I can't believe all the bad reviews about this resort. I have traveled through alaska and around the world and I feel that this was a great experience. If you wanting a 4 star in a metro area then this resort is not for you, but if you wan't a unique experience in the middle of nowhere then this is the perfect place.
We chose this resort because we wanted to see the northern lights but also have other options if the lights were not out. This resort offers many tours (pricey but fun) and of course the hot springs which were great. Also options to snowshoe and cross country ski if the trails have good snowpack (they had some unusual thawing when we were there so the trails were icy and had water over them, but of course this is up to mother nature)
HOT SPRINGS- hrs from 7 am to midnight, very relaxing. we went into the springs several times during our 4 night stay and enjoyed it very much. The locker rooms are not the greatest and can be crowded but good experience overall. Take a robe with you-you will not regret the extra suitcase once you leave the locker room to get to the hot springs (not far but cold in winter). I can't comment on the swimming pool or hot tubs as we did not use those, except to say not to expect a spa atmosphere.
FOOD- Food was very good, much better then I expected. They have a good selection and also a full bar. Service was slow but friendly related to being understaffed but when your in the middle of nowhere who cares, just enjoy the log cabin feel and relax with some wine.
ROOMS- We stayed in the Moose Lodge which was quite nice and much better then I had expected based on reviews. I can't comment on other rooms. Clean and cozy. TV does only have one channel so if you really need to watch TV then bring a laptop or dvd player and some movies.
TOURS- We did the snowcoach tour to the top of the surrounding mountains and were not dissapointed. expect a bumpy ride! We did see the aurora and it was spectacular, but be aware that it is very cold and you need warm clothing (the resort does offer loaner snowboots and other gear so call ahead to see what they can provide as I brought all my own gear). If you want to take photos of the lights make sure you take a SLR camera). Don't forget that mother nature is in charge of the Northern Lights and you may not see them. We were there for 4 nights and the only really good showing was the snowcoach trip(we were lucky) and one night around 1030 we saw them for approx 5 min while we were in the hot springs(very cool). Make sure you get on the aurora wake up list every day (they will call you if they see the lights in the middle of the night)
We also took the tour of the ice hotel which was very cool including small amount of ice sculptures, ice bar, and ice rooms with ice beds (you can stay overnight in these for 500+ a night, but it would be quite chilly). 15 bucks a person for the tour and if you want to have a martini in a ice martini glass it is another 15, and even though it is a bit pricey it is alot of fun, unique, and provides great photo ops.
We did not do any other tours, so can't comment on them.

I was soooo worried about this trip due to the bad reviews on this site and I am soooo glad that I went anyway. Don't expect a 4 star in a metro area, remember that you are in Alaska in the middle of nowhere and this resort offers nice lodging with good food and recreational opportunities. Even if we had not seen the northern lights we would have had a great time!

We just came back from Chena Hot Springs, and what a great time we had! There were so many fun things to do there. I would definitely recommend the dog sled ride. It wasn't quite long enough (about 10 minutes long), but we enjoyed every second of it. The ice hotel was absolutely amazing. And I'm saying that even after seeing the georgeous ice scupltures in Fairbanks! The geothermal tour was absolutely amazing. The staff was super friendly. And of course the hot springs were great as well. The only things I would grade it down are the locker rooms to get into the hot springs area (they were a bit crowded when it was there, and I wasn't too happy about people changing into and out of their swimsuits right in front of me--even if they were the same gender. I think having more stalls available to change in would remedy this), and the fact that there's basically only one restaurant to choose from. The food is great in that restaurant, but I love being able to a couple of places. Maybe if there was a cheaper "grill" type place and a nice place we could choose between depending on our mood and how tight our pocketbook is. But overall, it was a great experience!

When I called to book my room, the person on the other end was not very helpful and seemed like they weren't very interested in helping me. I was hoping it was just a fluke thing, but things went down hill from there. After checking in, we tried to find a parking spot, after driving around for a few minutes we asked where to park, and couldn't really get a straight answer. We ended up asking a maintenance guy and finally found a spot that we wouldn't have to walk too far to get to our room.
The rooms are in several different buildings ,and are reminiscent of summer camp. The rooms are pretty run down, and in need of a lot of maintenance. Our sheets were ripped, the shower was gross, and the mattresses are some of the most uncomfortable we have ever slept in. There was no phone, and the television only had two channels, ESPN and CNN. It would have been nice to have some type of min-fridge or microwave in the rooms, since no dining options are available other than the resort restaurant. Our room was also pretty cold, and wouldn't warm up even after turning the heat way up.
After paying over 200 dollars for a room, you would think that there would be more recreational activities included, but other than the pool and hot springs, all other activities are at least 15 dollars per person and most are a good deal more.
The pool building is old and poorly maintained, and the pool was absolutely disgusting! Old bandaids, hair, and wadded up tissues by the pool, old hot tubs that look like they haven't been cleaned in a while, peeling paint, and very tiny and gross changing rooms. If you want a locker you will need to have quarters. The hot springs were nice and a neat thing to see, but the walkway is very slippery. We spotted a few more old bandaids in the hot springs as well. Children under the age of 18 are not allowed into the hot springs.

This is not a place I would recommend to anyone, and the price of the rooms is outrageous for what you get. I have stayed in beautiful hotels in Alaska for less than half of the price. If you must see the hot springs, go for the day and pay 10 dollars for a day pass. The "resort" is only an hour from Fairbanks, so find a nice hotel there and drive in.

We had a lot of fun at the Chena Hot Springs Resort and it was much nicer than I expected from the reviews I read. The current owners took it over in 1998 from the State of Alaska which took it over from many previous owners who could never make a go of it financially. It is 30 miles away from the nearest power grid so they have to make all of their own electricity. They used to do it with a diesel powered generator, spending $1000+ a day. About a year and a half ago they installed a turbine generator that uses the geothermal energy from the hot water they pump up from the earth. The technology is cutting-edge and gives you hope for our energy future. The two men in our group (closet geeks) enjoyed the tour of the power plant, the greenhouse (where they grow their own vegetables even when it is -40 degrees outside) and the refrigeration system for the Aurora Ice Museum.
The Resort is an easy and beautiful 2-hour drive from Fairbanks. We spotted two moose right alongside the road.
We stayed in the Moose Lodge building which is much newer than the old lodges. I hear that it is usually reserved for tour groups, but I was able to book by calling the resort directly. It was comfortable and clean, but a little noisy especially when the Aurora Borealis viewers came in at 2am.
Soaking in the hot spring water was fabulous and relaxing. The food was good and the waiters were courteous and interesting. In fact, everyone we met was fun to talk to.
There are snow machines to rent (which we didn't do) and the ride in a dog sled ($50 for about 20 minutes) was a hoot. We thought the $15 per person Aurora Ice Museum tour was interesting and worth the money. They have lots of ice sculptures on display. We also enjoyed the $15 per person appletini.
You absolutely must take the aurora viewing tour for $75 per person. the 10pm to 2am tour is a rough 2.5-mile, 30 minute ride in a sno cat that takes you to a yurt on the top of a nearby mountain. Here you wait for the aurora borealis to show up. You have to be patient and sometimes it doesn't perform at all (like the night before we took the tour). Although it wasn't spectacular our night, we did see it around 2am and it was still awesome!
We went for the hot springs and to see the northern lights and we certainly were not disappointed.