Just returned from a Princess Cruisetour that included a overnite stay at Fairbanks with a riverboat ride in the morning. We were originally scheduled to stay at the Fairbanks Princess Lodge but were notified that we were being switched to the Rivers Edge Resort. This resort in basically a bunch of cabins stuck in the middle of no where. The cabins are right along side of a highway and all we heard all nite long was the sound of trucks rumbling by. The inside of the cabins aren't bad but the outside and surronding area are terrible. If I could do it all over again I would have skipped the whole Fairbanks portion of the trip. The riverboat ride was no big deal either...

We were lucky enough to get one of the cottages right on the river where I sat outside on our patio reading until midnight...the Land of the Midnight Sun, you know. Each unit had a BEAUTIFUL hanging basket of flowers at the front entrance. The rooms were quiet, comfortable and clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They were waiting for us at the train station when we arrived and they delivered us to the airport at the end of our stay. There was a restaurant/bar a few steps away from our cottage. The food was excellent and the service was great. We'll stay here on our next visit to Fairbanks.

We stayed 2 nights prior to our flight out of Fairbanks. We had a connecting cottage that is intended for families wanting a connecting room. We could hear almost everyting the other couple were doing in their room as they probably did us too. The room was clean and well taken care of. The girl (don't remember her name) at the front desk was very helpful. She took us to the airport to get a rental car. The city is very spread out so that's why we rented a car. The shuttle is very few and far between. Only other transportation was by taxi. Probably won't go back to Fairbanks. It was a one time experience that one doesn't care to do again. Overall the hotel was nice.

We stayed here on two occasions (first and last night) during our recent trip to Alaska. When we first arrived at the airport, we called the hotel and requested a pick-up, and were told that the shuttle driver was busy on a run and that it might be easier if we took a cab and asked for a receipt. At check-in, we were reimbursed in cash. We were very pleased by how considerate the front desk was and how smoothly everything went.
The room we stayed in was simple and clean, and comfortable enough. I think most hotels in Fairbanks tend to be on the simpler side, and the River's Edge would definitely rank as one of the nicest hotels in the city. The next day we caught the morning train to Denali, and we went by shuttle to the train station. While waiting at the station, I realized I'd left my digital camera battery charging in the room. We were scheduled to depart in less than 30 minutes, and I knew that I wouldn't have time to go back to the hotel and return to the train station in 30 minutes (taxis aren't readily available in Fairbanks - you usually need to call to get one). I called the hotel and the person at the front desk immediately went to our room, grabbed the battery and charger, and had the shuttle driver deliver the battery to me at the train station. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I was and how grateful we were for the hotel's excellent service.
On our return to Fairbanks, we stayed again at the River's Edge and again we experienced first hand how the staff goes out of their way to make their guests' lives easier and more pleasant. We had purchased smoked salmon at a place called Santa's Smokehouse (a terrific find at 2400 Davis Road in Fairbanks) and asked the front desk to freeze the salmon for us. They were more than happy to help us, and thanks to them, we're still enjoying a little bit of Alaska these days, two months after returning from Alaska.

I travel quite a bit and have stayed at a number of hotels, the majority of which would be considered 4 or 5 star hotels. Although most of these hotels boast of their high standards of service, I have to say that only the River's Edge has truly impressed me with their friendliness and helpfulness. I would most definitely recommend the River's Edge to friends who might be visiting Fairbanks, and would without a second's hesitation stay there myself if I were to visit Fairbanks again. Thank you River's Edge for helping make our Alaska trip great!