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Van Gilder Hotel

2.5 star property
Historic hotel in Seward with free parking

Choose dates to view prices

The Van Gilder Hotel blends historic charm with modern amenities in the city center. Guests can enjoy the on-site art gallery, shop at the nearby mall, or relax in the library. Free WiFi, self-parking, and an area shuttle make exploring easy.

Reviews

6.2 out of 10

Popular amenities

  • Housekeeping
  • Free WiFi
  • Parking included

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 8 of 8 rooms

View all photos for Suite, 2 Bedrooms

1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets

Suite, 2 Bedrooms

Highlights

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

View all photos for Classic Room, 1 Queen Bed

1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets

Classic Room, 1 Queen Bed

Highlights

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

View all photos for Room

Room | Bathroom sink

Room

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for One Queen & 1 Twin

1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets

One Queen & 1 Twin

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for 2 Full Beds

2 Full Beds | Room amenity

2 Full Beds

Highlights

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

View all photos for Annex 1 Queen Bed

1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets

Annex 1 Queen Bed

Highlights

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

View all photos for Apartment Annex

1 bedroom, free WiFi, bed sheets

Apartment Annex

Highlights

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

Classic Double Room

Highlights

Heating
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Queen Beds
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About the area

Map
308 Adams Street, Seward, AK, 99664

What's nearby

  • Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center - 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 - 2 min drive - 1.6 km
  • Lowell Point State Recreation Site - 9 min drive - 4.5 km

Getting around

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

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

Historic hotel in the city centre
Consider a stay at Van Gilder Hotel and take advantage of an art gallery on-site, a shopping centre on-site and a library. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
Additional perks include:
  • Free self-parking
  • A free local area shuttle, express check-out and luggage storage
  • Concierge services and tour/ticket information
  • Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff
Room features
All guest rooms at Van Gilder Hotel offer amenities, such as free WiFi.
Extra conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Showers and free toiletries
  • Heating and daily housekeeping

Similar properties

Interior detail

Breeze Inn

  • Pet-friendly
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi
  • Restaurant
8.2 out of 10, Very good, 1,001 reviews
The price is NZ$281
includes taxes & fees
14 Nov - 15 Nov
Breeze Inn

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
  • Free bus station shuttle
  • Free self parking on site

Things to do

  • Art gallery
  • Library
  • Shopping centre

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

Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)

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
Safety features at this property include a smoke detector

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
Only registered guests are allowed in the 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 Van Gilder Hotel pet-friendly?

No, only service animals are welcome at the property.

How much is parking at Van Gilder Hotel?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Van Gilder Hotel?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: 9:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Van Gilder Hotel?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Van Gilder Hotel located?

Located in the heart of Seward, this historic hotel is steps away from Chugach Heritage Center and Seward Community Library & Museum. Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center and Alaska SeaLife Center are also within 5 minutes.

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Reviews

Van Gilder Hotel Reviews

6.2

6.6

Cleanliness

8.6

Location

7.4

Staff & service

6.2

Eco-friendliness

5.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 100 out of 522 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 121 out of 522 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 109 out of 522 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 88 out of 522 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 104 out of 522 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Ann

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved the historical memorabilia and stories as well as the friendly atmosphere.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Wonderful and professional staff made our stay easy and enjoyable. Great location.

8/10 Good

Karen

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Coffee area was lovely
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jose Martin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Recepcionist was very helpful
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Lisa

Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The property was conveniently located in the middle of town and I could walk to most everything I wanted to do. It was not in great condition. The staff was very nice/polite. I took pictures but I don't see an option to share here. Sorry to say I wouldn't recommend due to the condition of the property.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

4/10 Poor

Carol

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very dilapidated old hotel with peeling paint inside and out. Creepy old windows without screens. Ran out of hot water during a short shower. The staff were very nice

2/10 Terrible

Laure

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We were really disappointed. The photos didn’t reflect the fact that the hotel outside paint is falling apart big time. The bed sheets had not been changed so we had to ask for them to be immediately changed. This has been done right away but we stayed with the bad feeling. On the positive side, shower water is perfectly warm, the hotel is quiet and it is great to be downtown. Overall at that night rate we would have expected much better.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Scott

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location in downtown - cool historic hotel :)
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Quint and historical building in an excellent location
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joanne

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

4/10 Poor

Cal

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

10/10 Excellent

Jette

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

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is a quaint old hotel with a lot of history. It doesn’t have some of the conveniences of newer hotels but was a great experience. Staff was very helpful
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Debra k.

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Unique 1916 hotel near the historical downtown and across from the shuttle stop. Didn't like the flat pillows.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

4/10 Poor

Amanda

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

10/10 Excellent

Cindy

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Character to the bulding
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

4/10 Poor

Paul

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

6/10 Okay

Joshua

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

OK, not terrible, but extremely dated.

We needed a clean place with running water and electricity. This place worked. It's not glamorous by any stretch of the imagination but works for an overnight stay. Staff is super friendly and accommodating, there is a very nice sitting area with communal refrigerators. This property could use some renovation. With some TLC, this property could be a 5 star premium property. In its current condition, 2 stars is a stretch. Staff and reserved parking make it 3 stars.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

Dennis

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Hotel is old and rustic so elders know that there is no elevator and stairs are required.

4/10 Poor

Ivy

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This property is old and needs upgrading. The service needs improvement as well.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

6/10 Okay

Julia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
We have stayed at the Van Gilder at various times over the years and we know to expect the basics. They keep the rooms clean and the staff is helpful and friendly. It's an old building with lots of history. The rooms are a little small without a lot of storage or places to hang stuff. The beds are comfortable and we always get a good night's sleep. The Van Gilder is in downtown Seward and it's easy to get to restaurants and shopping or visit the Sealife Center. All within easy walking distance.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

2/10 Terrible

KALYAN SUHRUD

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property might be old and have a good rating but the property is very poorly managed they don’t even clean the rooms there is a lot of dirt behind the cart they cover it with a curtain due to that dirt we felt so uncomfortable to complaint there is none the plug points don’t work it’s a horrible experience
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

4/10 Poor

Bowen

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Old building, not clean enough, no elevator, small room, indifferent staff
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gwendolyn

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
I liked that the property was of historic importance. However it is definitely not worth the value because the property upkeep is awful ☹️. The property management company should be ashamed of themselves for not bringing this property up to code and for not modernizing it to show off its historic features. The property has potential
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

2/10 Terrible

Sandy

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
,The place was so dirty that any place that a vacuum cleaner could not get to without moving the furniture, the carpet had so much dust on it, that it looked gray. It was supposed to be maroon. I would not recommend anyone stay here.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024