Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Eagle River/Anchorage Are — Hotel in Alaska

Terrible experience. Bug bite, dog bark at 5:00 AM, Manager refused to do anything. Will not recommend this place, period.

This is really bad… My hand started itching in the middle of the night at the hotel. Later, it swelled up with a line of blisters along my pinky finger and wrist. Clearly, there were some bugs in that room. This is the third room we changed to during our two night stay. Sadly, each room had its own issues. Big mistake. Stay somewhere else.

The first room we were assigned had a pungent smell that almost made me puke. I had to hold my nose upon opening the door. It smelled very much like dog pee.... Disgusting. The bed was not made. Front desk said someone else had checked in that room earlier. Now we know why they left… Switched to a 2nd room near the lobby which still had an odor, unfortunately it is very noisy, no quiet in the place…. about 5:00 AM, we were awakened by heavy foot steps and a loud dog barking in the hallway and lobby area. I tried to fall asleep again by covering my ears, but the unhappy dog kept barking which made it impossible. When bringing up the dog barking issue to the Manager, her name is Tammy, she flat faced UNAPOLOGETICALLY blamed us for not notifying the front desk, the manager said, “If you didn’t notify us, we could not do anything”. The fact is that the front deck person could see the dog in the lobby and hear it bark even better than us. Yet they did nothing to stop the barking. Clearly they don’t care about guests being able to sleep at all. How could someone like the manager, Tammy, who worked in the hotel for seven and a half years, as she bragged, be so unprofessional?

Upon reading the trip advisor reviews, we saw so many complaints, yet we couldn’t find a single management response addressing any of the complaints. The answer is clear. They don’t care about their customers.

The room phone was filthy with a non-stop flashing light. We had to cover it with a towel at night. We found that all the rooms seemed to have that same flashing light on the phones. It was so dirthy that no one wanted to touch it even to call the front deck in the middle of our asleep. There were no instructions on how to use the phone anyway.

We had to ask for a quiet room in order to try getting some sleep which we desperately needed for the second night. When we asked about a hairdryer (there were none in the rooms), the front desk lady, this one was more polite than the manager, at least showed some empathy of the guests frustration. She apologized for the barking dog and promised to give us a quiet room on upper level with a hairdryer.

The third room was okay, but there was still no hairdryer to be found in the room. After requesting one again they finally provided one. The third room was adequate, except the shower and drains were very slow. Someone could easily fall in the slippery water-filled tub. There was no anti-slip mat.

But the memory of the stay came with us. I still had my bug bites. They are itchy and painful even as I am writing this. It also feels painful to write someone a 1-star review. It is against my nature to do this because I myself have been in the hospitality industry nearly 20 years in Alaska. I hate to hurt any local business but, after I thought about it over, I felt obligated to share this, because the tourist season is coming up. I hope all our tourists stay happy and healthy while vacationing in our great state. It is my hope that this can prompt the management to improve their customer service, cleanliness, and are able to ensure the pets they accept are well-behaved.

We were also FOOLED by the Wyndham chain name from past positive experience. This one is sub-standard. Location is the only reason (due to the event) we initially booked this hotel. In retrospect, we should have stayed in some bed with breakfast...

Hotel property served its purpose...a place to sleep; but it almost didn’t even do that. Made reservations 4 mos in advance for two rooms and received confirmation numbers. A week before trip I called to let hotel know arrival time slipped to 230am and found out I only had 1 room reserved. I provided confirmation numbers but hotel said they didn’t show the reservation...so had to rebook. First night wasn’t available so 1/2 of family had to sleep on sofas of other family we were visiting. Was able to re-book for second and third night of trip. But cost for 2 nights was more than the 3 night reservation I initially made (how convenient for the hotel). There are two types of rooms: queen room and a suite. The queen room is very small with almost no amenities. Broken armoire, door didnt align with jam so door had to be pulled/pushed closed and dead bolt didnt work. The suite has a micro, small fridge, small table/chairs, and hide-a-bed sofa. The cabinet insert next to fridge was broken and laying on floor, the fridge door fell off when opening it the first time, and the smoke detector was broken and the top was missing. The queen beds in both rooms were clean and somewhat comfortable, but the fold out sofa bed in suite was horrific, and carpets in both rooms stuck to our feet. Bathrooms were sufficient. The hotel grounds were overgrown with weeds up to 18in high in some places. The parking lot has a lot of wasted space so when hotel is sold out, there's not any place to park...especially if you have a trailer. The employees were nice. However, I parked in the handicap spot (father-in-law is handicapped) and went to check in. The front desk attendant asked me if I was the one who just parked in the handicap spot, to which I responded yes. She then asked me if I was handicapped. This question seemed inappropriate, but I informed her that my father-in-law was handicapped...not me. I don’t believe parking in the handicap spot is the area the management should be focused on. The only thing going for the hotel was its location. It’s really the only hotel in Eagle River...which is probably how they get away with subpar accommodations. If I were Wyndham, I'd be embarrassed to put my name on it. Here's hoping Hilton or Marriot put a hotel in...

The numerous negative reviews of this hotel do not reflect our long-term experience. While it is an unassuming establishment, it is far from the disaster that some portray. As a pet-friendly hotel, it excels in accommodating guests with pets. The continental breakfast offers more variety than most budget hotels. Although the parking lot fills up early, it remains secure with no suspicious activity at night. The beds are notably comfortable, and the bathrooms maintain high standards of cleanliness. The TVs are equipped with Roku, providing a more family-friendly option than basic cable.

Located in a quiet part of Eagle River, the hotel benefits from proximity to two busy coffee shops, Planet Fitness, and a new Three Bears store near Fred Meyers. The staff are experienced and handle rare chaotic events with composure. Housekeeping staff are the backbone and essential and work diligently despite being overworked and underpaid. For those seeking value, signing up for Wyndham Rewards is highly recommended as the financial benefits accumulate quickly.

Check-in is efficient, with rooms almost always ready by 4 PM. The WiFi is very robust, capable of supporting multiple devices without downtime, which is a rare advantage for hotels. The numerous negative reviews of the Microtel likely stem from a tendency to focus on minor issues rather than the many positive aspects this hotel offers compared to others in its price range.

Those considering the newly remodeled hotel near the Brown Jug should be aware of potential lingering issues and its overpriced rooms. Another option is a local Airbnb, but its reviews may be falsely inflated, and it lacks the straightforward approach of the Microtel. Nearly all the staff at the Microtel are kind, patient, and honorable. Our only minor complaint was with a young employee who was an airhead like his sibling who works next door, but his presence at the front desk is infrequent.

In summary, if you are looking for a quiet, secure, respectable, and comfortable place to stay, the Microtel in Eagle River is an excellent choice. This review is unsolicited; I highlight their positive qualities based on my ten years in the hospitality industry and our...