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Luxurious Comfort, Privacy, Wood-fired Sauna!

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Hemlock Grove Skier's Retreat alias Glacier Garden
Sauna and Hot Tub in the Woods
Dining
Full Kitchen!
Second Floor Living and Dining

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 8223.0 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Parking available
  • Fireplace
  • Free WiFi
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Girdwood, AK
  • Alyeska Ski Resort
    ‪20 min walk‬
  • Girdwood Town Square
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Girdwood Park
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Girdwood, AK (AQY)
    ‪5 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 2

4 Single Bunk Beds

Bedroom 3

1 Double Bed and 1 Child Bed

Bedroom 5

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 6

1 Double Bed

Master Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only · Jetted bathtub

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Dining area

About this property

Luxurious Comfort, Privacy, Wood-fired Sauna!

This modern house is set in a grove of large hemlock trees in the quiet Virgin Creek neighborhood of Girdwood. The property includes an exterior wood fired sauna set under the lush hemlock canopy. Large ceiling to floor windows open the house interior to the surrounding forest (squirrel ballet at unscheduled times).

The second floor balcony makes for a pleasant perch to observe the landscape or wildlife including the occasional bear. The polished concrete radiant-heat floor and gas fireplace ensure warm days and cozy nights.

Three bedrooms, a pullout bed, a small loft and plenty of couches provide comfortable sleeping for 8 friends. The “kids” bedroom has two sets of bunk beds. A large gas range and espresso machine anchor the fully equipped modern kitchen. A granite breakfast bar and large dining table adjoin the living room.

Furniture includes multiple leather sofas and chaise lounges set next to the huge fully opening windows. Perfect for the serious reader. The house has a central stereo system with music library.

Sound flows through the house and even feeds the exterior sauna! The house first floor includes a major gear and equipment room The recreation room/garage includes a Foosball table and a ski waxing bench.

Two large screen cable TVs and high speed internet. Wireless internet is also provided for your personal laptop. Cellular phone service for most carriers can be received at the house.

An endless selection of adventure and sporting activities are located in or near Girdwood including: fishing, rafting, hiking, climbing, skiing, gold panning, berry picking, snow machining, heli-skiing, parasailing, and more! Located near the trailhead to Virgin Falls or the Wagon Wheel Trail to Glacier Creek.

This is among the most comfortable rental houses in Girdwood. Perfect for families, small skiing groups. Talk to us for the BETA on the local inside track. Price: (see details), 4 night minimum. For special arrangements contact us directly!

Keywords: Serene Comfort

Property manager

Jen Sandberg

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Parking available
Mountain view

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 30
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Girdwood

Located in Alyeska, a neighbourhood in Girdwood, this holiday home is in a rural area and in the mountains. Crow Creek Mine and Hope & Sunrise Museum are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Alyeska Ski Resort and Girdwood Park. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Girdwood, AK

What's nearby

  • Alyeska Ski Resort - 20 min walk - 1.7 km
  • Girdwood Town Square - 4 min drive - 2.7 km
  • Girdwood Park - 4 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Crow Creek Mine - 14 min drive - 8.1 km
  • Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center - 23 min drive - 25.0 km

Getting around

  • Girdwood Alaska Railroad Depot - 8 min drive
  • Girdwood, AK (AQY) - 5 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Alpine Cafe & Bakery - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Coast Pizza - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Chair 5 Restaurant - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Girdwood Brewing Company - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Seven Glaciers Restaurant - ‬14 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Luxurious Comfort, Privacy, Wood-fired Sauna! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Luxurious Comfort, Privacy, Wood-fired Sauna!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Luxurious Comfort, Privacy, Wood-fired Sauna!?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Luxurious Comfort, Privacy, Wood-fired Sauna! located?

This family-friendly Girdwood holiday home is located in the mountains, within 1 mi (2 km) of Chugach National Forest and Alyeska Ski Resort. Girdwood Town Square and Girdwood Park are also within 2 miles (3 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 59 out of 63 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 63 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 63 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 63 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 63 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Harry B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good times!

