Fairbanks' BEST Extended Stay? This Hotel Will SHOCK You!
Fairbanks' BEST Extended Stay? Hold on to Your Hats! This Hotel Will SHOCK You! (But Maybe Not in the Way You Think)
Okay, buckle up, buttercups. Because I just got back from a stay at Fairbanks' BEST Extended Stay… and "shock" is definitely the right word. But whether that's a good shock or a "run-for-the-hills" shock? That's the million-dollar question. Let's dive in, shall we? This isn't your polished, sanitized hotel review. This is the real deal, warts and all.
Metadata & SEO (Gotta play the game, right?): Fairbanks, Alaska, Extended Stay, BEST Extended Stay, Hotel Review, Accessibility, Wheelchair Accessible, Free Wi-Fi, Cleanliness, Safety, Dining, Fitness Center, Spa, Pool, Family-Friendly, Pets, Airport Transfer.
First Impressions (and a little anxiety):
Pulling up, the exterior looked… well, it looked functional. Let's be honest. It's that kind of place where you secretly judge yourself for not being a hard-working Alaskan with a muddy truck. The “BEST” part of the name? I was already skeptical. My heart sank a little. But hey, extended stay means I'm probably okay with functional.
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag (and a little victory dance):
- Wheelchair Accessible: YES! Praise be! This was a biggie for me, and they delivered. Ramps, accessible rooms (more on that later), the whole shebang. Felt seen!
- Elevator: Yep, and thank goodness. This place is multi-storied, so that was key. No struggling up endless flights of stairs. (Again, seen!)
- Facilities for Disabled Guests: I got the impression they were genuinely trying. They had a good start, but I noticed a few small details that could be improved -- like the placement of the handrails in the elevator (maybe a little too close to the walls).
- Access: This is where it gets interesting.
- Exterior corridor: Yes, this means you can step right out of your room directly into the fresh Alaskan air. This is a HUGE plus for safety and makes for a more comfortable experience when bringing in your luggage. Very convenient!
- Check-in/out [express] I didn't use the express check-in/out because I wanted to assess the staff and the area, which could cause a slightly longer process.
Cleanliness and Safety: Did I Survive the Germs?
This is where the "shock" factor started ramping up. The commitment to cleanliness was evident, and it was a huge relief given the current climate.
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Check!
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Check!
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Check! The details of their room sanitization were very reassuring.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: Check!
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere! (My OCD soul rejoiced!)
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Check! They're not kidding about the details. They actually looked like they knew what they were doing.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: Phew!
- Individually-wrapped food options: (More on that later, when we get to the food!)
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: They tried! It shows!
- Safe dining setup: (See below)
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Yes!
Room Review (Cue Dramatic Music):
My room… okay, it wasn’t a Pinterest dream. But it was clean, functional, and… comfortable.
- Air conditioning: Yep, critical in summer.
- Blackout curtains: YES! Essential for Alaskan summer nights that never really end.
- Free Wi-Fi: And it actually worked! (Miracle!)
- Extra long bed: Bonus points! I'm tall, and this was a godsend.
- Coffee/tea maker: Essential. Needed that caffeine fix.
- Mini bar: No mini bar, good for the budget.
- Refrigerator: Yup! Very useful for longer stays, and helps keep costs down by allowing you to stock snacks.
- Seating area: Small, but did the job. I had a good space to relax.
- Separate shower/bathtub: Always a win.
- Wake-up service: Yep.
- Soundproofing: (It's always a gamble.)
- Non-smoking: Always a plus!
- Smoking area: (Outside, thankfully.)
- Shower: The shower had good pressure. I could feel the water.
Okay, now for my room's BIGGEST flaw and the one thing that nearly caused me to leave the hotel! I'm serious! Everything was going well until I attempted to use the bed sheets. The sheets were terrible. I hated them. Rough, stiff, scratchy… I felt like I was sleeping on sandpaper. I'm a light sleeper and this kept me up all night. I asked the front desk to move rooms and they moved me to a different one, which was better.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Fueling the Alaskan Adventure!
- Breakfast [buffet]: This is where things got…interesting. I mean, it was there.
