Private Wooded Setting, 8 Minutes from airport or shopping, 60- 5 STARS, Auroras
About the property
- Apartment780 sqft
- Bedrooms1
- Sleeps4
- Bathrooms1
- Half Baths0
- Minimum Stay3 nights
A Private Woods, Close to Town, Full kitchen, Luxurious & Spacious !
Perfect for the short term traveler. Please read our reviews before you look elsewhere, to see how our guests feel. Our place is more than just the apartment, it is the location, and the beautiful surroundings in the grounds around it. Flower gardens, a lawn with ornamental shrubs and trees, a small deck and grill, woods all around the perimeter for privacy, a walking or running trail right from the back of the property, a small greenhouse to sit in for a peaceful cup of tea. This beautiful 780 sq.ft. one bedroom apartment has all new furnishings and is comparable to a private hotel suite, but better. There are many EXTRAS that are included such as wi-fi and cable TV, laundry, fully equipped kitchen, extra Winter gear- parkas, boots & gloves for guests' use, fresh garden herbs for your use, an outside grill, that if you figure that into your cost elsewhere, it is actually less expensive to stay here. (Winter gear would cost up to $250 + if you bought it yourself) Private separate entrance on the ground floor. One bedroom with queen sized bed, all new bedding & new premium mattress. Also another smaller room with a twin sized bed, in addition two very comfortable airbeds if needed. Apartment can accomodate up to 4 people,. Free wi-fi Internet, flat panel TV with free cable, office/den in apartment with FAX/copier. Full bathroom includes washer & dryer, hair dryer, shampoo & conditioner. Fully equipped kitchen with all dishes, pots & pans, cooking utensils, basic spices, etc. Morning coffee and tea is provided. There is an outside grill on a small deck near the greenhouse for your use. There is a walking or running or biking trail, right from the back of the property onto the trail. Our place is conveniently located near the University of Alaska Fairbanks, (3 miles), and 8 minutes from the airport, 8 minutes from shopping. The rental is the entire ground floor, of almost 800 sq ft, we live up above in the upper two floors so that we are available to make sure all your needs are met.
The view from the window is a mix of spruce, birch and aspen trees. Flower gardens, including iris and lilacs, and an herb garden and greenhouse are on the property. In the Summer, we are close to the botanical garden at UAF, and in the Winter, if the auroras are out, they are very likely to be seen right over our house, with no city light pollution to dilute them. For extended stay, we can talk about a Monthly rate. Generally for anything over a month, we need to get references from your current landlord or other references. Have a great journey!
Owner
Carol or Les Smallwood
- Response rate:
- 100%
- Response time:
- within a few hours
- Speaks:
- english
- Calendar last updated:
- Apr 18, 2018
About Carol or Les Smallwood
Les & Carol Smallwood, have been residents in Fairbanks, Alaska, for over 28 years. This home you'd be staying at has been built by Les. The year purchased just indicates the year we purchased the piece of land it sits on. Located among aspen and spruce trees, the apartment suite is on the lower lever and was just remodeled. We have two dogs (all friendly and will not bother you), we love our location and privacy and hope you'll consider staying with us. We look forward to making your stay memorable.
Carol or Les Smallwood purchased this Apartment in 1991
Why Carol or Les Smallwood chose Ester
This piece of property is a total of 2.5 acres that was purchased by Les Smallwood in 1991, and then he began the process of clearing the woods and building the house you see today on it. We picked this part of town because it is near the University, doesn't have a lot of commercial business cluttering and hiding the natural beauty of the area, it is private and quiet, and it is still very close and convenient to everything in town. It is also located within the best schools' districts in the city, ensuring that our kids would go to the best public schools available.
