For the most part, I enjoyed my stay at the Van Gilder. For those looking for a nice, new hotel, this is not the place for you, the appeal here is the antique/historical nature of the hotel. As far as location, this hotel is conveniently located near the sea life center, but is a bit far from the port where many tours leave from. The breakfast included in the room rate is pretty basic (some muffins and drinks). The primary complaint I have is that while everyone was extremely nice at the hotel, the bill they provided was one of the most confusing bills I've ever seen. If they could just make a few upgrades to their breakfasts and billing services, it would be a really nice hotel.

We stayed for 2 night at the van gilder in seward and had the best stay in our weeklong trip in alaska. Built in historic downtown district, the hotel is more a charming (and very reasonably priced) B&B than a inpersonal large scale hotel. The managers/caretakers were a nice couple who were friendly and v helpful..providing us with local phone nos and reccos for the various trips we wanted to do. The kitchen where guests can cook meals was great. Danishes and muffins and coffee were provided during the free breakfast. The hotel mgr baked cookies in the evening and served them to us, which was delightful. There was also a local town meet in the hotel and the guests were graciously invited to chat with the locals and eat the nibblets. On the other hand, the shower is small, the bathrooms do not have an exhaust..but if you like old time character in a hotel then this is your place. all in all a delightful experience.

So overall the Van Gilder is fine, although having stayed at many historic B&B-type properties in the past, it could be so much better. Yes, no one should come to Seward expecting luxury, but even some nicer linens, cosmetic bathroom upgrades, and a cooked breakfast (or homemade breads, etc.) would go a long way. The location is great, though, and you really get a feel for downtown. And the walk to the seaport is really not that bad (~10-15min). The Van Gilder could really be a showplace property if someone put some $$$ into it, although that might not be what the majority of Seward travelers are really looking for.

We arrived in Seward planning to check into the Van Gilder to discover that I had made a big mistake when booking reservations and booked a room for the wrong weekend. The gentleman and woman at the front desk were extremely helpful and found us another hotel because the Van Gilder was full. We were able to get a room there for our last night in Seward.
Don't expect anything similar to a Best Western or any other chain hotel. Van Gilder was constructed in 1916 afterall! Hence, the rooms are tiny and all of the furniture are antiques. There is no elevator because of the time it was constructed. It's a lot of fun if you enjoy historical old buildings as there are panels lining the hallways with historical photos and descriptions. The building is in great shape considering its age and they keep it very clean. It's loaded with charm. They have a standard continental breakfast in the morning and the coffee and blueberry muffins were delicious. There is apparently a ghost haunting the hotel, which, personally, I felt added to the fun of staying there. We didn't see or hear anything that could be described as paranormal though. My only problem with hotel is that the plumbing is very old and finnicky and I was scalded in the shower (likely a result of a guest in another room flushing the toilet). They really need to turn the temperature on their water heater down. Other than that, it's a fun experience if you're into history and old architecture.