Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast at Glacier Bay

If you peruse my past reviews, you will find that I rarely write negative ones--I am generally moved to write primarily to support deserving establishments. In this case, however, I feel a moral obligation to potential guests to warn them of what lay ahead. I am admittedly an outlier, though not unique, in my very negative view of the place, which largely echoes what "Valerie from Pa" and "Orit C," among others, wrote in past reviews: specifically that the proprietor, Deb, apparently beloved by many, is highly controlling (not to mention, in my view, passive-aggressive). If you want your every move laid out for you, and have little need for privacy, you will enjoy her attention. If you value even a measure of autonomy, avoid this place like the plague. To offer a couple of brief examples, after a long journey to reach Gustavus, Deb picked us up at the ferry, as is the custom in remote parts of Alaska. We hadn't much time to spend and were anxious to get to the park for a day hike, but Deb took us on a one hour tour of Gustavus. She did not ask if we'd like to see the town, she simply set forth. Here it is worth noting that there are basically two streets in Gustavus. To spend an hour seeing the town requires that the guide offer a detailed discussion of pretty much every building and family in town. She then decided that it was best we rent a car to get to the park and took it upon herself to make these arrangements before we could decide whether we wished to do so. The car we ultimately rented for $130 turned out to be barely functional. Not to belabor the point, but by way of further illustration, I offer one more of many possible examples of Deb's "hospitality:" On our third and final day in Gustavus, we had a 5:40 flight to Juneau. We knew that the Glacier Bay Lodge drove their guests to the airport at around 4:30, and that arriving an hour in advance of our flight would be more than sufficient. Deb, however, insisted that we must leave at 2:30 pm and that she would drive us. We said we would rather take a cab to leave later. She was so offended that we foolishly acquiesced. As a result we were literally the first people at the airport where we waited pointlessly for three hours rather than enjoying the day. To add insult to injury, Deb drove another guest to the airport an hour and a half later. Parenthetically, she charged us for the ride, and berated us for wanting to take a cab. As for the inn itself, when we first arrived, Deb cautioned us that the toilet did not work well. And indeed it did not, though we exercised as much caution as possible, short of going into the woods to relieve ourselves. Deb blamed us for the toilet's failure, and clearly believed we had done something wrong. Yet, looking back ay past reviews, we discovered there were problems with the toilet as many as 9 years and she had obviously never really fixed the problem, though were treated to many long lectures about how hard she works and how difficult it is to get supplies, etc. in Gustavus. That may all be true, but I am pretty sure I never forced her to open a b&b. Leaving all this aside, even for those of you who might appreciate her involvement as helpful, please note that Gustavus is 10 miles from the Glacier Bay Lodge from which the tour boat of the park departs, and where all but one of the hiking trails are located. It will cost you between $18 and $23 per person one way to Lodge--and that assumes you can get a cab. Stay at the Lodge.

Debbie is the hostess par excellence!! A mother hen looking after her chicks. She picked us up at the airport, prepared elaborate breakfasts, reserved our tickets for our tour boat, had coats, hats and boots to choose from to stay warm on the boat, and gave us a ride to a restaurant when nothing was open nearby (not that there are too many restaurants around!). The room we stayed in was bright and airy with a big window and tastefully decorated. And.... She reserved a room for us at another lodge when she did not have room for us for the whole time we were planning on being in Gustavus.

My wife and I traveled to Alaska for 2 1/2 weeks trying to see as many places as possible. We traveled from Ketchikan in the Southeast eventually up to Talkeetna and Denali NP with many stops along the way. It was a wonderful trip. Our favorite part was our three nights in Gustavus staying in the Lupine Cabin at the Blue Heron B&B. ||||Deb is a most gracious host who managed all of the details for us. She also is clearly proud of her small community, especially the native culture. When we vacation, it is important to us to meet local people and learn about their culture and way of life. Deb certainly made that happen with all of her tips, advice and scheduling of events.||||We were met at the airport by Deb and given a quick tour of Gustavus. Before we ever arrived, months prior when we planned the trip, Deb got us booked for The Taz whale watch tour and the Glacier Bay day boat tour. So, we were all set up when we got to Gustavus. Deb drove us places we needed to go that were further away and bikes were available if we wanted to set off on our own. With our three-night stay, we also had time for some hiking and a visit and talk at the Tribal House that was built in the national park. The Tribal House is an amazing experience, especially if you get the presentation from Don. He provides great stories and insights into the importance of the Tribal House. ||||The Blue Heron is an easy walk to the beach and ferry dock. Likewise, you can walk to Four Corners where there are a couple of small restaurants and the gas station. Gustavus is a town where you can really disconnect and relax. It is not hustle bustle here and certainly not crowded with cruise ship excursions. We really enjoyed the quiet, peaceful and beautiful setting. ||||Finally, I have to mention the wonderful breakfasts that Deb provides. They were wonderful with many fresh ingredients. She'll find out what kind of things you like to ensure you get something you will enjoy. Deb and Pete were a joy getting to know over our breakfasts and hearing about their many interesting jobs and adventures they've had in Alaska over the years. Of course, they also have plenty of good advice for us on how to get the most out of our time in Gustavus/Glacier Bay and Alaska. ||||If you are putting together an itinerary for a trip to Alaska, be sure to add a stop for Gustavus and the Blue Heron B&B. You will be so happy that you did.

