Concierge.com's insider take:

Favorite Bay Lodge, on Admiralty Island (one of the state's most pristine islands, just west of Juneau), benefits from a simple truth: Humans are not at the top of the food chain here. Bears outnumber people by more than two to one, which gives the island a back-to-nature vibe. Like any great Alaskan lodge, Favorite Bay keeps the numbers small: The glass and cedar hotel houses 11 rooms. They're the best of Alaska comfort, with lodgepole furniture and plenty of windows with views of the bay's still waters and the lush Southeast Alaskan rain forest. Saltwater fishing excursions have been known to turn up 80-pound king salmon, 300-pound halibut, and cod bigger than the family dog; fly-fishers head for the island's lakes hoping to beat the state record of a 40-pound trout. If it's going to happen, this is probably the place, and the lodge is ready to help. But it's bear viewing in late July and August that's the biggest draw. Admiralty's brown (grizzly) bears don't get as big as the ones on Kodiak Island, but you're not likely to want to get close enough to measure the difference. Rates include round-trip transport from Juneau, all meals, and all activities.—Edward Readicker-Henderson

Closed early September through late May.