Top of the World Hotel

As someone who had never been to Barrow before, I was somewhat nervous about what the hotels would be like. This place was great! Friendly staff, great location to the whalebone arch, warm and comfortable rooms with a restaurant inside the building. if you’re brave enough to do the polar plunge in the arctic ocean right behind the hotel, show the hotel staff the video and they will give you a certificate and a patch as a souvenir!

great rooms. hotel has a laundromat, restaurant, and a small gift shop with some essentials. there are other restaurants and groceries within walking distance. the employees are very nice and even offered to mail a lost item to me after i called them.

During my stay at Top of the World Hotel in Barrow, Alaska, the location alone makes it worth the visit. The view of the Arctic Ocean from the room window was incredible, and it’s just a few seconds' walk to the shoreline. The room was clean, and the help desk staff were friendly and helpful. While the hotel itself is decent, you won't have mobile network access in Barrow, so you'll need to use the hotel’s landline or connect your phone to WiFi for calls. The only disappointment was the airport pickup. Despite being confirmed multiple times by the manager, no one came to pick us up at the airport on Saturday. After waiting for an hour, I had to use iPhone WiFi calling (Airport) to contact the hotel, only to be told no one was working on Saturdays except the help desk staff. She kindly gave me a taxi number, which was a lifesaver. Sometimes, travel brings unexpected experiences like this. I recommend taking it in stride and enjoying the trip. A local cab ride in Barrow will take you on breathtaking routes that offer a unique perspective of this remote area.

Our stay at the Top of the World Hotel in Barrow, Alaska, was an absolute nightmare. From the moment we walked into our room, it was clear that cleanliness and hygiene were not a priority at this establishment. ||||Firstly, there was trash scattered around the room, and cigarette butts littered the floor. This level of neglect was only the beginning. We were horrified to find poop still in the toilet and a noticeable pee stain on the mattress. The room was absolutely filthy, making us question whether it had been cleaned at all before our arrival.||||The smell was unbearable. The stench of booze, sweat, drugs, and cigarette smoke permeated every corner of the room, making it impossible to relax or sleep. It was as if the room hadn't been aired out or cleaned in months.||||This was truly the most disgusting and appalling hotel experience we have ever had. I would strongly advise anyone considering a stay at the Top of the World Hotel to look elsewhere. Save yourself the disgust and disappointment – avoid this place at all costs.

Our ocean view room at Top of the Hotel was facing the arctic. The delux room had a king bed and a sofa bed which covered for our family of 4 with kids. The unique feature of the room is the kitchenette having a microwave, sink, plates, cups and towels. We made use of the gift shop to buy essentials like soda, water and Advil. The restaurant food was delicious. The service at the front desk is warm and courteous. The front porch is a great area to be seated while you wait for the cab. They organize shuttle from and to the airport for guests. Overall, this hotel is the best place to stay in Barrow.

It was a great place to spend one night. From outside it was not spectacular. But inside it was much nicer. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. The restaurant was excellent. It was right by the whalebone arch and the water so you could walk around and see several things.

Considering the location of this hotel, they do an excellent job of providing a clean room and comfortable accommodations. Staff were friendly and helpful. Did not take the hotel Tundra Tour, but did take the 71 North tour, as we wanted to see Polar Bears and stand on the Northernmost Point in the US.

We booked the ocean facing room in this Top of the World hotel and the views of the arctic was just amazing. The delux room had a king bed and a sofa bed which covered for our family of 4 with kids. The unique feature of the room was the kitchenette having a microwave, sink, plates, cups and towels. The clean bathroom had a heater, hairdryer and shower essentials. The WiFi was the fastest and available upon check-in. The walls were beautifully decorated with local artwork and photos of the tundra. The lobby had great amenities like ATM, restaurant, seated waiting area, restrooms, and baggage storage room. We made use of the gift shop in this building to buy essentials like soda, water and basic medicine. We bought the coffee mug and other items with the hotel's name on them as souvenirs. The front desk staff were warm and courteous. The front porch was a great area to be seated while you wait for the cab. They organized shuttle from and to the airport for us.

