Van Gilder Hotel

6/10

Pleasant

03 Aug 2026

Haomeng

average

8/10

Excellent

02 Aug 2026

John

Great place to stay.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2026

John

Great old Hotel to stay in. Situated next to the Old downtown of Seward. Just a walk across the street is the Highlander Restaurant, great food, shops and bars all within walking distance.

8/10

Excellent

31 Jul 2026

Cindy

On first sight, this place made me really concerned--it's advertised as \"Historic,\" but peeling paint and holes in the exterior stucco was not \"historic\"--it was shabby. Since it was the most expensive of the places we stayed, I was ready to tell them to find somewhere else for false advertising.
However, the interior is beautiful, nicely maintained in a near-Victorian style. Yes, the rooms are on the small side and there is no air conditioning (not unusual for Alaska, especially since it was a high of 65 in mid-July), but there was a lovely, safe window that opened to the breeze from the coast-line. The modern bathroom was spotless.
There is no breakfast, but there is coffee via two K-cup machines all day.
It is the only place we've ever stayed, however, that sent three emails checking on us while we were there.
So, do I recommend the Van Gilder? Yes. We'd stay there again with no issue. [No, there's no elevator, but that, too, was nothing unusual. I don't think any of the places we stayed had an elevator.]. As long as you're forewarned about the exterior appearance, it's a lovely place to stay.

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jul 2026

Lori

Plumbing issues, power surges, no staff overnight until 9:a.m. They did their best to accommodate but had to move to another room, then only the toilet leaked. Historic was best interest.

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jul 2026

jared

Not bad but very historic. Just be prepared.

2/10

Poor

29 Jul 2026

Stephanie

The staff members were friendly when we saw them and the location is great. Seward is a very nice town with lots of good shops and restaurants. But this place should get shut down by the health department. There is mold in the bathroom, peeling paint on the ceilings, exposed electrical wiring everywhere, and rotting wood in the windows. Rooms smell like musty carpets and you can hear water dripping in the walls and ceilings. The exterior looks like the building is condemned. Whoever produced the video on their website should win an academy award for best film editing. Don’t let it fool you. It’s pretty much like Alcatraz but with WiFi. We heard other guests complaining about not having any hot water and their toilets not flushing. The staff was doing what they could to help out, but it seems like the ownership is not paying attention to the conditions at the hotel. It’s too bad. You can tell that this historic building was very nice at some point in the past.

2/10

Poor

26 Jul 2026

Amy

Stay somewhere else!!!

4/10

Poor

24 Jul 2026

Paula

This is a small historical building, ghost legends and has so much potential. It is extremely well located in Seward AK, downtown, and walkable even to the harbor area, but free town shuttle can take you there also. (1.5 ish miles?) also, a great classic everything plus great salmon restaurant across the street. But the hotel is in disrepair and needs 'some new things.'
They must not have the funds to upgrade, but would book out in the summer season for sure if they did. The owner or host was very pleasant and tries.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2026

Jared

Full of charm

8/10

Excellent

23 Jul 2026

Valerie L

Very convenient location for Mt. Marathon race. Historic hotel.

2/10

Poor

21 Jul 2026

Andrew

Non existent staff. $59 ice maker I can buy on Amazon, non-working. I booked a 2 bedroom suite, and the door was missing. Door in the bathroom would close, so there was a curtain. I love old historic buildings and their charm, but this was run down, and managed horribly. I asked for a refund of the difference between a single bedroom and two bedroom suite and they argued that even there was no door, there are indeed two bedrooms (although the door had clearly been removed) not nice. Not clean. DO NOT STAY HERE.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

21 Jul 2026

Rohit

Old charm. Location was excellent. Property does need upgrades. Staff was very helpful though.

Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Jul 2026

Michael

Great service

6/10

Pleasant

18 Jul 2026

Anthony

Room is in a historic hotel so rooms do not meet typical modern standards regarding size, facilities and amenities.
Room was equivalent to staying in a very rundown motel 6. Not in any way luxurious.
$480 rate for one night in a small grungy room is beyond ridiculous.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

16 Jul 2026

Timothy

Small historical building. We were traveling with two young children. Not ideal for our situation. Staff was friendly and allowed early check in.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2026

Richard

Fantastic stay at this beautiful, historic gem! Sash at the front desk provided amazing service, making us feel welcome instantly and helping with our bags. The beds and pillows are exceptionally comfortable. Plus, having hot chocolate and coffee available around the clock is a great perk. Quaint and full of character!

