- Hotel Captain Cook (Anchorage; tel. 800/843-1950): This is the grand old hotel of downtown Anchorage, with a heavy nautical theme, teak paneling, several terrific restaurants, and every possible amenity. It remains the state's standard of service and luxury.
- Hotel Alyeska (Girdwood; tel. 800/880-3880): The first sight of this ski resort hotel -- designed in a chateau style and standing in an undeveloped mountain valley -- will make you catch your breath. Wait till you get inside and see the starscape and polar bear diorama in the lobby atrium, or the saltwater swimming pool, with its high-beamed ceiling and windows, looking out on the mountain. A tram carries skiers and diners to the mountaintop.
- Land's End Resort (Homer; tel. 800/478-0400): It's the location: right on the end of Homer Spit, 5 miles out in the middle of Kachemak Bay, where you can fish for salmon from the beach right in front of your room, or watch otters drifting by. The hotel itself is excellent, too, with a tremendous variety of rooms, some extraordinarily luxurious, and a complete spa.
- Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Conference Center (Fairbanks; tel. 800/544-0970): A tower rises over the flat river city of Fairbanks, a stylish and charming new wing of the city's oldest modern hotel. The owners, the Holland America Line, demolished much of the original building, leaping decades from the past to just a little into the future.
