I need a place to stay on my return run and don't want the ritz. I just want a clean place to sleep. I plan to shuttle from Healy to Anchorage on the evening of the 22nd, stay overnight, rent a car on Friday morning the 23rd and head back up toward Denali to do some photography. I will get chances on the hunt, but I will be hunting, not wasting a lot of time messing with cameras. I will drive back Friday night, crash again and then fly out in the early morning.

If anyone can point me to a decent hotel close to the airport it would be appreciated.

Thanks!

The Coast International is less than 5 minutes from the airport. I recently booked the room/2 weeks parking package for $89 starting the 20th. I imagine without the parking it would be less. I've stayed there for as low as $69 during the winter. They also have an attached restaurant which is handy. There are others, Courtyard, Best Western, Millenium, etc., but the Coast is the closest.

The "Puffin Inn" is just down the street from the Barrett Best Western and Millenium and is much cheaper, but clean. Stay there and eat at the Millenium is the best bet. Good shooting.

Try the Comfort Inn on Ship Creek but ask for a room opposite the rail yard.

I just returned from Anchorage and stayed in the roadway inn and DO NOT recomend it.

The Millenium is great....close to the airport, and a great bar/resturant. Go into the bar and look around. I have no trouble telling the locals from the caribou hunters, from the sheep hunters, from the moose hunters:
Locals....tee shirt in 40 degree/raining, dental issues common, unusual facial hair, come in groups.
Caribou hunters....groups of best buddies, all wearing new camo from cabelas, camo soap in the showers, likely brought camo condoms
Moose hunter....tougher to tell, single or in groups, all body types, also wearing something in camo, although maybe not all from Cabelas, and maybe not from head to toe
Sheep hunter......single, Rolex, white/gray hair, slight belly, with a "captain of industry" look to him, busy, eyeballing his cell phone or daytimer often (there is another version of sheep hunter, but they are staying on the lawn of the airport under a paratipi, wearing a titanium watch, eating freeze dried food that they made themselves, over a stove they made themselves, agonizing over whether to bring one or both the graphite walking sticks or just one to save weight. Usually less than 5% body fat.
I say all this in jest of course, but one of the funnest things for me (not knowing a soul in Anchorage) is to sit at the bar once a year, after an around-the-world plane trip, over to the side by the pop-corn machine, and try to figure out who everyone is. The caribou hunters seem to be having the most fun. I surely wish I could talk some of my Homeys into taking the AK plunge.
Doc

DonB:

That was HALARIOUS!!! I was literally laughing out loud!

quote:

Originally posted by Marc_Stokeld:
DonB:

That was HALARIOUS!!! I was literally laughing out loud!

Me too!

It's funny because there is more than a shred of truth in it

Wow.
Now I know.

BE a Caribou Hunter --- FUN included~!

Motel 6 by the airport, brand new. Good place to eat across the street. Stayed there for a few days in May.

Grizzly Inn B&B, downtown small B&B clean/cheap there are a ton of B&Bs in Anchorage area..beware not what you are used to in the lower 48 though!
there are a bunch of Motels on international and minnesota blvds close to airport

Days Inn $67 per nite or new motel 6 off Seward hwy $69 per nite.

I'm staying at the Puffin Inn on 6th Oct. will let you know if it's any good.