We loved David and Jen’s house. We especially loved the storage for the ski gear, the sauna, and plenty of room to cook. This house uses space well!We had the best time in Girdwood. Being 5 mins from the mountain and hitting the brewery on the way home. While we were happy to support the local market, we definitely would have done a grocery run in anchorage prior to arrival had we known the lack of available groceries in town. That’s on us!
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jon W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A month to relax

Had a great time staying here and found everything to be just as advertised. Great for large groups!
Stayed 28 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place for visit

Stayed for the circque series and getting together with friends. Open home, great location.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Scott L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Alyeska Ski Trip

Great location and something for everyone. Sauna and hot tub were great!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bryan J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great home close to Alyeska resort!

Our group of longtime friends loved the house, location, and especially the sauna. Highly recommend, and would consider for future trips to the area!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2024

2/10 Terrible

Shanna B.

Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication, listing accuracy

Don’t do it

Area is awesome and checking in was a breeze. However that’s where it all goes wrong. Futons smell like body odor for starters. Pillows are flat and also have a sour odor. Beds were so bad we had to leave and rent a hotel due to back issues. When exploring Alaska the last thing you want is back problems and poor rest. When asked to refund last half of stay the host went silent and wouldn’t cancel our stay. Hopefully they use the money to fix the broken windows or put a television on the main hang out floor.
Stayed 13 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Taryn M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful experience!

The house, hot tub, and sauna were all fantastic!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rob H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Something for everyone!

This was a great spot for our family, tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, yet close to amenities. Something for everybody, (games/sauna/etc) and designed for the local activities. Great communication, would stay again!
Stayed 11 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kara O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house

Perfect for our stay
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lee W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Girdwood stay

Amazing area, nice house
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ronald L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Alyeska

House had hot water issues, David arranged for us to move to another location which was spectacular. Skiing was fantastic with 3” of fluff on the second day. One of the best ski vacations I have taken.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Misty M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing property with warming amenities

Family and I stayed at this place for a long weekend and we will definitely be back. Wonderful home with lots of fun details and lots of things to do and enjoy. We really enjoyed the tub and sauna. The teens enjoyed the Rec room. The music around the entire house was awesome. Thank you for a home away from home.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Karise H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing location

We had such an amazing time staying here during our winter vacation. So close to the resort but all the comforts of home. The kids enjoyed it as much as the adults. Thank you!
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jenifer S., Bayville, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

High quality comfort in a wooded area of a ski resort

The house has amazing windows and views, with cozy bed linens and radiant floor heating. The house was well-appointed with items to meet basic needs for the stay. The area offers fun restaurants and nearby attractions. The owner was very easy to communicate with, and we had a fantastic stay.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

4/10 Poor

Cate H.

Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy

PLACE NEEDS WORK!

"If you enjoy vacationing in small spaces with thin walls, uncomfortable furniture, and broken amenities throughout the property, then this place is for you. Slept 9 extremely uncomfortably with zero privacy or ample living space. Washer sounds like a helicopter is landing on the roof. Dryer squeals during operation. Espresso machine doesn't work. Living room seating is an uncomfortable sectional broken into pieces and scattered around the living room. Balcony has no furniture. Ice machine did not work. Bed in the loft room was missing wooden slats causing it to fold and lift up if weight was unevenly applied. Couldn't use the Hot tub. Couldn't use the Sauna. It was completely full of junk. Billiards triangle is too small to rack the balls. Drying closet didn't work. Multiple windows were broken and could not open. The lone redeeming quality is the waterfall within short walking distance. A+ by God on the waterfall. F- by the owners for attention to detail and care for property."
Stayed 15 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Pam V., Phoenix

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great property. Great location. Great experiemce

The property is clean and modern, and centrally located from Anchorage, Seward, and Whittier. It was a perfect fir for our group. The Owners were very responsive. If we ever make it baxk this way, we will rebook
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Tom R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location

This property met all our needs and was an absolutely beautiful place to stay. Plenty of space. Short walk to a waterfall. Short drive to anything in Girdwood. Highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer B., Pleasant Grove, Utah

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Girdwood home was amazing!

