Alaska Chalet B&B is a well-established Alaskan business, planted with seeds of hope and enriched by years accommodating guests.
Brigette Humphery: I love being a Host introducing guests from around the world to Alaska!
Starting from Scratch
We arrived in Alaska in 1986 and chose Eagle River to be our new community to live in with our three children. In 1991 we added onto our house because we anticipated my husband’s sisters and brothers visiting. We wanted them to have a comfortable place to stay. Instead of putting our children out of their beds we decided to provide a spacious and convenient accommodations.
Pretty soon we found out that his sisters and brothers were not really interested in visiting us in Alaska, Humphery said. They live in California and preferred to spend vacations where it is warm.
Humphery continued: After we realized we had added this great minimally used living space, I came across a little article in the classified section of the newspaper inviting: “Anyone interested in starting a B&B can come to a meeting of the Anchorage Bed & Breakfast Association–to learn how to do it.”
We decided to look into it and found that except for the permit and a business license we already had everything in place. We decided that’s it, that’s what we’ll do!
The Role of a B&B Host
The oldest daughter went to college, the middle son entered High school, and the youngest one was being homeschooled when we had everything in place to welcome our first guests, continued Humphery. I saw hosting guests as an extension of my caring role.
We called the first suite we offered Alaska Chalet Suite – where we are sitting now.
This writer reviewed the original story as proposed with Humphery in the Chalet Suite of her business before first posting in 2021. AK Chalet B&B has been the longest advertiser on this site.
The Internet Didn’t Exist then.
My husband was just starting to learn about computers and what they could do. He insisted that instead of writing letters, making phone calls, and having a reservation service put our name out to the traveling public, we would advertise on-line, she said. I was not as comfortable as my husband, but after a few years of doing it the traditional way, we decided to work with someone to build our fist web site.
That was the beginning of our AlaskaChaletBB.com.
Do what you love and you never work a day in your life…
My vision when hosting guests go beyond operating a business out of our family’s home. People staying with us on their visit to Alaska are invited to feel welcomed and cared about. We are always excited to offer suggestions about how to make the most of their visit to Alaska.
EXTENDING ALASKAN HOSPITALITY is our motto – we help VISITORS them in that spirit.
Unique Eagle River Destination
Some visitors’ itinerary is well planned out, but there are always gaps where we can let them know what locals know, said Humphery. For example, the big secret of Eagle River is the lookout on the top of Skyline Drive–only a short 5 minute drive from us–where you can see mountains of the Aleutian change, the Alaska Range and Denali.
[2] Encyclopedia Britanica: Alaska mountains.
[3] DENALI: Why Not Mt. McKinley? DONN LISTON, February 16, 2023
Eagle River Valley is not noted on “official” guides like the Anchorage Visitor’s Guide, explained Humphery. For us, being a host includes providing local knowledge to enrich guest’s stay with us.
What we do is Alaska Hospitality.
[4] Free Anchorage Visitor’s Guide
https://www.anchorage.net/
Driving the scenic Eagle River Road to the end of the Eagle River Valley you will come to the Eagle River Visitor’s Center. High “surrounding “ mountains which maintain snow cover until June or July. I call this beautiful setting my “Little Switzerland.”
Eagle River Nature Center has a nature museum and regularly scheduled activities for families.
The Distinctive Nature of Eagle River
From California, my first introduction to Alaska was Eagle River. A colleague of my husband recommended we look at Eagle River first before we consider living in Anchorage. When we saw the Eagle River sign we decided to get off the Glen Highway to check it out, said Humphery. My husband was driving a Nisson pickup truck pulling a small camper, and I drove behind him in my hatchback Nisson with our cat and three children. The children took turns riding with their dad, but the cat stayed with me, you know. 😊 We used our walkie-talkies to talk about where we should be going after turning off the Glenn Highway as we came to Eagle River Loop Rd. We decided to drive up to the top where we turned onto Kantishna Drive and on to Gulkana Circle. I said: “Oh – look at this!” We stopped in the cul-de-sac, got out of the cars and I said: “This looks beautiful. This is where I would like to live–and we have ever since!”
Perfect Alaska Discovery
We walked up to the house, the curtains were down, and found it was empty. We decided to keep this in mind as we left to check in at the Inlet Towers in Anchorage. Within a week we were booted out “of that place” because they did not allow pets. We came back to stay at the Eagle River Motel; children, cat and us in a one-bed room suite—with two beds. We piled into two beds, cooked a little bit, enrolled kids in school, and immediately tried to find the place we first discovered, continued Humphery. We met Suzanne Cool, a Realtor with Frontier Realty in a little trailer located where Walmart is now.
Ms. Cool went the extra mile to come with us to find out if this place was for sale. And there, behind some bushes, we found the sign: For Sale. It was a re-po that had been on the market for over a year. It was 1986. The AK economy had crashed and the banks were glad to sell their repos.
We were able to afford it!
[6] Suzanne C. Cool is still in business in Eagle River, AK!
