My family and I had just spent a week on an 87' 1920's motor-yacht cruising from Juneau to Ketchikan and we were feeling sad that that part of our trip had come to an end. The only thing that was keeping our spirits up was our pending stay at the Black Bear Inn! We had never been to Ketchikan before, so I did a lot of research to find the "right" place for our vacation to come to an end. I must say, the pictures of the Inn on the web site, though attractive, did not do it justice....you must see it to believe it - it is gorgeous!
In our dour state - end of a great week on the water, cabbing in the rain to the Inn, our spirits were lifted immediately upon arrival. The Inn - located outside of the hustle and bustle of downtown Ketchicakn - was an oasis after a long day of traveling. The open design of the common spaces - living room, kitchen, dining area - and fantastic view of the Inside Passage welcomes even the most discerning guest. A soak in the covered outdoor spa watching the seaplanes coming in to land and the ships leaving port brought balance back to our trip.
The accommodations were first rate; quality fixtures and appliances, large finished laundry room, spacious bathrooms, state-of-the-art sound and video system made it hard to leave. An ample supply of games and videos coupled with the outdoor spa made for an excellent week enjoying Ketchikan.
For those wishing to skip the rental car hassle, the bus - literally called "The Bus" stops at the Black Bear Inn hourly for a short ride to downtown Ketchikan. Great for groups with different schedules or travel objectives.
Our host, Nicole made certain all of our needs were met. She even drove us to the grocery store in the rain upon our arrival to ensure our nutrition needs were met (after we ate the pastries she had for our arrival "snack"). Nicole's husband Jim is generational Alaskan and between Jim and Nicole you will learn as much as you would like about the area and its attractions.

Staying at the Black Bear Inn was an excellent way to begin our Alaskan vacation. Nicole, our host, was so welcoming even to the point of providing us with fresh local fish delicacies on our first night! The rooms were beautifully decorated with everything one could posssibly want at your fingertips. The decor of the Inn reflects its theme and hours could be spent just looking at the paintings and decorations, which refleceted Nicole's commitment to local artisans. It was hard to decide between sitting under the gazebo watching the sunset over the water, snoozing in the big comfortable bed, having a dip in the spa or sinking into the soft lounge chairs. All this could be done while nibble from the many tasty treats spread around the Inn. If we a re luck enough to return to Ketchikan we will definitely book in at the Black Bear Inn - we've already told our travelling friends about it!
Sharyn and Tim
Victoria
Australia