The Wildbirch Hotel Now Open in Downtown Anchorage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 12, 2025--

The highly anticipated Wildbirch Hotel is now open in the heart of Anchorage’s Mushing District, offering a truly unique experience as the city’s first lifestyle boutique property and newest hotel lodging option in 20 years. With 252 modern and design-forward rooms, this locally owned lifestyle hotel - the first JdV by Hyatt property in Alaska - anchors the burgeoning West Fourth Avenue corridor, a hub for shopping, dining, historic and cultural experiences. Designed to serve as both a community gathering space and a basecamp for tourists seeking Alaska adventure on every level, The Wildbirch Hotel is a destination itself.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250612717784/en/

Guests of The Wildbirch Hotel enjoy an elevated, communal outdoor deck with cozy fire pits and sweeping views of Mount Susitna and Knik Arm; onsite dining; and an expansive 5,200-square-feet of meeting and event space that caters to every occasion.

“Watching this place come to life has been an honor,” says Haje Thurau, general manager of The Wildbirch Hotel. “It’s very special to see our overnight guests immerse themselves in the Anchorage lifestyle, engage with locals and discover what makes our little corner of Alaska such a magical place.”

Inspired by Alaska’s breathtaking summer sunsets and helmed by Executive Chef La Mont Caldwell, Crimson – the hotel’s signature restaurant – is a dining destination for guests and locals alike. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the creative menu offers high-end twists on Alaska staples, all with a touch of Pan-American Latin flair in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Al fresco dining is available seasonally on Crimson’s terrace, and small groups up to 16 people are invited to reserve the private dining room. Crimson’s bar serves a truncated menu and hotel guests can enjoy the unique culinary offerings of its menu in-room daily.

“We are confident Crimson will make its mark on Anchorage’s buzzing dining scene,” says Gary McCutcheon, the hotel’s director of food and beverage. “Chef La Mont is extremely talented and we’re looking forward to treating our hotel guests to classic Alaska dishes, while surprising and delighting our Alaskans with a few twists on old favorites.”

Canteen Coffee Co., located in the lobby of The Wildbirch Hotel, offers unique provisions and souvenirs from local artisans alongside espresso, coffee, fresh juices, grab-and-go food options and more. Guests can enter the space through the hotel lobby or order through its streetside walk-up window.

Coming this fall, The Undertap – concepted and executed in partnership with the team behind Anchorage’s Midnight Sun Brewing Co. – is a laidback tasting room where craft beer enthusiasts can sip a unique variety of locally-brewed pours. A relaxed space for private events and meetings is located adjacent to the tasting room.

“It’s our great pleasure to introduce The Wildbirch Hotel to Anchorage,” says co-owner Mark Begich, previous Mayor of Anchorage from 2003-2009 and United States Senator from 2009-2015. “This property offers a unique, modern Alaska experience unlike anywhere else.”

Begich and his partner, Sheldon Fisher – also a former public servant, who served as Alaska’s State Revenue Commissioner – formed MASH, LLC to further spark the revitalization of downtown Anchorage with The Wildbirch Hotel project and several others in the works. MASH has collaborated with leading hotel management company, Springboard Hospitality, to operate the hotel.

As Alaska’s first JdV by Hyatt property, The Wildbirch Hotel has joined the World of Hyatt loyalty program. Members can earn points on qualifying stays at The Wildbirch Hotel to use towards free nights, dining, experiences and more.

For reservations and more information, visit www.WildbirchHotel.com.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of March 31, 2025, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,450 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 79 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Luxury Portfolio, including Park Hyatt ®, Alila ®, Miraval ®, Impression by Secrets, and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt ®; the Lifestyle Portfolio, including Andaz ®, Thompson Hotels ®, The Standard ®, Dream ® Hotels, The StandardX, Breathless Resorts & Spas ®, JdV by Hyatt ®, Bunkhouse ® Hotels, and Me and All Hotels; the Inclusive Collection, including Zoëtry ® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Hyatt Ziva ®, Hyatt Zilara ®, Secrets ® Resorts & Spas, Dreams ® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Sunscape ® Resorts & Spas, Alua Hotels & Resorts ®, and Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts; the Classics Portfolio, including Grand Hyatt ®, Hyatt Regency ®, Destination by Hyatt ®, Hyatt Centric ®, Hyatt Vacation Club ®, and Hyatt ®; and the Essentials Portfolio, including Caption by Hyatt ®, Hyatt Place ®, Hyatt House ®, Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, and UrCove. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar® DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

