“The nice thing about the roundup is that it’s not all about exclusive hotels. It’s a range of experiences that you look for,” said Susan Haynes, senior editor of the magazine that has a readership of more than four million.
“Sometimes you want a place of good value. Other times, a romantic getaway that’s small and intimate. Other times, you’re just blown away by the setting. And that’s what I loved about Land’s End. … That’s what made it.”
In addition, Hayes said she found the Homer resort to be very comfortable and the service to be great. She also observed others’ experiences.
“I saw other guests getting really good service and having fun,” she said.
The magazine, which is published by Southern Progress, a division of Time Warner, is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on everything within sight, sound, taste or smell of salt water along the entire coast of North and Central America. Coastal Living also focusts attention on the Great Lakes area.
Other inns listed in the magazine’s roundup are located in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Georgia, Florida, Bermuda and Alabama.
“We’re in some very nice company,” said Dawn Schneider, general manager of Land’s End.
“If anything, this shows that Land’s End, as well as the Kenai Peninsula, is becoming more well-known outside the state of Alaska. That was one of the biggest issues for many years — Alaskans referring our property to other Alaskans and family and friends. Now, we’re starting to get a lot more press in other areas. A lot of that has to do with more statewide advertising and more recognition of the Kenai Peninsula.”
Built by Earl Hillstrand in1958, the resort has been owned for the past 17 years by Jon Faulkner and his company, Land’s End Acquisition Corporation. The resort and the neighboring condos, which are privately owned and managed by the corporation, offer overnight accommodation for 108 guests.
Other Alaska-related stories featured during the 10 years Coastal Living has been in publication include Halibut Cove, a home in Juneau, a kayaking tour of inns in Southeast Alaska, Anchorage and the end of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome.
“We have one coming up on Seward and Fox Island and at some point in the future we’ll do one on Homer. As long as it’s on the water, we can do it,” Haynes said.
Land’s End Resort is open year round. It has 110 employees in the summer and 55 during the off-season.
“We’re very big on selling Homer and Land’s End as a conference destination,” said Schneider, who has been with the resort off and on for 25 years. “Getting into a prestigious magazine like this is a real coup for us.”
Coastal Living magazine is sold at the Homer Bookstore. The roundup article also can be read online at http://www.coastalliving.com/coastal/travel/lodginganddining/article/0,14587,1531483,00.html.
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