Aspen Hotel--My Juneau Airport Vicinity Choice
Written: Jun 12 '06 (Updated Jun 12 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great spacious rooms, swimming pool, business center and internet access, close to airport
Cons: Far from downtown and tourist related activities
The Bottom Line: Your best choice for convenience, comfort and hospitality in the Juneau airport district.
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| glacier's Full Review: Aspen Hotel Of Juneau |
A Bit of Background on Juneau
Juneau is the Alaska state capital located in Southeast Alaska. It is located on the continental mainland, but is only accessible by air and boat because of its location. As the state capital, it has a major proportion of state departments, offices, and related infrastructure in the vicinity. While the legislature is in session, this relatively small town of around 30,000 just about bursts at the seams with the hustle and bustle of the legislators, media and related staff.
During tourist season, when cruise ships from Princess, Holland America, and others are moored in the harbor, the geographically confined downtown area is electric with people, dollars and energy. I can best describe it as a smaller Disney World Experience (to borrow from Jimi Hendrix, et al).
Geography (as it matters to this review)
Strangely or not, the town is located FAR from the larger population and economic hubs of the state--the Anchorage area and Fairbanks, to a lesser degree. Over the past 20 years, concerted campaigns have been made to move the capital to more central, road-accessible locations in Southcentral Alaska such as Willow, which is little more than a gas stop an hour or two north of Anchorage.
Juneau is confined geographically--ocean to the south and west, Mendenhall glacier to the north, mountains and water to the east. Consequently, real estate development of any type has spilled either into the Mendenhall Valley area 8-10 miles northwest of downtown Juneau (thanks to the quickly receeding Mendenhall Glacier), and across the Gastineau Channel on Douglas Island, which is accessible by bridge from downtown.
The airport is located at the mouth of the Mendenhall Valley and has a reputation as one of the most difficult airports for pilots to "approach" in the country. A world traveller myself, I can only compare it to Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela in terms of passenger experience.
Location is Everything...especially in Juneau
My hotel choice in Juneau, aside from amenities, relies heavily on location of those people or places I am visiting.
The Aspen Hotel is located two blocks north of the airport. You can literally walk from the hotel entrance to the terminal in a matter of two minutes. This location can prove problematic if you plan to visit or work downtown. You'll need to rent a car and travel 10 miles each way over the expressway. You'll also have to scramble to find a space downtown, which can be excruciating at key times.
If my work requires I visit downtown clients over a period of days, I'll pass up the Aspen for the Goldbelt Hotel downtown (review coming soon). I'll still rent a car, but won't have to use it except for conveniences and to return to the airport.
The Hotel
To start, I should note that the Aspen Hotels have been purchased by the Extended Stay Suites recently, so look for that signage if you plan to make use of their facilities. Remember also to claim your 500 Alaska Airlines miles for each stay.
The Amenities
My room was clean, spacious and quiet. I was concerned that proximity to the airport would compromise my sleep, but strangely enough this has never been a problem. The bed was comfortable and firm, with local television channels, coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, vcr, iron and data port. By and large, these are the most quiet and comfortable rooms available in Juneau.
The spa, indoor swimming pool and exercise room are all bonuses. You'll find few hotels in the area offer swimming pools because of space constraints. If you're travelling with children, this fact may seal the deal for you.
They've recently added free wi-fi throughout the hotel, which, believe it or not, is rare commodity in Juneau. Rarer still are business centers with printers and internet access. Aspen has both of these. On one recent visit in which I was staying at a downtown hotel (Baranof), I searched far and wide for access to my email to retrieve a crucial document. After visiting three hotels and two coffee houses, I made it to Aspen, and the friendly receptionist let me use their business center even though I wasn't a guest. Needless to say, this scored many points in my book.
The complimentary continental breakfast is a real breakfast with waffles, fruit, toast, juice and fruit.
The Area
I have to comment on this because if you do come to Juneau, you'll need to know this hotel isn't in the 'heart' of the town. You would, in fact, be quite disappointed if you did not go downtown to see the sites and take the tram up Mount Roberts and visit the local shops. There is something appealing about the small downtown streets and the tight proximity of the mountain to the water. This can be a nice place to stroll and do some people-watching. You'd be remiss if you didn't drive to the Mendenhall Glacier to get up close to this behemeth .
In contrast, the Aspen is in more of an industrial area, with warehouses and locally-geared shops nearby. Alaska Industrial Hardware (AIH), for example, is just around the corner to the north. Head a few blocks northeast, and you find the local Nugget mall with a car dealer across the way. Nothing fancy or even impressive, but you'll find Subway and McDonalds in the area, along with a number of other local eateries.
Do visit the local yarn shop within walking distance, Skeins, located across the parking lot from that AIH store. For you knitters (and spouses of knitters) find the Alaskan hand-dyed RavenFrog yarn from Sitka and buy a few skeins to make fabulous socks, hats or scarves. (Yes, take a picture, I'm a male knitter.)
Conclusion
The Aspen is my choice for stay in the Juneau area. Although at times I am forced to stay elsewhere, this is where I feel most relaxed and welcomed. If you want to see the area, and you should, rent a car and take your time.
Links
Mendenhall Glacier--http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/
Mount Roberts Tram--http://www.goldbelttours.com/travel/day_trips/juneau/tram.html
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
glacier
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Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Reviews written: 84
Trusted by: 21 members
About Me:
Proud father of two living in the last frontier.
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