ABOUT THE WILDBIRCH HOTEL

The first upscale boutique hotel in Anchorage, The Wildbirch Hotel is the ideal base camp for the full spectrum of Alaska adventure. Situated in the heart of the city’s downtown Mushing District, the hotel is steps from Alaska’s best restaurants, historic sites and cultural attractions, including the Alaska Railroad Depot, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts and Ship Creek’s world-class salmon fishing. The new hotel leads the revitalization of downtown Anchorage, with 252 modern and design-forward guest rooms and suites that incorporate local heritage and the utilitarian charm of camp. The Wildbirch Hotel also offers a streetside restaurant and lobby bar, onsite brewery, café and retail shop curated with goods from local makers, as well as multiple communal outdoor decks with cozy fire pits and sweeping views of Mount Susitna and Cook Inlet. Art displays curated in partnership with the nearby Anchorage Museum – a Smithsonian affiliated center – offer guests authentic cultural immersion, while expansive meeting and event spaces provide ample means for connection. The Wildbirch Hotel perfectly embodies the rugged charm of the region, while providing guests with elevated accommodations and curated experiences for some of the state’s most notable outdoor activities and attractions. For more information about the property, a JdV by Hyatt hotel, visit WildbirchHotel.com and follow the property on Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT SPRINGBOARD HOSPITALITY

Springboard Hospitality is a premier third-party hotel management company, dedicated to transforming people, properties, and communities. Currently operating 51 hotels and resorts across 14 states, Springboard is a leader in managing localized and customized boutique lifestyle hotels in urban and resort markets. Led by technology entrepreneur Ben Rafter, Springboard specializes in delivering customizable management solutions with a quant-driven strategy while serving owners. The company offers a full spectrum of hotel services with expertise in operations, capital planning, marketing, revenue management, sales and human resources. The nimble team at Springboard Hospitality offers a personalized and hands-on approach to day-to-day management and is recognized for going above and beyond with high-touch service in every aspect of its operations, from its interactions with guests to its relationships with owners to its award-winning workplace for employees.

ABOUT JDV BY HYATT

A community for the spirited, the light-hearted, the young-at-heart, the JdV by Hyatt brand offers a collection of vibrant, independent hotels that are true reflections of the urban neighborhoods we call home. Embracing its namesake (joie de vivre), the JdV by Hyatt brand invites guests and locals alike to connect, live in the moment and celebrate the joy of life. Each hotel provides an experience that is inclusive in spirit and space, inviting all to make each stay yours truly. Follow @JDVHotels on Facebook, Instagram, and X for news and updates. For more information, please visit www.jdvbyhyatt.com.

The Wildbirch Crimson Restaurant

The Wildbirch Hotel Lobby

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — Troops from several European countries continued to arrive in Greenland on Thursday in a show of support for Denmark as talks between representatives of Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. highlighted “fundamental disagreement” over the future of the Arctic island.

Denmark announced it would increase its military presence in Greenland on Wednesday as foreign ministers from Denmark and Greenland were preparing to meet with White House representatives in Washington. Several European partners — including France, Germany, the U.K., Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands — started sending symbolic numbers of troops already on Wednesday or promised to do so in the following days.

The troop movements were intended to portray unity among Europeans and send a signal to President Donald Trump that an American takeover of Greenland is not necessary as NATO together can safeguard the security of the Arctic region amid rising Russian and Chinese interest.

“The first French military elements are already en route” and “others will follow,” French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday, as French authorities said about 15 soldiers from the mountain infantry unit were already in Nuuk for a military exercise.

Germany will deploy a reconnaissance team of 13 personnel to Greenland on Thursday, the Defense Ministry said.