We just loved staying at this home with our six children. Ample room for everyone. I highly recommend the Virgin Creek Trail just a block away. I was impressed that there were no insects inside the home, despite it being in the forest. Owners were great with communication. Highlights for the children were the pool table and all the bunk beds to choose from! We would definitely stay there again, should we make our way back to Girdwood in the future.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Brittany N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing

The owner and property managers were fantastic to work with. The weather was amazing and neighbors were very friendly. The house has such a neat layout and was incredibly clean! The children are already asking when we can go back! We truly enjoyed each day to the fullest!
Stayed 6 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lisa G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun place to stay

We liked the location - very close to Alyeska for great skiing, the pool table was a plus, the basement had a great setup for storing our ski stuff and for getting ready for the day. It was very comfortable to just hang out at the house and a pretty location. Owner was great to respond. It was a fun place to stay.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Brenda B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Always a pleasure

Enjoyed our stay : great place for the entire family
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jessica A., Sterling, Alaska

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Can’t wait to go back!

Beautiful home. Scenery is amazing. Communication was great. Highly recommend and can’t wait to go back! ❤️
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Rhoslyn A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Ski Lodge

This property was a great gathering space for a family ski-cation. the common area provided warmth and openness for pre and post ski meals, games, and conversation. The downstairs game room made the rainy days all the more entertaining, and the jaccuzi tub was a definite plus! All in all an excellent stay!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing place for a family getaway!

We absolutely loved this property! Perfect for a large group including kids. Super clean and well represented in photos and description. Especially loved the game room with the family!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Danielle V., Anchorage, AK

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

Was a bit of an effort keeping the hot tub and sauna warm, but other than that it was great staying at the house.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021

About the host

Hosted by Jen Sandberg

Host profile image
We are local Alaskans and most of us learned to ski at Alyeska. My Father surveyed and staked the First Chairlift at Alyeska in the 1950s. Living in Girdwood has been my dream since childhood. I have had the great luck to have climbed and skied the Chugach Mountains and the Alaska Range with pioneering climbs, heli guiding, snowcat guiding, including providing guide and rescue for extreme snowboard and skiing competitions in Valdez. My wife and I are benefited with four young adults ages 25 through 28 .. Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s in Alaska was a dreamy childhood with salmon and trout choked rivers in our back yards. We appreciate our guests and our goal is to provide you a taste of the beauty and serenity that a full canopy rain forest brings. Outdoor activities no matter what the sport are in our minds about "being there". Taking in your surroundings and experiencing the power of the natural environment and understanding your place in it. Have a great stay!

David is a civil and environmental engineer working in areas of pollution prevention, water and wastewater treatment and environmental restoration. He has operated a small engineering firm for more than 30 years and volunteered to environmental and governmental organizations to help steer environmental policy. He is recognized as Alumni of the Year via his alma mater Montana State University and is a humble recipient of the Carnegie Hero Award for his 7-day solo rescue of an injured climber in the Alaska Range. A TV "shockumentary" titled "Avalanche Alley" was produced that can be seen rotating on Discovery Channel. Jennifer Sandberg originally hails from Salt Lake City and Park City Utah and is a lot smarter than David when it comes to hospitality

Why they chose this property

A beautiful forested setting with Virgin Creek whispering in the background. Nature speaks to the guests as Hemlock boughs gently filter the winter light. Great to bring the family together or as a private get away for a couple.

What makes this property unique

Quiet sun, acoustic ambiance, forest fragrance, simple living, outdoor sauna, radiant heat, cozy gas stove, privacy, rushing creek, full stereo on all levels and in outdoor sauna. The ceiling to floor windows welcome the sun and the treetops into your living space. The acoustic insulation provides quiet slumber on the third floor while the night owls recreate on the first floor. The recreation room is equipped with a ski wax bench and exhaust fan. The entryway has cubbies for your gear and a ski rack for hanging your prize boards.

Languages:

English