GIRDWOOD, Alaska -- Peering down from a glass-enclosed aerial tram
that would take us to the Seven Glaciers Restaurant 2,300 feet
above the valley floor, the Alyeska Resort appears a solitary gem
set in a ring of mountains.
About 40 miles south of Anchorage, the 1,500-acre resort lies
snugly in the Glacier Valley, adjacent to the Turnagain Arm of Cook
Inlet and surrounded by the Chugach Mountains.
The pride of the resort, the chateau-styled Alyeska Prince
Hotel, combines wilderness with four-diamond luxury in 307 rooms
with exceptional views.
And that, according to travel agent Karen Seifer at Micris
Travel in Commack, N.Y., is exactly what makes the resort so
compelling to families.
"It's the one place I book people into where I can't go wrong,"
she said. "People come to Alaska for a wilderness experience, the
kind they see on the videos, and Alyeska gives them that."
One of 87 Japan-based Prince hotels, Alyeska boasts a friendly
staff and the expected conveniences including a range of shops and
boutiques; fireplace-heated lounges; and comfortable sitting
rooms.
Of course, there's the obligatory stuffed bear. But the
cherrywood lobby also has a diorama that changes texture and shape
every seven minutes as the lights shift, illuminating different
features of the Alaskan landscape.
Seifer said her families especially like the connecting rooms,
the suites and the restaurants, but, she added, "the
family-friendly and helpful attitude of the staff is a big selling
point. They'll arrange any kind of Alaska adventure for you."
Seifer recommended that
agents book Alyeska as a pre- or post-cruise extension.
Because Seward, where many cruise ships turn after the Inside
Passage journey, is only an hour or so away, an Alyeska booking is
a natural add-on.
With summer temperatures averaging 60 to 75 degrees, it's very
much a summer family vacation destination.
The Levine and Gounis families live on New York's Long Island
and have kids -- ages 8 and 12, and 14 and 17. For them, the
horseback riding and hikes under the tall pine trees were the
best.
The Alyeska Prince promotes all this with a savvy family travel
deal: the Summer Simple Pleasures Package, through Sept. 30, which
takes full advantage of the resort's location and the long summer
nights.
"Family Travel is vital to our business," said Melissa Tyler,
director of marketing. "We're increasingly concentrating on the
family travel market and are developing more and more programs for
this market for both summer and winter."
The trail systems for both night skiing and world-class day
skiing are comprehensive, with 2,000 feet of lighted, vertical
terrain and 68 runs. And there's also snowboarding, snowshoeing,
Nordic skiing, heli-skiing and dog sledding.
Tyler said about 50% of the resort's business is from travel
agents, a figure she said she hopes to increase by making more
innovative family travel packages available for agents to sell as
the land component of an Alaska cruise -- and as a stand-alone
destination.
"We have it all," she said.
Alyeska has several restaurants, from the casual to the more
formal. The Seven Glaciers Restaurant has a spectacular view.
In winter, restaurant guests share the tram with skiers and
snowboarders geared up for night skiing along lighted paths.
Free summer activities include guided nature walks and hikes;
use of the pool and fitness facilities; and summer glacial
snowshoeing.
Kaleel Sakakeeny covers the family travel market for Travel
Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected].
Family add-ons
gents can earn another 10% by
adding on one or more of the following:
• The Kenai Fjords Tours, available through Oct. 5, combines a
journey on the Alaska Railroad in a dome car and a tour of Kenai
Fjords National Park.
Meals are included. Phone: (800) 478-8068 Web: www.kenaifjords.com.
• Alpine Air. Flightseeing, fixed wing and helicopter tours.
Phone: (907) 783-2360.
• Class V Whitewater. Rafting, kayaking, fishing. Phone: (907)
783 2004.
• Chugach Express. Dog sledding and kennel tours. New experience
this year: summer dog sledding on glaciers. Phone: (907)
783-2266.
• Crow Creek Mine. Panning for gold and sightseeing. Phone:
(907) 278-8061.
• Lifetime Adventures. ATV, biking and kayaking. Phone: (907)
746-4644
Get More!
For more details on this article, see Alyeska Resort offers summer packages.