We often stay in Best Western hotels both for their price and for the consistency, so picking the Best Western Plus Chena River Lodge was an easy choice for us. Located in a great spot away from morning traffic and convenient to the expressway up out of town, the BW Plus Chena River Lodge is a solid pick for a stay in Fairbanks. While it’s not the fanciest place in town, it’s a good hotel to come home to after a day of adventures.
We’ve got the scoop and what to expect at the BW Plus Chena River Lodge and some more great ideas for how to plan an affordable, fun trip to Fairbanks. If you have any questions about this hotel stay or putting together your own travel plans, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more to help YOU plan an awesome Alaska trip!
Why Choose the BW Plus Chena River Lodge
There’s not a lot to be said about a very standard hotel experience, except that when you consider the BW Plus Chena River Lodge in comparison to some of the other budget options in Fairbanks, you’ll find that this is one of the nicer options. From the cleanliness to the warm cookies in the afternoon, there are a few things that do set it apart. A hotel like the Westmark Fairbanks (formerly the Holland America property) has nicer touches and a restaurant on site which is nice, but it’s not so elevated of an experience over the BW Plus properties.
Both the Chena River Lodge and the Pioneer Park hotel provide a comparable stay but tend to be more budget friendly. The other thing that I like about the BW Plus Chena River Lodge (or the BW Plus brand in general) is the consistency. Across the brand there are several levels of comfort or quality, and the BW Plus level is just right for how our family travels. It’s consistently well maintained, clean, consistent amenities and we get points when we stay. I guess whether you’re booking the BW Plus Chena River Lodge or you’re looking at a hotel in Tennessee, that’s my spiel about why I like them.
Book the BW Plus Chena River Lodge here!
Chena River Lodge Amenities
Like all BW Plus hotels, the Chena River Lodge has a daily breakfast included with your stay. I don’t love hotel breakfast buffets unless it’s a genuinely upscale one (it’s the mass produced scrambled eggs I’m not into), but it’s nice to be able to grab yogurt, fruit, toast and coffee with ease. Our kids are all about the DIY waffles, so it does make our mornings easier. Fairbanks has some good breakfast spots though, so you should venture out! The Cookie Jar is my favorite.
The BW Plus Chena River Lodge also has a fitness center on property. If you’re visiting Fairbanks in the winter, I find that taking time at the start of each day to have a short workout really helps me. The cold makes me not want to be as active as I normally am, so having a chance to workout helps with my energy in the cold. Another things that’s nice, and we do tend to use a lot when we have long trips around Alaska, is the laundry. There is a laundry room on site so you can easily get that taken care of if you’re in the middle of a week long or more trip.
Room Options at the BW Plus Chena River Lodge
Keeping it simple, there are only two room types at the Best Western Plus Chena River Lodge: King or Two Queens. The two queen rooms are not as spacious here as at the BW Plus Pioneer Park hotel, but they’re plenty big for a family of four. The king rooms do have a bit of extra space with a sitting area, but they do not offer sleeper sofas, which I think a lot of people expect when they’re booking a king room.
Location of the BW Chena River Lodge, Fairbanks
If you want to book a hotel that’s convenient to the airport, either the BW Plus Chena River Lodge or Pike’s Waterfront Lodge are both good choices. They’re both located on the river within 5 minutes of the airport. Parking is free here and if you’re visiting in winter and need it, they do have hookups for engine block warmers. Most rental cars DON’T have the engine block warmer, but if you’re an Alaskan visiting Fairbanks in the winter, they’ve got you all set.
Hotel Operating Info
To complete your planning, here is all the information to plan and book your stay at the Chena River Lodge.
- Operating Dates/Season: year round, check in after 4:00 pm, check out by 11:00 am
- Hotel office phone number: 907-328-3500
- Company website: BW Website
- Hotel check-in address: 1255 TVSA Way, Fairbanks AK 99709
- Hotel booking link: Book through Expedia here!
Things to do in Fairbanks
I feel like when people talk about visiting Alaska, Fairbanks is a last thought, but it shouldn’t be. I love this city, it’s people, it’s dogsled culture and the beautiful nature all around it. Fairbanks is THE winter destination in Alaska with ample dark sky space to watch the Northern Lights and endless outdoor opportunities, whether you’re looking for a mellow snowy escape or hardcore Alaskan adventures. In summer, Fairbanks is a great home base for visiting the Arctic Circle, Denali National Park, spending days kayaking or fishing. It’s beautiful!
Ideas for Fairbanks activities:
Where to Stay in Fairbanks, Alaska
Keep in mind when you’re planning your trip to Fairbanks that it is not a large city. It’s the second largest in Alaska, but it’s not huge. Hotel options are limited and when it comes to booking a luxury hotel stay, that’s not really a thing here. There are nice hotels and really cool lodges and vacation rentals, but white glove luxe ain’t happening. We’ve stayed in all kinds of Fairbanks accommodations, so have solid recommendations (below). I like being based downtown if we have a diverse, busy itinerary, but staying outside of town up in the hills is such a treat, it’s worth planning a night or two away from the city.
You’ll find that the cost of lodging in Fairbanks ranges wildly from season to season. In the summer, standard hotel rooms are not likely available for under $250 per night, with the average being well over $300 per night. In the winter you can get some awesome hotel deals as low as $125 per night. Just keep this in mind as you’re planning your visit to Fairbanks or anywhere in Alaska.
Here are our hotel picks in Fairbanks:
I hope you’re excited to experience Fairbanks and maybe stay at the BW Plus Chena River Lodge. It’s a solid choice if you’re traveling on a budget. If you have any questions about visiting Alaska’s Interior or Fairbanks specifically, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to help with travel planning for an Alaska Trip!
