Van Gilder Hotel

Victorian hotel in historical district in Seward

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Where to?

Dates

December 2025

2

January 2026

Shower, free toiletries, hair dryer, towels

Experience the charm of Van Gilder Hotel, a historic hotel in the city center. With an art gallery on site, shopping mall at your doorstep and library to get lost in, guests can connect with free WiFi and enjoy perks like self parking and an area shuttle.

Good

Popular amenities

Free WiFi
Free parking

Main amenities (10)

Daily housekeeping
Free area shuttle
Free bus station shuttle
Library
Microwave in a common area
Refrigerator in a common area
Concierge services
Luggage storage
Limited hour front desk
Tour/ticket assistance

Feel at home (4)

Daily housekeeping
Free self parking
Free area shuttle
Free toiletries

Room options

Check availability for these dates

Tonight

Dec 2 - Dec 3

Tomorrow

Dec 3 - Dec 4

All rooms

1 bed

2 beds

Showing 8 of 8 rooms

Suite, 2 Bedrooms

Highlights

Heating

2 bedrooms

Private bathroom

Daily housekeeping

2 bedrooms
Sleeps 4
2 Queen Beds

Classic Room, 1 Queen Bed

Highlights

Heating

Private bathroom

Daily housekeeping

Sleeps 2
1 Queen Bed

1 Queen - Shared Bath

Highlights

Heating

Daily housekeeping

Sleeps 2
1 Queen Bed

One Queen & 1 Twin

Highlights

Heating

Private bathroom

Daily housekeeping

Sleeps 3
1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

2 Full Beds

Highlights

Heating

Private bathroom

Daily housekeeping

Sleeps 4
2 Double Beds

Annex 1 Queen Bed

Highlights

Heating

Located in an annex building

Daily housekeeping

Sleeps 2
1 Queen Bed

Apartment Annex

Highlights

Heating

Private bathroom

Located in an annex building

Daily housekeeping

Sleeps 2
1 Queen Bed

Classic Double Room

Highlights

Heating

Private bathroom

Daily housekeeping

Sleeps 4
2 Queen Beds

Similar properties

Pet friendly
Free parking
Free WiFi
Restaurant

$145 total

includes taxes & fees

Dec 3 - Dec 4

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About the neighborhood

308 Adams Street, Seward, AK, 99664

What's nearby

Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Seward Community Library & Museum - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Seward Waterfront Park - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
Alaska SeaLife Center - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
Seward Boat Harbor - 1 min drive - 1.6 km

Getting around

Kenai, AK (ENA-Kenai Municipal) - 139 min drive
Free area shuttle
Free bus station shuttle

Restaurants

‪The Breeze Inn Restaurant - ‬2 min drive
‪Firebrand BBQ - ‬16 min walk
‪The Cookery - ‬3 min walk
‪Ray's Waterfront - ‬2 min drive
‪Highliner Restaurant - ‬1 min walk

About this property

Van Gilder Hotel

When visiting Seward, Van Gilder Hotel is a great choice to consider. Guests will have free perks like WiFi and self parking. Fellow travelers love the helpful staff.

At a glance

Hotel size

- 20 rooms
- Arranged over 3 floors

Arriving/Leaving

- Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
- Express check-out available
- Late check-in subject to availability
- Minimum check-in age: 18
- Check-out time is 11:00 AM

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
- Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Required at check-in

- Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
- Government-issued photo ID may be required
- Minimum check-in age is 18

Children

- No cribs (infant beds)

Pets

- Pets not allowed
- Service animals welcome

Internet

- Free WiFi in public areas
- Free WiFi in rooms

Parking

- Free onsite self parking

Transfers

- Free bus station shuttle

Offsite

- Free area shuttle within 25 yards

Other information

- Designated smoking areas

Property amenities

Food and drink

Shared microwave
Shared refrigerator

Traveling with children

Free local shuttle

What to do

Fishing nearby

Services

Front desk (limited hours)
Concierge services
Tour/ticket assistance
Luggage storage

Facilities

Built in 1916
Library
Art gallery on site
Shopping mall on site
Victorian architecture

Room amenities

Home comfort

Heating

Sleep well

Bed sheets provided

Freshen up

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

Stay connected

Free WiFi

More

Daily housekeeping

Fees & policies

Renovations and closures

The property is closed between September 10 and May 14.

Policies

Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms.

This property does not have elevators.

Guests can rest easy knowing there's a smoke detector on site.

This property accepts credit cards. Cash is not accepted.

Credit cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover

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 Van Gilder Hotel currently open?

The property is closed between September 10 and May 14.

Are pets allowed at Van Gilder Hotel?

Sorry, pets aren't allowed, but service animals are welcome.

Is parking offered on site at Van Gilder Hotel?

Yes, there's free self parking.

