REVIEW: Alaska Land & Sea - Southbound Trip.
Hotel is very dated. Carpet stained, wall paper damaged, & doesn't 'smell' fresh. No safe, no refrigerator, no microwave. Fair number of outlets. No thermostat; older style electric heater by window.
Most importantly: Very comfy beds, though missing extra blankets or a comforter. Still, good nights sleep. First requirement. *
Bath sink has small marble (?) area for two people to share. No hooks to hang up housewives. Which would make it easier; could put two on door to water closet(toilet)/tub. Divided bath, water closet & tub in separate room. Handy! Shower curtain minimal at best, doesn't slide easily, to keep water in tub. Tub & toilet were clean. Always comforting to find clean fixtures. In fact, Second Requirement! Shower has No movable wand, fixed shower head, very good water pressure on 4th floor. Towels are soft and absorbent, just too few of them, for two adults. Asked maid next morning, great supply. NO EXHAUST fan; you will get smells into room. Hotel exhaust system exhausts very little; piece of toilet paper won't stick to opening. Should, IF it works! Sign on wall: "For Your Safety, Use Provided Bathmat." There was no bathmat...
Slider onto balcony very heavy, doesn't move well. The lock was beat up...not comforting. Even on 4th floor.
TV says it April (it's mid-May) & time off by six hours. Has remote that works. No Weather Channel!
LAUNDRY: There is a laundry bag in closet. List that says "In by 0900, back same day." WRONG! No laundry service. No self help laundry either; nearest washateria 10 minute Uber or Cab drive. We used 'K Speed Laundry' down at 6th & Fairbanks. 0.8 miles away. Speedy indeed; in by 10:00, out same day after 17:00. Not a bad walk; ~$9.50 Uber back. Ironed, folded, even undies!
Read moreI stayed at the Westmark for 3 days and was very disappointed. If your going for the old run down 1980's look this is your hotel. No modern amenities (no refrigerator or microwave), unless you book a suite i'm told. I was in a regular room and didn't know this but I will give it to the staff, since this was the "slower" season, they brought me a refrigerator, unfortunately it froze everything you put in it even at the lowest setting.||The desk chair looked nice until you sat in it and hit the springs (ouch). The furnature looks like it came from a yard sale where it had been outside for years as the coloring was stripped off it in many places, very worn. ||I found 3 pubic hairs in my shower when I went to use it (yuck). ||There was only enough body wash in the shower for 1 use, I expected that when I left for that morning and came back the room would have been cleaned/stocked, but I found out they dont offer housekeeping unless requested (would have been nice if that was shared with me). So I requested it that evening for the next day.||When I went to leave the next morning, I stopped by the front desk to let them know specficailly I needed body wash and was told I was not on the list for a cleaning, but she would add me.||Breakfast doesnt open until 7am which is somewhat late if you have adventures your planning, there is no type of mini store to buy water, they do offer vending machines on each floor with drinks, I went to two floors to get water for my room and both were out. I then contacted the front desk to ask how I could get water and they told me ALL of the vending machines were empty, they dont offer water and I would need to find a store, but there are none close to them, she recommended I go to Walmart via uber to taxi.||Overall not a good experience, I was very disappointed and cant recommend this establishment. They only got 2 stars because they brought me a mini fridge, but really it should be just 1 start with all the other issues I had but i'm...
Read moreThis hotel is getting a bit of a bad rap from reviewers, but I guess it all depends on what you're looking for and what your expectations are. We booked our Southbound Alaska cruise knowing we would need to fly into Anchorage and take a train or bus to Seward. That meant we needed one night to get some sleep between airport arrival and train departure. When I started looking for hotels in Anchorage, the sticker shock kicked in. Extraordinary prices for very simple accommodations. Then I found the Westmark Anchorage. I was concerned, but hopeful, and it worked out well for us.||Yes, the place is basically dumpy. Very old, run down, etc. BUT... it was $229 per night and that was less than half of any of our usual go to Marriott properties. PLUS... it is one block from the Egan center which is where we needed to go to meet our group for the train. Seriously, those two things made it worth a try - and our gamble paid off.||The Westmark is seriously run down - chipped furniture, doorways, worn carpet - all the signs of a badly needed makeover. But it is clean, and that seems most important. No bedbugs. No unsanitary conditions. We've stayed in Marriott properties that were in similar condition. It felt like a Motel 6 or Motel 8 to us. There are also a couple of great restaurants just across the street.||Bottom line - if you need a reasonable priced place to stay one night, and your expectations are flexible, I think you'll be ok here. If you need recently updated, more modernized accommodations, this is not it. You know who you are, how you travel, and what you can tolerate for a good night's sleep that won't break the bank.||Choose...
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