Twenty seven years ago my husband and I spent our honeymoon in scenic Homer, Alaska. Last summer we visited Homer again for our anniversary, but this time we stayed in some cabins called the Alaskan Suites. When I hear the word “suite”, I envision luxury and roominess, and we were not disappointed! This was the nicest accommodations we’ve found in the Homer area, and we have lived in Alaska for 30 years, so we’ve gotten around quite a bit. These suites are owned by the Bouman family, and they have done them up right!
Location
The Alaskan Suites of Homer are built up on a cliff or bluff above Homer, along the Sterling Highway. It’s a good 4 hours of driving time from Anchorage, but if you are visiting Alaska you will most definitely want to take in Homer and Seward, both of which are located to the South of Anchorage.
The Cabins
These cabins can be summed up in one word, luxury! When we stepped into our getaway, there was a hand written note welcoming us, and asking us to let the owners know if we needed anything. We found a journal/guest book with entries from visitors all over the world, and before we left we were sure to pen our own thoughts too. If you visit, read through it. Guests have shared their recommendations for dining as well as sight seeing.
There isn’t much of a back yard, as the hill slopes off quite dramatically. The log cabins are made from local timbers, and the rooms are very spacious. The back deck is covered with a roof, and the owners supply a private gas barbecue as well as camp style chairs on the deck of every cabin. There is even a fire pit with handmade log benches outside of the cabins, which would be great to take advantage of if you are with a group of people. Just let the Boumans know if you want a fire and they will get one going for you. Birdfeeders hang off of the deck roof, and if you are into birdwatching, you can do so right from their comfortable deck.
Inside, the rooms are decorated with warmth and elegance. The vaulted ceilings make the main room appear larger than it is. The owners have combined a bedroom and living area in the main room, with a comfortable double bed, a couch and a leather recliner. There are expensive looking tables and lamps scattered about, as well as a dresser. The walls and floors are made of solid pine wood, and there are wrought iron accents in the bathroom and around the cabin which gives the room a warm and cozy feeling of home. The doors are made of heavy solid wood, with raised panels. Our room also had an iron and ironing board. There’s even a wrought iron clock in the bathroom!
Because of the long summer days you might be worried about getting to sleep when evening rolls around. The cabins have block out treatments on all the windows to make sure the room gets dark. The rooms get plenty of light during the day, there is a window in the kitchen, a large window in the bedroom/living room area, and glass in the back door.
The rooms have big screen plasma televisions as well as a very nice stereo system. There is never a worry about what to watch on TV since the Alaskan Suites offer satellite with 150 plus channels! We were amazed at the special touches the owners took to make these cabins deluxe! The kitchen is small, but is supplied with dishes and cooking supplies, a sink, coffee maker, microwave and fridge. Our room was supplied with teas, hot chocolate, microwave popcorn and instant oatmeal for a quick breakfast. The dining table and chairs in our kitchen was small, perfect for two people.
The bathroom was also very nice and super clean, with a classy tiled floor and marbled tub. I liked the built in hair dryer on the wall, and the oversized, super soft bath towels. Shampoo and soap are included for your convenience.
I cannot emphasize enough how clean our cabin was! I know how hard it is to keep tile floors shiny and new looking, but our entire room was spotless.
The View!!
You can easily use up several rolls of film just taking pictures of the breathtaking view from your back deck. We drove into Homer and purchased some New York steaks, grilled them on the gas grill, and ate outside looking at the gorgeous mountains and Kachemak Bay below us. There was a hot tub outsite, large enough to hold a dozen or so guests, but we didn’t use it as it was rainy during our stay. I can easily imagine sitting in the tub on a hot summer day with a glass of wine, what an experience that would be.
Rates
Jan & Feb: $110
March: $120
April: $135
May: $165
June, July & August: $265
September: $165
October: $125
Nov & Dec: $110
My Recommendation
We were very impressed with the quality of the Alaskan Suites of Homer Alaska! I’ve been in many different lodgings in Alaska, such as hotels, motels, Bed & Breakfasts, RV parks, resorts and cabins – I can honestly tell you that the Alaskan Suites are some of the nicest I’ve ever stayed in.
There were about five cabins, all in close proximity to each other, and the only thing we missed was a bit more privacy. When you are on the deck, the other cabins are a bit too close for my comfort level. The cabins also sit pretty close to the highway, but noise was not an issue.
The town of Homer is only a few minutes away, and you can buy your groceries at the supermarket just down the road.
If you have little children with you, I would keep a close eye on them if they are outside, the bluff does drop off quite sharply. If you are lucky, you’ll see some of the bald eagles who are nesting near by.
My husband and I wished we could stay another day or two, but we left saying we would definitely return again!