What are the check-in and check-out times at Van Gilder Hotel?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM. Check-out time is 11:00 AM. Express check-out is available.

What is there to do at Van Gilder Hotel and nearby?

Have fun during the warmer months with activities nearby such as fishing.

What's the area around Van Gilder Hotel like?

Van Gilder Hotel is in the heart of Seward, a short 4-minute walk from Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center and 5 minutes' walk from Seward Waterfront Park.

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Van Gilder Hotel Reviews

6.2

Good

6.6/10

Cleanliness

7.4/10

Staff & service

5.4/10

Amenities

5.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

6.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Popular mentions

Room

Location

Bed

Building

Service staff

Historical

Shower

Booking

Bathroom

Furniture

10/10 Exceptional

Sep 1, 2025

Clean, friendly staff.

William, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 13, 2025

Love the old style hotel, staff was very nice

Claude, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 24, 2025

We loved the historical memorabilia and stories as well as the friendly atmosphere.

Ann, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 25, 2025

Wonderful property

Jason, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Jul 6, 2025

Wonderful and professional staff made our stay easy and enjoyable. Great location.

2/10 Poor

Jun 28, 2025

Location was great

Susan, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Aug 22, 2025

Van Gilder Hotel

The place is a little run down but our stay was fine. Love the architecture, quiet and in the center of town an easy walk to everything. If you want a 5 star hotel this isnt for you but my wife and I liked it a lot. If we ever come back to Seward will definitely stay here again.

David, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 18, 2025

The decor at the location was amazing. Feels like you're in the early 20th century.

Mark, 1-night trip

6/10 Good

Aug 22, 2025

Hotel is a bit rough around the edges but very convenient and a fair value for the money. I was intrigued by the history and happy to find the free shuttle bus stop right across the street. The hostess was lovely and very helpful even loaning me her raincoat for the evening. I would stay again.

Susan, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Jun 17, 2025

Coffee area was lovely

Karen, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Aug 6, 2025

Beautiful old building. Pictures around building talking about its history. Great location. Friendly staff. And hot chocolate in the lobby, not just coffee!

Lisa, 3-night trip

6/10 Good

Aug 27, 2025

The hotel is dated with part of the charm being haunted for those into that. My wife didn't like the haunted part and we both would have appreciated things more maintained. The location was awesome, with walking access to the best restaurants and water.

Derek, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Jul 6, 2025

Very professional, friendly staff

Michael, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 14, 2025

Neat, Cool, Historical

Very neat, cool, and interesting place to stay. Historic and interesting stories. Definitely different, but in a good and enjoyable way. Staff (Sash!!) was helpful in accommodating our late arrival.

1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Jul 2, 2025

Old hotel

Chester, 1-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 12, 2025

Bed was comfy. No A/C. Rundown and kinda dirty but sheets were clean.

Jamie-Lyn, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Aug 21, 2025

We love the Van Gilder. It is an historic building and therefore has some physical shortcomings but it makes up for it in customer service and location.

Valerie, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Jul 16, 2025

Historic hotel in Seward.

Well located historic building in downtown Seward. Historic means no AC, small shower. Nice staff, sitting rooms with coffee and tea.

Eric, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 21, 2025

An old hotel with an enormous amount of charm. It was very clean and the shower was great! The bed was wonderful and I had a perfect night sleep. Yes it’s old and the floors creaked. You would too if you were over 100 years old!

Nancy, 1-night trip

8/10 Very good

Jul 7, 2025

perfect location, old historic building

We had a good stay. The Van Gilder is a historic hotel with some age and issues, but was clean and relatively comfortable. The location was definitely the reason to stay here! It is within walking distance of everything in Seward, with amazing views of the water and downtown.

Holly, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Jul 16, 2025

Interesting, historic hotel. Beds were extremely comfortable! No elevator. Great location - close to shops, restaurants and the water.

sherri, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Sep 1, 2025

The Haunted Hotel

The Van Gilder gave me spooky Haunted vibes but I thought it was great as an experience because of the hauntedness. It would have been better if I was able to check in early and check out later so I didn’t have to carry my bags around Seward. Overall conveniently located lower end of town. Very close walk to waters edge, aquarium, coffee shop and other restaurants and stores. Also the Free Shuttle stop #9 is just outside and across the street.

Kelsi, 1-night trip

4/10 Fair

Jun 29, 2025

The history was interesting.

Carol, 1-night trip

4/10 Fair

Jul 16, 2025

Pillows are original to the room and this place is old!!!

Scott, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Aug 22, 2025

Tolerable

One night stay. The van gilder is an old hotel. It is registered on the national historic register and it's possible they've done little to improve things since achieving that feat. The bed was tolerable, but the shower needs help. It was either hotbor cold.

Claudia, 1-night trip