Borealis Basecamp

My dad, my husband, and I spent 4 nights at basecamp and one in Fairbanks. Here’s my observations about the whole trip, not just the basecamp. 1. Fairbanks airport has no public wifi. Airport is small, but the whole travel process there was efficient and painless. 2. Not super impressed with Alaska Airlines. Out of 4 flights, 3 of them were delayed. BUT, the actual plane and flight was no more or less uncomfortable than any other flight. And flight attendants were nice. 3. At the very beginning and throughout my planning process for this trip, about a year before we went, I had lots of questions and emailed back and forth with them extensively. They were very helpful and responsive, which I appreciated! 4. Wifi at basecamp was fine, though sometimes a little slow when texting. My dad has a basic galaxy phone and uses AT&T – his phone worked great everywhere. Hubby and I have nice new galaxy phones and use Tello, which piggybacks off of T-mobile – our phones were basically useless everywhere! No google maps, no cell service, no phone calls. 5. We were in igloos. Heater is under the bed and blows out from there. It’s LOUD. Also, the person who sleeps hot should sleep on the side closest to the edge of the igloo, away from heater blowing. The person who sleeps cold should sleep on the other side. Heating the room is a balancing process and quite often you are either a little too hot or a little too chilly. 6. The bed is SOFT. As in soft, squishy, and you sink into it. My husband has back issues and hated it. I like a medium bed so I was a little more ok with it. The bed and bedding is nice and warm, which we appreciated! 7. The bathroom had a real toilet, not a dry flush. They must have updated since some of the older reviews. The bathroom was nice – good towels, plenty of hot water (though they encourage shorter showers and not wasting water), I liked the dispensers in the shower. There was even a little lotion and chapstick, which was much appreciated. As Floridians we are used to hot and humid, so dry and cold left my skin in constant need of moisture and protection. 8. The room has a tea kettle for hot water and a fridge. It’s stocked with teas and hot chocolate packs and you can ask for more. 9. Apparently, two weeks before our arrival they got an unseasonable early snowstorm which dumped a foot of snow. Then a week later they got a more typical 5-6 inches of snow. We rented a car because we wanted to go back and forth to Fairbanks for some sightseeing and dinners. Well, those roads were pretty nerve-wracking! If you aren’t comfortable driving on snow and ice, and you go when that’s likely, just use their shuttle and stay put. Thankfully, my husband was ok with it, but I was a nervous wreck. We did go into Fairbanks twice, but always made sure to be back before dark… and it’s important to note when that is for the time of year you are visiting. 10. We paid for a “professional” photograph of us with the Aurora lights. If you are at all handy

I traveled solo to borealis basecamp, excited to spend a vacation at Basecamp to witness the Northern Lights during peak season. Unfortunately, my experience was far from what I had hoped for, with two main issues standing out: 1. Security Issues: Upon checking in, I found that the door to my room wouldn't lock. When I raised the issue, the staff said they couldn’t address it that night and simply walked away. Being alone in a remote area without a secure door was quite unsettling, especially considering the $2000 I paid for my stay. I was kept awake by various noises at night, leading to a sense of anxiety that completely ruined my experience. I expected a luxurious experience for that price, but instead, I felt unsafe and restless. To top it off, when I mentioned the door issue, the staff actually mocked my concern! 2. Dining Disappointment: The dining situation was another letdown. As a vegetarian, I was at least hoping for some good dessert options, but the restaurant constantly ran out of them. With such a limited menu, it was frustrating that they couldn’t keep up with demand, especially since reservations were required. It felt like I was being served leftovers at an exorbitant price. Overall, my stay was far from the luxurious experience I anticipated, and I left feeling undervalued and frustrated.