Grande Denali Lodge Denali National Park and Preserve

We booked a trip through the Alaska Railroad and were excited to look at the accommodations on line. The hotel looks nice both on line and in person and the views are truly spectacular. The problem is not with the hotel but rather with the staff's lack of knowledge. Everyone is very nice and select individuals are knowledgeable but unfortunately they are few and far between. The management does not adequately train their staff and since they are typically there for only one season, they do not know what to do. Some of the problems we encountered included: two hours for lunch in an empty restaurant with a party of six (some meals didn't include the ingredients stated and when asked for more water it never came but we said nothing since it was the first day), toilet had poop stains that were never cleaned during our 2 night stay, king room was requested but not available so staff said they would bring a crib for our two year old and they never did, reservation staff did not know the prices of simple things like their buffet and their most popular tours and instead of finding out would just say they didn't know and smile. Another difficulty is the inability to problem solve. If they were out of something, they would just say they were out instead of offering to substitute another item. The most general problem, which was acknowledged by several of their own staff members, is the fact that the hotel was simply not prepared to be open yet. Instead of opening a week later or training their staff and having the necessary supplies to run their hotel they decided to cut corners and make a quick buck. It is also a bit difficult to get to town since you are on top of a hill and the shuttle only runs on the hour from 8 - 8. At the end of the day, it would be best to stay somewhere else for the convenience and proximity but if you must stay here you would be well advised to rent a car and not stay at the hotel until it has been open for a month so they will be running smoothly. Some shining stars in the resort that you should definitely look to for help would be the driver of the van, Jesse, the woman who runs the coffee cart, Page, and a young, brunette girl that works at the front desk. We still had a fine time in Denali but mostly because we spent it away from our hotel.

The Grande Denali is anything but grand. Though it does have nice views, the hotel is more like a roadside motel. Think 'Super 8' on a mountain side with $200+ rooms and you've got the picture.

The hotel was recently built, but they clearly tried to be as cheap as possible. The walls are thin and you can hear everything, you can hear people walking around above you . . . its awful. The furniture is definately bottom of the line, and I had a better bathroom in my dorm room. The hotel itself has no grounds. Everything is gravel - gravel road, gravel parking lot, gravel sidewalks, gravel everywhere and scarcely a green plant. For $200+/night I expect a lot better. From their marketing, I expect a lot.

Of course the Grande Denali has more ammentities than tent camping, so if all you want is a place to sleep then its fine. It is very close to the Denali main entrance, and it does boast a nice view from its overpriced restaurant.

For the same price, there are several other hotels that are MUCH nicer. Basically across the street is the Princess which looks to be a much value for the money.

We took the Alaskan Railroad from Anchorage to Denali, it was breathtaking. Spent the night at the Lodge and had a wonderful time. Don't forget the Smoke Shack Bar going up the mountain toward the lodge. Too much fun!!

Yes the lodge does have one heck of a view & is a little less conjested with travelers/buses. Keep in mind that because there are new workers at the startup every year things can get messy. Make sure you double check about any connections/tours you have that the staff is suppose to handle as a few things did not go as smoothly as one would like. If you stay at the main lodge ask for a room with an unobstructed view as some rooms don't have the best of views without looking at another building. These rooms are your basic motel rooms but they are clean & everything worked. Did not eat at the alpenglow

restaurant so i can't comment on the food but the atmosphere was nice. They were starting to pave the road when we were there so the navigation in the shuttle buses can be a little hair raising. But this is Alaska, have fun...

The Grande Denali Lodge has the best view of all of the hotels in the Denali Nat'l Park area. We stayed in a cabin which was small, but comfortable. The deck allowed for spectacular views of the river below and Mt. Healy. If you are traveling with an infant or older person, I would suggest requesting the cabin that is nearest the lodge. This allows for easy access to the shuttle, the main lodge and the restaurant. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The Alpenglow restaurant is your only dining option at the lodge. It is a bit pricey but the food was delicious. You can take the shuttle to their sister hotel, Denali Bluffs, and dine at the less fancy grill, or take the shuttle into town. The shuttle also takes you to various stops in town and the Denali Nat'l Park visitors center. Overall, our experience at the Grande Denali Lodge was very pleasant.

