Coupon for Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

[Sapphire73]

We plan on staying at this lodge in Cooper Landing for 3 nights as a base for touring the Kenai peninsula. With the Northern Lights coupon offering 2 nights for the price of 1, the price for 3 nights came out even lower than we expected. It was about $395 for a room with king-size bed for all 3 nights.

 

I realize that many folks may prefer to stay closer to Seward or in Homer, but wanted to share this info for those who might be considering staying in the Cooper Landing area.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Thanx, its an option we've been considering for our 2010 trip. We don't mind being out of town either - kind of prefer it actually. We'll have a rental car so can come and go as we please, and will just enjoy the scenery while we're driving!

[Suzanne123]

We stayed at the Kenai Princess Lodge last July and loved it. (They have a 50% Off Your Second Night at Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge promotion going on now.) Just an observation -- I can't believe how many dates they have free. Last year every weekend was booked with cruise tour folks. It was hard to even get two nights together. This year it looks like almost the whole summer is available.

Bring eyeshades if you need a dark room to sleep. The bungalows have windows near the ceiling and it's hard to get a really dark room. Beautiful area and great food. Best accomodations we had in Alaska.

[Budget Queen]

This location is OK for some Seward touring, but a poor choice for west. It is a very nice lodge, but definately caters to cruisetours. I wouldn't consider it for a 3 night stay, unless fishing Kenai/Russian Rivers.

[Sapphire73]

This location is OK for some Seward touring, but a poor choice for west. It is a very nice lodge, but definately caters to cruisetours. I wouldn't consider it for a 3 night stay, unless fishing Kenai/Russian Rivers.

 

We are already planning to return to Alaska and do the trip differently in a few years, but this trip will be with some dear friends (2 other couples) who would rather not change hotels much at all. We realize that it is a compromise to stay in Cooper Landing for 3 nights (rather than moving around). We also know we will need to do more driving around to tour the Kenai peninsula if we use Cooper Landing as our base. I’ll file a trip report when we return and let folks know whether it worked for us!

 

Out of curiosity, what would be a good choice for west? I hadn't looked at lodging anywhere other than Anchorage, Healy, Girdwood, Seward, Cooper Landing, and Homer.... (We are definitely going to plan on a longer stay in Homer next time!) Thanks for the feedback.

[Budget Queen]

We are already planning to return to Alaska and do the trip differently in a few years, but this trip will be with some dear friends (2 other couples) who would rather not change hotels much at all. We realize that it is a compromise to stay in Cooper Landing for 3 nights (rather than moving around). We also know we will need to do more driving around to tour the Kenai peninsula if we use Cooper Landing as our base. I’ll file a trip report when we return and let folks know whether it worked for us!

 

Out of curiosity, what would be a good choice for west? I hadn't looked at lodging anywhere other than Anchorage, Healy, Girdwood, Seward, Cooper Landing, and Homer.... (We are definitely going to plan on a longer stay in Homer next time!) Thanks for the feedback.

 

Homer is not a day trip from Cooper Landing, it does much better with at least 2 overnights. You may be better off just going back and forth to Seward?

[Sapphire73]

Homer is not a day trip from Cooper Landing, it does much better with at least 2 overnights. You may be better off just going back and forth to Seward?

 

We have been toying with the idea of taking a day trip to Homer but have not decided on that yet. If we did, we would leave early in the morning and come back late in the day.

 

This past August we drove from Vail to Aspen with one of the couples we are traveling with next summer. We spent several hours hiking in the Maroon Bells and then got a late lunch in Aspen before driving back to Vail the other way - through Independence Pass. It was very long day, and we didn't really "see" Aspen but it was a lovely adventure which we all enjoyed. If we do go to Homer and back in one day, it will be that kind of trip - a sampling of what Homer has to offer. My husband and I think we will get a chance to go back to Alaska but our friends are unlikely to get there again and would like to get to Homer.

 

And this is the same group that has too many folks susceptible to seasickness, so we are skipping the Kenai Fjords trip out of Seward. Not sure we would want to spend lots of time there.

 

I'm not sure if this idea of taking a day trip to Homer is an idiotic idea or has some merit given our restrictions. Most of us grew up in the midwest where many think nothing (or little) of driving a fair distance to get some where.:)

 

The timing of our stay in Cooper Landing is mid-July (the 22nd-24th, so midweek). Will the salmon fishing will complicate our travels? Definitely a lot of considerations when planning a trip to Alaska, aren't there?:confused:

 

I appreciate all of the helpful input I've been getting on this site and on trip advisor and welcome further input from all of you who have been there....

 

Thanks!

[Suzanne123]

Cooper Landing was about 2 hours drive from Homer, so if you get up early and drive after breakfast, you can spend the day on the spit with at least a half day tour or whatever and go back in the evening. If you want to hang around Cooper landing, be sure to take a fishing trip or the all day canyon river rafting trip:

http://alaskarivertrips.com/kenai-canyon-raft-trip.htm -- (When the guide called to ask if DH could be ready to go at 3:45 AM, he didn't even blink :) )

The lodge also has an excursion desk in the lobby, but they use the same local vendors that you can contact yourself.

I liked Homer better than Seward, but we had better weather in Homer, and I'm sure that had something to do with it.

 

pictures of Homer spit and Upper Kenai fish:

[Sapphire73]

Cooper Landing was about 2 hours drive from Homer, so if you get up early and drive after breakfast, you can spend the day on the spit with at least a half day tour or whatever and go back in the evening. If you want to hang around Cooper landing, be sure to take a fishing trip or the all day canyon river rafting trip:

http://alaskarivertrips.com/kenai-canyon-raft-trip.htm -- (When the guide called to ask if DH could be ready to go at 3:45 AM, he didn't even blink :) )

The lodge also has an excursion desk in the lobby, but they use the same local vendors that you can contact yourself.

I liked Homer better than Seward, but we had better weather in Homer, and I'm sure that had something to do with it.

 

pictures of Homer spit and Upper Kenai fish:

 

Thanks for your message and the pictures! We were figuring 2 hours for driving to Homer. (I have a copy of the Milepost and most of the other guidebooks as well.) Our son went to Homer last year, camping on the spit and taking a trip over to Seldovia. Homer was his favorite town in Alaska, and I would love to sample a bit of what this area has to offer.

 

We would have to save going to Seldovia for another trip to Alaska, but could probably do a trip to Gull Island if we get there mid-morning and have reservations. (?) Is Halibut Cove worth a visit if we don't get to Gull Island? One of the men in our group loves to explore art galleries.... (I'll repost this part later today in another thread.)

 

Thanks again for your help.

[lundys21]

How long of a drive is it ( time wise from this hotel to Seward )

[Sapphire73]

How long of a drive is it ( time wise from this hotel to Seward )

 

I gather that it is about an hour's drive on average, but that it will take longer on weekends. (The weekend traffic is a large part of the reason that we are going to Denali after getting off the cruise ship at Whittier and taking a PWS cruise.:) But we've not been there yet so only passing along what we have read and heard.