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The Van Gilder Hotel – reviews, photos

308 Adams St., Seward, AK 99664
Hotel amenities
The Van Gilder Hotel
Ranked #8 of 15 hotels in Seward
3.5 of 5 stars 53 Reviews
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53 reviews from our community

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Traveller rating
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Date Rating
San Jose, California
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“very basic”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 September 2011
1
person found this review helpful

Stayed there for 2 nights in july. Took the shared bathroom option along with tour saver coupon book to save some money. Big mistake as the restrooms we never neat. We never the bed or the room. On top of that, the windows couldn't close and there was light always (alaksa..) So didn't sleep that well for the 2 nights. Breakfast was very basic. However folks in the reception were very nice and they even helped us park the car when the parking lot was full and carried the luggage to the second floor. Overall, it just may be a place to save money if there and nothing great to tell about this hotel.

  • Stayed July 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 2 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Prasad N about The Van Gilder Hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
EOSHomer, General Manager at The Van Gilder Hotel, responded to this review
23 November 2011
Thank you for staying at The Van Gilder Hotel in Seward, Alaska. As you know, our rooms with shared bathrooms are our most basic rooms for the budget conscious traveler. Sometimes when the bathroom is not locked, other unauthorized guests use it We make a concerted effort to assist our guests in keeping their bathrooms locked while they are not using them.
We apologize for the window. This issue came up this summer, so now we have purchased windows and are in the process of replacing them. The hours of sunlight in Alaska are a blessing to some and an irritation to others. We try to accommodate all travelers needs including providing a dark drape for each room.
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haifa
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
“Can't complain; an OK stop on the way around Alaska”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 September 2011

Cannot relate to many of the negative comments from those that came before me. I had the last room on the right on the lower level corridor. Nothing fancy, but nothing dysfunctional either. Bed is HIGH - some may dislike that.
WIFI exists, but it is very weak when far from the lobby - constantly cuts out and in, to the brink of inusability. For a Skype call I went to the lobby with my laptop.
Location may be off for some, but the place was a no-brainer to find, and parking was a cinch as well.
Breakfast is a bit of a zoo, in terms of the limited room available to all guests, appliances and food. But one may count this as conducive to a communal spirit.

Room Tip: do all you can to get a lower level room - apparently no elevator exists
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  • Stayed August 2011, travelled with friends
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 4 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
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Ask ilane1 about The Van Gilder Hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
EOSHomer, General Manager at The Van Gilder Hotel, responded to this review
23 November 2011
Thank you for staying at The Van Gilder Hotel in Seward, Alaska. Wet have now upgraded our internet speed and added an additional router on the upper levels of the hotel. Now all rooms will have uninterrupted WI-FI.
While we do have limited space in the Breakfast room, the communal kitchen does have space as well and is open to guests at 8 a.m. Yes, it is true that the Van Gilder is a nationally registered historic hotel and unfortunately it does not yet have an elevator.
Thank you again for choosing The Van Gilder Hotel and for your comments. We look forward to serving you again soon.
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Irvine, California
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Poor customer service and cancellation policy”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 September 2011
1
person found this review helpful

We stayed at this hotel on September 4th. We were booked for 2 nights originally. The hotel is not like what you expect. Room was available and because the building is really old, it was smelling a lot in the room. Location is little far as you have to drive almost 9 miles in the town.

We paid 120$/day for this, which was not worth it at all. We had to leave a day earlier because of some medical emergency, so we asked them to refund the money. i have been calling them for last two days but the manager never responds back.

would not recommend this place.

Thanks

  • Stayed September 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 1 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 2 of 5 stars Service
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Ask swati25 about The Van Gilder Hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
EOSHomer, General Manager at The Van Gilder Hotel, responded to this review
23 November 2011
Thank you for staying at The Van Gilder Hotel in Seward, Alaska. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your stay. We try to do everything we can to accommodate our guests. However, like most hotels, we have a 48-hour cancellation policy in place. We were not informed that you had an emergency or we would have made other arrangements.
The hotel is located in the Historic District directly across from town square, which is a stop for the Seward Free City Shuttle to the harbor. The hotel is very close to shopping and fine dining. Though we do have a relatively small staff, we try to respond to all guest inquiries as soon as possible.
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3 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 September 2011

Friendly and helpful staff. Small basic rooms, reasonably comfortable, basic continental breakfast. Had an Alaskan Tour saver so OK value for money using this.

Room Tip: Ask for room away from door to stairs
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  • Stayed September 2011, travelled as a couple
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Timtam50 about The Van Gilder Hotel
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Atanta
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Not worth the money”
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 31 August 2011
1
person found this review helpful

When they say historic, think old. The hotel is not renovated and is in bad shape. Wallpaper peeling off the walls and just in a state of needing repair. We had to prepay for our rooms and booked two nights in a suite. After checking in we were able to be refunded for one night and promptly left the next morning. No hairdryers in room, breakfast was continental but right off of a grocery store shelf with a sign on the fridge asking you to eat one yogurt only, the yogurt were the mini containers. Dont waste your money, try Hotel Seward or the new Holiday Inn Express on the waterfront. Also have no elevator so travel light and be prepared for short, steep stairs.

  • Stayed August 2011, travelled with family
    • 1 of 5 stars Value
    • 2 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
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Ask DonJuanAtlanta about The Van Gilder Hotel
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Additional Information about The Van Gilder Hotel

  • Van Gilder Hotel
  • Van Gilder Seward
Address: 308 Adams St., Seward, AK 99664
Price range (per night):* INR2,740 - 10,345

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