Nice hotel for being on the top of the world. I would compare this to a Courtyard by Marriott hotel in the rest of the country. The restaurant was very good for Barrow. They make you sign a paper acknowledging you will be fined $500 and kicked out of the hotel if they catch you with alcohol in the hotel. However, I was told what Momma don't know can't hurt yeah. They also have a shuttle to and from the airport.

One of a couple of hotels available in Barrow (Utqiagvik), Top of the World endeavors to meet the needs of travelers to the North Slope. The rooms are sparse but adequate, with three floors of capacity. The hot water can be spotty at peak use times. Wifi is available and stable if not the fastest. One highlight is the restaurant onsite, which is great for work gatherings. Shuttles are available for transportation to/from the airport.

Very nice hotel. Rooms are clean and beds are comfortable. The staff is amazing. They helped me change the temperature in the room to meet my heat level (I like it cool at 65-degrees). Rooms have a mini coffee maker just enough for one cup of coffee at a time. Perfect for the morning cup before you start your day. Front desk staff were very helpful. I stayed 4 nights. No worries about noise. Nice pressure and temperature for showers.

Decent place. Clean, helpful front desk staff, a restaurant in the lobby, and working heater and water. It's right by the whale bone arch and a short walk to the Post Office and the grocery store. However, you probably don't want to do that walk in the winter. We tried it in negative 30F plus wind chill. Not fun. Good thing they have a restaurant inside. There's a small fridge in the room, however, no microwave or kitchenette if you need to heat some food up. Also there is a small work-out room with 1 treadmill, 1 elliptical, 1 stationary bike. Minimum but functional.

As far as hotels in the bush go, you could certainly do a lot worse. This is similar to the main hotel in Kotzebue, but without the insane rules about drinking, and with a much better restaurant attached. They have WiFi included. It's kind of spotty but it works in a pinch. Rooms are clean, lobby is always a bit dusty. It's very close to the famous "Whale Tusks" that everyone on Instagram gets photos of. It's within walking distance of the one pizza place in town. The major con is that it is outrageously expensive for what it is.

The hotel lies on their website about their hotel, in my opinion. The list us too long to even try to start.

Nice clean and quiet hotel. All the needed amenities and comfortable beds. Very friendly and helpful staff: drivers, front desk, and restaurant. Good Wifi. Pricey, yes, but it's Barrow and the hotel is quite a pleasant surprise for this locale. Centrally located and taxi service here was spot on as well. Only wish that the gift shop was better stocked. If coming to Barrow, this would be my recommendation for lodging.

The staff at the hotel is beyond amazing. Super friendly and helpful and there is a free shuttle to/from the airport (and good thing as I doubt there are too many taxis in a city with no paved roads). The Arctic Ocean is mere yards away and we had a bit of a view from our window. It was a bit pricey but everything in Barrow is given its isolation. Not a luxury hotel at all but it was a comfortable night stay and the staff really made it worth it. There is a restaurant downstairs that is excellent and the hotel also offers tours of the city (for a fee).

This hotel is useless. Their internet was down so they wouldn't let me in my room with a paid in advance reservation. It was 22° degrees outside. Never, ever stay here.

Visited here in 1974. Flew in one day and out the next. VERY spartan, but doable, all things considered. Very interesting trip.

Great to have this level of hotel in Barrow! They have a nice lobby with displays, close to the airport, comfortable rooms. What more could you want?

Decent (and the only) hotel. Staff were nice but we found that our requested King or Queen bed was not available so a full-sized is what we got. Two of them actually but we weren't about to sleep separately. The rooms are clean however and the staff was accomodating. There is no A/C and the heat is only somewhat controllable. I believe there was radient heat on constantly because our thermostat was not on and even with the window open, letting in 25 degree air, the room would not go below 72 degrees. I like the room cool when sleeping but it was a sauna in there the entire stay. I don't know how they stand it. I would think that people living in Barrow would be used to the cold but most indoor places were so hot, it was uncomfortable. But, with the slim pickens, we'd stay there again. There's something to be said about a clean room.