Family

6/10

Pleasant

13 Jul 2026

Megan

Older building, not renovated. Great historical landmark and great location. We only stayed for a night, would not have been great for longer stay.

Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

13 Jul 2026

Serge

Seriously for that price you would be better off to sleep in your car!

Partner

2/10

Poor

11 Jul 2026

Gitika

I would have really liked to see the actual pictures on the website. Pictures on the website are really old. There's only one common bath and toilet per floor and the one on my floor was out of use. No hot water. Doorstop was sort of broken so opening and closing the door required some real skill. There's no ventilation in the room. Building is really rundown

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jul 2026

Vinna

It is an old property in need of some room upgrades and maintenance. The bed was nice and the rooms were clean. Please add blackout curtains, the bright sun was shining in our eyes at 5am from the window above our headboard. The shower head and shower curtain were in poor condition and the tile in the bathroom had cracks and missing tiles. We had a 3rd floor room and a stairway with odd step pattern and layout, be careful heading up/ down. Coffee/dining area was nice, well-stocked with two self-serve Keurigs, creamer and half & half, as well as teas and hot water, a microwave and fridge (there’s not one in the room).

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2026

ANDREW

The outside could use a paint job, but don't let that fool you. This is a pretty cool historic place to stay. Interior is nice, beautiful lobby and parlor room to have a cup of coffee and a snack. Rooms have everything you need. You can kinda hear your neighbors through the ceiling and walls would be my only complaint. Would definitely stay here again.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jul 2026

ELIZABETH

The hotel is quite authentically old. But also quite beat up.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2026

Gerd

Neat historic hotel, we had a great stay. The building is old and looks rough from the outside but rooms were fine. Our shower had a plumbing problem. The staff immediately had a repair person working on it and moved us to a new room. The staff was prompt and handled it great. It is right in downtown Seward so really nice to walk to the shops and aquarium etc. Lots of shops and restaurants very close by!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Jun 2026

Sarah

Room was clean and easy to access after hours. Halls were a bit noisy but not terribly noticeable from the room. Only complaint was room drapes barely covered the windows so they could use a refresh.

Partner

4/10

Poor

29 Jun 2026

YANRAN

Under the expectation for the money paid.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2026

Jessica

Is the property old, yes, did it feel haunted, yep, is the paint chipping and wallpaper peeling, yes, does it have a smell, yes, is it overwhelming, no, does the hotel have charm, Yes, would I stay again Definitely! Shared bathroom situation was not horrible as I thought it would be. Never had issues, stayed 2 nights and will 100% stay here again. Clean, comfortable, and loved the overall “Shinning” feel. I recommend if you want a fun place to sleep or chill in the front room with coffee and a book. Has shared fridges and lots of old charm. Also amazing location and the food truck one street back was the best food I had in town. Try the tomatoes soup!!!

Partner

4/10

Poor

27 Jun 2026

Hannah

Historic it is! Very old, semi haunted (although frannie seems like the coolest gal), thin walls, SMALL shower. We stayed here because it was all that was available so I’m just glad we got a bed.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2026

Sandra

Funky old hotel. Very comfortable beds. FYI - no elevator.
Very helpful staff.

Partner

2/10

Poor

23 Jun 2026

Sandeep Dinkar

The tippy seat was very bad.

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2026

Jessica

Although this property could use a little love, we had a wonderful stay! It was in the heart of downtown, the coffee was excellent, and we felt very safe and comfortable. If you don't mind staying in a historical (and haunted!) hotel, I highly recommend staying here - it was much nicer than when we stayed at the Breeze Inn last summer.