On Thursday, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the intention was “to establish a more permanent military presence with a larger Danish contribution,” according to Danish broadcaster DR. He said soldiers from several NATO countries will be in Greenland on a rotation system.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, flanked by his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt, said Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with Trump after they held highly anticipated talks at the White House with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rasmussen added that it remains “clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland” but that dialogue with the U.S. would continue at a high level over the following weeks.

Inhabitants of Greenland and Denmark reacted with anxiety but also some relief that negotiations with the U.S. would go on and European support was becoming visible.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the continuation of “dialogue and diplomacy.”

“Greenland is not for sale,” he said Thursday. “Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed from the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States.”

In Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, local residents told The Associated Press they were glad the first meeting between Greenlandic, Danish and American officials had taken place but suggested it left more questions than answers.

Several people said they viewed Denmark’s decision to send more troops, and promises of support from other NATO allies, as protection against possible U.S. military action. But European military officials have not suggested the goal is to deter a U.S. move against the island.

Maya Martinsen, 21, said it was “comforting to know that the Nordic countries are sending reinforcements” because Greenland is a part of Denmark and NATO.

The dispute, she said, is not about “national security” but rather about “the oils and minerals that we have that are untouched.”

On Wednesday, Poulsen announced a stepped-up military presence in the Arctic “in close cooperation with our allies,” calling it a necessity in a security environment in which “no one can predict what will happen tomorrow.”

“This means that from today and in the coming time there will be an increased military presence in and around Greenland of aircraft, ships and soldiers, including from other NATO allies,” Poulsen said.

Asked whether the European troop movements were coordinated with NATO or what role the U.S.-led military alliance might play in the exercises, NATO referred all questions to the Danish authorities. However, NATO is currently studying ways to bolster security in the Arctic.

The Russian embassy in Brussels on Thursday lambasted what it called the West's “bellicose plans” in response to “phantom threats that they generate themselves”. It said the planned military actions were part of an “anti-Russian and anti-Chinese agenda” by NATO.

“Russia has consistently maintained that the Arctic should remain a territory of peace, dialogue and equal cooperation," the embassy said.

Rasmussen announced the creation of a working group with the Americans to discuss ways to work through differences.

“The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said.

Commenting on the outcome of the Washington meeting on Thursday, Poulsen said the working group was “better than no working group” and “a step in the right direction.” He added nevertheless that the dialogue with the U.S. did not mean “the danger has passed.”

Speaking on Thursday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the American ambition to take over Greenland remains intact despite the Washington meeting, but she welcomed the creation of the working group.

The most important thing for Greenlanders is that they were directly represented at the meeting in the White House and that “the diplomatic dialogue has begun now,” Juno Berthelsen, a lawmaker for the pro-independence Naleraq opposition party, told AP.

A relationship with the U.S. is beneficial for Greenlanders and Americans and is “vital to the security and stability of the Arctic and the Western Alliance,” Berthelsen said. He suggested the U.S. could be involved in the creation of a coastguard for Greenland, providing funding and creating jobs for local people who can help to patrol the Arctic.

Line McGee, 38, from Copenhagen, told AP that she was glad to see some diplomatic progress. “I don’t think the threat has gone away,” she said. “But I feel slightly better than I did yesterday.”

Trump, in his Oval Office meeting with reporters, said: “We’ll see how it all works out. I think something will work out.”

Niemann reported from Copenhagen, Denmark, and Ciobanu from Warsaw, Poland.

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt speak at a news conference at the Embassy of Denmark, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

People walk on a street in Nuuk, Greenland, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

From center to right, Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, Denmark's Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen, rear, and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, right, arrive on Capitol Hill to meet with senators from the Arctic Caucus, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

An Airbus A400M transport aircraft of the German Air Force taxis over the grounds at Wunstorf Air Base in the Hanover region, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026 as troops from NATO countries, including France and Germany, are arriving in Greenland to boost security. (Moritz Frankenberg/dpa via AP)

Fishermen load fishing lines into a boat in the harbor of Nuuk, Greenland, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, left, and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, arrive on Capitol Hill to meet with members of the Senate Arctic Caucus, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)