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Van Gilder Hotel

2.5 star property
Victorian hotel in Seward with free parking
your current months are December, 2024 and January, 2025.
December 2024
January 2025

Photo gallery for Van Gilder Hotel

Reception
Exterior
Free WiFi, bed sheets
Suite, 2 Bedrooms | Bathroom
Reception

Reviews

6.2 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Housekeeping
    Housekeeping
  • Free WiFi
    Free WiFi
  • Parking included
    Parking included

Explore the area

Map
308 Adams Street, Seward, AK, 99664
  • Seward Community Library & Museum
    3 min walk
  • Chugach Heritage Center
    3 min walk
  • Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center
    4 min walk
  • Seward, AK (SWD)
    6 min drive

Room options

View all photos for Room

Room | Bathroom sink

Room

Highlights

Heating
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Classic Double Room

Highlights

Heating
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Apartment Annex

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Apartment Annex

Highlights

Heating
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
Located in an annex building
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Annex 1 Queen Bed

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Annex 1 Queen Bed

Highlights

Heating
Daily housekeeping
Located in an annex building
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for 2 Full Beds

2 Full Beds | Room amenity

2 Full Beds

Highlights

Heating
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Double Beds

View all photos for Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Highlights

Heating
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed

View all photos for Suite, 2 Bedrooms

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Suite, 2 Bedrooms

Highlights

Heating
2 bedrooms
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Classic Room, 1 Queen Bed

Free WiFi, bed sheets

Classic Room, 1 Queen Bed

Highlights

Heating
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

Similar properties

Exterior
Marina Motel
Pet-friendly
Parking included
Free WiFi
Microwave
3.5 out of 5, Good, (514)
The price is AU$171
for 1 night
includes taxes & fees
6 Dec - 7 Dec
Marina Motel

About the area

Seward

Van Gilder Hotel puts you in the heart of Seward, within steps of Chugach Heritage Center and Seward Community Library & Museum. Highlights at this historic hotel include free self-parking and a free area shuttle. .This Victorian hotel offers free WiFi in public areas, concierge services and a library. Other amenities include a microwave in a common area and a fridge in a common area. There's also the convenience of a free bus station shuttle. .In proximity to this Seward hotel you'll find Kenai Fjords National Park.

What's nearby

  • Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Alaska SeaLife Center - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Seward Waterfront Park - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Seward Boat Harbor - 18 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Mount Marathon - 2 min drive - 1.0 km

Getting around

  • Kenai, AK (ENA-Kenai Municipal) - 139 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Starbucks - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪The Highliner Restaurant - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪Harbor Street Creamery - ‬19 min walk
  • ‪Ray's Waterfront - ‬2 min drive
  • ‪Woody's Thai Kitchen - ‬11 min walk

About this property

Van Gilder Hotel

Victorian hotel in Seward with free parking
Van Gilder Hotel offers its guests a library, tour/ticket assistance, and concierge services. Public spaces have free WiFi. An area shuttle within 25 yards and a bus station shuttle are free. The historic Van Gilder Hotel also features express check-out, a microwave in a common area, and a fridge in a common area. Self parking is free.

Smoking is allowed in designated areas at this Victorian Seward hotel.

  • 20 guestrooms or units
  • 3 levels
  • Built in 1916
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Express check-out
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Library
  • Smoking in designated areas
  • Microwave in a common area
  • Fridge in a common area
Van Gilder Hotel offers 20 accommodations with free toiletries. This Seward hotel provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Bathrooms include a shower. Hairdryers, change of towels and change of bedsheets can be requested. Housekeeping is provided on a daily basis.

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Free area shuttle up to 25 yards
  • Area shuttle
  • Free bus station shuttle
  • Free self parking on site

Family friendly

  • Free area shuttle

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator

Guest services

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)
  • Change of towels on request
  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Outdoors

  • In the mountains

Accessibility

  • No lift

More

  • 3 floors
  • Built in 1916
  • Designated smoking areas
  • Victorian architecture

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Shower
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

More

  • Heating

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 7:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between 10 September and 14 May.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • No pets allowed, but service animals are welcome

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cots (infant beds) are not available.

Payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Cash is not accepted. For guests' safety, the property includes a smoke detector in all accommodation.

We should mention

  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.

Property is also known as

Van Gilder
Van Gilder Hotel
Van Gilder Hotel Seward
Van Gilder Seward
Van Gilder Hotel Hotel
Van Gilder Hotel Seward
Van Gilder Hotel Hotel Seward

Frequently asked questions

Is parking available at Van Gilder Hotel?

Yep, Van Gilder Hotel has a free self car park.

Are there any beaches close to Van Gilder Hotel?

Yep, Van Gilder Hotel is a short 5-minute walk from Seward Waterfront Park.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at Van Gilder Hotel?

No, Van Gilder Hotel does not offer an airport shuttle service.

What time are check-in & check-out at Van Gilder Hotel?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM. Check-out time is 11:00 AM.

Are pets allowed at Van Gilder Hotel?

No, only service animals are allowed.

