Alaska, America's wild and rugged 49th state, is a land of superlatives and adventure in the extreme northwest of the North America. Few can resist a trip to the Arctic north to get a glimpse of the midnight sun, or of the famed Northern Lights. As such, there are many luxury hotels in Alaska to choose from, in a wide variety of faraway places that provide accommodations for all sorts of travelers.
The name Alaska is derived from the Aleut, one of the tribes native to this region, and means 'the mainland' or 'place to which the sea is directed'. With its rugged and wild glaciers, rivers and lakes, active volcanoes, kilometers of tidal shoreline, and majestic mountains like America's highest peak, Mt. McKinley, Alaska has become a very popular destination for thrill seekers, nature lovers and those with a sense of adventure.
Visitors to Alaska must be aware that there are very few roads built across the state, and long distances between cities result in the main transport methods being by water and air. The state capital of Juneau is the only US capital without road access. Luckily, though, there are many luxury hotels both in the capital city of Alaska and in the other four major cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks, Sitka and Wasilla. Hotels can be found near the airports and harbors, as well as within the cities. Alaska's 17 National Parks are also home to luxury hotels, ranging from simple inns, lodges and chalets to plush 3 and 4-star hotels.
The best time to visit Alaska is during the long summer days between May and early September. Around the summer solstice in June, when days are at their longest, up to 24 hours of daylight can be expected in the extreme north of the state, a period that gradually decreases the further south one travels. Alternatively, the long, freezing winter nights brings 24-hours of darkness to areas above the Arctic Circle. However, the rest of the state gets a few hours of daylight. Alaska experiences temperature extremes, with 100 degrees recorded in summer and -80 degrees F in winter. Visitors are reminded to bring rain apparel, particularly from late summer to early fall because this is the rainy season.
Many Alaskan luxury hotels are perfectly located to enable guests to take part in some of the many adventure activities. Nothing is more inviting than a warm Alaskan hotel after a day of kayaking, rafting or wildlife cruises. Anchorage is the perfect place to board a small plane and set off for a remote stream or river to fly fish for king and silver salmon, or trout. These day trip include transfers from major Anchorage hotels. Hotels in Seaward on the Kenai Peninsula are ideally situated to provide easy access to fishing charters that offer some of the finest halibut and salmon fishing in the world. Some luxury hotels in Alaska are only accessible by boat, like the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge, an adventure in itself.
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