Last Updated: 3/20/23

My Honest Chena Hot Springs Resort Review of “Best of Aurora” Package

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In December 2019, I spent three days (two nights) at the well-known Alaska wilderness lodge, Chena Hot Springs Resort. For my visit, I booked the resort’s Best of Aurora package, which included two nights in their Moose Lodge, five meals, several activities, and shuttle service to and from the resort’s remote location about an hour’s drive northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska.

The Best of Aurora package made my first trip to Alaska so easy and provided an excellent introduction to winter in Alaska. While we had a fantastic stay, I’m here with an unbiased review that highlights both the good and the not so great aspects of our time at Chena Hot Springs Resorts.

I used my own money to pay for my stay at Chena Hot Springs Resort and haven’t received any compensation for this post. The opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Read on to learn more about our experience with Chena Hot Springs Resort’s “Best of Aurora” package.

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About Chena Hot Springs Resort

This historic, off-the-grid resort is located about an hour’s drive outside of Fairbanks, Alaska. Prospector brothers Robert and Thomas Swan “discovered” the natural hot spring near the north fork of the Chena River. Since Robert suffered from rheumatism, the pair decided to establish a small resort so Robert and others could ease their pains in the spring’s therapeutic waters.

Today, Chena Hot Springs Resort continues the Swan Brothers’ legacy of welcoming visitors to the remote mountain river valley. In 2016, the resort became 100% employee owned. Guests can enjoy a wide array of lodging options along with hot springs bathing, aurora viewing, dog sledding, and an on-site ice museum.

What is the Best of Aurora Package at Chena Hot Springs Resort?

We booked the Best of Aurora package at Chena Hot Springs Resort in October 2019 and traveled to the resort in mid-December 2019.

At that time, Chena offered this three day/two night package for the entire Alaska northern lights season, which runs from late August through early April. They also offered another northern lights focused package for those looking to stay longer. Bookings needed to be made 72 hours in advance.

At the time of this writing, it doesn’t appear that Chena offers any packages.

Best of Aurora Package Price (as of 2/2020)

Package prices depended on the number of people in your group. The Best of Aurora package pricing starts at $870 for a single person. We paid $1340 for our double package, or $670 per person. 

What’s Included in the Best of Aurora Package

• Shuttle service to and from the Fairbanks Airport
• Two nights lodging in the Moose Lodge (a standard two queen hotel room)
• Pass to the Hot Springs Pool Area (valid for 48 hours)
• Two dinners, two breakfasts, and one lunch in the restaurant
• Dog sled ride
• Admission to the Aurora Ice Museum
• Aurora Viewing Tour
• Geothermal tour

What’s NOT included in the Chena Hot Springs Best of Aurora Package:

Gratuities – Be warned, the staff members aren’t shy about asking for them.

Any alcohol – including the $15 appletini offered in an ice glass in the ice museum

Wifi – because of its off-the-grid location, the resort uses satellite internet, a notoriously slow and expensive means of internet. Expect to pay $12 per device for 48 hours. Many people use their visit to Chena as an excuse to disconnect, but I didn’t mind paying $12 for fairly reliable internet service around the resort.

Hot Springs Pool expenses – Lockers cost 50 cents per use. We didn’t visit during a busy time and felt safe not locking our items during our brief visits to the hot springs.

Equipment rental – You can rent a variety of recreational equipment in the Activitorium, including ice skates, cross country skis, and even winter boots. You will be happier if you pack your own.

Massages – we didn’t partake, but Chena Hot Springs Resort offers massage therapy.

Pros and Cons of the Best of Aurora Package at Chena Hot Springs Resort

Pro: Shuttle service meant we didn’t have to do any driving!

Pro: Fun restaurant and bar with extensive menus.

Pro: Some truly unique and unforgettable experiences. Bathing in a hot spring lake surrounded by frost-covered trees in the moonlight? Yes please! The ice museum is really amazing as well and I’ll never forget camping out on the top of an Alaskan mountain waiting for the northern lights to show.

Con: Limited and sometimes overhyped activities. Our skate rental and dog sled rides were particularly disappointing.

Con: The package didn’t “play nicely” with Fairbanks flight schedules. Many flights arrive and depart Fairbanks around midnight. This meant we spent a night in an airport hotel before traveling on to Chena and then spent the better part of a day “homeless” at Chena in between checking out of our room and waiting for our evening shuttle back to Fairbanks.

Con: Some employees seemed pretty disinterested. The staff’s relentless asking for tips got old really quickly too.

FYI: This isn’t a pro or con, but it’s worth noting that Chena Hot Springs Resort isn’t a luxury resort. Accommodations are clean and comfortable, but on the whole, very simple and no frills.

If being deep in the wilderness with limited internet and no cell service makes you uneasy, Chena might not be for you. While I found the resort amenities somewhat underwhelming, I loved the gorgeous mountain valley setting.

I would definitely return, if only to do some more hiking/snowshoeing in the mountains and make another trip up to Chena Dome to try to catch the northern lights.

Was “Best of Aurora” package worth it?

Frankly, the simple fact that Chena shuttled us to and from Fairbanks made it a good deal. The price we paid felt fair and we enjoyed the peace of mind from having everything taken care of before we arrived. If you don’t like travel surprises and are willing to pay a little more for convenience, I definitely recommend going the package route if possible.

However, if you read this Chena Hot Springs Resort review carefully, you’ve probably realized that you can save a fair amount of money by booking items ala carte. Many of things “included” in our package, like the hot springs pool pass and geothermal tour, are available to all Chena guests free of charge. If you’re a budget traveler, spend a minute crunching numbers before booking a package to make sure you’re getting the best value. 

Book Your Own “Best of Aurora” Adventure at Chena Hot Springs Resort

Chena Hot Springs Resort doesn’t appear to be offering the Best of Aurora package at the moment. However, it’s super easy to recreate our Chena Hot Springs experience on your own.

Just book your Chena Hot Springs accommodations of choice (you can learn more about the different options here), then sign up for a shuttle and your choice of activities. Check out the Chena website for “hot deals” on lodging.

As far as activities during your stay, I highly recommend the Aurora Ice Museum and the Aurora tour. Your room comes with a pool pass, so you can soak in the hot springs lake to your heart’s content.

However, I don’t think the very short dog sled ride is worth the cost. Any Chena guest can sign up for a free geothermal tour offered twice a day. Although it’s not life changing, it’s pretty interesting and a great way to see some of the Chena “behind the scenes.”

If you’re hoping to ice skate or snowshoe during your visit, pack your own. Not only will you save a buck by not having to rent them, you’ll also be so much happier using familiar equipment!

Did this Chena Hot Springs Resort review convince you to visit? Would you travel to Alaska in winter?

If you enjoyed this Chena Hot Springs Resort review check out my other Alaska posts!