Alaska-Washington Connection 2011: Visiting Alaska gets better & better

Alaska Railroad, Millennium Alaskan Hotel and Westmark Hotels refine their services to provide guests with memorable experiences

Rose Ragsdale

Alaska-Washington Connection

Alaska continues to draw visitors north, whether by air, road or cruise ship, and businesses that welcome tourists such as the Alaska Railroad, Millennium Alaskan Hotel and Westmark Hotels continue to refine their services to ensure that guests take home uncommonly memorable experiences that will engage and inspire them.

The Alaska Railroad Corp. unveiled a tour package for the 2011 season that highlights the best of Alaska on the rails and off. The 10-day “Rails and Trails” package takes visitors to Anchorage, Seward, Girdwood and Talkeetna with a focus on backcountry adventure. It relieves travelers of the logistical hassles of planning a tour, while offering breath-taking scenery and loads of activities. The itinerary includes hiking on a glacier, mountain biking, photography and gold panning in the shadow of Mt. McKinley, whitewater rafting and cruising the Kenai Fjords. Travelers can enjoy the comfort of modern rail cars with on-board dining, reserved seating and panoramic views from glass-domed cars.

Leveraging Alaska

The Millennium Alaskan Hotel, located on the shore of Lake Spenard, the world’s busiest floatplane base and just one mile from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, eagerly welcomes travelers, whether they hail from across Cook Inlet or across the globe.

“We like to do anything and everything Alaska,” said Millennium spokesman Jim Morgan. “We want our guests to say, ‘it wasn’t just a bed and shower; it was different and I learned something.’ ”

From lobby to guest rooms, the hotel is loaded with Alaskana with a gift shop that features jade and ivory jewelry in addition to souvenirs. The Millennium recently added a lobby display on early Alaska bush aviation, and its restaurant introduced salmon and halibut entrees as specials early this year that became so popular, they’ve since been added to the menu.

“We focus on the things we do well, and this plays well with vacation travelers and business travelers,” Morgan explained. “Business is a little slow this year, but we know it will come back.”

In addition to enhancing its multiple-stay opportunities, the hotel is working with Millennium’s 14 other U.S. hotels and 85 foreign locations to attract new guests, he added.

Adding value

With 10 full-service hotels and inns in nine Alaska/Yukon Territory communities, Westmark Hotels specialize in serving both business and leisure travelers. The company boasts that one phone call to a single contact point in the Westmark chain, and visitors can handle arrangements for every aspect of their trips.

Westmark recently partnered with Alaska Airlines and Avis Rent-A-Car to offer visitors additional value from hotel stays and restaurant meals in certain locations. Guests staying a second night at the historic Westmark Baranof Juneau Hotel receive two free Mount Roberts Tramway tickets and a $50 Dining-after-5pm food credit.

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