Warm and welcoming staff. Clean rooms with everything you need to feel comfortable and safe. Makes it easier to get over the lack of paved roads from the airport. Even the shuttle drivers are nice and do their best to make it fun. Room was a little too warm but otherwise fine with an excellent large flatscreen TV. Restaurant was good but not great on heart healthy foods. The store could carry more items but not many other options around. Considering where they are they do a heck of a job.

Went to Barrow at the end of August 2019. My main reason for going was to scatter the last remaining ashes of my son who unfortunately passed away at a young age in 2014. He requested some time before he passed that if he died he would want some of his ashes scattered there. I was finally able to make the trip which I did by myself. The manager Donna was great at Top of the world as well as ALL the other staff which made the trip easier to deal with, all things considered. My room was better than I expected and the restaurant was decent. To add to all of this, when I checked out I was given a ridiculous bereavement price which was totally unexpected. I stood on the Arctic coast and finally put my son to rest. Thx to all

It has been said, the staff is great. Enjoy breakfast of eggs and reindeer sausage, very well cooked and very tasty. If you ask for eggs over easy you will get them a bit wet. I go medium and still get great yolks. The restaurant manager also runs the gift shop. She is very helpful, helped me find some great local pieces.

I have only visited Barrow once, but I believe that this hotel is the best in town. Despite being where it is, the hotel is very modern and spacious, with just about everything you could want. Flatscreen TV, comfortable bed, refrigerator, and even a restaurant on the lowest floor. Should you be stopping in Barrow for whatever reason, this is the place to stay. PROS: -Stocked with amenities -Refrigerator, microwave, and ample cabinet space -Modern and clean rooms -Restaurant with good selection located on lowest floor -Easy to book tours via front desk staff CONS: -Staff are a bit withdrawn -Slow WiFi, however this is to be expected for Barrow

Top choice in Barrow! Clean room, nice people, warm, and great location. Central to the entire town. Not one complaint but I do miss good coffee.

For Barrow hotels, definitely the one to pick if you can get reservations so book early. Staff were consistently efficient and friendly. Rooms were modern, clean, and quiet. Exercise room was minimal (treadmill, bike, and elliptical) with no weights, yoga mats, etc. though all equipment was in great working order. Complimentary wi-fi worked ok and perhaps will improve when the city is connected to the fiber optic cable this winter. Didn't pay for the upgrade but was able to stream netflix...just slow.

I would definitely recommend this hotel. Great location and staff. However, I give it 4 stars because of some of the staff and average tour they offer. Great drivers and waitstaff, and most of the front desk, but a few front staff personal just don't seem to know what customer service is. The printer was down so I asked them to print some boarding passes, only afterwards did they tell me each page is 25 cents. Not a big deal, but why not tell your customers this before? The tour was good, but I feel they could do better with the narrative because it seemed improvised. Perhaps start by reading the barrow wiki page for materal?! Wish I could have given it more stars because some of the staff were really great.

Thanks for the hospitality and all the information Joe Sage, Assistant Manager, soon to be Manager! This Cultural Hotel is truly "cultural." This cultural hotel is owned and mainly operated and by the Inupiat shareholders of ASRC the regional Alaska native corporation. The hotel is new and beautifully decorated with images of the local families, celebrations and traditions. The walls are full of cases of art displayed where everyone can enjoy it. The rooms each have pictures that represent an Inupiat value one black and white historical picture and one newer colored picture. Even the elevators carry out the cultural theme with floor to ceiling images of Inupiats in their cultural attire. Good luck Joe getting your staff trained up and hopefully you can find those drummers and dancers a more suitable place to drum and dance. They did a great job but its much too small and much too loud in that cramped entry way.

Food at restaurant was okay, service was decent and the food pretty good for the area. This hotel caters to "shareholders." So, I'd recommend Osaka for food. Osaka (restaurant) likes everyone.