Overpriced, but maybe not by Anchorage standards.

Our reservation was messed up...we had confirmation and voucher for a non-smoking room with 2 double beds. At check-in we were given keys for our room, only to find one bed. When we refused that room, we were told they had no non-smoking doubles in spite of our prepaid voucher and reservation. We were offered an "aired out smoking" room, but the stench of smoke was overpowering when the door was opened! We were then told they had suites, "...but those cost more." When I demanded to know what happened to our 2 double room, the clerk checked the computer and I was told "...our manager changed it from a double to a suite, then from a suite to a single." I raised enough fuss that they gave us a suite for the night.

I thought this was just a mistake involving us, but, when I went back to the lobby about 15 minutes later, I found a group of 8 with vouchers for 4 rooms with 2 double beds being fed the same line...they had been reserved for singles, but "...there are suites available for an extra cost."

Either this motel management is incompetent or they are intentionally trying to gouge people with arrangements with prepaid vouchers. With a prepaid voucher, no transportation of your own and in a strange city with generally sold out reasonably priced motels, a visitor is stuck with whatever they are given. The fact that another "voucher" group was fed the same line just minutes after we were assured it was a mistake makes me believe that.

Additionally, when I talked with the manager the next morning, she said, "I have no idea what happened. I'm sorry." I then informed her that her night clerk told me that SHE had changed my room from 2 beds to a suite to a single, and that the changes were on the computer in front of her. She then switched from "I have no idea what happened" to "You were a married couple. I figured you wouldn't mind a single bed." I told her I DID mind; she had no business deciding what was best for a guest who reserved a specific type of room, especially when the room she decided to give them was a downgrade for no reduction in price.

Because we had prepaid vouchers that we could not change, we were stuck there two more times in the next 7 days. On our second visit, the room was very hot. We could not open the windows because there were heavy smokers on the balconies on either side of us. The AC did not work. The sides of the AC actually gave off heat, and the unit did not cool. I went to the desk and got a fan.

Our last voucher stay (2 nights) at the Ramada Anchorage was uneventful.

The pipes in some rooms made extremely loud noises, as I heard when being shown the smoking room. The lady in the room was complaining to another clerk, who told her this was an older building and the pipes were being worked on, and he was sorry, but that there was nothing he could do about it.

Except for the inexcusable room switch, the staff here, including the manager I talked with, was actually very friendly and helpful. If I had not been intentionally switched, then lied to about the room problem, I might feel even more appreciative, but, in my opinion, the room switch was intentional in order to sell 2 bed rooms to walk-ups. The fact that others experienced exactly the same situation makes me believe this.

The shuttle drivers were very amiable and willing to take us just about anywhere. The continental breakfast of waffles, gravy/biscuits, boiled eggs, pastries, cereal, fruit, etc. was much appreciated.

This was one of the cheaper in-town motels available to us. I might stay there again, but not without some firm guarantees. The first day of our once in a lifetime trip to Alaska was spoiled by
our problems here...problems that were intentionally created, not accidental.