What makes this Apartment unique
Living with woods all around means privacy, and that you may get visits from the local moose. The air is fresh, and the water tastes good right out of the faucet, no filtering needed. If you are here in the Summer, the days are long and beautiful. In the Winter, the auroras are clear and strong, without any city light pollution. (Credits for the video tour we made to show you the place: video by Les Smallwood, music "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by John Story, music editing by Chantel P. )
Amenities
- Internet
- Air Conditioning
- Heater
- Satellite or Cable
- Kids Welcome
- Washer & Dryer
- Parking
- TV
- No Smoking
Bedrooms
- 1 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4
- Bedroom 1/ queen bed1 queen, Lots of room in here for small children to sleep on a airbed
- Queen size Beds (1) Premium new queen mattress, and the smaller room, which doubles as an office for the business traveler, also has a twin bed in it.
Bathrooms
- 1 Bathroom
- 1 with full sized tub and shower, towels provided, shampoo & conditioner, bath soap provided
Theme
- Adventure
- Away From It All
- Family
- Romantic
- Sports & Activities
- Tourist Attractions
Meals
- Guests provide their own meals
General
- Living RoomVery comfortable leather couches, and a large flat screen TV with TIVO and cable channels provided FREE service.
- Air ConditioningThere isn't any air conditioning unit BUT the apartment is naturally cool because it is set half way into the hill, into the ground with large windows in the front half. AT a constant 65 degrees cool.
- Hair Dryer
- HeatingComfortable, adjustable heat to your comfort level, thermostat on the wall by the bathroom.
- InternetFree wi-fi
- Iron & Board
- Linens Provided400 thread count 100% cotton sheets provided, towels provided
- Clothes DryerFull load capacity dryer, located inside bathroom
- ParkingRight up front outside the door, and INCLUDES electric plug in for car in the Winter when it is sub-zero.
- Parking for RV/Boat/TrailerPlenty of parking space for RV but it is dependent on how long it is.
- Towels ProvidedLots of extra towels in the bathroom cupboard
- Washing MachineFull load capacity washer, located inside bathroom, detergent provided
- Wireless InternetFree wi-fi, also a FAX/copier machine in office, inside apartment
- Free Wifi
Kitchen
- Coffee MakerWe provide a week's worth of coffee and tea selection. We also provide half n half for creamer, sugar and non sugar sweetener, and honey.
- Cooking UtensilsAll basic utensils provided
- Dishes & UtensilsAll dishes, silverware needed and all utensils are in fully equipped kitchen.
- KitchenFully equipped kitchen with all pots & pans for your cooking needs, and in addition we provide some spices and fresh herbs, dishes, silverware, utensils, etc.
- Microwavefull sized microwave oven the stove
- OvenFull sized oven
- Pantry ItemsBasic spices and condiments provided
- RefrigeratorFull sized refrigerator with ice.
- StoveFull electric stove
- Toaster
Dining
- Diningwith seating for 4
- Dining Area
- comfy seating for 4 people
Entertainment
- CD Player
- DVD Player
- Satellite / CableFree cable, however movies on demand are extra charge
- StereoLocated in the smaller bedroom
- TelevisionSamsung flat panel smart TV
- ToysWe have some toys for younger children on the premises.
- VCR
- Video Librarysome DVDs
Outside
- Deck / PatioGarden House which will double as a vegetable greenhouse in Summer, and a Warmup area outside, in the Winter when viewing auroras. Deck with up to 6 chairs by outdoor grill and Garden House.
- GolfNearest golf at Fairbanks Golf CLub on Farmers Loop Rd, 5 miles away.