After joining the Chugiak/Eagle River Chamber of Commerce I met “Susan” the director. We soon learned that that Chamber regarded Eagle River as a bedroom community. Coming originally from Germany, I saw Eagle River as a stand-alone community. Eagle River is OUR community; this is where we live. As the new owner/operator of our B&B, I asked Susan to see Eagle River as an independent, stand-alone community. After all, our place is called Eagle River!”
Anchorage: A Big, Dirty, and Dangerous City
From another recent story:
According to a police statement officers responded to a call reporting that someone was threatening others with a knife inside an apartment. When officers arrived and the girl did not drop the knife, two officers opened fire. The girl was then taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
[7] Anchorage: Where EVERY Officer-Involved Shooting IS Justified…DONN LISTON, August 29, 2024
An organized effort is attempting to decouple part of Anchorage including Eagle River from the Municipality, said Humphrey. Many people might say we are a stepchild to Anchorage. I know this relationship from way back when I first started my business, and past conflict with the late Lee Jordan, newspaper publisher who first made efforts to separate Eagle River from the Municipality of Anchorage. There is a different spirit in Eagle River than Anchorage.
[8] The Promise of *EaglExit* DONN LISTON May 7, 2024
Minding My Business
We don’t have many innkeepers around Eagle River who call themselves Bed and Breakfasts anymore, said Humphery. There maybe one or two. If you have to consider overhead cost, you need to be in business to make it viable. But, since we are not doing it for income, I can do it totally for the joy of hosting guests who want to visit Alaska.
We have no debt, no overhead. Sure, there are recurring costs of operating the business, but without the pressure of having to generate income, I can truly advertise our business as an affordable place for folks who want to visit Alaska. Eagle River’s location is at a great place for guests to make it their hub for excursion driving to the North and the South.
I will help them have a great experience – My husband and I planned it this way.
Covid 19 slowed the business down, but it didn’t diminish it. Our financial management business model is based on being frugal. It’s manageable, added Humphery.
Photo when optimistic Mack and Brigitte Humpherys began setting up Alaska Chalet B&B in 1991. It continues as a thriving Eagle River business today.
Some guests call directly with questions. I ask: “How did you find us?” They say: “I searched on-line.” I then recommend going out from where they are right now on the Internet, and putting my web site address www.alaskachaletbb.com in the browser to reach my website directly. That way clients do not have to pay AirB&B a commission and I do not have to pay BOOKING.COM a commission.
Direct Business Telephone: 1-907-694 1528
This website is a direct way to access Alaska Chalet BNB and this story is now reaching out into the International community through https://listondonn.ph. Over the years, Brigitte has enjoyed hosting guest from around the world, including from the Philippines, Japan and China.
Advertisement in Tagalog Language:
Concluding Realizations
It has been a couple of years now since Humphery began advertising on the websites created to display writing of DONN LISTON. Over this time she has become a dear friend, read and commented on Liston’s true stories, and witnessed herself events documented in Liston’s stories and legal pleadings. While Liston believed he would be returning to Alaska within a few months–when the courts recognized the outrageous way he had been violated by Atlanta, GA Outside scammers–he remains under threat for his life and has no particular reason to return.
[9] Food Security Scam Hurts Alaskans, DONN LISTON October 16, 2024
This updated website will feature stories organized by four pillars: 1) Alaska living as I have known it, 2) Alaska’s decline since statehood, 3) discovery and 4) daily life of an Alaskan in Philippines. I write with an instructional voice and provide documented authoritative references in all my work.
Moving toward a Philippines BNB
Building Permits have been gained for construction of two BNB suites and swimming pool here in Philippines. Filipinos wishing to have an exotic vacation to Alaska can contact Humphery with information from this story. There are numerous resorts near the gated community where I live in Antipolo, PH and I expect to facilitate Alaskans who might like to visit this wonderful place.
Brigitte has offered to provide consulting services for this venture: Imagine an Alaska host in the tropics…
Live Links in References Only:
[1] Alaska (><) Philippines Connection; Bonding through Struggle
https://open.substack.com/pub/donnliston907/p/alaska-philippines-connection-4?r=q57oe&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
[2] Alaska mountains. Encyclopedia Britanica:
https://www.britannica.com/place/Alaskan-Mountains
[3] DENALI: Why Not Mt. McKinley? DONN LISTON, February 16, 2023
https://donnliston.net/2023/02/why-not-mt/
[4] Free Anchorage Visitor’s Guide
https://www.anchorage.net/
[5] Speak Alaskan
https://www.alaska.org/advice/speak-alaskan
[6] Suzanne C. Cool is still in business in Eagle River, AK!
http://www.suzannecool.com/
[7] Anchorage: Where EVERY Officer-Involved Shooting IS Justified…
DONN LISTON, August 29, 2024
https://donnliston.net/2024/08/alaskas-institutional-corruption/
[8] The Promise of *EaglExit* DONN LISTON May 7, 2024
https://donnliston.net/2024/05/the-promise-of-*EaglExit*
[9] Food Security Scam Hurts Alaskans, DONN LISTON October 16, 2024
https://donnliston.net/2024/10/food-security-scam-hurts-alaskans/