Family

2/10

Poor

22 Jun 2026

Heidi

The moment you walked in the smell of cleaning supples was so overwhelming that my asthma kicked in full force. The motel attendant said it would subside. No elevator which was not disclosed. Beside asthma I have COPD. Narrow stairs and room had a board on the window. Within of 20 minutes upon arrival I informed the clerk due to my medical conditions I needed to cancel. I did not get a refund. The place is a death trap for anyone with breathing difficulties. I actually had to go to local hospital due to my oxygen and blood pressure went so high because I couldn’t catch my breathe. Don’t recommend at all, stay away.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

21 Jun 2026

Zachary

All around was a descent hotel , vintage and had a lot of character. Place smelled soaked in Pine Sol and was slightly hard to Breath . Couldn’t tell if it was the Ghost or the Cleaning supplies . If your above 6ft your gonna have a hard time taking a shower , absolutely no space . Also parking is located Rear left of the building , they have their own lot . Read the Fine print : Don’t lose the key if you do , it’ll charge you an additional 200$ .

Friends

8/10

Excellent

19 Jun 2026

kenneth

The bedroom, bathroom, bed and well, the entire building needs an overhaul. The receptionist said the building was over 100 years old and as I appreciate the vintage atmosphere, certain things and rooms need attention. In saying that, the overnight sleep was better than expected.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

17 Jun 2026

Pankaj

I would not recommend to stay in this hotel. This is a century old hotel with all old furniture and tiny bathroom. Old style heater sitting just next to your bed. Look for something else. We stayed 2 nights

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

16 Jun 2026

Katie

The hotel is definitely antiquated, but honestly, that’s part of the appeal. As one of Alaska’s most famous haunted hotels, the old-fashioned décor and historic feel really transport you back in time. The room was spacious, the bed was comfortable, the Wi-Fi worked well, and we appreciated having nice fans in the room. There were also beverages available in the lobby, which was a nice touch.

The staff was wonderful. They were friendly, helpful, and proactive, sending us lots of suggestions for things to do in the area and checking in to see if we needed anything. The location couldn’t have been much better. We were within walking distance of great restaurants, the harbor, the Alaska SeaLife Center, the library, and even a laundromat. Free parking was easy to find, along with street parking. For the price we thought it was a good value.

A few things to know before you book: there are no blackout curtains, and with Alaska’s summer daylight, it was never dark in the room. If you’re sensitive to light when sleeping, plan accordingly. The shower was also a little underwhelming, with low water pressure and only lukewarm water. If you’re looking for lots of hotel amenities, this might not be the place for you. It’s a simple historic hotel with plenty of character but not a lot of extras.

Is it haunted? Maybe! We didn’t experience anything spooky or creepy…thankfully. We just enjoyed staying in a unique piece of Alaska’s past.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Jun 2026

Lesley

Convenient to downtown. Could use some sprucing up. Nice staff!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2026

Jessica

Served its purpose of a place to sleep. Walking distance to shops and restaurants. I liked the antique vibe although it may not be for everyone. Everything was clean and the beds were comfortable.

Friends_and_family Friends

4/10

Poor

07 Jun 2026

Alejandro

This was one of the worst hotel experiences I have ever had. From the moment we arrived, the building looked neglected, with peeling paint and broken windows. The entire property is in very poor condition.

The smell of mold is overwhelming throughout the hotel and inside the room. The bathroom is extremely old, the paint is peeling off the walls, and everything feels poorly maintained. The unpleasant odor made it very difficult to stay comfortably.

I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. Please do yourself a favor and choose a different place to stay.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

23 Sep 2025

Jasmine

Bathroom was clean. If you just need a place to stay, this place gets the job done. Staff was friendly. Needs some updates, but I was safe and slept peacefully.

Business_and_leisure Self

4/10

Poor

05 Sep 2025

Erin

Property was run down outside, the inside was clean with a comfortable bed but tvs didn’t work and room was way overpriced.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

04 Sep 2025

Verified traveler

Don’t stay here

The staff wouldn’t answer the emergency line they gave me if there were any problems. The window wouldn’t lock and it was next to the sketchy alley and it was moldy!

