PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

This is Alaska's great, grand hotel, where royalty and rock stars stay. Former governor Wally Hickel built the first of the three towers after the 1964 earthquake, and now the hotel fills a city block and anchors the downtown skyline. Inside, the earth tones and dark wood decor contribute to a fully realized (maybe a little excessive) nautical theme, with art memorializing Cook's voyages and enough teak to build a square-rigger. The regularly renewed rooms are decorated in a rich, sumptuous style using exquisite fabrics, unique pieces of custom-built furniture, and lots of varnished trim. The hotel never abandoned the deep colors that are now returning to fashion -- not a scrap of pale wood or generic beige ever came in. Rooms are comfortable in size, but not as large as those in modern upscale chains, and all have a choice only of a king or two twin beds. Lots of custom tile and mirrors make up for the relatively small size of the bathrooms. There are great views from all sides and you don't pay more to be on a higher floor. The pool, spa, and fitness facilities in the below-ground lower lobby are among the best in town.

Sophisticated food and elaborately formal service justify the high prices at The Crow's Nest, the city's most traditional fine-dining restaurant, on the hotel's top floor. Most tables have stupendous views, and high-backed booths lend intimacy for a romantic dinner. No other restaurant in Anchorage makes its patrons feel as special and important. The cuisine draws on many influences without being trendy and all our food looked wonderful on the plate. Everything was prepared perfectly as well. Main courses range from $26 to $50. The wine list is huge, with few bottles under $40. Fletcher's, off the lobby, is an English pub serving good Italian-style pizza, pasta, and sandwiches. The Pantry is an above-average hotel cafe, with good service and interesting entrees in moderate serving sizes. The Whale's Tail serves light meals, coffee, and cocktails amid overstuffed chairs and big TVs. It's a good place for a drink without feeling like you're in a bar.

Facilities: 4 restaurants; 3 bars; indoor pool; separate men's and women's health clubs; Jacuzzi; steam room and sauna; concierge; car-rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; salon; 24-hr. room service; massage; dry cleaning; concierge-level rooms; racquetball courts.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Alaska 2008, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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