Summary: Basic hotel, but great for Anchorage!
For July 20, 2009 stay, by Krista Ehlers
We chose Clarion Suites Downtown (which was then called Hawthorn Suites) based on price – we just couldn’t believe the prices that hotels were charging in Anchorage! Well, my advice to you is: believe it! Hotel prices are very high in Anchorage, and so whatever your comfort zone is, bump it up to the next price bracket if you want a similar quality hotel in Alaska.
Clarion Downtown was by no means a bad hotel. It was clean and conveniently located in downtown – close to the park strip and within comfortable walking distance of major attractions (Alaska Experience Theater, Dogsled Rodeo, Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, and the wonderful bike trail along the water). Their staff was very pleasant and helpful – especially when we had to go back to get a cord we forgot in our room! With their free shuttle service to and from the airport, as well as other locations around town, you could really get away without renting a car, which was also expensive. I guess everything is bigger in Alaska! Their breakfast was very good, as well – several hot offerings, as well as pastries and fruit.
Ultimately, we did change hotels to Embassy Suites during our stay, because there were some downsides. The decor in the rooms was a little dated, and our suite only had one window in the bedroom, so the living area was quite dark. These two things gave an overall sense of dreariness to the room. We felt that for a bit more money, we would get a more pleasant room, so we moved. However, if you are looking for a budget option, this hotel is really very good.