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Sep 2025

Kelsi

The Haunted Hotel

The Van Gilder gave me spooky Haunted vibes but I thought it was great as an experience because of the hauntedness.
It would have been better if I was able to check in early and check out later so I didn’t have to carry my bags around Seward. Overall conveniently located lower end of town. Very close walk to waters edge, aquarium, coffee shop and other restaurants and stores. Also the Free Shuttle stop #9 is just outside and across the street.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2025

William

Clean, friendly staff.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

31 Aug 2025

Christine

The Hotel is old and historic and has a lot of potential. The room we were assigned initially was a two bedroom suite with a shared bath, however, the set up was strange and the shared bath was a sink in one bed room and a toilet and shower in the other bedroom, not a good set up when traveling with 4 adults. Sash, the reception lady was very nice and moved our rooms. The new rooms were cozy but the tv was mounted behind the bed, so you really couldn’t watch tv if you were lying in bed. We loved the history of the hotel and the location, but not sure we would stay again.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

27 Aug 2025

Richard

liked interior decor. very historic. outside looked like it was decaying at places. no elevator and no breakfast. the lock on the door at our room was very hard to open with the key.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

27 Aug 2025

Derek

The hotel is dated with part of the charm being haunted for those into that. My wife didn't like the haunted part and we both would have appreciated things more maintained.
The location was awesome, with walking access to the best restaurants and water.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2025

Jason

Wonderful property

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

24 Aug 2025

Ann

We loved the historical memorabilia and stories as well as the friendly atmosphere.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2025

David

Van Gilder Hotel

The place is a little run down but our stay was fine. Love the architecture, quiet and in the center of town an easy walk to everything. If you want a 5 star hotel this isnt for you but my wife and I liked it a lot. If we ever come back to Seward will definitely stay here again.

Business

6/10

Pleasant

22 Aug 2025

Susan

Hotel is a bit rough around the edges but very convenient and a fair value for the money. I was intrigued by the history and happy to find the free shuttle bus stop right across the street. The hostess was lovely and very helpful even loaning me her raincoat for the evening. I would stay again.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2025

Claudia

Tolerable

One night stay. The van gilder is an old hotel. It is registered on the national historic register and it's possible they've done little to improve things since achieving that feat.
The bed was tolerable, but the shower needs help. It was either hotbor cold.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

21 Aug 2025

Valerie

We love the Van Gilder. It is an historic building and therefore has some physical shortcomings but it makes up for it in customer service and location.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

20 Aug 2025

Nancy

An old hotel with an enormous amount of charm. It was very clean and the shower was great! The bed was wonderful and I had a perfect night sleep. Yes it’s old and the floors creaked. You would too if you were over 100 years old!

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 Aug 2025

Nikhil

Ok for a haunted hotel

Leisure Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

18 Aug 2025

Tammy

The only place I can say was at least the bed sheets were clean. There is no ac so the window was open when we first got into our room and there was a crazy hallowing noise coming from a crack in the wall.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2025

Mark

The decor at the location was amazing. Feels like you're in the early 20th century.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Aug 2025

Lisa

The property was conveniently located in the middle of town and I could walk to most everything I wanted to do. It was not in great condition. The staff was very nice/polite. I took pictures but I don't see an option to share here. Sorry to say I wouldn't recommend due to the condition of the property.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

17 Aug 2025

Verified traveler

The Van Gilder was a great historic place. But . . . when you stay at historic, keep in mind it's older. We enjoyed our \"suite\" however being on the 3rd floor allowed us the opportunity to get in our exercise whether we wanted it or not. There was no AC, but the desk hostess provided us with a fan. If you want an experience/adventure at a reasonable cost, this is your place!

Friends_and_family Friends

6/10

Pleasant

16 Aug 2025

Peter

Historic hotel in need of major renovation

Van Gilder hotel is an historic hotel very old but in need of major renovations from the exterior the front steps were broken concrete and they were not accessible by any ADA standard outside building was a flaking paint and just terrible . The hotel lacked an elevator and we were on the third story and so we had to walk up and carry up all our luggage not very good.. The room was relatively small one small queen bed and bathroom in the room unfortunately the television was in the wrong location. It was 8 feet up in the air and it was at the head head of the bed so if you wanted to watch TV you had to lay in bed facing the wrong way where your feet would be the hotel doesn’t have any air-conditioning and unfortunately, the windows do not have any screens so if you left the windows open, it’s a good chance you come back in your room would be full of flying bugs. Bathroom was acceptable, shower, toilet, etc. that was OK down in front lobby. They had availability of coffee and a small countertop ice machine in the room with the big bear very Alaskan overall hotel might be a great location if and when it ever gets fixed up if not probably it should be a disclaimer that it is not ADA friendly that people who need or unable to climb, massive stairs and hump luggage up should stay away

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

15 Aug 2025

shengzhong

Old building, noise everywhere, very hot in the room.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Aug 2025

