Gustavus is small, friendly community of locals, seasonal workers and visitors and we were…read morefortunate to meet proprietor Jana early in our trip to Gustavus - this review is for dinner at the lodge Jana could not have been any sweeter and more accommodating to us. Even though we were staying at a different lodge - she invited us to the Country Inn for dinner and it turned out to be the best meals of our 10 nights in Alaska. Pro-tip - call by 2pm each day to reserve your table and meal We feasted on soups, smoky-grilled pork tenderloin w/ garlic sauce, roasted vegetables and rhubarb pie. Incredible. Thanks Janna for your friendliness and hospitality - great visit!

I feel bad breaking a perfect 5.0. Just to be clear, the hotel and service are absolutely…read moreimpeccable, with everything organized perfectly and running smoothly. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat if I could afford to. That said, for me Yelp is basically restaurant reviews, and the dining was not quite as great as I'd hoped. It had its strengths: salmon cooked perfectly, best bacon I've had in years at breakfast, and impeccable desserts that'd be a 5* review here on their own. But some aspects were lacking--I found the soups to be perhaps oversalted, and the vegetables to be overcooked and mushy, in particular. Don't get me wrong, it's good food especially by national park standards, but it wasn't quite up to the hopes I'd had of an heir to the legendary Gustavus Inn (which, to be fair, I've never been to).

Yes! I love Glacier Bay Lodge! No, I didn't have the opportunity to actually *stay* at Glacier Bay…read moreLodge but I did have the opportunity to dine at the lodge several times during my stay in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Before I go any further, Brian from Utah is the very best waiter and my Dad and I purposefully requested him to be our waiter every time we dined here. I can speak to the Alaskan Ambers, the chicken fingers, the seafood chowder, and the best plates - the smoked salmon platter and the steak dinner. Everything was really tasty and I have no complaints. The service was great and even if there was a wait, or you want to dine near the fireplace, you can get your food in a to go box. Win win. Other notables regarding the lodge - the Visitor Center is on the second floor in addition to several exhibits, a National Park Service bookstore, and a theater that shows scheduled films about the park. I always enjoyed stopped at the lodge on our way to/from the campground. While I'd love to stay at the lodge, it was great having the opportunity to use several of the amenities while staying for *free* in the developed/established NPS campground just a quarter mile down the road.

This is a 3.5 for me. Stayed one night on 7/31/2021. For a lodge in the middle of nowhere, it's…read morefine. This is also the Glacier Bay National Park Visitor Center on the second floor, where you can get your National Park passport stamp. The hotel picks you up from Gustavus airport in an old school bus, and drops you off at the lodge. From the bus, hotel staff come on the bus to tell everyone the facts about the hotel and where to get your luggage. Afterwards they separate you by last name and you get your keys. Much faster than checking in individually at the front desk. You pick up your luggage and go to your room. It smells like the summer camp that I went to. They do have ramps and an elevator for people who are in a wheelchair. Our room (31) was fine. There's no TV and no internet reception in the rooms, so you better like who you're staying with, because the lodge closes at 9 PM. We had to go to the front desk because we didn't have any soap or shampoo, but they're really understaffed after the past year. Room comes with a bed, a table, two chairs and nightstands. There is no mini fridge or microwave so don't bother bringing stuff that would need those two appliances to be edible. There is one restaurant on site that requires reservations, and all diners must be hotel guests. It's a little old, and the walls are a bit thin, but the room was comfortable and I fell asleep immediately. When we got to the hotel, the National Park Visitor Center portion was closed for the day so we were worried about not getting our National Park passport stamp after coming all this way. We walked a trail around the lodge and ended up catching the tail end of a presentation of the park rangers in the traditional house just past the Snow the Whale skeleton. The presentation began about 7 PM. In the morning, we dropped off our luggage at the front desk and had it tagged with the airline that we were flying back with. This is because checkout is before we'd be back from the official 8 hour boat tour through Glacier Bay with the actual park ranger (and the National Park passport stamp and Junior Ranger program.) After dropping off the luggage, we walked from the lodge down a trail to Bartlett Cove dock to visit Glacier Bay National Park. After the boat tour, it was a mad dash to get to the bus on time, as it leaves for Gustavus at 3:45 PM. All of our luggage was waiting for us on the bus. I would strongly discourage bringing anyone under 21 here. There were so many teens and tweens on ipads in the communal sitting area in the lodge. You could tell they were bored and not interested in the beautiful nature, so save your money and let them come when they're adults who can appreciate the scenery.

