Alaska Rainbow Lodge
30 Air Miles North West on the Kvichak River, King Salmon, AK 99613
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About
#5 of 14 lodges in King Salmon
Location
5.0
Rooms
4.9
Value
4.8
Cleanliness
5.0
Service
4.9
Sleep Quality
4.9
Sport Fishing Lodge offering full service floatplane flyout fishing package from King Salmon, Alaska. Based on the Kvichak river in the heart of Bristol Bay, 230 miles S.W. Of Anchorage, 20 air miles North of King Salmon. A twenty minute flight from Alaska Rainbow Lodge and you're fishing all the famous streams you've read about. Fish for all five Pacific Salmon and experience the intense action hooking into wild rainbow trout. The Kvichak River has the largest Sockeye salmon run in the world. Your guide is Coast Guard licensed and firsthand knowledge of the waters you fish. Package includes flights to and from King Salmon to the lodge, all food, liquor, wine and soft drinks, daily maid service, light laundry service, daily flights to the water of your choice and experienced, licensed fishing guide for each two anglers.
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Property amenities
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Sauna
Free breakfast
Fishing
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Free airport transportation
Business Center with Internet Access
Wifi
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Airport transportation
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Concierge
Mosquito net
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Shared lounge / TV area
First aid kit
Express check-in / check-out
Laundry service
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Refrigerator
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
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Detailed Reviews
Rainbow River Lodge exceeded my expectations. The lodge is beautiful, the cabins are so cozy. And the best thing is the staff, every person was exceptional! Every guide, all the lodge staff, the pilots and the cook!
We went expecting to fish for silver salmon, but they weren't running so we fished for rainbow trout. But it was much more than a fishing trip. The daily experiences were just unbeatable. From flying into little lakes and getting towed by the plane to the river start, to fishing with dozens of bears fishing along side us, to coming back to the lodge for a hot tub and wood fired sauna and a 5 star meal. We even had a night that some of the staff played guitar and sang and a night of western dancing!
The staff made us feel like family! I highly recommend Rainbow River Lodge for an authentic Alaska experience.
We went expecting to fish for silver salmon, but they weren't running so we fished for rainbow trout. But it was much more than a fishing trip. The daily experiences were just unbeatable. From flying into little lakes and getting towed by the plane to the river start, to fishing with dozens of bears fishing along side us, to coming back to the lodge for a hot tub and wood fired sauna and a 5 star meal. We even had a night that some of the staff played guitar and sang and a night of western dancing!
The staff made us feel like family! I highly recommend Rainbow River Lodge for an authentic Alaska experience.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Of course, the beautiful scenery (and hopefully) excellent fishing are why we all go to Alaska. But what I did not expect is the truly outstanding accommodations, friendly and professional staff, and wonderful chef-prepared meals. The guides are extremely friendly and knowledgeable, the pilots are expert at their craft, and the fishing was amazing. Rainbows, Lakes, Sockeye, Kings, Pike - all in one trip. You really can't go wrong booking with ARL.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was the ultimate experience of a life time. Amazing fishing, abundance of trophy size fish, 5* food, plane rides to and from fishing, breathtaking scenery and the company of simply the best guides and a wonderful support team. We are now going back for our third visit, which is nothing in comparison to other returners to the lodge many of who are now in double figures.
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Date of stay: September 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Outstanding trip!! Everything was awesome!! Flew to a different location daily and caught kings and trout like crazy. Learned how to spey cast and caught a small king at lunch. Service was awesome!! Pilots were great and the history of the place was excellent too.
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Traveled with family
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I joined friends for our first ever trip to Alaska and to a fishing lodge. Every detail was was covered. The accommodations, food, fishing guides, lodge staff, and fishing was five star. Every day started with coffee delivered to our room, followed by a hot breakfast, fly out guided fishing to a river we chose, back to the lodge for appetizers and conversation with other guests, plans for the next day, and a gourmet meal from the chef. Ron and Sharon, the owners, were outstanding hosts. I went for the fishing, sightseeing, and the Bears, and the Alaska experience was awesome. Alaska Rainbow Lodge was simply the best for everything.