- Asian breakfast: (Huh? In Fairbanks? Okay…)
- A la carte in restaurant: (Again, there was a restaurant.)
- Coffee shop: (Yup.)
- Snack bar: (Handy.)
- Restaurants: Yes!
- Room service [24-hour]: Tempting, very tempting.
- Food delivery: Yes!
- Alternative meal arrangement: (I think they have options, which would be helpful.)
- Breakfast takeaway service: Yes!
- Buffet in restaurant: (See above.)
- Coffee/tea in restaurant: Yes, and very weak.
- Desserts in restaurant: They had a few… don't get your hopes up.
- Happy hour: A definite plus; get there early.
- International cuisine in restaurant: (More like generic cuisine… but hey, they're trying!)
- Poolside bar: (Sadly, no pool.)
- Salad in restaurant: (Yep.)
- Soup in restaurant: (Available.)
- Vegetarian restaurant: (Good luck with that one. This is Alaska.)
- Western breakfast: (At least they had that!)
My Take on the Food: The whole buffet experience? It was a little… sad. Lots of pre-packaged stuff. The breakfast wasn't awful, but it wasn’t particularly memorable either. (I may have resorted to stockpiling the individually-wrapped muffins. Don't judge me.) The restaurant? It offered some food. It was decent. Nothing to rave about. I think my main take away here is: don't come here expecting a culinary adventure. But, hey, it's serviceable! This is probably what you would expect from an extended stay.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax: Let the Adventure Begin (or Not)!
- Fitness center: Small, but functional.
- Gym/fitness: (See above.)
- Swimming pool [outdoor]: Unfortunately, no pool (this was a real bummer).
- Spa/sauna: Nope.
- Massage: Nope!
- Sauna: Nope.
- Pool with view: Nope. (It's Fairbanks. You're here for the wilderness, not the poolside bar. Maybe. Maybe not. I personally would love a pool!)
- Ways to relax:
- Body scrub: Nope.
- Body wrap: Nope.
- Foot bath: Nope.
- Steamroom: Nope.
The lack of amenities was disappointing: I'd say that the lack of amenities was one huge letdown, although I am not expecting a 5-star experience.
Services and Conveniences: Beyond the Basics
- Air conditioning in public area: Yes.
- Audio-visual equipment for special events: (If you're hosting a business meeting in Fairbanks… sure.)
- Business facilities: (Basic.)
- Cash withdrawal: (Yep.)
- Concierge: (Not exactly.)
- Contactless check-in/out: (Yep.)
- Convenience store: (Nope.)
- Currency exchange: (Probably not.)
- Daily housekeeping: (Yes!)
- Doorman: (Nope.)
- Dry cleaning: (Yes!)
For the Kids: Family Fun (Maybe) The hotel's family-friendly reputation in the area is definitely questionable since there were little in the way of amenities for the children.
- Babysitting service: (Nope)
- Family/child friendly: (I'd say it's *
Okay, strap yourselves in. This isn't your typical, pristine travel itinerary. This is… my Extended Stay America adventure in Fairbanks, Alaska. Buckle up, buttercups.
Day 1: Arrival & The Curse of the Mini-Fridge (and My Stomach’s Treachery)
14:00 - Arrival & Initial Disappointment: Okay, Fairbanks. You're… well, you're Fairbanks. After the epic flight drama involving a screaming baby and the mile-high club (kidding, I think… maybe the baby was the club), I finally stumble into the Extended Stay. Picture this: weary traveler, a suitcase that seems to weigh more than me, and a lobby that smells faintly of industrial cleaner and faint hope. My room? Standard issue beige. Sigh. Okay. Deep breaths. I'm in Alaska. That's the important part, right?
14:30 - Room Reconnaissance & The Mini-Fridge Face-Off: First order of business? Assess the damage. The bed looks… like a bed. The TV? I'm pretty sure it's from the last century. And the mini-fridge… Oh, the mini-fridge. A tiny, humming, metal box of potential disappointment. I shove my Trader Joe's stash inside and… it's not cold. Dammit. This is the kind of thing that makes you question every life choice leading up to this moment. I'm dialing the front desk.