I would love to give this place 5 stars and am trying to be fair here, but since the main focus of…read morethis business is the lodging part (according to the name) I have to be true to the purpose of these reviews. Summary: Food is very, very good, staff is friendly for the most part, but the rooms are less than clean. The good: the food is very good (for Hoonah or anywhere else) and this is one of the only places in Hoonah to have a sit-down meal. They bake their own treats like muffins, brownies, cookies, etc. which are great for breakfast or dessert. The establishment is right on the water so you can stroll out at anytime and appreciate Alaska's beauty from just steps outside the door, or perhaps even from some of the rooms. My room faced the road so I am unsure of this. The bad: my room was one of the dirtiest I have ever slept in. There was a coffee stain on my wall that looked as if someone threw an entire cup/pot of coffee at the wall and no one so much as looked at it let alone cleaned it up. Nasty is the only word that comes to mind when contemplating my room cleanliness. That being said, I do believe that I got the last room available during my stay, and I was happy to have it as there was nowhere else. Perhaps I got that room that all hotels/motels have but keep as a last resort to occupy. The bathroom cleanliness also left something to be desired. In all fairness, I did not think the rest of the establishment was overly unclean/dirty, but I will say that the standards in Alaska are on a different level than the lower 48. Perhaps I'm just a prissy, spoiled mainlander. Dunno.

This place is a diamond in the rough!!! The staff is so pleasant and kind!! The food is delicious…read moreand mouthwatering!!! My sheets smelled fresh and clean!!! My view was absolutely spectacular!!! The fishing was amazing and the company was absolutely out of this world!!! I will be back next year for sure!!!

Stayed here for a week. Pros are the owner will pick you up at the airport the airport, bikes are…read moreprovided and the cabins/ bunkhouse rooms are comfortable. Cons are the breakfast is minimal, there is NO WIFI and the dog on the property starts your day barking (5:00am) and ends your day barking until 11:00pm.

The food is the best in gustavus. People are very nice and great service I would definitely…read morerecommend it

Really nice and comfy rooms. The staff was super friendly, and I'd like to point out Ava in…read moreparticular for being so helpful and wonderful to us. We would definitely stay here again next time we visit Juneau.

Excellent stay. Friendly and helpful staff! Clean and spacious room. Good breakfast. Shuttle is on…read morea set schedule so check with front deck early if plan to use

Amazing experience at Elfin Cove! The hospitality and food were fantastic. Met the nicest people…read morefrom Indiana that were a hoot to be with. Your fish are processed and boxed ready to go when you leave.

My wife and I visited this lodge in August of this year. Food and staff good and friendly. Most…read moreof their boats were broken down (seriously) and they placed us on a boat for four people with five every day. Fish finder didn't work, boat alarm went off constantly, poor quality reels without enough line, limited salmon trolling gear, and poorly trained deckhands to boot. We were disappointed and recommend anyone considering a trip like this to look at some of the other lodges first or even ones in Pelican. Really hated to post a bad review but I am a good fisherman and own my own boat and the boat we fished on was unsafe for those waters. See my extensive post on trip advisor.

My first trip to "the last frontier" of America (aka Alaska) began with booking a b & b stay at the…read moreBlue Heron. From the looks of their simple, elegant website, I was expecting a homey stay in a comfortable room. But Deb and Charlie exceeded my expectations in so many ways. Not only was our room cozy, comfy and clean, it had beautiful views of the surrounding 10 acres of property with bright purple fields of fireweeds and the surrounding white-capped Fairweather Mountains. We were also lucky enough to watch a black bear stuff his face with blueberries outside our window while getting ready one morning. The breakfast at Blue Heron reminds you why the B & B route is so much better than a regular old hotel. Fresh rolled oatmeal with the fixin's (dried fruit, almonds, brown sugar), fruit salad (with local berries!), juice, breakfast breads, assorted breakfast meats, and the best damn coffee I've had in quite a while. And that's just before the main course arrives! We had dishes like greek-style scrambled eggs, mixex berry pancakes, made-to-order omelettes and french toast. Delicious and served in the Blue Heron's beautiful sunroom overlooking said scenery. But the best part was that Deb and Charlie gave us room to roam, while ensuring that every part of our trip ran seamlessly. On the phone a few weeks before our trip, Deb asked what activities we'd like to do - I mentioned kayaking, whale watching, checking out glaciers and biking. She booked everything for us and didn't charge a cent for the trip planning service! She was able to rearrange our plans at the last minute so we could whale-watch on our first day, when the whales were especially active, and helped us pick out places for lunch and dinner too. And we got complimentary pick up and drop off at the airport, complete with a quick car-tour of town to point out sights we should bike to in our downtime. And there is a laundry room and a bunch of free bikes available too. We didn't rent a car- we just biked everywhere in town we needed to go. Thanks Deb and Charlie, for making me fall in love with Alaska and the Blue Heron!