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Date of stay: September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ron H, Owner at Alaska Rainbow Lodge
Responded Sep 16, 2015
When you have great customers, it sure makes it easy to work your hardest to provide a quality experience. We're all about making this fishing package at Alaska Rainbow Lodge the ideal sport fishing vacation. It's great to have that policy reinforced by our anglers comments. Thank you.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My son and I read all the reviews before our trip, and I can now say that all the five star reviews are believable and not an exaggeration. ARL is an incredible place, and Ron, Sharon, Mike, Ken, all the guides, and staff were exceptional.
Ken and the other pilots met us, and the other guests, in King Salmon grabbed our bags loaded us on their planes and we were at the lodge in no time. Upon arrival we were escorted up to the lodge where Ron, Sharon, Mike (head guide) and the staff greeted us while our bags were taken to our rooms. Lunch was served while Mike was busy asking who wanted to go fishing that afternoon. Every evening upon returning from the days adventure Mike worked with us to determine what fish, and what river we wanted to tackle the next day.
Every day started with Georgia delivering coffee and orange juice to our room (drinks of your choice are delivered), followed by a great made to order breakfast. The guides and pilots loaded the planes with all the equipment we needed, and departure was at 7:30 am. Flying time to our destinations were between 10 and 50 min. The guides and pilots unloaded the planes, loaded up our jet boat, or our float, and off we went. Hiking trips are available, we just ran out of time....hopefully on our next trip. Some days we fished hard most of the day with only a short break for lunch, other days our guide cooked hot lunch on shore which included fresh caught fish if you so desired. You choose either lunch option and the guides are more than happy to keep fishing or cook lunch. We fished until 4:30 or 5:00 most days and were back at the lodge around 5:30.
Upon arrival back to the lodge, hot and cold hors d'oeuvres were waiting along with a well stocked open bar. Everybody swapped fish stories while enjoying a drink and a snack. Ron, Mike, and usually a guide or two were around to catch up on the days events. Mike worked with guests on the next days destination, and Ron was usually prompted to tell stories (the kind you really want to hear) while making sure all guests were happy. Sharon came in and announced dinner was ready at 7:30 sharp.
All dinners were served at your table by waiters, were hot and straight from the cooktop or oven. The food was great and the portions were such that I had to go with the "smaller portion" because I wanted to save room for the great desserts.
We fished four or five rivers all of which were different, beautiful, and quite enjoyable. We caught fish every day and lots and lots of fish all but one day. We caught lots of rainbow trout, and lots of char, some silver salmon, and some chum salmon. We passed on the opportunity to fish for sockeye, even though the guests that fished for them caught lots of them. I'm not a great fisherman, but I have fished with lots of guides, and all of the ARL guides were as good or better than the best I have fished with. They were energetic, knowledgeable about the river and fishing techniques, well equipped, and put us in position to fish to our ability (intermediate) and catch fish.
The lodge and our room were both very nice, well equipped, clean, and very comfortable. They made our beds and straightened up the room every day while we were fishing. You are assigned a designated area in a community room for your waders, boots, jackets, etc. which works great for suiting up and down for the day.
The lodge, planes, boats, motors, and all fishing equipment are all extremely well maintained. They even have a full time mechanic, should not to be underappreciated given the remoteness of area. Ron, the pilots, and guides were all very safety conscious; also, not to be underappreciated given where you are and what you are doing.
Only three of the guests on our trip were not return guests, and my son and I were two of them. Most guests had been to ARL on multiple occasions, and most had fished in other lodges in Alaska. They all told me ARL was their favorite. I'll probably never be able to compare ARL to another lodge because I have no reason to try another.
Ken and the other pilots met us, and the other guests, in King Salmon grabbed our bags loaded us on their planes and we were at the lodge in no time. Upon arrival we were escorted up to the lodge where Ron, Sharon, Mike (head guide) and the staff greeted us while our bags were taken to our rooms. Lunch was served while Mike was busy asking who wanted to go fishing that afternoon. Every evening upon returning from the days adventure Mike worked with us to determine what fish, and what river we wanted to tackle the next day.
