7 Best Northern Lights Hotels in Fairbanks, Alaska

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Staying at a Fairbanks Northern Lights hotel is the best way to stack the odds in your favor for catching a glimpse of the aurora borealis.

Fairbanks, Alaska is well known as one of the best places to see the Northern Lights in the world, since visitors who stay for at least 3 nights during aurora season, and hire a Northern Lights tour from Fairbanks, have an over 90% chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Because of this tremendously high probability, many hotels in the Fairbanks area specialize in providing aurora-related amenities and experiences.

Not all Northern Lights accommodations are created equal, so this article will show you the very best hotels in Fairbanks, Alaska to see Northern Lights in terms of location, aurora-related features, and level of privacy.

You’ll find everything from aurora cabins and villas to hotels and resorts, all perfectly suited to giving you the best chance to see the Northern Lights in Alaska.

Best Northern Lights Hotels in Fairbanks, Alaska

In short, these are the best hotels in Fairbanks for Northern Lights:

1. Alaska Grizzly Lodge: a Fairbanks Northern Lights hotel in a great location.
2. Pike’s Waterfront Lodge: where to stay in Fairbanks to see the Northern Lights.
3. Aurora and Denali View Apartment: a cozy aurora cabin in Alaska.
4. Aurora Villa: the best aurora villa in Fairbanks, Alaska.
5. Northern Sky Lodge: a Fairbanks, Alaska Northern Lights resort with character.
6. Wildmoon Home: the best aurora cabin, Fairbanks.
7. Wedgewood Resort: the best Northern Lights resort, Alaska.

I also recommend checking our guide to seeing the Northern Lights in Fairbanks to increase your chances of enjoying a display.

1. Alaska Grizzly Lodge, a Fairbanks Northern Lights hotel in a great location

Want to see an aurora display without leaving the comfort of your accommodation? At Alaska Grizzly Lodge, rooms come with private terraces that offer sweeping views of the Alaskan wilderness, so you’ll have a front-row seat if the Northern Lights grace the night sky.

This Fairbanks Northern Lights hotel is truly invested in helping its guests see the aurora borealis for themselves; the lodge offers an aurora wake-up service for guests, so you won’t have to worry about missing an aurora display while you’re sleeping, and keeps an aurora guide on hand to answer questions and share Northern Lights photography tips.

1. Alaska Grizzly Lodge, a Fairbanks Northern Lights hotel in a great location

Alaska Grizzly Lodge is also one of the best places to stay in Alaska to see the Northern Lights because it’s conveniently located while still being remote enough for clear views of aurora displays. This European-style lodge is located just 10 miles from downtown Fairbanks, so it’s close enough to Fairbanks to be easy to reach but far enough away that there’s almost no light pollution to interfere with your aurora viewing.

If you want to explore the area, the lodge is surrounded by a boreal forest with easy-to-access hiking trails, where you can spot wildlife like foxes and moose.

2. Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, where to stay in Fairbanks to see the Northern Lights from an aurora conservatory

Not everyone wants to rough it when they chase the Northern Lights. For a luxurious, indoor aurora viewing experience, stay at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, where guests can cozy up in the heated Aurora Conservatory and enjoy panoramic views of the sky and Chena River through the three glass walls.

2. Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, where to stay in Fairbanks to see the Northern Lights

This Fairbanks aurora hotel boasts plenty of other comforts, including a sauna, a restaurant that serves traditional Alaskan fish and seafood dishes, and a riverside deck with a fire pit. Breakfast is included in the price of your room, and you’ll also get free coffee and cookies when you check in.

As with many of the best places to see the Northern Lights in Fairbanks, Pike’s Waterfront Lodge offers an aurora wake-up service for guests. Luckily, you won’t even have to change out of your pajamas; just head to the conservatory and watch in total comfort as the Northern Lights dance overhead.

3. Aurora and Denali View Apartment, a cozy aurora cabin in Alaska

Aurora and Denali View Apartment will be your home away from home while you go aurora hunting in Alaska since you’ll have a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment entirely to yourself.