Traveling independently, we spent 2 nites here the beginning of June and this was my favorite place to stay of the 7 different places we stayed at throughout Alaska. We paid the extra money to get a view room and the views were fabulous! Our room was large and well maintained. The Alpenglow restaurant was excellent and ditto the views from there. The restaurant served breakfast until 11 AM, which was important to us as we are not early risers, and we also had a wonderful dinner there. As mentioned, the staff was mainly made up of students, but they were courteus and well-trained. Additionally, although the lodge does serve as the lodging for the Royal Celebrity tour groups (Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise lines), the public rooms of the lodge were extremely quiet compared to the Princess and McKinley Chalet. Those 2 hotels were like a zoo the few times we went into them. As for prepayment, several other places we stayed at required a hefty deposit at the time of booking, so I do not think that is unusual in Alaska.

I loved the location and liked the lodge. Folks have to remember these places are only open 4 months a year, and the newer places like Grande Denali are just getting themselves together. The staff (largely students from around the country and Europe) were nice, and the lodge was what I expected in the wilds of Alaska...rustic, not some resort for yuppies. Also, those complaining about prices seem to forget EVERYTHING is expensive in Alaska....

I prepaid months ago, at $249.00/night and this is basically a $50/night motel room. cheap furniture, dreary furnishings, and the lobby is a disgrace. the staff were very unhelpful, didn't have a clue as to what was happening. The Northern Lights were in great form, from August 8th, hot and clear skies. There was a list to have your name placed to be woken up at 2:30 a.m. to watch the skies. No-one ever called any guest for three nights. My husband and I stayed up one night so as not to miss this spectacular sight. When I mentioned it to the desk clerk, he said I must have been drinking, the Northern lights were not visible. Restauruant was bad, most guests were complaining, and we would all have loved to have stayed at the Dennali Lodge, but we had prepaid and it was too late. This hotel is only three years old, but looks very tired. It is perched about 1200 feet on a cliff, and the road up there is windy and dusty and has never been finished, just a dirt road with constant traffic. azpparently the owners ran out of money and could not finish paving the road. Most of the staff in the hotels are from Eastern Europe, and at the Denali Resort Lodge, they were wonderful, we spent a lot of time there. I can only think that the reason the staff were miserable and unhelpful at Grand Denali lodge is because they are not treated as well, or know they are in a third rate hotel. Even the ATM machine in the lobby did not work for three days!

It was really annoying to have to pay for this room in full thirty days prior to our visit. We could find no handicap parking. I have difficulty with stairs and you have to park at the top of stairs.

Lucikly we were able to unload at the door and then park. We were given conflicting information about the availability of a freezer (for Rx) but eventually found one. Did not eat at the restaurant so can't rate that, but the menu looked very expensive, but it's a very expensive location. Booked thru TravelHero for a lower rate. Very comfortable rooms.

My husband and I booked a room with the Grande Denali Lodge and paid in full several MONTHS before our arrival. We received a confirmation notice in the mail stating "reservation guaranteed." Upon arrival, we found that the hotel had "overbooked" and had moved us down to the Princess Cruiseline lodge instead. This was NOT where we wished to stay for several reasons. I found such conduct greatly annoying and clearly indicative of a desire on the part of the hotel to honor GROUP bookings, but not those of individual guests. We were particularly shocked by this callousness, given the overwhelmingly courteous attitude of all other establishments we encountered during this, and previous trips, to Alaska. As they are apparently incapable of guaranteeing a reservation, I would steer clear of this lodge.

On a positive note, the Alpenglow Restaurant that is attached to the Grande Denali Lodge is superb. The waiters were the most engaging, helpful, and entertaining people we met. The view is outstanding and the menu quite adequate. We thoroughly enjoyed the Alpenglow and highly recommend it.