Every day started with Georgia delivering coffee and orange juice to our room (drinks of your choice are delivered), followed by a great made to order breakfast. The guides and pilots loaded the planes with all the equipment we needed, and departure was at 7:30 am. Flying time to our destinations were between 10 and 50 min. The guides and pilots unloaded the planes, loaded up our jet boat, or our float, and off we went. Hiking trips are available, we just ran out of time....hopefully on our next trip. Some days we fished hard most of the day with only a short break for lunch, other days our guide cooked hot lunch on shore which included fresh caught fish if you so desired. You choose either lunch option and the guides are more than happy to keep fishing or cook lunch. We fished until 4:30 or 5:00 most days and were back at the lodge around 5:30.
Upon arrival back to the lodge, hot and cold hors d'oeuvres were waiting along with a well stocked open bar. Everybody swapped fish stories while enjoying a drink and a snack. Ron, Mike, and usually a guide or two were around to catch up on the days events. Mike worked with guests on the next days destination, and Ron was usually prompted to tell stories (the kind you really want to hear) while making sure all guests were happy. Sharon came in and announced dinner was ready at 7:30 sharp.
All dinners were served at your table by waiters, were hot and straight from the cooktop or oven. The food was great and the portions were such that I had to go with the "smaller portion" because I wanted to save room for the great desserts.
We fished four or five rivers all of which were different, beautiful, and quite enjoyable. We caught fish every day and lots and lots of fish all but one day. We caught lots of rainbow trout, and lots of char, some silver salmon, and some chum salmon. We passed on the opportunity to fish for sockeye, even though the guests that fished for them caught lots of them. I'm not a great fisherman, but I have fished with lots of guides, and all of the ARL guides were as good or better than the best I have fished with. They were energetic, knowledgeable about the river and fishing techniques, well equipped, and put us in position to fish to our ability (intermediate) and catch fish.
The lodge and our room were both very nice, well equipped, clean, and very comfortable. They made our beds and straightened up the room every day while we were fishing. You are assigned a designated area in a community room for your waders, boots, jackets, etc. which works great for suiting up and down for the day.
The lodge, planes, boats, motors, and all fishing equipment are all extremely well maintained. They even have a full time mechanic, should not to be underappreciated given the remoteness of area. Ron, the pilots, and guides were all very safety conscious; also, not to be underappreciated given where you are and what you are doing.
Only three of the guests on our trip were not return guests, and my son and I were two of them. Most guests had been to ARL on multiple occasions, and most had fished in other lodges in Alaska. They all told me ARL was their favorite. I'll probably never be able to compare ARL to another lodge because I have no reason to try another.
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Date of stay: August 2015Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ron H, Owner at Alaska Rainbow Lodge
Responded Aug 13, 2015
It's nice to know that our anglers notice the staff in the background, such as the mechanic or dishwasher. Some of our support staff never get to meet our customers. Without their contributions our lodge would not run smoothly. It would certainly affect a customers trip if there's a boat motor out of whack or a generator not running properly. Safety is always in the forefront of our pilots and guides. We wouldn't want any angler to feel compromised while they're in the remote wilds of Alaska. Thanks for listing these items in your review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Recently my wife and I were fortunate enough to spend a week at the Alaska Rainbow Lodge. The Lodge is located in a very remote, pristine untouched wilderness area. The Lodge and the property that the ARL is located on is exceptionally well maintained. All of the facilities at the ARL are top notch! Ron and Sharon, ( the owners of the Lodge) have managed to build a world class fishing Lodge in a very remote location.
Our trip began when Ken, (our pilot) and a couple of the ARL staff greeted us at the King Salmon Airport. Ken and the staff gathered all of our belongings and transported us to a nearby float-plane.Our belonging were loaded onto the plane and approximately 45 minutes later we were smoothly and safely delivered to the Lodge. Ken and the staff were friendly, personable and very polite. When we arrived at the Lodge the staff gathered all of our belongings and promptly delivered them to our awaiting room. It was very refreshing to be treated so well by people we barley knew. Every one we had contact with went out of their way to make our stay as comfortable as possible. The Lodge is very modern with all of the comforts of home. The rooms are nicely decorated and extremely well maintained. The food at the Lodge was fantastic. The full time chefs produced excellent food for breakfast lunch and dinner. There was always a tasty desert to finish off a great meal at dinner.