- Kayak / CanoeAT the Chena River landing at Pioneer Park
- Lawn / GardenPerennial Flower garden with for your enjoyment, some fresh herbs for your cooking use. There is basil, oregano(hot) and oregano, thyme, lemon thyme, arugula, dill, rosemary, tarragon,cilantro,parsle
- Outdoor Grillprivate grill for your use on the deck near the Garden House
- Ski & SnowboardAt Birch Hill Recreation area, at Skiland, and Moose Mountain
Attractions
- botanical garden
- churches
- cinemas
- marina
- museums
- recreation center
- restaurants
Leisure Activities
- bird watching
- miniature golf
- scenic drives
- shopping
- sight seeing
- sledding
- walking
- wildlife viewing
Local Services & Businesses
- ATM/bank
- fitness center
- groceries
- hospital
- massage therapist
- medical services
Sports & Adventure Activities
- hot air ballooning
- cross country skiing
- fishing
- freshwater fishing
- golf
- golf privileges optional
- hiking
- cycling
- hunting
- ice skating
- rock climbing
- skiing
- snowboarding
- snowmobiling
- swimming
Notes
- Morning coffee & tea is provided, visitors guides and local knowledge available, please query if shuttle from airport is needed
House Rules
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Cancellation Policy
100% refund if canceled at least 30 days before arrival date. 50% refund if canceled at least 14 days before arrival date. You must contact the owner directly to request cancellation.
60 Reviews
Latest reviews
Cozy & Well Equipped!
Thank you so much for your review of our place! We really enjoyed meeting you both and your local friend here, as well! We were happy to provide a few extras to make your stay more comfortable! It's fantastic that you saw the auroras, had a bunch of fun local day trips, and we really enjoyed dining with you all on one evening. Please stay with us again, whenever you are in Fairbanks!
Carol & Les
Great, cozy cottage in the woods!
Dear Christine,
Thank you for your very nice review. We're glad you were vey comfortable and were able to see the Northern Lights. But I need to clarify a couple things you mentioned. First, the rental is a completely separate private 800 sq ft apartment suite, not just the ground floor of a house.
Secondly, you could have seen the auroras from our house, if the aurora activity was higher then a 2 on the night you viewed them on which means they are low on the horizon, and further North. The photos we have on our page are taken right over our house. You mentioned to me that you drove to Murphy Dome, not Ester Dome which is only 5 miles away from here, 10 minutes actually. You actually drove to Murphy Dome, which is much farther away. We did have a snowfall of at least a foot at one time, causing power lines to fail area- wide, not just at our location. You were lucky to stay here where we have a large generator, to take care of any emergencies. Most other places are not as well prepared.
We even have extra parkas and boots in the closet for our guests to use if needed for when guests are out viewing auroras or other Winter activities.
Thank you again, I'm glad you guys had a great anniversary, and trip! Maybe we'll see you in the summer, we enjoyed meeting you and would be happy to host to be your hosts again!
Carol & Les
Wonderful setting, wonderful hosts!
Thank you very much, Lauren, for the very thoughtful review! We appreciate it and would be happy to be your hosts if you are able to travel North to Fairbanks again. We're so glad you had a great visit here!
Carol & Les
Stunning!!
Thank you so much for your great review! We're glad we made your visit here special, and that you had such a good time!
Have a nice Spring and come back and see us sometime in the summer, we'd love to have you return!
Carol & Les
amazing！！
Fabulous place to stay!
Thank you, Lynn! I appreciate your review, and it was lovely to meet both of you and watch the auroras together! We're so glad you were able to see the Northern Lights and enjoy your stay with us! You're both welcome back any time!
Carol & Les
Location
We are located near the University of Alaska Fairbanks, on the west side of town, only 8 minutes from the airport, 10 minutes from shopping, yet still secluded, private wooded setting. In the Summer, we are very close to the botanical garden, and the UAF Large Animal Research station with musk ox and caribou, (reindeer). In the Winter, the auroras can be seen going right over our house!
Availability
Additional information about rental rates
More than a 30 day stay is negotiable, also an extended stay of more than 2 weeks is negotiable. The rates are based on a 2 person occupancy, each extra person is an additional $15 per night. Borough bed tax 8% NO PETS are allowed, since we have to keep it allergy free for everyone. Please be conservative with water use, do not run water unnecessarily. That simply means to not let the water run when not being used. Check in time is usually not before 3pm, unless a prior arrangement has been made with owner. Check out time on departure day is 11am, unless there is a prior arrangement with the owner.