The Wildbirch Hotel – JDV by Hyatt

It’s very interesting how one things leads to another. Usually, to celebrate his birthday, I take him on a travel experiences. One year it was exploring Whistler and Vancouver. Another, it was a few days in Maui and Kauai. Last year, it was Mammoth Lakes. However, this year – as I sat down to plan another return to Mammoth Lakes to celebrate his solar return, I was relatively confident that it would be a rather straightforward affair: we would bring the dog, stay in an Airbnb to get out of the habit of staying in hotels and it would be relatively decently priced.

Well, the joke was very much on my ass because it only took one search for “dog friendly Airbnb’s in Mammoth” for me to go “The hell? You must be out your damn mind!  I’m not paying that much for just a place to stay!”

Just because you can pay for something, doesn’t mean one needs to go out their way to overpay. And as I sat there, that strong inter guidance voice that I’ve trained myself to listen to said: “check prices on Alaska Airlines to go to Anchorage.”

Now, I’d already had Anchorage in my mind from when Amanda and I were thinking about going to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory instead of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories for viewing the Aurora Borelais. But, to randomly go from “Where are we staying in Mammoth Lakes” to “Okay, what are the prices in Anchorage” is wild. But, all I can say is that two round trip tickets to Anchorage and my points plus cash stay at The Wildbirch Hotel in Anchorage for three nights was cheaper than two nights in Mammoth Lakes in January.

Plus, the direct flight from Los Angeles to Anchorage was only one hour more than the drive from Los Angeles to Mammoth. Winner!

Check In

Check in, at 1am, was wonderfully easy. After a quick ride from the airport, we entered the tastefully decorated lobby. It was modern rustic and exactly the boutique style stay I was looking for.

Room and Stay

The room was comfortable, well-appointed, and quietly stylish. I especially loved the view out over downtown Anchorage. It felt expansive and satisfied my curiosity to watch life of downtown Anchorage unfold in the winter.

The bathroom was fine. It was tastefully designed and matched the overall vibe of the room.

Dining + Drinks at Crimson

Both breakfast at Crimson at The Wildbirch Hotel and cocktails at Crimson at The Wildbirch Hotel were delightful.

Overall

Overall, what started as a simple birthday plan turned into a reminder that the best trips often come from trusting your intuition. Sometimes, the most unexpected pivot leads to an option for an even better adventure than you originally intended.

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