3. Aurora and Denali View Apartment, a cozy aurora cabin in Alaska

This aurora cabin in Fairbanks is just 10 miles from Fairbanks International Airport, so you can get there easily but still be far enough from Fairbanks that light pollution won’t interfere with your views of the aurora. In fact, if there are any aurora displays, you’ll be able to see them from the spacious backyard, along with views of Denali and the lights of Fairbanks.

There’s also a garden and patio, grill facilities, and a fully equipped kitchen, so you can relax outside, barbecue, or whip up a meal.

4. Aurora Villa, the best aurora villa, Fairbanks, Alaska

You won’t be able to miss an aurora display if you stay at Aurora Villa. The villa’s double rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, so seeing the Northern Lights is as easy as sitting up in bed.

4. Aurora Villa, the best aurora villa, Fairbanks, Alaska

If you’d prefer a bit more space, Aurora Villa, Fairbanks, offers deluxe apartment and three-bedroom apartment options as well. No matter what type of space you stay in, be sure to settle in by the outdoor fireplace and enjoy the stunning mountain views.

5. Northern Sky Lodge, a Fairbanks, Alaska Northern Lights resort with character

Looking for a Fairbanks, Alaska Northern Lights resort with character? At Northern Sky Lodge, you can choose from one of seven themed rooms for your stay: the Denali Room, which features – you guessed it – pictures of Mt. Denali; the Bear Room; the Mining Room, which has mining equipment décor; the Raven Room, which is decorated with purple accents; the Moose Room; the Eagle Room; or the Aurora Room, which is dotted with aurora photographs that were taken at the lodge.

5. Northern Sky Lodge, a Fairbanks, Alaska Northern Lights resort with character

This Fairbanks Northern Lights hotel keeps guests busy with the many activities on offer, including hiking, cross-country skiing, and dog mushing. Snowshoes are even available for guests to use for free. You won’t have to worry about going hungry either, since breakfast is included in the price of your room.

6. Wildmoon Home, the best aurora cabin, Fairbanks

One of the best trips to see the Northern Lights you can take is to Fairbanks, but it doesn’t hurt to be on the outskirts of the city to avoid light pollution. Wildmoon Home is a private, one-bedroom house in a secluded spot about a 35-minute drive away from downtown Fairbanks, which means low light pollution and a great chance to get a clear view of an aurora display.

6. Wildmoon Home, the best aurora cabin, Fairbanks

This cozy aurora cabin in Fairbanks features a balcony with mountain views that’s perfect for convenient aurora viewing. Other amenities include a grill, sun terrace, and patio with pool views, so you’ll really be able to relax. If you’d prefer to keep active, you can easily go hiking nearby.

7. Wedgewood Resort, the best Northern Lights resort, Alaska

Wedgewood Resort is the ideal Fairbanks, Alaska Northern Lights resort if you want some peace and quiet. The resort is located on a 105-acre plot of land, so it’s already quite secluded, but it’s also surrounded by a 75-acre wildlife sanctuary and a 2,200-acre waterfowl refuge, so you really will be surrounded by nature.

7. Wedgewood Resort, the best Northern Lights resort, Alaska

Take advantage of Wedgewood Resort’s aurora wake-up calls so you don’t miss a Northern Lights display. While you’re waiting for the aurora borealis to appear, you can work out in the fitness center or visit the nearby wildlife sanctuary and waterfowl refuge to see some of the native fauna.

You’ll feel right at home in one of the bedroom suites, which feature fully equipped kitchens and separate sleeping and dining areas. When it’s time to leave, you can take the resort’s free shuttle to Fairbanks Airport.

Whichever Fairbanks Northern Lights hotel you stay at, remember to check the Northern Lights forecast every day on the official NOAA website, as well as the cloud forecast in Alaska through the National Weather Service website to see if there will be clear skies in your area.

If you’re a photographer who wants to capture outstanding aurora borealis images, my ultimate guide to photographing the Northern Lights will give you plenty of useful tips and tricks.

Good luck chasing the Northern Lights!