This hostel has many positives: - friendly staff…read more- fantastic prices (mixed dorm is about 10 TIMES cheaper than a 2-star hotel in town) - solid WiFi - welcoming environment However, a few things keep it from 5-stars: - The hostel is closed from 10am-6pm. This makes logistics very cumbersome if you're traveling with heavy bags. You have to plan your whole day around what you wan to have access to. - The hostel is closed for the night at 11pm. Want to go for a night hike, get into town, and have a burger and a beer? Good luck. I had to run to get back to the hostel before the 11pm lockout. - Getting a reservation is more difficult than it should be. You can't do it on the web. You either have to do it via email or phone. I HIGHLY recommend doing it on the phone. - no real "common area": there's not really a central location to hang out with fellow hostelers. Yep, there are a lot of hoops to jump through if you want to stay here, I'd say they are largely worth jumping through, though.

Sitka was absolutely beautiful and being able to stay at this hostel was such a bonus. It's located…read moreacross from the Sheldon Jackson Campus and was the school's infirmary at one time. The beds are comfortable, the place is clean and the best place to "get your feet wet" at a hostel if you've never stayed in one before. I tried others around Alaska and they were okay but this one was by far the best. Walking to the downtown area is a short distance. The hostel has wireless but if you don't have a computer the library will let you use theirs for up to an hour. Washer and dryers are available as well as a kitchen and breakfast room. Fortunately, I met people from around the world and we all became fast friends. There were some college age hostelers and many over 50. It was a great mix of people and backgrounds. This hostel does not allow drinking or smoking. There is a curfew of 11pm with a lockout during the day and you'll sign up for one chore. No big deal, it just helps them keep the cost down and the cleanliness level up. They are open year round. It was cleaner than the hotel I stayed in over in Ketchikan for a fraction of the price. If you're going to Alaska I highly suggest you make it a point to visit Sitka. If you wish to take the economy route, like I did, this hostel was a great "first" for me! I hope I'll be able to return again in the years ahead.

On a cold and rainy day, we set off on foot for a Ghost Tour of downtown Sitka. Emily dressed the…read morepart to guide us through the streets and alleys of Sitka on a historical tour she has based on old newspaper accounts of several murders and deaths, along with the anecdotal tales of spirits wandering about or engaging with the living. Emily is an animated and enjoyable speaker, and turned a dreary day into a fun experience. I definitely recommend this tour.

I love taking ghost tours of any place I visit; you get to walk around areas you probably wouldn't…read moreotherwise know about, you learn the local history, and get a few spooky stories in the mix. This one did not disappoint. Because it was in the daytime, I especially liked that the guide included local shop owners and walked us into and around other businesses. She did a great job giving shout outs to other people, and I liked her sense of community. Fun fact: she makes her own costumes that she wears during the tours. I highly recommend this tour!

The internet has been upgraded as have most things about the rental. The location is so central,…read morebest in town. Walk in less than 5 minutes to restaurants, shopping and convention center. The convenience of having a kitchen, the roomy apartment, the outdoor space (i.e.; deck and garden) make Dreaming Bear Suites the best deal in town.

Great location to walk everywhere. Place was clean and comfortable. While we were out and about…read morequite a bit and only stayed 2 nights, the place was set up so that we could have comfortably stayed for a much longer period and cooked and eaten meals there. Would definitely recommend and stay again.

I stay here every time I visit Sitka, at the Karras Day Inn. I enjoy the hosts who are a nice…read morefamily who live in the building on the 2nd floor. The guest Rooms are available with kitchenette and laundry facilities on the 1st and 3rd floors. I always stay on the 3rd floor with the spectacular 240 degree view of the fishing boats coming in and out of the ANB harbor, the bridge and historic downtown. Karras Day Inn is walking distance to everything! Also a back porch for morning coffee and listening to the eagles and ravens. Whether the sun is out or the southeast natural rain, the view itself is spectacular. They no longer have breakfast served but kitchenettes suffice, as well as the local restaurants near by.

I went to Sitka to visit my boyfriend and his family. We spent 3 days here. How beautiful! I felt…read morevery welcomed and this is a perfect place to spend your time in. It's huge and beautiful inside! It's very clean and it also feels like home. A huge THANK YOU to the awesome Cayla and her wonderful family. I had a blast!

I was in Sitka for a few days and looking for something different to do. I wanted to go out on the…read morewater so I thought I'd try this tour. Even though I live in Alaska and really didn't know what to expect and rarely go on tours, not sure why now. I met Kenyatta, the captain/tour leader at the dock and after a safety talk we headed out. We traveled for about 45 minutes across the Bay to where he has his crab pots in the water, we were blessed with a beautiful day. The whole way across he pointed out landmarks and had stories about each one. He knew so much about the culture and history of the area, it was fascinating. Upon reaching the buoys marking the pots he maneuvered the boat in a special way to allow him to gather the line safely, the whole time explaining what he was doing and why. We pulled five pots during the trip and he explained the whole process. Each pot had a different batch of crabs, some were mostly females, some mostly males, (I can sex crabs now). He explained why this might have been and why placement is important. One pot had over 25 huge crabs and all males (the only ones crabbers can keep). We reset all the pots with bait and headed back to the dock. I brought my binoculars on the trip and saw lots of wildlife, including a whale. The tour was great, the boat was large and very stable, I never felt queasy. Kenyatta is very knowledgeable and has a great personality adding to an overall fun afternoon. I'd highly recommend the tour and a stop at the crab tent after.

My husband and I recently returned from a 14-day Alaska cruise and we had a wonderful time. One of…read morethe highlights we remembered the most was the Whale Watching tour we had in Sitka from AK Crab Tour owned and operated by a young entrepreneur named Kenyatta Bradley. His passion for his job was reflected in every bit of history and culture he shared with us. His knowledge on whales' patterned behavior enabled us to enjoy our adventure to the fullest. Who knew that whales can be identified by the spots (or lack there of) on their tail? The tour he offers is the complete package; we were able to watch whales in their natural habitat (and sea lion and seals) and enjoyed a delicious crab feast (included with the tour), all at a really reasonable price. Thanks for making our vacation extra special, Kenyatta! Hope to return to Sitka in the near future and we look forward to another whale watching adventure with you.

This place is amazing....the view is breathtaking. We stayed 4 day and this place is a must. It's…read moreVERY clean, Comfy beds, the out door fire pit was relaxing in the evening. The owner recommended sight tours, eating establishment and outdoor adventures. We will be back again to stay for sure.

Was part of a group of 8, including 1 in a wheelchair. The driver and owner, Jerry, was wonderful!…read moreHad great ideas of where to go, very accommodating to the different wants of the group. He was able to make it happen for us! Very kind, knowledgeable and all around nice guy! Highly recommend. We found out about him at the port. Would use again!

An authentic Alaskan experience. Messy cab, talkative driver with a lot of local color. Not…read moreyour average cab. Perfect for someone who is interested in how the locals live.

Took 'Why Wait?' cab service upon Aspen Hotels recommendation. Cab was a beat up van, driver…read more(owner) needed a shower, van was thrashed and dirty. No meter so price set by driver. Went about 6 miles to Fortress of the Bear. Got in and as he starts to drive he said I'm going to charge you an extra $10 and give you a little tour on the way. I literally thought he was joking and laughed. No joke - he pulls into two spots and tells us random stories the entire ride. At our destination he says - $20, plus $10 that will be $30! What a racket - we had no choice in the matter and he just expects he can charge $10 extra that we did not want! We took a $2 per person bus ride (stop right by the Fortress of the Bear) on the way home - didn't want to call this taxi ever again.