A black bear recently made unexpected appearances at a hotel and a restaurant in Seward without any prior reservations. The bear’s adventure began at the Breeze Inn on a Sunday afternoon when it entered through a side door that had been left open for cleaning purposes. To the surprise of the hotel staff, the bear strolled into the front lobby and settled comfortably on a sofa.
Cheryl Verschueren, the one who was at the front desk, was astonished by the unexpected guest and wondered how the bear had managed to get inside. Phil Valenza, a maintenance worker at the hotel, heard the commotion and joined in to help persuade the bear to leave. Valenza humorously recounted his encounter with the bear, explaining that he even considered reaching for his pocket knife but realized it wouldn’t be of much use.
Hotel staff propped open the front doors and encouraged the bear to exit, successfully ending its visit to the Breeze Inn. However, the bear’s adventure continued the following day when it found its way into Chinook’s Restaurant. Customers were surprised to encounter the bear emerging from the restaurant’s front door.
Hillary Bean, co-owner of Chinook’s Restaurant, shared a video of the bear’s exit from the establishment. She mentioned that the bear returned later and was seen walking along the restaurant’s back walkway, prompting employees to quickly close a side door to prevent it from re-entering.
Fortunately, no one was harmed during these encounters, and the community found the incidents more amusing than frightening. However, there is concern for the bear’s safety. Some residents worry that the bear may face harm, and they hope for a more positive outcome.
As of now, there have been no reports of these bear encounters to state officials, and the Alaska Department of Fish & Game has not planned any actions involving the bear.