This an excellent B&B. Leslie is a lovely hostess, and an excellent cook. The breakfasts were…read moredifferent each day of my stay, and always included many dishes. I am a complete omnivore, but Leslie was very careful to make sure people with dietary requirements or preferences had plenty of great food to eat. The snacks and complementary wine in the afternoon were also very nice. I had a personal mishap while I was there, and Leslie was both caring and helpful. The location is an easy walk from the waterfront and the museums in town. Many guests were there for a day or so before or after a cruise. It worked out very smoothly.

Better than any chain hotel! We were in Juneau for a week for work and loved staying at the Capital…read moreInn. Elizabeth and Bing who are the onsite hosts provided attentive personal service. The offerings on the website truly matched what we experienced in our 4 night stay. The bed provided the best sleep I have had in my many years of work travels. The location was within walking distance of downtown restaurants and many sightseeing places. While the rooms have a vintage look they are quiet and spacious enough, each with its own bathroom (and yes I did take a lovely bath in the deep claw foot tub). You would be remiss to choose a traditional hotel over this beautifully managed home.

The town of Pelican is one of those places you dream about living the rest of your years. It is the…read morebest place to fish ("closest to the fish" is the motto of Highligner Lodge) and it's true what they say! Closest fishing lodge to the ocean and all the fish! The lodge itself is quaint and i think they are working on making the rooms feeling cozier and more "homey" but what makes this spot worth the five stars are all the great people that made the experience unforgettable. Food cooked by kitchen staff every night was EXCELLENT. And everyone was really happy with how much fish we caught. Can't wait to come back and see the staff again!!!

$2,000 Deposit Kept by Highliner Lodge, No Signed Contract,…read more Ignored for Weeks - Then Very Hostile Response My name is Captain Roy Tuck, I have held my U.S. Coastguard 100 ton license for 44+ years now and have had a wonderful life being able to captain uncountable Sportfishing boats in the worlds largest San Diego Sportfishing fleet catching many a happy angler their very first albacore or yellowtail. Later in life [mid 1980's] I had the God sent good fortune in captaining different private yacht's picking up anglers in places like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Costa Rica from the airport and delivering them to the waiting yacht catching them their first marlin, dorado or wahoo. Also showing them nightlife action in those exotic places their families and friends will never forget. On December 20, 2025, "in good faith" I paid Highliner Lodge $2,000 by credit card for a multi-day fishing trip [9 months prior to the trip in July of 2026]. I was never provided a written contract and never signed any agreement. Shortly after paying, I learned The Highliner Lodge staff were attempting to place my son and me on a boat already chartered by 3 other people, despite my clearly stating I wanted to charter a private boat for just the two of us and was willing to pay extra. Due to health reasons, I cancelled nearly nine months in advance and requested a refund. For weeks, Steve, Abbie, and Dylan ignored my emails, texts, and calls. After almost a month and a half of silence, I received this email from the Highliner Lodge owner Steve Daniels: "Captain" Roy, Do you realize everyone is laughing at you? We will no longer reply to your ridiculous attempts to get my company to refund the $2000 deposit you gave us last December. If you want to embarrass yourself further online, I welcome that, as your own words will make you look the fool that you are. It would only enhance my reputation as a non-nonsense straight shooter and actually increase my business... while making you look like a moron and diminishing your own business. (assuming you have any) Best regards, Steve Steve & Jill Daniels Highlinerlodge This was Steve Daniels owner of the lodge his very late response to a customer who had paid his family business $2,000 "in good faith". Keeping $2,000 of my money provided to him in "good faith" under these circumstances -- with no signed contract, nine months' notice, and then responding this way -- speaks for itself. If you are considering booking here, maybe you may want to look elsewhere for a different family operation with an owner who does not treat people like you and I just trying to fulfill a life long dream like a moron!