Many who come to Alaska don’t make it much farther north than Anchorage. Some with a little more time and ambition find their way to Fairbanks. But only a very small number continue farther north, all the way up to the north slope. Here they will find the unique town of Barrow, and with it, the northernmost hotel in the Americas, the appropriately named “Top of the World Hotel”.
The Top of the World may not be the largest hotel you’ve ever stayed in, but considering the size of Barrow, and how far it is from, well, everything, it’s bigger than you might think. There are 50 rooms, with both twin and queen options. The hotel is only 1/2 mile from the airport, a huge plus because chances are that you’ll be walking to get around.
The best feature of The Top of the World is, naturally, the view. There’s nothing like opening your window and seeing an unobstructed view of the ocean, but it’s even rarer to look out over the Arctic Ocean. The sea is only 100 yards away, so make sure you get a sea-facing room. Another huge bonus is that the hotel is owned by a tour company, and can arrange tours of the town with some really nice cultural elements for you.
Considering the remote location, and the lack of competition (there are only three hotels/inns in Barrow), The Top of the World is a reasonably nice place. It would be a stretch to call it a great hotel, but it’s a good hotel in a great place. One thing that might surprise you is the price – it would be considered pretty expensive for what it offers anyplace else. You definitely pay for the view, so again, get an ocean view room.
Photo by msmail on Flickr
To look at prices for The Top of the World as well as the other hotels in Barrow (both of them), enter your dates into the search form below: