A Taste of Alaska Lodge

We stayed at a Taste of Alaska for 6 nights with a northern lights tour group. It was a wonderful experience! The lodge itself was clean and comfortable, and the quirky decor was lots of fun. The owner's Mom, Debbie, was entertaining as well! The breakfasts were just fine, with lots of choice. Most importantly, the setting was great for Aurora viewing--and it was great to hear the "aurora alarm" in our room, put on our warm gear, and head out the door forspectacular viewing just a few feet from the lodge. We appreciated the provision of warm coats, boots, and crampons.

While trying to find somewhere to stay in Fairbanks, we discovered this place and made a reservation, and stayed in the main lodge, Let me add it feels way off the beaten path, you have to drive down a dirt road and follow it about a mile back into the woods.. But they do a great job with signs making sure you find them. we had a great view overlooking the pond and points south, two chairs already setup for viewing, we never turned the tv on, we would sit and watch for wildlife out the big windows.. unfortunately, the wildlife didn't cooperate and didn't come through the area.. but it was very relaxing just sitting there. Yes, they have lots of "stuff" in the rooms and the dining area, along with around the grounds.. it was interesting to say the least. And yes, we were told no shoes allowed in the rooms or dining room, no big deal, at home we don't wear shoes in the house. and I have no problems respecting their wishes.. There is no fridge in the room, so we bought a small cooler to use, there is also no coffee maker in the rooms, but by 7:30a there is fresh coffee in the dining room.. we stayed three nights and had three nice breakfasts while there. Would we stay here again? absolutely we would! it beat the hell out of a hotel room.. Debbie and her husband are great hosts, and the young lady who cooks breakfast and cleans the rooms also was great to talk with.

Fabulous!! Amazing!! Debbie and her staff are wonderful. Room was comfy and homey. Food was marvelous. Views were outstanding. The aurora viewing cabin was a welcome plus. Can't say enough good things about this lodge. It's a must stay in the Fairbanks area.

My husband and I and one friend shared the Spruce House for 3 nights the end of March. We saw the Aurora 3 times, twice from the comfort of our wrap around porch. At this time of year, pick up snow grips for your shoes at Fred Meyers. The ice from repeated thaws n re-freezing, made walking around very slippery. The cabin itself was comfortable and inviting and clean. Breakfasts were good. They accommodated our friend who is a vegetarian. Great stay!

My husband and I were at the Lodge for the Spring Equinox, primarily to see the Aurora and were not disappointed. We stayed in the Spruce House which I highly recommend. It is just beyond the lodge proper and secluded, giving the feeling of having your own cabin in the woods. It is attractive, comfortable and well-appointed with everything you need including a full kitchen. The nearby Walmart is great for any needed supplies. The memory foam mattress on the king-sized bed is firm and divine. We rented the Lodge's Subaru Forrester as our car for the 5 days we were there and it was perfect and did exceedingly well even on very icy roads going up to Chena Hot Springs, plus got great mileage. We did all the things: Reindeer Ranch, Dog Sledding, Chena Hot Springs and Snowmobiling. ||We paid good money to go aurora chasing our first night there (with an independent guide service not affiliated with the Lodge) but the aurora mostly noped out on us that night. We should have saved that money as the next 5 nights the aurora was spectacular and I got great shots with just my cell phone from the cabin deck and yard. If you want high quality photos though, you really need to invest in a modern SLR camera with special low light settings in order to capture crisp images of the aurora's full spectrum of colors. Still, it was amazing to see and definitely a bucket list trip for me to see that first-hand. The aurora alarm was super helpful, as it allowed my husband I to get a few hours of sleep in between aurora flares as they ebbed and flowed across the sky. ||Kory is super easy to work with on scheduling and a gracious host. His mom is a trip and I got my first, "Right On" in many years. We had a blast! Breakfast at the Lodge was good and plentiful. Area food options were also good. The abundant white birch trees all over are gorgeous. Hoping to make it back one spring or summer to see those in leaf. We have a daughter in college so chose Fairbanks over a more expensive trip to Iceland to see the Aurora and were not disappointed.

The Taste of Alaska Lodge was a very homey and unique place to stay. Debbie and Kory were very accommodating and fun to talk to. It was great hearing the stories they shared. We were there with a group trip (with Gondwana) and it was nice to see they had a strong partnership. The breakfasts were made fresh and varied day-to-day, which was nice. The dinner meals we had there were really good - especially the final night of the group trip! We really liked the singing alarm that would wake us up when the Northern Lights were starting their show. ||We were so excited to be able to extend our trip by an extra day in order to try one additional night of looking for the Northern Lights (which totally paid off!!). We highly recommend the Taste of Alaska Lodge for a nice getaway not to far from Fairbanks, but far enough to feel like you’re really in Alaska! You’ll be taken care of very well!

We had an amazing 5-night stay at Taste of Alaska towards the end of December. We spent 3 nights in the log house and 2 nights in the main lodge, thoroughly enjoying both accommodations. Staying in the main lodge was particularly convenient as we didn’t have to bundle up for breakfast. The log house offered a cozy, private space with a spacious patio and a kitchen stocked with basic supplies, making it easy to whip up a quick meal. The owners, especially Debbie, were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Debbie made it a point to chat with guests during breakfast and even helped us connect with a local driver for a trip to Chena Hot Springs. We also enjoyed visiting Paws for Adventure, just a short walk from the property, and trying out the snowshoes provided. The property’s location, away from the city, was its biggest highlight—offering stunning mountain views, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, and, of course, the auroras. The aurora alarm was a thoughtful touch, allowing us to witness incredible shows on two nights. While breakfast was basic, it was sufficient, and the overall experience of being surrounded by Arctic wilderness made this a fantastic place to stay. Highly recommend it!

Fantastic! Cabin was clean and so comfortable. 2 bedrooms, kitchen and spacious living room/ dining room. Even discovered that we had our own unadvertised jacuzzi downstairs! The south facing view from the living room window and off the front deck was beautiful! Perfect for watching the sunrise and sunset! Panoramic views of the valley. Could even see Denali in the distance. I was able to take great pictures of the aurora from the front deck. They also have an aurora viewing deck and warming hut with north facing views right on the property and aurora wake up calls. Breakfast was very good and included in the price of the cabin. The dining area was lovely with beautiful views and the owners and staff were friendly and accommodating. It is also a 20 minute walk to the dogsledding tours along a groomed trail through the woods. No bears or wolves in winter. Walk was easy and felt very safe. Wonderful experience. I highly recommend this place and would definitely stay there again.