Couldn't be more pleased with our stay. Deb and Pete were so warm and wonderful. The really took care of us during our four day stay, from helping to arrange activities to homemade breakfasts and great conversations. We don't typically seek out tourist activities, but all of the ones that Deb suggested (the tribal house program, the whale watching tour) have been outstanding. We stayed in the Lupine cabin, which was perfect for three adults and one child. We brought a lot of food with us, and the kitchenette and grill had everything we needed for cooking dinners. We used the bikes to ride to town and playgrounds. Absolutely will stay here again if we're able to come back to Gustavus in the future!

Deb was the perfect host. The room was clean and fresh with a great shower and plenty of hot water. Her breakfasts were more than generous - she happily accommodated our dietary needs. She helped us with great information about things to do and understanding the culture and traditions of the area even providing parkas for our boat trip. She's able to make reservations for activities and arrange or provide transportation to and from. She met us at the ferry at the beginning of our stay and dropped us at the airport at the end; she even helped us be smart about getting through the long line at check-in.

Breakfast is fabulous and rooms are nice. If you like to be totally controlled by and dictated to by the host - this is the place for you. She does not readily share info - will only book things for you. And then not share details. I had to go around her back to find out I could get a vegetarian meal on one trip. Will not help you plan - won't give you phone numbers or contact info - will only plan for you (and does not follow-up in a timely manner) and then is not happy if you make arrangements on your own. She made a huge fuss when I rented a car - told me I had to do all these additional steps when that was not the arragement I had made - and I had asked her to reserve it and she did not (she said she wanted to) and I got a different car b/c she got in the middle of it. Just a big pain! Way too involved in an unhelpful way for my taste. Also - this is FAR from everything. You almost NEED a car. You can not walk anywhere - if you want to go out to eat, there is one walkable place for dinner with very limited menu (one entree per night) and availability. What would have been helpful is making dinner reservations in advance but that was not offered. Loved being at Glacier Bay NP - but would be better to stay at Lodge. Much more convenient. All trails and the wonderful park boat ride leave from there. And a dinner restaurant that you can get into without reservations. She pushed a whale watching trip that was very disappointing. Most frustrating and disappointing stay in our 4 week trip in Alaska. Definitely a mistake to stay here but not to go to Glacier NP!

Deb and Pete are wonderful hosts. We were looking for a place to stay at the last minute and Deb was graciously accommodated us! The room was comfortable, the showers hot and WiFi available in the sitting room steps away. We enjoyed the sumptuous breakfast, of homemade breads and jellies with a vegetable omelet and fruit salad. Thank you Deb and Pete! Hope to see you again

From the moment we stepped off the ferry, to the moment 3 days and two nights later, we had an absolutely fantastic time at the Blue Heron. Deb is just the most wonderful host. She was there to meet us with a huge smile, and then took us on a tour of Gustavus, showing us all the landmarks and places to go. She knows everyone and is passionate about her small community. It is the kind of place where everyone waves to everyone else! The cabins we stayed in (2 couples) were beautifully appointed, very private, so comfortable and very clean. We slept like logs. We loved sitting on the verandah looking at the wildflower meadow and watching out for moose. Breakfasts were amazing, the best on our whole Alaska trip of three weeks. Varied, superb, loads of choice, all served with a smile. Deb has so much information about what to do. She saved us when our trip to Glacier Bay was cancelled at the last minute due to a boat breakdown. She managed to get us on to the Taz whale watching trip which was superb (separate review). Many others who were staying in other places could not get on it. Gustavus is a tiny, lovely place. Deb has free bikes so we took advantage of these and cycled about. We also hired a car which Deb arranged, that was very useful. There is one coffee shop, a few restaurants and that is it. We saw a moose and her calf in the road. The petrol station has old hand pumps. It is a total hideaway and so wonderful. All made even better by the lovely Deb and Pete. Thanks to you both. We would highly recommend coming to stay here!