Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge

scott schwed

This is a tough review. The overall Princess experience was awesome, this place was a huge let down after 10 days of excellence. Cruised up from Vancouver to Whittier, stayed at the Denali Princess lodge, everything was 5 star. This place was NOT. Onsite dining is just weak staff seemed overworked, took 4 hours to get our bags. They said cause we had a similar name to others so they just set our bags aside. Ugh. Took 3 hours to get an extra blanket. The grounds aren’t very nice ( except the chefs garden) the whole area is not very nice to be honest. Didn’t feel safe letting my kids wander. Only walkable dining was at the hotel next door, but that was actually very decent. Overall I think Princess needs to do some work here. Honestly I would just sell the place and build a new resort in a little nicer area. The two excursions we did in Fairbanks were great, but would skip this place or at least just spend one night.

Ron and Mare Hessler

We stayed at this lodge as the very last stop on a cruise/land tour with grandparents and kids. This was probably the nicest of the three Princess lodges we stayed at (this one, Denali, and McKinley) but that's not saying a lot. It was clean, quiet, and housekeeping existed so that puts it above the other two. The location is close to the airport but far from everywhere else. I got the impression the hotel was constructed very fast or something-floors creaked and doors didn't close all the way, that kind of thing. But it was fine. The restaurants were extremely busy and expensive. We ended up walking to Pike Landing for one meal (which was good) and then ate at Trackers otherwise and it only has a few things on the menu so that was a little repetitive although the food was good. The servers are trying but they are really understaffed. Overall, I was just very tired of hearing Princess say that this or that was not open/available due to staffing shortages or supply chain issues. The entire land tour was that excuse non stop. I get it but why let people book a trip you are unprepared to give them? If I had stayed here on a road trip as a highway hotel, it would have been fine. But this was a big vacation so my expectations were a little higher. I did hear a lot of bonkers complaints while I was at the front desk asking a question-people who ended up in rooms with other people already there or not clean, missing luggage, etc. So we were lucky. The walking path along the river was nice. If you follow the path down to Pike Landing, you will pass a little duck enclosure that my kids really got a kick out of. We all liked the grilled cheese and the nachos at Trackers. Overall, this lodge is okay, nothing wrong with it, but pretty basic.

Sanne Kure-Jensen

Clean room and bathroom. Loud self closing doors slam all day or night. Nearby door slams rattle our desk and coffeemaker. Lovely gardens and terrace by the river. No table service and very slow cleanup at the riverside terrace. Food at buffet was very disappointing. Worst restaurant on our 10-day land tour. Serving tools and lid handles were sticky and filthy. Website still said menu was available in the restaurant, but it’s been buffet only all season for “staff shortages“. We’re so sick of that excuse. Luggage delivery was super slow. My husband finally went to the basement at dinner time and claimed our bags. No key entry /re-entry for outside stairwell doors so rocks blocked doors open 24-hours letting mosquitoes in (and security risk?)

Odalys Garcia

Great hotel, but a little out of the way of you don't have a car. The room and grounds were well kept. Hotel has a small restaurant providing good food.