Verified traveler

Neat, Cool, Historical

Very neat, cool, and interesting place to stay. Historic and interesting stories. Definitely different, but in a good and enjoyable way. Staff (Sash!!) was helpful in accommodating our late arrival.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Aug 2025

Claude

Love the old style hotel, staff was very nice

10/10

Exceptional

11 Aug 2025

Jamie-Lyn

Bed was comfy. No A/C. Rundown and kinda dirty but sheets were clean.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

07 Aug 2025

Verified traveler

Overall was clean and staff friendly, hotel just seems to need some maintenance and we were without power for a day and did not have hot water for our showers which was the worst after a day fishing in cold water and wanting a warm shower.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

05 Aug 2025

Lisa

Beautiful old building. Pictures around building talking about its history. Great location. Friendly staff. And hot chocolate in the lobby, not just coffee!

Family

2/10

Poor

02 Aug 2025

Oliver

Property is structurally unsafe! It has lots of visible cracks on walls and foundation.

4/10

Poor

31 Jul 2025

Maura

I really want to like this place, a funky old hotel. But it is well past time for a Renovation. No hot water. Broken (antique) furniture. Limited outlets. Window curtains were falling off and inadequate in blocking light. Staff was not seen when we came in at 10am or before 8am in the morning (but were nice when I saw them). Which directionThe b

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

31 Jul 2025

Kyle

No hot water for two days. No clue from staff on resolution. Very hot in the room and no screens on windows. Could be a nice place someday.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jul 2025

Pamela

Had radiator heat that kept the room very warm Staff could not fix it and we got switched to a slightly cooler room with a fan

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

29 Jul 2025

Kristina

Shabby.... not shabby chic

The building is falling a part - Peeling paint, crumbling walls, loose floor tiles, sticky carpet floors... The linens were clean but everything else was extremely shabby. One of our nights here we had no hot water and were unable to bathe

Partner

2/10

Poor

29 Jul 2025

Brian

Property is old, dingy, outdated, and very inconvenient. We had to carry our luggage up 3 flights of stairs, there was no air or ability to open windows which was suffocating, and no hot water for showers. Parking was in a dirt field behind the hotel near private homes.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

27 Jul 2025

Laure

We were really disappointed. The photos didn’t reflect the fact that the hotel outside paint is falling apart big time. The bed sheets had not been changed so we had to ask for them to be immediately changed. This has been done right away but we stayed with the bad feeling. On the positive side, shower water is perfectly warm, the hotel is quiet and it is great to be downtown. Overall at that night rate we would have expected much better.

Leisure

2/10

Poor

26 Jul 2025

STUART

Dump

Needs to be painted, shower was not working, there was a bug in the bed
Worse value

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jul 2025

Natalie

We were initially put in a ground floor room which Opened to the back or side street - very unkempt and I didn’t feel safe. We were moved to the second floor thankfully. This is a very worn building, and needs significant maintenance.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jul 2025

Mona

I felt as though I had stepped back in time.

Leisure Friends

2/10

Poor

24 Jul 2025

Rajiv

Cons- Historic property very poorly maintained. Front desk not staffed even during publishes hours. No hot water. (Major issue) No mosquito nets on most windows. Bugs coming in as the windows were left open by the hotel to cool the room. Room/suite has plaster falling off and on the carpet No easy way to circulate air without getting bugs in. (Major issue) More than $300 per night and Expedia not representing hotel. correctly. No real amenities. No security. Poor and inadequate parking.
Positive - is great. Close to restaurants etc.

I would recommend not staying here.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

22 Jul 2025

Tiffanie

We enjoyed our stay except there is not any hot water in any of the rooms. I complained the first night and was given suggestions on how to make it hot. Nothing worked. Second night they allowed me to use a shower downstairs. Other guests had the same problem. When I say no hot water I mean expect it to be to be extremely cold . Like straight out of the glacier cold!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

20 Jul 2025

Roberta

This is an historic hotel in the heart of Seward. As expected, it was old and lovely. Our rooms were clean and remodeled. The bed was comfortable and the rooms were good size. The hotel is walking distance from restaurants and the Sealife Center as well as the beach. The only thing that I would recommend is have more staff available. We often had to go find the front desk clerk to ask questions and to check in and out. We would recommend if you like old, historic hotels and we would come back.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

20 Jul 2025

Juan

What we like
Location
Staff
Room was ok

What we did not like
The hotel was to hot
The shower did not have cold water so water was to hot to take one

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

19 Jul 2025

David

Use this hotel as a last resort.