15:00 - Fridge Frenzy Part 2: Two hours of struggling to get the mini fridge. The front desk is great, they are trying their best. Finally some one came and fixed it - but the damage is done: the ice cream will never be the same.
16:00 - The Quest for Food & The First, Tentative Embrace of Fairbanks: Okay, I'm starving. Like, "hangry" levels of starving. Armed with a local map, I venture out. First impressions? Cold. Very cold. And a lot of… gravel. I wander for what feels like an eternity, dodging what appear to be ridiculously large pickup trucks.
17:00 - The Dive Bar Miracle: I find it. A dive bar. Heaven. Greasy burger, questionable fries, and the most friendly, grizzled bartender I've ever met. He tells me stories of the gold rush, the pipeline, and a moose that regularly visits his backyard. Suddenly, Fairbanks doesn't seem so bad. Maybe.
19:00 - Staring at the Midnight Sun (Sort of): Back at the hotel, I attempt to witness the sunset. Except, apparently, in Alaska, the sun just… lingers. It’s a weird, otherworldly glow that refuses to actually set. I sit by the window, feeling a strange mix of awe and jet lag. I think I maybe hallucinated a moose, just saying.
21:00 - The Netflix Coma: Too tired to function. Binge-watching something terrible on Netflix.
Day 2: Aurora Hunting & The Perils of Packing Light (and a Moose Encounter!)
08:00 - Breakfast Disaster (and Fridge Regret): The "complimentary" breakfast at Extended Stay… let's just say it's not a culinary masterpiece. The instant oatmeal is like gritty paste, and the coffee tastes vaguely of disappointment. I eye my mini-fridge with disdain. Nope, going out for breakfast.
10:00 - A Brave Breakfast Attempt: Found a little café. Omelette and coffee. It's great. The local people are so sweet, but everything is so expensive.
12:00 - The Aurora Hunt: The main event! We booked a tour to find those dancing lights. I have never seen them before. Waiting is the hardest thing. The anticipation is killing me.
16;00 - Aurora Borealis: The sky came alive. Colors I've never seen before. It wasn't just a show. It was a feeling. I stared at the sky and forgot to breathe. My eyes filled with tears. Incredible. I won't ever forget it.
19:00 - Dinner: The Great Food Quest - Round 2: After the aurora, I'm starving. I could eat a whole bear.
21:00 - Bedtime and the Ongoing Battle with the Mini-Fridge: I drift off to sleep, still buzzing from the aurora. Tomorrow… packing my suitcase, my eternal enemy. And a reminder of the mini-fridge. It still isn't working right.
Day 3: Leaving Fairbanks & The End of an Adventure (and a Promise to Return!)
09:00 - Farewell Breakfast: Coffee and a weird pastry from the gas station. It's Alaska, so I embrace it.
10:00 - Packing and The Eternal Suitcase Struggle: Packing. My nemesis. I somehow managed to collect more… things. I fight with my suitcase, ending up with a sweaty, defeated mess of clothes and souvenirs. I'm pretty sure I'm going to need to buy another suitcase.
11:00 - Hotel Checkout & Goodbye: Saying goodbye to my room.
12:00 - Airport Bound! Driving.
14:00 - Goodbye Fairbanks Alaska has charmed me. I will be back. I love the people so much.
16:00 - On the Flight: Leaving… I will never forget it.
Post-Trip Thoughts:
Fairbanks, you were a wild ride. The mini-fridge, the aurora, the moose (maybe) – all of it. It wasn't perfect, not by a long shot. But it was real. And that, my friends, is the best adventure of all.
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Fairbanks' BEST Extended Stay: Is It REALLY the Best? (Spoiler: Maybe Not)
Okay, so, the *buzz* is Fairbanks' BEST Extended Stay. And yeah, the photos look all shiny and promising, like something out of a glossy magazine. But let's be real, we've all been burned by a good hotel photo op before. So, what's the *actual* deal? Let's dive in, shall we, before I start another frantic search for a decent coffee machine?
What, exactly, makes this place "Extended Stay" material? Is it just the length of the stay they'll let you have?
