The Wildbirch Hotel opened on June 12, 2025, in the Mushing District of downtown Anchorage, inside the building that had been a Holiday Inn and later the Aviator Hotel. It is the first JdV by Hyatt in Alaska and, according to its owners, the largest hotel to open downtown in more than twenty years. Local partners own it and Springboard Hospitality runs it.
The hotel stands on the West Fourth Avenue corridor, in the part of downtown known as the Mushing District. The Alaska Railroad Depot, the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts and the Anchorage Museum are all close by, and Ship Creek, where anglers fish for salmon, is a short distance away.
The owners also hold the Post Office Mall across C Street. They describe the hotel as the first phase of a downtown revival and have floated condos upstairs, an indoor market off Fourth Avenue and possibly a supermarket on the lower level, though few details have been shared.
The concept
MASH, LLC bought the property in 2020, when it was still the Aviator Hotel. The company is a partnership between Mark Begich, a former Anchorage mayor and U.S. senator, and Sheldon Fisher, a former state revenue commissioner. The overhaul has been put at $50 million, spread over roughly 200,000 square feet that now hold a restaurant, a bar and a brewery tap room alongside the rooms.
There are 252 rooms and suites. EDG Design led the overall scheme, which the hotel describes as a blend of local heritage and the utilitarian charm of a camp. Standard King and Harbor View King rooms are among the categories. A raised outdoor deck with fire pits looks toward Mount Susitna.
About 5,200 square feet is given over to meetings and events, including the Kenai River Ballroom, where the ribbon was cut in June 2025. Art on display was arranged with the Anchorage Museum. Roughly 100 people work at the hotel, and Haje Thurau is general manager.
Springboard Hospitality, which manages 51 hotels in 14 states, handles operations. JdV by Hyatt is the brand's collection of independent hotels, so the property keeps its own name and identity while joining World of Hyatt.
Dining & wellness
Crimson is the main restaurant, open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner under Executive Chef La Mont Caldwell. The menu gives Alaska staples Pan-American and Latin influences. There is a seasonal terrace and a private dining room for up to 16. The adjoining bar serves a shorter menu, and guests can order the full one in their room every day.
Canteen Coffee Co. runs the lobby café with espresso, fresh juices, grab-and-go food and local artisan goods, and it has a walk-up window on the street. The Undertap, a craft beer tasting room developed with the team behind Midnight Sun Brewing Co., was planned for fall 2025 with a neighbouring room for private events.
News
June 18, 2025: The Wildbirch Hotel held its ceremonial ribbon cutting in the Kenai River Ballroom. The hotel replaces the former Holiday Inn that had operated as the Aviator Hotel until days earlier. It has about 250 rooms, a restaurant, a bar and a brewery within roughly 200,000 square feet, employs about 100 people and is billed as the largest hotel to open downtown in more than twenty years. MASH LLC and Springboard Hospitality operate it.