Van Gilder Hotel Reviews

Reviews

6.2
Rating 10 - Excellent. 83 out of 434 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 101 out of 434 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 90 out of 434 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 73 out of 434 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 87 out of 434 reviews" "

6.6/10

Cleanliness

7.4/10

Staff & service

5.4/10

Amenities

5.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

6.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Norman, Renton

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Van Gilder is a very old property. My room was on the 3rd floor. There is no elevator. I paid extra to have a private bathroom, otherwise you are sharing a small toilet room and a small shower room. There was no hot water at my sink. The first time I tried to take a shower there was no hot water at the shower. I went down to the office to ask about the absence of hot water and another guest said that she also had no hot water last night, but she did this morning..So rethinking my showering schedule away from heavy usage times I was able to get my next 2 showers in. My 3rd shower was luke warm. There is a small eating room with microwave, small fridge, ice maker and 2 Kuerigs. The microwave would not run for more than 10 seconds unless I unplugged other appliances. The bed was fairly good. The room, linens and towels were clean. There were 2 available usable outlets. My door was rubbing REALLY hard at the head and was very difficult to open and close. The location is great. There is plenty of parking around the hotel and it is just off of 4th Ave where there is lots of food and drink available within a short walking distance. 5 minute drive to the marina.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lynn

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very cool haunted property 👻
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Richard

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Rich

Shakey stay
Old hotel, n0 elevator, no heat
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Douglas

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
We loved our stay at the property. It reminded me of hotels in Europe. The staff is truly amazing. Loved the common areas with tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Our room was clean. You couldn't ask for a better location for the old town shopping and dinning, touring the aquarium and the free shuttle stop is just across the street. So why only four stars? The hotel needs TLC: on the outside it needs stucco repair and paint, and the inside needs new carpet, replacing wallpaper, etc. I can look past these items, but the owner could really make this a perfect inn and help the staff shine with some capitol investment. Thank you to the entire staff for making our stay over four days feel like a home away from home.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Frank

Travelled with family
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Margaret

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Had charm. Staff very friendly, excellent location - a few steps away from the main shopping and dining street.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Kelly

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Agustin

Liked: Staff & service
The property is well located, with plenty of stores, bars, and diners in the vicinity. The rooms are small but adequate. There are free shuttles available in front of the hotel, with numbered stops, and the one in front of the hotel is Stop 9. The walls can be a little thin, allowing you to hear noises from other rooms. I had read before going that the shower did not have hot water, and unfortunately, it was not fixed. However, the staff is amazing and very helpful, they are the heart of the place. The space was clean, and I would go back.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

2/10 Terrible

Loretta

Business traveller
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Room was damp, musty and in disrepair. Wallpaper was about 50 years old and peeling off the walls. Corners of room had dirt and paint chips.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Ann

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The bathroom needed a thorough cleaning of woodwork. Shower and sink were fine. Overall, it seemed run down. We never saw a staff person. Room was comfy and quiet. This is our 2nd stay here. I don’t think we’ll stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Cal

The staff Was very gracious!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

2/10 Terrible

Chris

Business traveller
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Chris
The place was filthy and moldy. Peeling paint and mold was common. The red carpet in the room was white in the corners where the vacuum cleaner was not covering. I found a dirty cleanex and used earplug on my floor. The water for a shower was almost never warm and had to take cold showers. I only saw an employee once during my 5 days stay.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

4/10 Poor

Amanda

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Classic property but run down. Shared bathrooms
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Eugene

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

4/10 Poor

Jonathan, St. Thomas

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The staff was wonderful. The building deemed as historical is in need of repair. wall paper coming unglued from the wall, the rusty heating return vents and the black mold running down the wall by the bed. A little glue, rust remover and bleach would really go a long way to spruce up the place
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

4/10 Poor

Paul

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Old building, had some mold issues, covered up with strong cleaner. Towels and bed questionably not cleaned prior to our visit. Hot water's sparse, don’t shower during prime times to do so.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Carol

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

2/10 Terrible

James

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was in a great location. Unfortunately, the property was in a total state of disrepair! No one had hot water and everyone was angry! Every morning guests would meet in the coffee room and Vent! Other guests told me to demand a refund at the front desk so I did. The lady at the front desk told me that the boiler was old and that the owner has no intention of repairing it! I am going to pass that on to the city of Seward. They should revoke the Gilders license to operate. The front desk also refused to give me a refund and told me I needed to take it up with Expedia. Expedia told me that they’ve tried over and over to call the hotel but no one answers the phone! Shame on Expedia to list this hotel. The Hotel was filthy. The walls across from my room were just bare stained concrete. There was no lighting near my room, so we could not see to get the key in the door without using our iPhones as flashlights. There is no elevator. Many of the rooms have to share a bathroom, so beware before you rent!! My wife could not sleep In the room. And this put a real damper on our week in Seward. The bottom line, do not stay in the van Gilder. If you can’t find a better hotel on Expedia Drive VRBO Airbnb. There were plenty of very nice cottages available in the area.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

2/10 Terrible

Alan

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Hot water was barely warm enough to shower.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Kayla, Victoria

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Bed was comfortable but no heat in the room. Had to climb 3 flights of stairs. Water was lukewarm.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joanne

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
hotel was quaint, but old - had alot of history which was very interesting
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

mary

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved the historic charm of this hotel. Everything we needed
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jette

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location
This hotel is very old 108 years old but it is in very good condition and loved staying there however since it's old there is no elevator and it is 3 story high so lots of stairs
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Jianguo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024