The ARL truly is a fisherman's dream come true. Kent and Bret our guides were extremely knowledgeable and genuinely eager to to make our adventure one that would not be forgotten. Bret skillfully navigated the rapid windy rivers and safely delivered us to incredibly remote beautiful fishing holes.This is not combat fishing... we were all alone in the vastly remote Alaska wilderness. We flew to five different rivers during our stay at the Lodge. Our guides managed to make every day extremely productive. It seemed the number of fish we caught was only limited to how much energy we could muster each day. My wife and I both managed to land a 30 pound King Salmon and countless Sockeye Salmon, Char,Trout and Greyling. I truly lost count of the numbers of fish we caught but every catch was extremely enjoyable. Our guides prepared freshly caught Sockeye Salmon on the bow of the boat for lunch and also brought tons of snacks, drinks and coffee. My wife and I had never been to Alaska but what a way to break the ice!
The ARL owners, Ron and Sharon, are truly dedicated to providing all of their guests with the best of everything! The food, rooms,staff, pilots, guides and 5 star Lodge made our trip one we will never forget. Thank you Ron and Sharon for all of your hard work and dedication that allowed us to enjoy our stay so much.
The Nicholsons
Our trip began when Ken, (our pilot) and a couple of the ARL staff greeted us at the King Salmon Airport. Ken and the staff gathered all of our belongings and transported us to a nearby float-plane.Our belonging were loaded onto the plane and approximately 45 minutes later we were smoothly and safely delivered to the Lodge. Ken and the staff were friendly, personable and very polite. When we arrived at the Lodge the staff gathered all of our belongings and promptly delivered them to our awaiting room. It was very refreshing to be treated so well by people we barley knew. Every one we had contact with went out of their way to make our stay as comfortable as possible. The Lodge is very modern with all of the comforts of home. The rooms are nicely decorated and extremely well maintained. The food at the Lodge was fantastic. The full time chefs produced excellent food for breakfast lunch and dinner. There was always a tasty desert to finish off a great meal at dinner.
The ARL truly is a fisherman's dream come true. Kent and Bret our guides were extremely knowledgeable and genuinely eager to to make our adventure one that would not be forgotten. Bret skillfully navigated the rapid windy rivers and safely delivered us to incredibly remote beautiful fishing holes.This is not combat fishing... we were all alone in the vastly remote Alaska wilderness. We flew to five different rivers during our stay at the Lodge. Our guides managed to make every day extremely productive. It seemed the number of fish we caught was only limited to how much energy we could muster each day. My wife and I both managed to land a 30 pound King Salmon and countless Sockeye Salmon, Char,Trout and Greyling. I truly lost count of the numbers of fish we caught but every catch was extremely enjoyable. Our guides prepared freshly caught Sockeye Salmon on the bow of the boat for lunch and also brought tons of snacks, drinks and coffee. My wife and I had never been to Alaska but what a way to break the ice!
The ARL owners, Ron and Sharon, are truly dedicated to providing all of their guests with the best of everything! The food, rooms,staff, pilots, guides and 5 star Lodge made our trip one we will never forget. Thank you Ron and Sharon for all of your hard work and dedication that allowed us to enjoy our stay so much.
The Nicholsons
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Â All the rooms are great!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ron H, Owner at Alaska Rainbow Lodge
Responded Aug 11, 2015
Our goal at Alaska Rainbow Lodge has always been, and will continue to be - to make each angler's trip the very best we can given our location and a (sometimes) uncooperative Mother Nature. Thirty-two year in business and we hope we have a grasp on what an angler is looking for in a luxury wilderness sport fishing trip. Thanks for the descriptive narration of your trip. We're always looking at the reviews and trying to improve our operations. Customer comments such as your let us know we're on the right track.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I have been to Alaska several times and stayed at five different lodges ARL stands out for the way they run their lodge. The lodge itself is very clean, the meals are excellent, and they pay attention to the small details. This is a lodge in Alaska where you can take your wife and she will be very pleased with the accommodations - really great. Their fleet of 3 Beavers is first class - very clean, obviously well maintained and the pilots are second to none. ARL reflects the commitment of the owners, Ron and Sharon Hayes (who were around and involved with the guests during the entire stay) to providing a top notch experience. If you want a first class experience I would heartily recommend ARL.
