Lodging

Parts of Town

Juneau is wedged between mountains on the mainland, then water, then Douglas Island. The city is on the South end of the 40 miles or so of roads, with Douglas just across Gastineau Channel.

The downtown is an old mining town converted to a cheesy tourist town come late spring. Bars, restaurants, a few good hikes, and one wedding party are the centers of attraction there. (We'll party at the Juneau Yacht Club, on the Channel just on the north end of downtown, before and after the actual ceremony.) As you go north from town "out the road" you reach the Mendenhall Glacier valley ("the Valley") where lots of flat land has meant we could try to make it look like suburban America for a few decades... But, there is a cool visitor center at the glacier (where we'll get married).

Going further North, it starts to feel like wild Alaska--the road eventually starts to follow the coast -- Fritz Cove, Auke Bay, Stephens, Passage, Lynn Canal. Lodging-- B&Bs -- gets more expensive, but nature gets more in your face, which may be worth it. The Shrine of St. Therese, about 20+ miles from town, is the exception to the expense rule-- cheap cabins with nice amenities, but a bit of a haul (20-25 minute haul) from the festivities. And most are booked for that weekend.

To be honest, I don't know much about the inside of these hotels.

Hotels Downtown

• Juneau Hotel
• Prospector Hotel- seems pretty good... near grocery stores, downtown, etc.
• Driftwood Hotel -near grocery stores, downtown, excellent cafe.
• Breakwater Hotel (a stone's throw from our wedding party venue, but same concerns as Driftwood. I can look at the state of the rooms in either case.)
• Alaska Hotel (an old place that's a dive, but right above a fun bar. Not sure I'd do it, personally, but if you're feeling extra adventurous...)

Moving up the price scale downtown

• Sheraton Four Points (above a fun sports bar, management likely a bit wonky)
• Silverbow Inn-a boutique hotel in the most densely populated part of downtown
• Baranof Hotel (probably most expensive, old, but where the lobbyists stay, so pretty well appointed.

Hotels in the Valley - probably cheapest, but I don't know...

• Super 8, Travel Lodge, Extended Stay (right at the airport), Frontier Suites, Aspen Suites... all in pretty generic locations... close to airport, equidistant between downtown and out the road.

I'm happy to help you get a reality check on any B&Bs, Air BnBs, VRBOs, whatever.