Pike’s Waterfront Lodge Fairbanks

Our first stop on our Alaska Adventure was Fairbanks. We stayed at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge which was a great home base, as we explored the must-do Fairbanks attractions.

Alaska is a bucket list destination for many including us. Fairbanks was our starting point to explore Alaska. During our adventure, we travelled thousands of miles from Fairbanks to Denali, Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, and Vancouver. Along the way, we explored two incredible national parks, multiple icy glaciers, and five fantastic cities. We started our adventure by spending a few days exploring Fairbanks on our own before joining up with our Princess cruise tour.

We thought we’d be staying at the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. Instead, Princess placed us right next door at Pikes. We made Pike’s our home in Fairbanks for three nights.

Pike’s lodge is a popular summer destination as it serves as a staging point for many travelers starting a cruise tour in Fairbanks. During our stay, we chatted with people traveling on Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Oceania cruise lines.

Fairbanks is also a popular destination in the winter for people seeking the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. Another reason to consider Pikes in the winter is that it has served as the starting point for the Iditarod sled dog race.

Pike’s is located on the Chena River. It is a short drive from the Fairbanks airport. The hotel has a free shuttle service.

Pike’s Waterfront Lodge Room

Pike’s Waterfront Lodge has 180 rooms. We stayed in a room with two double beds and a parking lot view. There are a variety of rooms including some with King beds and amenities like a fireplace or jetted tub.

The room was comfortable and quiet. In addition to the beds, it had a desk, chair, TV, microwave, and refrigerator. In a wardrobe was a box fan and some extra bedding. A pod-style coffee maker and a kettle were available.

The bathroom was small but functional. The small bottles of Aveda rosemary mint products were a welcome touch. The shower had a decorative curtain. However, the curtain rod was straight. A curved rod would have provided a bit more room when showering.

After two nights, just as we were about to leave our room, we noticed water leaking from the bathroom ceiling. There was a plumbing issue in the room above so we were transferred to a King room.

The King room was a bit more spacious. Instead of a chair, it had a pullout sofa bed. In addition to the window, this room had a door. However, there the door did not lead to a deck. I guess it would provide more ventilation if needed.

The bathroom was similar but seemed just a bit larger than the one in our first room.

Hotel Amenities

The hotel lobby greets you with an interesting vibe. There are several comfortable chairs. The ceiling lights were bright and colorful and paintings decorate the area with scenes of Alaska. A gift shop with some interesting souvenirs is adjacent to the check-in desk.

Looking up to the second floor, you’ll see neon signs claiming “Seekers & Dreamers Always Welcome Here. Let Alaska Inspire a Better You”. Upstairs by the sign was a sitting area and a small library.

On the second floor, you’ll also find an interesting aromatherapy steam room that is available for an extra charge. While it looked interesting, we didn’t opt to try it.

The lobby flowed easily into the bar and an area where you might choose to play a game. Above the bar, they had a countdown for the days until the Aurora season begins. In the evenings, they had an ‘ice cream social’ with tasty flavors of ice cream for $1.

You could walk along the river finding sitting areas with fire pits and river views. If you walk past the Pikes Landing Restaurant, you’ll find an enclosure with several reindeer.

Walking the other direction, you’ll find a small theater showing a Northern Lights movie, 28 cabins, and a large bocce ball court. As you walk around, be sure to check out the Iditarod Race Start sign.

Past the cabins, you can walk to the Fairbanks Princess Lodge. It has a short walking trail and some interesting historic cabins.

If you need to get some exercise in, you’ll find a small exercise room at Pike’s.

A laundry room with three washers & dryers is available. A load of wash was $4 and a dryer was $3 during our visit. Detergent and fabric softener was available for purchase.

While we opted to rent a car from one of the rental agencies at the airport, Pike’s does have several rental cars available on site. A nice amenity at Pike’s is that it is very close to the Fairbanks airport and they provide a free shuttle that you can use to get to or from the airport.

Pike’s Waterfront Lodge Dining

We ate in the main dining area of Pike’s. Each morning, a buffet breakfast was served that included a good variety of food. Each morning, you could find a make-your-own waffle station, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, and sausage links & patties. Fresh coffee and orange juice were available. Interestingly, the only fruit served was watermelon. Overall, it was a basic but tasty breakfast.

Tables in the dining room were large round tables that could accommodate eight. At breakfast, we had the opportunity to meet other travelers who shared stories of which cruise line they were on and what excursion they had done so far. People were friendly and we learned some great tips that helped us enjoy our Fairbanks visit.

Our first evening, after a long day of travel, we opted to have dinner at Pike’s. It was served in the same main dining area as breakfast. Judy enjoyed a very tasty halibut with mango salsa while Erling had a burger & fries.

There is another restaurant on the property – Pike’s Landing Bar & Restaurant. It’s a log building that was completed in 1969. Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit due to damage from a fire. I guess we’ll have to try it on our next visit to Fairbanks.

Pikes Waterfront Lodge YouTube Video

Check out our Pike’s Waterfront Lodge YouTube Video where we show you highlights of this nice hotel in Fairbanks.

Summary

We wanted a good base from which to explore Fairbanks while we adjusted to the time four-hour time different from eastern time. Pike’s Waterfront Lodge was a convenient and comfortable place to stay. We appreciated the quiet room and the ability to walk along the Chena River.

There is a lot to do in Fairbanks. Be sure to check out our list of the must-do Fairbanks attractions.

Have you stayed at Pike’s? What was your favorite thing about your stay? We’d love to hear about it. Please leave a comment.

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