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Date of stay: July 2014Trip type: Traveled with friends
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ron H, Owner at Alaska Rainbow Lodge
Responded Feb 9, 2015
Nothing comes easy when you're in a remote area. You need to be on top of your game when it comes to supplies and scheduling. Never a dull moment when you're in the fishing business! When we read a review like this, all that work makes it worthwhile. It's always entertaining. Thanks for recognizing and writing about your experience at Alaska Rainbow Lodge.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
From the arrival at the mighty metropolis of King Salmon the level of service was excellent. I went with a friend and it was the first time for both of us at an Alaskan lodge and Alaska Rainbow Lodge didn't disappoint in any way. The fishing was amazing and the guides who came from as far afield as Chile and the UK were knowledgeable and charming - special thanks to Juan.
Each day we flew out to a new river with fresh challenges and while some days were harder (and some almost too easy) than others the fishing was always outstanding. The trout fishing is spectacular and the specimens are sometimes huge!
The lodge itself is comfortable. My only niggles would be tiny ones such as I would love to have seen more local fare on the menu and I wish that there had been some decent wine and beer - and no, Bud, Coors and Miller don't count as beer!
Overall though, the experience was totally memorable and I would recommend it highly to any anglers out there.
Each day we flew out to a new river with fresh challenges and while some days were harder (and some almost too easy) than others the fishing was always outstanding. The trout fishing is spectacular and the specimens are sometimes huge!
The lodge itself is comfortable. My only niggles would be tiny ones such as I would love to have seen more local fare on the menu and I wish that there had been some decent wine and beer - and no, Bud, Coors and Miller don't count as beer!
Overall though, the experience was totally memorable and I would recommend it highly to any anglers out there.
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Date of stay: August 2012Trip type: Traveled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ron H, Owner at Alaska Rainbow Lodge
Responded Dec 18, 2013
Thank you for taking the time to review my lodge and fishing program. If you decide to fish with me again, let me know about that beer and I'll see what I can do.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The fishing is amazing, flying out each morning to see and fish different rivers. We catch rainbow trout up to 30". The accomodations and food are excellent. Alaska Rainbow Lodge hires great staff, from the guides to the kitchen help. This year will be the 5th trip for my husband and 3rd for me. We can't wait to return!
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Date of stay: September 2011Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Ron H, Owner at Alaska Rainbow Lodge
Responded Dec 18, 2013
Group trips are such a good time. Those photos you passed along to us of the Trivial Pursuit game looked about as competitive as the day's fishing!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rick G asked a question Feb 2019
Hampden, Massachusetts, United States32 contributions7 helpful votesLooking for guidance/advice for fishing world class rainbows for 2020, best time of year to go????
Howdy Rick, sent you an email last night. Let me know if you received it. The best time for trophy rainbows is mid June or September, with the September fish being about 1/3 fatter for the same length. Give me a call anytime to discuss options. 800-451-6198
Tight Lines!
LOCATION
United StatesAlaskaKing Salmon
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
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Frequently Asked Questions about Alaska Rainbow Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Alaska Rainbow Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and an on-site restaurant.
What food & drink options are available at Alaska Rainbow Lodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Alaska Rainbow Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a sauna during their stay.
Does Alaska Rainbow Lodge have an airport shuttle?
Yes, Alaska Rainbow Lodge offers an airport shuttle for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Does Alaska Rainbow Lodge have airport transportation?
Yes, Alaska Rainbow Lodge offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are pets allowed at Alaska Rainbow Lodge?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Does Alaska Rainbow Lodge offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business center, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.
Is Alaska Rainbow Lodge accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and reduced mobility rooms. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.