What a pleasant surprise. The star rating on Yelp is very misleading because it reflects Totem…read morebefore the fire in 2016. It has subsequently been entirely rebuilt and is a real gem in Valdez. Like all hotels in small towns in Alaska, it's not perfect. It's at the mercy of seasonal access or lack thereof to resources and adequate, properly trained staff. That being said, this is one of THE NICEST, MOST THOUGHTFUL modern hotels I've seen in Alaska. -plug ins for electric cars -rooms equipped for blind and deaf patrons -lights controlled by your keycard to save electric -very stylish, EXTREMELY comfortable rooms, with sanitary, comfy, water saving duvets -gorgeous, modern bathrooms with step-in showers which are much safer for patrons with physical empairments -a fairly large pool, which in Alaska is an ENORMOUS luxury -a 24 hour fitness room -a beautiful Alaskan themed breakfast room Only complaint was breakfast looked better than it tasted. I agree with Lardbelly... skip the sausage gravy and biscuits. The nice surprise was the apple Danish, which was clearly filled with homemade apple filling, not that gross canned shit. Absolutely wonderful! They also have coffee available 24 hours with 3 kinds of creamer. Alaskans are coffee FIENDS and this did not go unnoticed. Absolutely recommend, especially off-season- the price is significantly less.

We've stayed at the Totem Hotel several times. It's clean, there's A/C and it's convenient to…read moreeverything. Do your best to get into the Totem because the alternative (BW) is not an option at all - trust me.

Pleasant surprise in Valdez! My wife and I drove over from Anchorage for the weekend and lucked…read moreinto staying here. Some of the cheaper options in town were full up due to a snow machine event that weekend, but this place is fantastic! New, modern vibe and decor with app-based after-hours/room entry so keep that in mind if you're new to that kind of thing (we had no issues at all downloading the app on our smartphones and no problems opening doors with it). The suite we stayed in had a comfy bed, smart TV, free wi-fi, and an ample kitchen with coffee/tea, fridge, sink, microwave, etc. Great view of Valdez's main street or the harbor. Favorite touch is the downstairs cafe - you can scan a QR code and preorder coffee and breakfast sandwiches for pickup the next morning (their "Spagel" is a unique local tasty choice!). Staff were largely out of sight but a phone call or text away and checked in on us more than once both on arrival and departure day. The woman at the front desk in the morning was also a delight to talk to full of helpful suggestions of what to fill our Valdez day with. All in all, we'd stay here again and it's a place worth every penny :-)

Naswik Suites, thank you for a wonderful stay. Your staff is wonderful and I highly recommend your…read morehotel.

Location, location, location! We enjoyed our stay at Bearpaw with the harbor and shops a very…read moreshort walking distance away. We were also close to the breweries. Jackie in the office was very helpful and kind. The facilities (laundry room and restrooms) were very clean. The price of staying here is very reasonable for full hookups.

We've stayed at Bearpaw Campground a couple times now while being in Valdez for work. Although we…read morehave a camper, I'm not big on this type of park because you're packed in like crazy but they have their purpose and it works. For us, it works because we're there for work and have our own space with everything we need. The electric, water and sewer hookups make it all come together nicely, along with WiFi. I believe it's a husband/wife team that owns/runs it... the wife is so friendly and the husband... so crotchety! It is what it is. For those that choose to not use or don't have the full hookups, they offer clean restrooms with showers for use. It's nice because they're key code accessed which means only the campground guests are using it. Although I didn't use them, several in our party did out of ease. They're good about keeping the place maintained, emptying the multiple garbage cans though out the park daily. GCI apparently pulled out of Valdez, so they don't have cable tv hookup anymore, but that has never effected us. We've found that the people seem to be respectful of the tight spaces and for the most part aren't too disruptive. There are no fire pits in the park, however each site does have a picnic table. We bring an easy up to keep situated and also our smokeless fire pit. Personally, we have decided that when we go again, we will actually rent two spaces, side by side so we can spread out a bit and be more comfortable, especially since our friends/colleagues tend to hang around out site. All in all... we'll continue to stay here when visiting Valdez!

False advertising! Don't go there if you want to tent camp! Unless of course you want to pitch your…read moretent in a parking lot on the side of the road. Also there are no maps of the campground available and for good reason... The campground is scattered along the roadside like the garbage it is.

Shoreline salmon fishing steps away; awesome views; campfire pits; fresh water available; RVing…read moredoesn't get any better than this.

