Catch the northern lights from the hot tub at Star Base, a unique retro star-shaped 4BR in Fairbanks! This spacious home sleeps 8, with a game room, geodesic dome, outdoor firepit and vintage design touches. Guests rave about aurora hot tub nights, comfy beds, spotless space, and location: private but only 12 minutes to downtown. From aurora viewing on the balcony to family game nights in the game room, consider Star Base your mission control for an out-of-this-world Alaskan experience!

The space:
Welcome to Star Base, a one-of-a-kind Fairbanks home that blends retro midcentury design with the kind of comfort you’ll appreciate after a long Alaska day. Built in the 1960s by architect Roger Cotting, the home is literally shaped like a star, with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and room for up to eight guests. Part retro time capsule. Part aurora basecamp. Very Fairbanks.

Star Base is designed around the idea that the stay should be part of the trip. There’s plenty to do when you’re out exploring, but also plenty of reasons to stay put: soak in the hot tub, put on a record, challenge someone to Street Fighter, or wait for the sky to turn green.

• Why Guests Love Star Base
• Northern lights from the hot tub
• Retro game room for kids and grown-ups who still think they’re kids
• Fireplace and cozy nooks for winter nights
• Seriously comfortable beds with blackout curtains
• Private, tree-lined setting just 12 minutes from downtown
• A wonderfully weird star-shaped layout you won’t find anywhere else

At the center of the home is the kitchen, with each wing of Star Base stretching outward from there.

One of our favorite spaces is the sunken living room, where floor-to-ceiling windows, warm wood tones and geometric midcentury furnishings give the house its unmistakable 1960s character.

Gather around the fireplace. Put a record on. Spread out on the West Elm and Crate & Barrel furnishings. Or just keep one eye on the windows in case the aurora decides to show up.

No need to rush back outside. Sometimes Alaska comes to you.

The rest of the house is built for connection, play and the occasional rainy or -40°F day:
• A fully stocked kitchen and dining area ready for home-cooked meals
• A retro game room with vintage arcade consoles, records, games and puzzles for all ages
• A dedicated office nook with fast Wi-Fi for workcations or streaming
• Four stylish bedrooms with memory foam mattresses, blackout curtains, and cozy linens

Then there’s outside.

Star Base sits on 1.7 wooded acres, where birch trees, dark skies and the occasional wandering moose make it feel much farther from town than it actually is.

And because there’s no single right way to watch the northern lights, we gave you options:
• Soak for them in the hot tub.
• Sit under them around the wood firepit.
• Wait for them inside the aurora-viewing igloo.
• Or watch from the balcony without even putting your boots on.

We’ve thought through how people actually want to experience Fairbanks in winter: close to the wild stuff, without having to rough it.

More Alaska right outside your door.

Location, Location
Star Base feels tucked away, but you’re still close to the places you’ll actually want to go.
4 minutes - University of Alaska Fairbanks
9 minutes - Fairbanks International Airport
11 minutes - Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
12 minutes - Downtown Fairbanks
28 minutes - North Pole and Santa’s Workshop
70 minutes - Chena Hot Springs
120 minutes - Denali National Park

Know Before You Book
Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms: one with a tub/shower combo and one with a shower. Both have been recently refreshed.

Water: Star Base is on a private well. We’ve invested significantly in the treatment system, and the water is tested annually and safe to drink. Because it’s well water, you may occasionally notice some natural mineral coloration. A reverse-osmosis drinking tap is also provided in the kitchen.

Climate: Like most Alaska homes, there’s no central AC. Summers are mild and fans are provided in every bedroom. In winter, the heating system and fireplaces keep the house remarkably cozy. Even when Fairbanks decides to show off at -40°F.

Neighborhood: You’ll have 1.7 wooded acres and plenty of privacy, but Star Base is still part of a quiet residential neighborhood.

Aurora: Many guests have watched the northern lights from the hot tub, balcony and yard, but the aurora does not take reservations. We wish it did.