Alright, here's the first thing I learned: "Extended Stay" doesn't magically translate into "luxury living." It's more like... "We'll let you stay longer with a mini-fridge and a slightly less-than-mint condition kitchenette." Think of it like this: you're trading in the daily maid service and tiny soaps of a fancy hotel for a slightly more permanent, slightly more *independent* existence. And by independent, I mean, you are responsible for your own toilet paper. I learned that the hard way. Really, REALLY hard way.
They *do* have a laundry room, though. Which, let me tell you, after a week of wearing the same jeans because, well, Fairbanks, is a godsend. But even then, the machines sometimes had a mind of their own. One time, my socks mysteriously vanished. VANISHED! Aliens? Laundry vortex? The mystery remains.
So, the rooms... are they actually livable? Or are we talking "dorm room with a microwave" vibes?
Okay, honesty time: the rooms are… functional. They're not exactly the Taj Mahal, and they're not *designed* for Instagram fame. Think practical. Think… *beige*. There's a bed (comfortable enough after a long day of exploring the Arctic), a desk (perfect for pretending to work... I mean, catching up on emails), and that mini-fridge, which, bless its little cold heart, is your best friend. Especially when you've gotta hide the emergency chocolate stash from yourself, you know? I did one trip that stretched out over a month, and you could tell. More than one stain on the carpet, and the paint was peeling in one corner. It was real life, and I liked that about it, even if the peeling paint was a little sad.
What about the "BEST" part?! What's actually *good* about this place? Give me something positive!
Alright, alright, let's not be total downers. The *location* is arguably decent. You're close to… well, *stuff*. You know, the important Fairbanks stuff. Grocery stores, restaurants, and the all-important liquor store (because, let's face it, sometimes you just need a little somethin' somethin' after a long day – and it’s cold!). Also, one evening, I stumbled out of the hotel at about 2 in the morning for a smoke (terrible habit, I know, don't judge), and THE SKY! It was like they’d spilled a giant can of neon green paint. Northern Lights. Straight up, in your face, and you don’t even need to hike or drive! It was *magical*. Totally worth the whole "beige room" experience. That moment, that one thing, made all the little imperfections fade away. That was the BEST part, genuinely. It was a memory I'll have forever.
Oh and, um… the coffee in the lobby. It’s free. Sometimes. Depends on if the machine is cooperating that day.
Is the staff friendly? Because a grumpy hotel staff can ruin everything.
The staff... is… *there*. Let's leave it at that. They're not actively trying to be rude, but they're also not exactly overflowing with sunshine and rainbows. Think of them as…Alaska-level stoic. They're efficient. They’ll help you if you have a problem. But don't expect them to be your bestie. One time, I accidentally locked myself out of my room at 3 a.m. (don't ask). The guy at the front desk, bless his soul, got me a new key. He just looked…tired. Which, honestly, I get it. We've all been there. They’re probably just as over getting people locked out of their rooms as I am. So, yeah, friendly enough, but definitely not overly effusive.
Any deal-breakers to be aware of? Anything about it you absolutely hated?
Okay… the *noise*. Oh, the noise. Walls are thin. You’ll hear everything. Snoring from your neighbor. Arguments. Late-night TV marathons. (Who's watching TV at 3 a.m. in Fairbanks? I have no idea!). Bring earplugs. Seriously. Invest in the good ones. Also, the occasional… *aroma*. Let's just say the ventilation isn't the strongest. It reminded me of my grandma's house. Warm and a little bit musty. Also: the Internet. It was… inconsistent. And that's putting it kindly. I spent more time yelling at the router than actually working. And, again, I found out that during the summer months it's really hard to get a room! Book way in advance or you'll be out of luck.
So, the bottom line: Should I stay here? Or run screaming?
Look, this is not a luxury experience. This is real life. It's a place to rest your head, have a place to cook a half-way decent meal, and maybe, just maybe, catch the Northern Lights lighting up the sky. If you’re okay with a little roughness around the edges, if you’re not expecting perfection, then yeah. It’s decent. It’s…fine. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option in Fairbanks, and you're not overly precious, it's workable. But pack your earplugs, your sense of humor, and maybe a small air freshener. And be prepared for the unexpected. You're in Alaska, after all. And, honestly? That’s part of the charm. Just don’t expect perfection. And remember to bring your own toilet paper.
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