I spent 3 nights and 4 days exploring around Valdez, Alaska. And I had a really good time…read more Valdez, AK is located 300 miles away by road from Anchorage. You can pair it with visiting Wrangell St. Elias National Park. I'd like to rundown a list of the sights, sceneries and attractions from my visit...to maybe help others interested in coming to this beautiful seaside town and what to expect. For a few days, it's more than enough time to get acclimated here and to appreciate another under the radar town that truly exudes a vintage Alaskan setting. Before I relay what I did...yes, Valdez, very well known for its world class fishing trips, and sitting among statuesque mountains all within a charming harbor at the end of Richardson Highway Drive. - Stan Stephens Glacier Tour - I did the Meares Glacier all day tour and had a wonderful time. They offer a shorter excursion to Columbia Glacier as well. - Solomon Fish Hatchery - I could never grasp the whole concept of a fish hatchery, but here during early August, I got to witness how they catch salmon during spawning season and help in the cycle/process of continuing the incubation for future salmons...if that makes any sense. But...the whole process and watching salmon swim upstream surrounded by seagulls was pretty impressive. Doesn't take long to stop on by. - Glacier View Park - very quiet atmosphere to be among a glacier in the background. More importantly, the lake is quite pristine and reflective with floating icebergs situated in the waters. People had their kayaks here to enjoy paddling. You can even have a picnic. Located maybe 10 miles outside downtown Valdez, Glacier View Park is a great hidden escape. - Civic Center Overlook Trail - situated right in town. To find it, just plug the trail into Google Maps. The pathway is as short as it gets, around 3/10's of a mile, but it gives a quick glimpse from high above into the scenery on the opposite side of downtown Valdez. Maybe you need 15 - 20 minutes here, but still, it's an activity, nonetheless. - Homestead Trail - this is located on the left-hand side as you're driving Homestead Road. You'll see a parking area for you to leave your car and then it's a 1/2 mile walk to the Valdez River waters where you'll be surrounded by nothing but refreshing air and currents from boats passing by. At the end of the trail, or sort of the pinnacle...it's really an interesting sight to see especially on a sunny day. You feel liberated, or at least I did, lol. - Dock Point Park and Trail - good spot for barbecuing and having lunch/dinner by the waterside. Plus, when walking the trail, it gives you an inside perspective into the cool mountainous backdrop of Valdez. - Walking around the Downtown Harbor - this is a MUST to get a real feel understanding of how this small town of Valdez can leave a lasting impression on your visit and time here. Though the downtown length is not even 1/3 of a mile long...you can still eat at some amazing restaurants and Food Trucks. Plus, the harbor will offer you opportunities to watch completed fishing trips return with their catches where professionals will wash, rinse and filet the fresh catches right in front of your face. If you stop on by, say, starting at 5pm...you should be able to see what it's all about. Tourists, guides and fishermen brag about how they journey out on Prince William Sound, and you get to view their rewards being some monster fish. The Restaurants - I ate at the famous Potato and the Fat Mermaid. I got a cheesesteak at The Potato with fries and a drink. Yeah, it was expensive...$27 with a drink and gratuity. The cheesesteak was fine. The Fat Mermaid I had heard was well known for their pizzas. I got a small 12" pie, and it was very good with a crispy crust. I noticed 3 Food Trucks in town as well... They were Glacier Grind - BBQ, Nat Shack - tacos, Aunty Yum Yum's Thai Food. I never got a chance to eat at any of the food trucks, unfortunately. For buying little knickknack souvenirs, I recommend Captain Joe's Gas Station. Plus, here, they're open 24 hours and include a laundromat, public showers, snacks and drinks. There's a Safeway Grocery Shopping Store for any foods/extras you may need. There's RV Parks for camping/tenting out in nature. A few include...Bear Paw RV Park, Valdez RV Park and Eagles Rest RV Park. Lastly, don't forget to take a photo with the Valdez, Alaska Sign as you're entering town to officially announce that you have arrived! Valdez, Alaska is a rustic and charming, fishing port town that was one of my favorite places to stop along my summer journey through Alaska. Hope others out there put this place on their itineraries.

OK y'all, Valdez is a lot of fun…read more BUT, you'll have to do your own research and make your own fun. This isn't a town like Seward or Homer where you can just show up and have loads of things to do/places to eat/places to sleep. Being that it's a 6 hour car ride from Anchorage, it's a much more sleepy town. But, if you can unlock its secrets, it has a ton to offer: - World-class ice climbing - World-class backcountry skiing - fat biking - kayaking - (for the wealthy) heli-skiing - 2 glaciers to ogle with easy-ish access - waterfalls to ogle (summer) or climb (winter) right next to the road You'll find much more approachable hiking in the Anchorage bowl and on the Kenai peninsula. Valdez doesn't really have the greatest trail system. If you want to get high you'll probably be doing some intense bush-whacking and/or harrowing stream/creek/river crossing. In the winter many restaurants are closed. The ones that are open, close early, plan accordingly!

The gang at VS Helicopters is so awesome. Everyone does their utmost to make sure your helicopter…read moretour experience is the best and one you'll remember for years to come. Ryan and Jackson are pilots extraordinaire, they made our flights so fun. I highly recommend booking a helicopter experience with VS, you won't regret it!

My wife and I had the pleasure of having Leigh as our pilot for a flight up the Valdez Glacier…read more This was my wife's first time in a helicopter, so she sat in the available front seat - I loved watching her excitement as Leigh flew us up along the glacier, pointing out wildlife and other points of interest. I am not a fan of flying in Alaska - Leigh did an AMAZING job of taking my hesitation/ anxiety into consider, w/o negatively impacting my wife's experience. Landing on the Valdez Glacier was a treat - got to see some of the small melt-pools up close, and Leigh brought along cups to ensure we had an opportunity to drink fresh glacier water at the source. Learned a lot during the excursion as well - Leigh is a great pilot AND guide.

There's not many souvenir shops in the area. This one seemed to be opened most of the year versus…read moreanother that closes during the tourist off season. The lady who I suppose took over the business was super friendly. What caught my attention was how all gift shop profits go to support people with disabilities. Ooh. Their small gift items also come with mesh-type, draw string bags as oppose to traditional bags. :) It's just the little finishing touches that's cute. I was able to buy a coin purse crafted in India along with locally made chapsticks. There were other stuff as well: lotions, magnets, stickers, postcards, key chains, hand-crafted jewelry, t-shirts, and of course art supplies. Though this was mostly an arts and crafts place, there were some souvenirs and stuff to browse. I think art and craft classes are held here.

Stopped in and liked the art and jewelry. There was a small class going on when I came in, and I…read morelike the concept of the place. It's great to have a place where the clients are able to express themselves, especially when they're not able to verbally. I am super kicking myself that I didn't buy the two necklaces that I looked at when I stopped in; Hopefully they will still be there when I hopefully return soon.

Such a great experience! We did a couple photo shoot and she…read moremade us feel super comfortable the whole time even with some of the awkward poses, lol. Would definitely book again, all and all a great time.