One of Homer’s most recognizable historic buildings is welcoming guests after months of renovation and restoration.
By Marcia Kuszmaul
Homer Independent Press
The former King’s Landing Hotel has been reimagined as The Moosetide Hotel, a boutique lodging property purchased by Cheyenne and Angie Clark in November 2025.
The Clarks fell in love with the Homer community during a visit several years ago.
“We’ve both traveled a lot, but Homer was the place where we said, ‘This might be home,’” Cheyenne Clark said during a recent tour of the property.
Since that fateful visit, they both retired from their professional day jobs working in the nonprofit sector and began looking for their next opportunity.
“When this came up, it really fit the bill for our backgrounds and being able to tackle the project during the winter and get it up and running in the summer,” Clark said.
The lodge’s name reflects two signature elements of the area that have made a strong impression on the new owners.
“Moose are this really striking feature in Alaska, and the tides are so significant in their impact on Homer,” Clark said. “There is something about Homer . . . the land colliding with the ocean. Moosetide was a way of literally combining those things and creating something unique, kind of like Homer.”
The Clarks envisioned preserving the building’s character while bringing it into a new era. Rather than undertaking major structural changes, they focused on restoring original features, upgrading infrastructure and creating what Clark calls “a love letter to Homer.”
From looking at old photographs, they worked to bring back features from the 1940s and ‘50s. They’ve removed drop ceilings, restored pendant lights in the hallways and removed shag carpeting in addition to behind-the-scene improvements important to the preservation of the building — a new roof, insulation, electrical and plumbing upgrades, heaters and modern safety systems.
“It’s important that historic buildings keep their charm,” Clark said. “We wanted to preserve the elements of a classic Alaskan roadhouse, which include a welcoming living room . . . that feeling of meeting other travelers, planning your adventures, we wanted to preserve that for the building.”
The building’s history stretches back to 1946, during Alaska’s territorial days. In her “Celebrating Homer’s Buildings” booklet, Homer historian Janet Klein writes that Al and Esther Heady began constructing the three-story, three-sided spruce log building in July of that year and opened Heady Hotel for business in April 1948.
The landmark has gone through many owners, a few additions and several name changes — later known as the Homer Heritage Hotel, Heritage Hotel Lodge and most recently King’s Landing Hotel.
During renovations, the owners found historic photographs, old guest registers dating to the 1940s and other artifacts now displayed throughout the lodge. Memories of first arrivals, first jobs, honeymoons and lifelong friendships permeate the walls.
“We really do see ourselves as stewards more than owners,” Clark said. “This is not ours. It’s Homer’s building, so we want people, even if they’re not planning to stay with us, to be part of the experience of seeing this building write its next chapter.”
This chapter begins with 14 guest rooms that came online July 1 with up-to-date amenities like 50-inch smart TVs and high speed Wi-Fi. Five more will be available soon. These rooms are in what the owners call the “hotel” portion of the building, the three-story unit that David and Eileen Becker added to the back after purchasing the property in 1973.
Clark said the upstairs of the original building, which will add another 8 to 10 rooms, “will receive a heavier dose of love” in the second phase of their renovation.
“Those rooms are funky and different and kind of cool,” she said. “We’re probably going to renovate each with its own design, kind of a boutique vibe.”
And what about the Sterling Cafe, which was built around 1950 alongside the hotel on the same lot? It was renowned as the center of town gossip, endless coffee and strawberry rhubarb pie for old timers and newcomers alike. After being closed and falling into disrepair for decades, it is now listed for sale as-is and where-is with no property included.
“We’ve had multiple contractors and inspectors tell us it’s not structurally sound,” Clark said. “We wanted to offer it to anyone locally who felt like they could move it and take a crack at it. We figured we’d give it the summer. If it can’t be sold, and we end up needing to demolish it, we would work with Pratt to document an oral history and host a series of events to say goodbye to the building — not have it just disappear one day.”
The owners plan to operate year-round and hope the property will help support surrounding businesses by encouraging visitors to stay within walking distance of downtown restaurants, shops, galleries and attractions.
Future plans include a speakeasy serving small bites and signature cocktails and a catering kitchen for groups to self-cater. Outside, two fire pits will be the scene of nightly s’mores hours, and a refurbished sunken garden will create more space for guests to enjoy.
The Moosetide Hotel began welcoming guests July 1 after a phased soft opening. The Clarks plan some community open houses and a formal grand opening later in the summer.
“We’re really excited for (the hotel) to feel like part of the community again,” Clark said.
“We actually were surprised by how warm the community has been, how embraced we’ve felt,” she continued. “It’s kind of what we had hoped for, and we’ve landed really well here.”
The new owners have reciprocated and embraced Homer, too. Angie is putting her Emergency Medical Technician experience to work as part of the first cohort of trainees for Kachemak Bay Search & Rescue. Cheyenne plans to join the hockey team when it starts up in October. They are recycling blankets, toiletries, chairs and other items removed during renovations back into the community through donations to local organizations, including the Homer Community Food Pantry.
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