uadrupling the state’s population, about 3 million visitors flow into Alaska each year. Approximately one-third of those don’t have berths aboard a cruise ship or beds in a motorhome, so they need somewhere to stay. With more than 5,000 arrivals every day during the summer, on average, hotels would need more than 20,000 double-accommodation rooms to hold them all, assuming a week-long stay. But not nearly that many are available.

According to Visit Anchorage, the state’s largest city has an inventory of just over 8,000 rooms, and the remainder of visitors stay in a less-visible network of bed-and-breakfasts, short-term rentals, and rented motorhomes. So, while locals might wonder why Alaska needs so many hotels, they have no trouble achieving 90 percent occupancy rates.

Aware of this demand, the Aspen Hotel chain reorganized as a more integrated statewide chain this year, becoming the largest Alaskan-owned regional hotel brand by location.

According to Stuart Newmark, operating partner of JL Hospitality Management, Aspen’s multimillion-dollar expansion has grown its statewide portfolio by 168 percent, bringing the brand to sixteen properties and 1,428 rooms across the state. And it accomplished that in barely a year: parent company JL Properties, the real estate venture led by developers Jon Rubini and Leonard Hyde, acquired the parent company of Aspen Hotels of Alaska in March 2025.

The hotel brand is named for the common tree species, the quaking aspen, which ranges widely across North America. In fact, the largest and heaviest organism on Earth is a 106-acre forest in Utah cloned from a single quaking aspen named Pando. Like its namesake, Aspen Hotels has spread itself throughout Alaska.

Newmark notes, “The Aspen Hotels brand has been around since 2001 with assets situated throughout the state, including two properties in Anchorage, and properties in Haines, Homer, Kenai, Juneau, Sitka, and Soldotna.”

As a result of the reorganization, properties that will now be affiliated with the Aspen Hotels brand include Grande Denali Lodge by Aspen Hotels and Denali Bluffs Hotel by Aspen Hotels in the Denali Park area; River’s Edge Resort by Aspen Hotels in Fairbanks; Hotel Seward by Aspen Hotels and Hotel Edgewater by Aspen Hotels in Seward; and The Voyager Inn by Aspen Hotels in Downtown Anchorage.

As part of the expansion, JL Properties also purchased and fully renovated three former Extended Stay America properties: Aspen Suites Hotel Anchorage Downtown, Aspen Suites Hotel Fairbanks, and the Aviator Suites Hotel Juneau Airport by Aspen Hotels.

“After renovations, we opened the Aspen Suites Hotel Anchorage Downtown location in February and the Aspen Suites Hotel Fairbanks location on May 1,” says Newmark. “The Aviator Suites Hotel by Aspen Hotels in Juneau opened in June of 2026.”

Guests staying at The Aviator Suites Hotel by Aspen Hotels are seeing a markedly different hotel than what previously existed. The hotel now pays tribute to its location as a five-minute walk from Juneau International Airport. Located on Shell Simmons Drive (named after the legendary Bush pilot and aviation pioneer), the hotel features aviation-themed artwork and a new bar and restaurant, aptly named Bar 737.

“The Aviator Suites Hotel by Aspen Hotels is a whole new experience; it’s completely remodeled and it is so beautiful,” says General Manager Jennifer Skinner. “Everything is airport-themed, and so much attention to detail went into creating a great guest experience. It’s not a typical cookie-cutter hotel. It’s uniquely Alaskan.”

Beyond the Aspen Hotels brand, JL Hospitality Management also operates Marriott-branded properties including Aloft Anchorage; Courtyard Anchorage Airport; Residence Inn Anchorage Midtown; SpringHill Suites Anchorage Midtown; SpringHill Suites Fairbanks; Bridgewater Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham in Fairbanks; and Denali Park Hotel in Healy.

According to Newmark, millions of dollars were invested into upgrading the guest experience as part of the recent renovations.

“Renovations included a full overhaul of all guests rooms and suites, including painting, carpeting, furniture, window treatments, wall décor, and more,” he says. “We also redid all of the interior and exterior signage and made changes to enhance curb appeal.”

Anchorage and Juneau renovations also included adding food and beverage outlets, fitness centers, and a sauna and massage treatment room in Anchorage.

“Everything is top notch,” Newmark says. “While we focus on brand consistency and the overall guest experience, there are many unique characteristics of our Aspen-affiliated properties.”

For example, at the Grande Denali Lodge by Aspen Hotels, the restaurant is named Alpenglow, providing an upscale dining experience with breathtaking views of the epic mountains.

Myrna Green, general manager of the Aspen Suites Hotel Anchorage Downtown, says guests have been delighted with the recent renovations. She laughs as she says, “I love that the guests who stayed here when it was an Extended Stay America property come in and say, ‘Whoa! This transformation is amazing!’” Green adds, “They really did a great job with the whole renovation, and it has such a nice, crisp, fresh look. We now have a beautiful fitness center, sauna, and massage treatment room. I’m amazed at how many guests use these facilities daily.”

While many markets are seeing increased hotel consolidation by national brands, JL Hospitality Management believes in the authentic Alaska experience.

“We are proud to be part of the Alaskan hospitality community, welcoming business and leisure guests throughout the state at all of our locations,” Newmark says.

He adds that the company’s mission is to “wow and dazzle” its guests, creating “exuberant” experiences and memories to last a lifetime.

Just as it is imperative to please guests, Newmark believes that it’s important to contribute to the communities where each of its hotels are located. The expansion contributed significantly to the economy, creating hundreds of jobs statewide.

According to Green, who has worked in the hospitality industry for more than thirty years, working for Aspen Hotels is different than working for larger national franchises. “I love the idea of the Aspen brand in Alaska; it has a whole different feel to it,” she says. “I wish I could bottle it because people absolutely love it. They love coming into the hotel, and they love being here.”

While this is Skinner’s first time working in the hospitality industry and for Aspen Hotels, she is excited to be part of the growing brand. “This is an amazing opportunity for me to be part of something new from the floor up,” she says. “I’ve worked in the nonprofit community for the past ten years; however, this is completely different. I’m excited about my new-found career.”

Speaking early in the season, when the newly renovated hotel had only been open for two days, Skinner had already seen a lot of tourists. She adds, “We’re also seeing guests who are in Juneau for work, and we’re hoping to provide space for those coming for the legislative session while they’re here serving our state.”

The hotel brand is expanding its community partnerships across the state as well. Aspen Suites Hotel Anchorage Downtown, for example, has established an artist-in-residency program in concert with the Anchorage Museum that allows local artists to stay in its penthouse-style suite during the off-season, where they can create and display their artwork.

Aspen Hotels also partners with the American Cancer Society, offering special rates based on availability to people coming into the area for medical care.

“We wake up every morning with a passion for hospitality and for creating wonderful experiences with our employees, vendors, and guests and the overall communities in which we do business,” says Newmark. “We are committed to all of them.”

As the new hotels come online and bookings increase, Newmark says that he and the staff feel an “awesome” responsibility to make guests’ experiences truly memorable.

“It comes from having a servant’s heart,” he says. “We take great pride and joy in instilling that culture in each and every one of our team members and leaders. We bring members onboard who share the same philosophy to ensure our guests are overjoyed with their experiences.”

Newmark is aware that, for many of the 3 million visitors, Alaska is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Many guests visit Alaska to fulfill a bucket-list trip, and our philosophy is to always treat our guests as kings and queens,” he adds. “We take this mission of representing the 49th State very seriously, especially since many of the memories will not only last a lifetime, but will be passed on to future generations.”