This hotel will do in a pinch and that was what we were in. The bed and pillows were comfortable. The TV was good. The WiFi was good. The water pressure was terrible at the sink and almost non-existent at the shower.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Jul 2025

Eric

Historic hotel in Seward.

Well located historic building in downtown Seward. Historic means no AC, small shower. Nice staff, sitting rooms with coffee and tea.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Jul 2025

sherri

Interesting, historic hotel. Beds were extremely comfortable! No elevator. Great location - close to shops, restaurants and the water.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

15 Jul 2025

Kevin

New name, hotel lysol, no hot water. Dump

4/10

Poor

15 Jul 2025

Scott

Pillows are original to the room and this place is old!!!

Partner

4/10

Poor

14 Jul 2025

Bernard

Old and it shows almost everywhere

This place is a historical monument, but not kept up well at all. The outside walls and front steps are crumbling. The building next door looks to be condemned. Places in the interior show buckled walls. Most of the interior looks very old and shabby. Our second floor room took several minutes of running water before it would be hot. The faucet in our sink was very loosely attached. If you try to bend your head down near the sink you have to be careful not to hit the storage shelf above it. There is no elevator, so you carry your luggage up and down stairs if not on the first floor. Parking is a gravel lot a half block behind the building connected by a gravel alley, so there is no to surface where you can roll your luggage to or from your car. Either carry them or drop off in front and park later.

Partner

2/10

Poor

08 Jul 2025

UTPAL

This hotel should be shut down by the city of Seward, AK. The condition is terrible, definitely worse than a cheap Motel condition. The room smelled badly, dirty all over the place, no AC, door, window conditions are bad, hallway dirty & bad smell. Expedia should refund my money and de-list this hotel from Expedia site.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

07 Jul 2025

Holly

perfect location, old historic building

We had a good stay. The Van Gilder is a historic hotel with some age and issues, but was clean and relatively comfortable. The location was definitely the reason to stay here! It is within walking distance of everything in Seward, with amazing views of the water and downtown.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2025

Michael

Very professional, friendly staff

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2025

Michael

Wonderful and professional staff made our stay easy and enjoyable. Great location.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Jul 2025

Chester

Old hotel

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

28 Jun 2025

Carol

The history was interesting.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

28 Jun 2025

Carol

Very dilapidated old hotel with peeling paint inside and out. Creepy old windows without screens. Ran out of hot water during a short shower. The staff were very nice

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

27 Jun 2025

Ian

Didn't like - property condition extremely poor, no hot water at all during stay, no TV for first night but was fixed.
Did like - bed, sheets, towels

Recommend avoiding this property in its current state.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

27 Jun 2025

Susan

Location was great

Leisure Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

27 Jun 2025

Susan

Property is obviously very old, which we were hoping would bring charming character. Instead, it was just not well maintained. We had no hot water for the duration of our stay, not even warm.
Front desk would only offer a 10% (!!?!??!) discount off of our stay in return. All we wanted after a long day of traveling was a shower, we couldn’t even get that.

Leisure Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jun 2025

Mark

The rate was fair for the value received. This place could be so much more but I suppose then the rates would be so much more.

In all fairness the bedroom and bathroom were clean and it wasn't that bad. The biggest negative is the radiator would not turn off so we had to keep both the bathroom and bedroom windows open at all times.

If you are looking for an inexpensive place in Seward this will work. Just don't panic when you first pull up to the place.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

25 Jun 2025

Rob

Overall very enjoyable

Really cool and historic building right in the middle of Seward. We walked every where. We stayed downstairs. The bathroom was fristrating. Recommend staying upstairs with a shared shower

Partner

2/10

Poor

18 Jun 2025

Cleo

The shower head barely had any water coming out. The hotel parking was a way to carry luggage from your vechile. No parking out front to unload luggage. Rooms were quiet and lots of antique furniture in the hotel. Carpet had a few sticky spots on it

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Jun 2025

Karen

Coffee area was lovely

Leisure Partner