Alaskan Wilderness Goes Chic
How does plush bedding, champagne and concierge amenities in the Alaskan wilderness sound? This is exactly what your clients will get at the new, five-star Sheldon Chalet, located within Denali National Park, and perched 6,000 ft. above the wilderness on a nunatak, overlooking some of the most dramatic vistas in the Alaska Range. The chalet, located on the only private land in the national park, is only accessible by air, via a flightseeing adventure from Anchorage or Talkeetna. This 5-bedroom property that accommodates up to 10 people is nestled on five acres of the national park, and features activities such a heli-picnics, guided glacier trekking, heli-skiing and aurora borealis viewing. Sheldon Chalet offers guests guides, gear, a chef and a concierge, and customizes every experience to meet the wishes of the guests. Can you say multigen trip or milestone celebration? sheldonchalet.com
Treehouse Living
Want a bird’s-eye view of Denali, sort of? Take a short hike to the new custom-designed wilderness treehouse at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. This 500-sq.-ft. addition to the cruise line’s lodge experience offers guests the chance to see the south face of Denali from atop the trees, and what views those are. Created around the treehouse experience is an array of themed activities, including Sappy Hour, during which guests gather in the treehouse for a sampling of birch syrups and other tree-inspired products (nominal charge per guests); and Trivia at the Treehouse, hosted by the lodge’s resident naturalist and which tests guests’ knowledge of Alaska (complimentary for guests). Those who want a more active experience can join the Tales from The Sourdough Expedition, which will take them on a 45-minute expedition that explores area trails and ends with a cup of hot cocoa at the treehouse summit (nominal charge). The treehouse is part of Princess’ cruise/tour options in Alaska.
princess.com/alaska
The Suite Life
Holland America’s Alaska Land+Sea Journeys’ 2019 season is going to have guests in the lap of luxury while visiting Denali with the addition of 99 rooms, including 55 jr. suites, at the McKinley Chalet Resort, the cruise line’s 68-acre hotel on the Nenana River. The new building, expected to open in summer 2019 and located steps away from Denali Square, will be a main feature of the resort.
The 3-story project’s accommodations will be done up with rustic-chic decor, and all jr. suites boast balconies with views of the surrounding wilderness. Each floor will have a central, open-air lobby, and the third floor will have an alfresco deck space with tables and loungers, because, really, the point of visiting Alaska is to take in all of its natural beauty.
When guests are ready for more than taking in the stunning views, they can go on flightseeing excursions, go on an ATV adventure, explore hiking trails, or go river rafting. Once they’ve had their fun in the wild, so to speak, they can hang out at the resort exploring Denali Square, with a restaurant, saloon and amphitheater featuring local shows and ranger talks. There are also shops, an artist-in-residence cabin where Alaska native and local artists display and discuss their works, plus shops offering local goods. hollandamerica.com
