Having read reviews on TA saying avoid the South Tower, my travel agent got confirmation that we would have North Tower rooms, and separate from that I made sure I had confirmation from Westmark Resrevations that a note for North was on my booking.
On checking in reception staff said our rooms were in the North tower, and proceeded to give use our room keys in yellow envelopes (yellow for North, white for South). I searched in vain for room 186 North. It doesn't exist. 186 is in the South Tower. Reception took ages to sort themselves out and find me a room in the North Tower, but got there in the end.
Having experienced their incompetence, we thought it best to confirm with them that our booking included Continental Breakfast - as per the confirmation I had printed out. I was told that it wasn't - that they only do Continental Breakfast until 20th September. I was being told that on 16th September.
As it happened, breakfast was horrible. All I wanted was a nice hot milky coffee and a Danish pastry. I waited almost 15 minutes for a cup of hot milky coffee and when it came, it wasn't even lukewarm. The Danish was hard, heavy and felt like yesterday's. Ugh. We couldn't face it the next morning and went elsewhere, even though it was paid for in our room rate.
We asked for our names to be added to the list for a call through the night if the Northen Lights/Aurora Borealis were visible. No call, so presumably no Lights. Until we found ourselves sharing a transfer car with a couple who were saying they had seen the Lights from their hotel room. Oh - which hotel? Westmark. So there had been lights visible from the hotel, and we didn't get to see them. I wish I'd stayed up all night watching for them. My first opportunity and thanks to the hotel staff, I missed them.
We both hung the card on our doors for a $5 voucher in lieu of room servicing. My friend's room wasn't touched but I was suprised to get to my room at the end of the next day to find the bed made, bin emptied and towel replaced even though I had left it handing to dry over the shower rail and it shouldn't have been replaced even with a full service.
We used our vouchers at dinner in the hotel's Red Lantern, and that was tasty and the service very good. The only good, professional service we received.
If I ever go to Fairbanks again, I will certainly not stay at the Westmark.
