Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge in Alaska: A Must-Stay on an Alaska Cruise

Fall comes early in Alaska’s interior. Last August, I sat in the window seat of a coach and watched the first snow of the season fall on the peaks of Denali National Park. I got out, took a deep breath of crisp mountain air, and entered the great room of Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.

A grand stone fireplace draws my eye to the vaulted ceiling and rustic pine style chandelier. People played cards under carved wooden mantels, and others drank coffee in a café next to a grocery store that sold everything from raincoats to postcards. (As my guide Sylvie joked, you can’t walk 100 yards in Alaska without visiting the gift shop.)

While this cozy space is just one mile from the main entrance to Denali National Park, it’s not part of any park-owned lodge. That’s Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, a private resort owned by Princess Cruises, one of the leading cruise lines for Alaska land and sea vacations.

Located closer to the park entrance than any other lodging option, this 666-room complex is one of the most popular places to stay in the Denali region and serves as the base for Princess Cruises’ multi-day “cruises” (combined cruise and land excursions) of this massive national park.

Last August, I stayed at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge as part of an 11-day Princess cruise that began with a three-day land itinerary through Denali and then boarded the Sapphire Princess for a seven-day Inner Sound Passage cruise.

Here’s everything you need to know about your stay at the most comfortable full-service hotel near the entrance to Denali National Park.

Comfortable rooms with interesting retro details

Nestled on 25 acres of forest above the Nenana River, the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge’s accommodations are divided into “neighborhoods” named after local wildlife. During my most recent stay, I stayed at “The Wolf’s Den,” a collection of rustic two-story cabins with dozens of guest rooms. It’s a five-minute walk from the main hotel and just steps away from several on-site restaurants.

The overall vibe in my recently renovated first-floor room feels like an adult summer camp, with cozy yet sophisticated retro touches, like the Denali National Park Pendleton blanket at the end of my ultra-comfortable king-size bed.

But outdoor decor isn’t just cosmetic – it’s also very functional. Some of my favorite details include a built-in scrubbing pad in the entryway to remove mud from shoes, and hooks in the hallway made from railroad ties for hanging wet clothes. The analog barometer and thermometer allow me to check the weather without looking at my phone. The bathroom is small but functional, with a walk-in shower, heated faux wood floors, and a dark stone sink.

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Decorative dark wood paneling and wallpaper feature park topographical images, providing the room with a rich moody texture and sense of place. There is little art except for a black-and-white photo of a bull moose in a national park hanging next to the bed.

While a palette of navy, gray, and cream lends a regal feel, cozy fabrics and patterns—including plaid wool upholstery, sheepskin throws, a herringbone rug, and a coffee table made from tree stumps—add warmth to the space.

A pair of sliding glass doors offer views of the forest beyond, allowing the outdoors to be accessed. I was even able to enjoy my coffee in the morning on the small private terrace.

Rich on-site catering

Due to the fairly remote location, I was pleased that Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge offers six on-site dining options, ranging from casual pizza joints to upscale restaurants serving delicious seafood.

Grizzly Burger offers hearty burgers (beef, chicken, vegetarian and blackened Alaskan grouper) and shakes for a casual lunch and dinner experience in a cabin-style restaurant. The hotel’s high-end dinner restaurant, King Salmon, serves rustic yet refined seafood such as Asia-crusted Alaskan halibut and salmon served with buerre rouge sauce, all while taking in views of the mountains beyond. (If you purchase the dining plan as part of your cruise package, you can get a horde of wild Alaskan Baddie snow crab legs like I did.)

Fanny Q’s is a lunch and dinner bar that serves gastropub-style bites like chipotle Alaskan crab dip and beer-battered Alaskan cod with mashed potatoes. (The hotel also serves a breakfast buffet here in the morning.) In the evening, a piano player performs nightly, and guests gather around the bar, asking for popular music to be played well into the night.

For a more casual option, head to Lynx Creek Pizza and Pub, a rustic wood-paneled shack that serves thin-crust pizza and beer and is a favorite among locals. The River Run Espresso in the main lodge is a great place to grab a coffee to-go. Overall, the variety of food and atmosphere available within the resort meant that I didn’t have to struggle to find a place to eat or think about leaving the resort in search of delicious local food.

On-site facilities and activities

In addition to the main cabin, there is plenty of outdoor space for guests to relax. They offer fire pits for warmth and Adirondack chairs for guests to enjoy the views of the river below and the Denali Mountains in the distance. Need to buy souvenirs? There’s no need to leave the complex, either, as the village has a log cabin gift shop selling Alaska souvenirs and art, such as carved wood moose heads.

If you want to explore directly from the hotel, you can take in the scenery by strolling along the River View Pathway above the Nenana River, or take another trail to the Music of Denali dinner theater at the nearby Gold Nugget Saloon. Alternatively, you can walk across the street to the gift shops and restaurants there.

Seamlessly organized activities and tours

Of course, Denali National Park is just 10 minutes down the road. Princess offers hourly shuttle service between the lodge and the Denali National Park Visitor Center, Wilderness Access Center, and Horseshoe Lake between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Round trip fee is USD 5 per person.

To explore the park in depth, there are many excursions you can book through Princess. Longer Princess Cruises often include a natural history tour of the park as part of their itinerary. This is an approximately four-hour guided bus tour aboard the park’s famous refurbished school bus. Guests can be picked up at the hotel and make several stops in the park. It stops at the Denali Bus Station for a 17-minute video about the park’s founding in 1917, and stops at the 100-year-old Savage Cabin, which is still used by park rangers in the winter.

The day I visited, heavy rain and the first snow of the season closed the park road after 15 miles. However, natural history tours often continue to Primrose Ridge to learn about Alaska Native culture. The more adventurous can book a Tundra Wilderness Tour, a bus tour that goes as far as the Murie Cabin near the East Fork River at Parkway Mile 43.

The Mount McKinley bus tour isn’t the only tour option you can book through Princess lodge. You can also ride ATVs, hike in the backcountry, whitewater raft, try fly fishing, or take a flight or helicopter tour to see Denali from the air. You can even visit the Iditarod Musher’s Kennel and meet the mushers. There are plenty of options and you can book directly through Princess.

Fees and how to book

Multi-day Princess Cruises in Alaska often include a stay at this hotel, which adds even more to an already amazing Alaska cruise experience. Cruises can be booked directly through the Princess Cruises website, with prices starting at $2,600 per person for a 10-day cruise in 2026, double occupancy.

You can reserve Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge individually, but since cruise guests get priority booking, I recommend booking the entire seamless experience to guarantee your stay for the upcoming 2026 season.

bottom line

Located just steps from the entrance to Denali National Park, Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge is a great base camp to make the most of your time there. This full-service resort offers round-trip transportation to the park and hotel lobby, six on-site restaurants serving local Alaskan specialties, and comfortable, clean guestrooms to ensure you’re well-rested on your next adventure.

For me, staying at this hotel set the perfect tone as I continued my great Alaskan adventure on a seven-day Princess Cruise along the southern Alaskan coastline.