4400 Spenard Rd, Anchorage, Alaska, United States | (618) 248-8274
An eight-minute drive or free shuttle ride from the Anchorage Airport
A good selection of room types, including some whirlpool suites
Some rooms have kitchenettes with wet bars
Free hot breakfast with waffles, oatmeal, and fruit
Free parking, Wi-Fi, and daily newspapers
Business center with two computers and two printers
Fitness center with cardio and strength-training equipment
Guest laundry facilities are on site
Pets are welcome (with a surcharge)
Complaints about inconsistent housekeeping, noise, and maintenance
Dated and bland room decor
Annex rooms are a half-block from the lobby/breakfast area
Access to some rooms requires climbing stairs
The fitness center is small and has limited equipment
The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant or bar
The two-pearl Puffin Inn is an eight-minute drive from the Anchorage Airport and 10 minutes from downtown. Several types of rooms are spread among three separate buildings, but they’re all simple and some have exterior corridors. Rooms in the Annex building are a half-block from the lobby, and those on the top two floors require climbing stairs to access. Mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers are standard, and some rooms have kitchenettes with wet bars and/or whirlpool tubs. While there isn't a pool, the hotel offers lots of freebies: an airport shuttle, continental breakfast, parking, and Wi-Fi. It also has guest laundry facilities, a business center, and small fitness center. Pets are welcome for a fee. As a slightly higher priced alternative, the Clarion Suites Downtown has all the same freebies plus an indoor pool.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
A busy value hotel with a handsome rustic lobby
The rooms at this hotel are spread out among three separate buildings, including the Annex that is a half-block away from the lobby where breakfast is served. The original building dates back to the 1950s, but the Annex and main building where the lobby is located are more modern. The lobby has a curved wall of windows that are two stories high. It’s decorated in a rustic Alaskan style, with a large stone fireplace, animal skins, and taxidermy fish. A cozy, but dated, lounge with black leather chairs on the second floor overlooks the first floor where breakfast is served. Several small tables provide breakfast seating, and living room furniture faces the fireplace. This is a busy, but relaxed hotel, and guests traveling through the nearby airport arrive and depart throughout the day.
Location
A short drive from the airport, about 10 minutes south of downtown Anchorage
The Puffin Inn is located less than three miles, an eight-minute drive or hotel shuttle ride, to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. The inn sits on a busy road, with several other hotels nearby and a Korean restaurant across the street. A few other restaurants, including a Wendy's and a McDonald’s, are less than five minutes away on foot. The Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center and other attractions in downtown Anchorage are approximately 10 minutes away by car. The campuses of the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University are 15-minute drives. The city’s train depot on the north edge of downtown also is about 15 minutes away by car.
Rooms
Mini-fridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi
This hotel offers several types of rooms in three separate buildings, but all of the rooms are rather basic and feel a bit drab. Some, like the Moderate Rooms have exterior corridors, while Boutique Rooms on the upper two floors of the Annex building don’t have elevator access. Some Suites have sitting areas with sleeper sofas and kitchenettes that include cooktops and wet bars. The units are decorated with cream or soft gold walls, gold bedspreads with red accents, and sage or light blue carpet with subtle gold accents. Microwaves, mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and coffeemakers are standard in all rooms.Bathrooms are also basic and average in size, with plastic laminate vanities and shower/tub combos, although most of the combos in Boutique Rooms have whirlpool jets. Reviews of the cleanliness and condition from most past guests are positive, but some have reported issues ranging from stained bedding to so-so housekeeping. Ambient noise from the busy road is evident, but it’s less so in rooms in the back of the hotel.
Features
Free airport shuttle, fitness center, free breakfast, business center, laundry room, and free parking and Wi-Fi
Guests are offered a few freebies, including a shuttle to and from the airport. The hot breakfast is free as well. It includes waffles, oatmeal, fruit, coffee, and other breakfast staples. Parking, Wi-Fi, and daily newspapers are also free. The hotel has a fitness center, but it’s small and has only a singular treadmill, elliptical machine, and assorted free weights. The business center has two computers and two printers, and a small jewelry shop is at the front desk. The hotel also has a guest laundry room, ATM, and vending machines. Pets are welcome with a surcharge and weight restrictions.
