The Hotel Portsmouth in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a fantastic little city on the Granite State seacoast, home to some of the state’s best restaurants, historic sites, and shops. Planning a Portsmouth getaway? First, you’ll need to decide where to stay. Here’s a list of some of our favorite Portsmouth, NH, hotels, and inns to consider. Most are located within walking distance of downtown, but we’ve included a few worthy options just outside Portsmouth, too.
Market Square in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
BEST OF PORTSMOUTH, NH | HOTELS & INNS
DOWNTOWN PORTSMOUTH BOUTIQUE HOTELS, INNS & B&Bs
HOTEL PORTSMOUTH
A 2015 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Historic Mansion,” the Hotel Portsmouth (formerly the Sise Inn) is a 32-room 1881 mansion that’s been rehabbed to perfection. Combining vintage charm and clean, modern lines, the hotel offers two cozy gathering rooms, a complimentary gourmet continental breakfast, and free parking. Our favorite perk? The super-friendly and knowledgeable staff. Ask them for a great local dinner recommendation.
ALE HOUSE INN
A sister property to the Hotel Portsmouth and a 2013 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Modern Touch,” the Ale House Inn is located in the 1880 Portsmouth Brewing Company building on historic Bow Street and overlooks the Piscataqua River. Offering 10 cozy yet modern rooms, the Ale House Inn (named one of the nation’s top beer hotels by Bon Appétit) celebrates its brewing history by handing all guests a bottle from local brewer Smuttynose at check-in.
THE SAILMAKER’S HOUSE
Steps away from the Strawbery Banke Museum and the waterfront gardens of Prescott Park, The Sailmaker’s House (formerly the Inn at Strawbery Banke) is the seacoast’s newest independent, boutique inn, with ten bright and colorful en-suite guest rooms. You can also enjoy a 3-season garden area complete with cherry and peach trees.
MARTIN HILL INN
Looking for a classic Portsmouth, NH, bed-and-breakfast experience? A 10-minute walk from downtown favorites like Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café and the Music Hall, the 19th-century Martin Hill Inn was a 2015 Yankee Editors’ Pick for “Best Garden B&B,” a nod to its backyard perennial gardens.
DOWNTOWN PORTSMOUTH CHAIN HOTELS
Looking for Portsmouth, NH, hotels of the more familiar chain variety? You’re in luck. In downtown Portsmouth, hotels like the Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Marriott Residence Inn blend in with the local architecture and are located just a few minutes’ walk to Portsmouth’s best restaurants and shops. Meanwhile, the sprawling Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside, located in the downtown historic waterfront district, overlooks the Maine coast and Portsmouth Harbor.
The Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside in a popular hotel in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Photo Credit : Sheraton Harbor PortsmouthThe Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside overlooks Portsmouth Harbor. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
OUTSIDE PORTSMOUTH | NOTABLE SPOTS
If the downtown Portsmouth, NH, hotels mentioned above don’t fit your needs, here are a few more Yankee-approved Portsmouth-area choices to consider.
Originally built in 1932 for Phillips Exeter Academy, the Exeter Inn in Exeter offers Georgian-style elegance in its 46 guest rooms and five suites, while the 1649 Three Chimneys Inn in Durham boasts 23 rooms divvied up between the main inn and the 1795 carriage house, plus an on-site tavern. Finally, for New Hampshire seacoast visitors in search of the ultimate in luxury, Wentworth by the Sea in nearby New Castle is the obvious choice. As one of New Hampshire’s true “grand hotels,” the Wentworth is the region’s only remaining historic seaside resort. Now owned and operated by Marriott, the Wentworth offers more than 150 guest rooms and suites, a full-service spa, two pools, and access to a country club and marina.
Where are your favorite Portsmouth, NH, hotels and inns?
This post was first published in 2017 and has been updated.
