How do I even begin to express my joy of staying here?
It was pure fun and enjoyment!

So, frankly speaking, we didn't quite have a great initial impression of Pascale (sorry Pascale!) via all the email interactions we had because it sounded rather curt. But we eventually figured it's because she's so busy! Pascale runs this whole lodge on her own while being a full-time mother! Can you imagine that?!

Anyway, the lodge is a log house, which is amazing beautiful. It's away from the highway and hence extremely peaceful. It's about a 40 min drive from Fairbanks itself, but bearable journey and definitely worth it! The inside is decorated tastefully making the place feel so cozy you feel like you've stepped into your own home! The bedroom we had was No. 5 and it was elegantly set up. Once we stepped in, we fell in love with the room almost immediately.

2 things that made this place so special was Sid - Pascale's golden retriever who is just such a smart little darling! Ok, she's not little anymore, around 6 years old. But she's fun to play with and so friendly! The 2nd thing - Pascale's mom. She was helping Pascale out and she makes OMG amazing french toast the FRENCH way not american way! it was made out of french baguettes and I've NEVER tasted anything as good, not even close! Oh, and on the night that we arrived, dinner was served at $15 per person (optional), there was soup, entree and dessert. Dessert was cheesecake that was delicious! I swear it beats Cheesecake Factory hands-down!

We spent 2 nights here and on our first night, we managed to catch the Aurora! =)
It's great that the aurora comes up in front of the lodge while the moon comes up behind the lodge so that the light from the moon doesn't disrupt the aurora that much. So great location! And from our room no. 5, we can see the Aurora without having to freeze in the cold outside ;)

By the way, seems like Pascale wants to sell her lodge as she needs to head back to France, so people, go there before she's gone (with Sid)!!

My Fiancée and I traveled to this part of Alaska to specifically see the Aurora and were not disappointed by either the Auroras or the Lodge. Pascale is a wonderful hostess whose hospitality is hard to beat and always has lots of helpful information about the local area and events. Our room was cozy, warm and the best place to watch for the lights! Thanks Pascale for making our stay very enjoyable!

The Northern Sky Lodge has been one of the best B&Bs I've stayed in by far!

First of all, as the NSL is located in Ester, which is about 30miles away from Fairbanks, it does take some time to travel back to the lodge especially if you are exploring the city or the hot springs. It usually took us about 30minutes to drive back from the city. Nevertheless, the drive is really scenic with the towering pine trees and there are occasional scenic points for you stop by.

Pascale charges home made dinner at a reasonable rate as well and the food is heartwarming and delicious! She also showed us a few photo albums that her previous, and sometimes recurring customers, made for her and I have to admit that the photos of the aurora are stunning!

That being said, the NSL is probably one of the best locations to view the aurora as it is located far from the city lights. Despite the fact that there are pine trees surrounding the lodge, you would still be able to see the aurora if the activity is high! We stayed there for 3 nights and it was a real pity that we did not manage to see the aurora since we heard from the other Japanese travellers who told us that they spotted the aurora nights before we came.

One thing to note would be the internet. There's no wireless (either that or the connection is really weak as the modem is downstairs and you're staying on the 2nd level) and the internet connection of the computer at the 2nd level is erratic. There was one night when I was trying to check the aurora activity online with another Japanese traveller, and the internet did not work thus making it a futile attempt to monitor the aurora activity.

Pascale also offered dog mushing at the lodge for at a very affordable price. If you're just interested in the experience, do get quotes from Pascale regarding the dog mushing! The ride itself isn't very long, probably 15 minutes or so, (that might be the case because the layers of snow were not very conducive for mushing), but the experience was exhilarating and we did not spend a bomb on it!

Lastly, the room that we stayed in (one of the more expensive and bigger ones) was fabulous! The design was homely and elegant and despite it being a lodge, it was much cleaner than expected! We had a bathroom to ourselves and from our bedroom window, we could see the northern lights (which were unfortunately not present when we were there).

In all, I would definitely recommend the NSL if you're specially visiting Fairbanks to catch a glimpse of the aurora!

I traveled to Northern Sky Lodge in February 2010 with my mom. We stayed 4 nights in hope to see the Northern Lights. Unfortunatly we didn't see them, but they did see them the night before we arrived. The lodge is a perfect location if you want to see the lights. Its about 30 miles outside of Fairbanks.

Location: Very secluded. We rented a car which was a very good idea as there isn't much to do around the lodge. We were able to see a lot while we were there. Although I know Pascale does provide transfers if you do not wish to rent a car. The lodge is in a remote location so I would highly recommend getting a car.

Lodging: We stayed on the second floor with two Queen beds. The room was amazing! It faced the North side so if the lights came out we would see them. The beds were very comfortable and all the amenities were included (shampoo, conditioner, etc.)

Food: There was a shared kitchen upstairs so we did stock up at Fred Meyer and were able to make our own food. Pascale does provide dinner for a small fee, we were never around to enjoy it. The breakfast which isn't mentioned on the website is awesome! We had waffles one day, pancakes another, everything was so fresh and delicious.

Activities: There is dog mushing, unfortunatly when we stayed they had only recieved a few inches of snow so we weren't able to experience it.

Overall I would highly recommend NSL to anyone considering it. The hospitality was amazing, I have never stayed at a Bed and Breakfast before but I would say the hospitality was probably among the best. We had an amazing stay and would love to come back again sometime!