even has a microwave, sink and stove for a single. Other places are 2X-5X more expensive, if even available. This hit the mark for me. Yes, there's wear and tear here and there - but that's to be expected. If you want modern and polish or semi-posh, stay elsewhere. But if you want an affordable, Juneau experience in a central location that provides a fine bed - go for it.

The place is rumored to have a resident ghost. I never saw a ghost, but I am ******* by my interaction with “Scooter” the front desk clerk. This individual attempted to kick me out of the hotel without my box of salmon and halibut that was chilling in the walk in cooler in the bar. The bartenders had generously allowed me to place my box of fish in the cooler overnight as my flight home was not until 11:30 the next morning. Upon waking up and summoning a Lyft. I asked for my box of fish only to be told (with a smirk) that; 1. The bar was closed. 2. I could not access the bar to get my fish. 3. My box of fish was now the property of the smug young feller who communicated 1 and 2. In summary, the “Bar” portion of the business is a wonderful place to have a beer or cocktail. The tenders of the bar are pleasant and helpful. The “Hotel” portion of the business has a lot of historic charm and it is ideally located in downtown Juneau. The experience of the hotel was ruined by the presence of an opportunistic and predatory individual who the owners apparently trust to be the “face” of their establishment.

I had read that the Alaskan Hotel & Bar was a good place to get a beer and I wanted to see the "historic" hotel. I was very disappointed to find the place very dark and uninviting. The bar was set up for live music, but nothing was happening when I dropped by. The bartender didn't greet me and generally ignored me, so I left. Not a very friendly place.

This was the worst hotel experience I've ever had. -We needed an extra cot to put in our room. I spent a very long time on the phone making my reservation and the person I spoke with assured me the room we were staying in had room for a cot and a cot would be available. When we arrived not only was there not a cot in the room, it was apparent that fitting a cot would be extremely difficult. The woman working tried to find one and was able to find the cot frame, but not the mattress. Instead she offered me several blankets "to put under me". -The hotel was very dirty. We found dead bugs in the closet, someone's earrings on the windowsill, and the bathroom was not clean. -Our window was right at ground level, and wouldn't lock, leaving us feeling very unsafe. Especially because it was also right next to the back entrance where people would come and go to smoke. -We were on the top floor, which was very warm, without air conditioning. This is somewhat normal in Alaska, but we asked for a fan, and the woman said they had all been given out.

Where to begin? -Perhaps the lack of a smoke detector? (empty holder though). - The bathroom mirror that fell off the wall? - Sauna-like room with guillotine windows that wont stay open? - NO BATHROOM DOOR? (Seriously. Someone had removed the bathroom door) -A garbage bag full of ice? ("because someone keeps stealing our ice buckets") -All night screaming and ********* smoke coming from the street below? -The techno DJ shaking the fillings out of our teeth until 3am? Pick your favorite, save your sanity, and stay at the Juneau Ramada instead.

Pros: • I love the location of this hotel, everything is so walkable and the view is of course beautiful. •Staff has been very very friendly so far. • I love the design of this entire hotel, the furniture in the lobby, the carpet, the wallpaper, so cute and historic and is the exact reason why we chose to stay here. •Comfy and CLEAN bed (thank god) it seems rare nowadays to not find a stain somewhere on a hotel bed. These did not! •TV and mini fridge in our room Cons: •Do noooooot stay here if you’re a light sleeper. The bar in the hotel has absolute ragers. • I’m not sure if they don’t care anymore or what, but it seems they are letting this beautiful old hotel get run down. By “they” I mean the owners of course. - Chipped paint - Duct tape of some sort over the fridge - One window doesn’t stay open -Shower door barely shuts -Smudges all over tv and mirrors • The whole key system for getting in the hotel is very odd. •The hotel staff is at the bar at night? It’s very weird if you have something you need to walk down to the bar in your jammies

I read *many* mixed reviews before staying at this property, most complained about the noise, due to the hotel being over the bar. Yes, it is noisy, yes, you can hear yelling from the bar downstairs and occasional music,-- but it's nothing awful. If you are a light sleeper-don't book it. If you live in a city or anywhere with some traffic noise at night, you will be fine. You can also request a room that is NOT over the bar, and those rooms are quiet. This hotel is not at all ADA accessible, there are no elevators. It is smack dab in the heart of downtown, with Rainbow Foods (grocery store) in walking distance, Foggy Mountain (shop for outdoor gear) in walking distance, and two famous and cheap restaurants, as well as a post office--less than 30 seconds from the front door. Deckhand Dave's Fish Tacos and the Alaskan Crepe Escape are some of the best and cheapest food in town, and they are right by it. I felt safer in this location as a young solo woman than I would've on the outskirts of town--yes there are homeless and yes there are drunks, but it is also bustling with tourists 24/7. It is warm, clean, fresh sheets, clean bathrooms. I had some of my best sleep ever in this hotel! Checking in is a bit of a pain, you have to be very assertive and get the bartender's attention--they don't staff the hotel so the bartender must walk over and check you in. It is not a time to be timid, you have to politely assert yourself to get checked in. Their French cleaning staff are loud and rude and childish, but you barely interact. This place is old (1913) but VERY clean, and strong wifi. Book it! Even the shared showers were kept impeccably clean.