With a stay at The Bow Hotel, you'll be centrally located in Portsmouth, steps from Market Square and Warner House. .This hotel is 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Prescott Park and 0.3 mi (0.6 km) from Strawbery Banke Museum.
What's nearby
Market Square - 1 min walk - 0.0 miles
Seacoast Repertory Theatre - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
Warner House - 2 min walk - 0.1 miles
Strawbery Banke Museum - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
The Music Hall - 6 min walk - 0.4 miles
Getting around
Dover Transportation Center - 21 min drive
Portsmouth, NH (PSM-Portsmouth Intl.) - 14 min drive
Restaurants
Toscana Chophouse - 5 min walk
Surf Restaurant - 2 min walk
The Juicery - 5 min walk
Gas Light Pizza Pub - 3 min walk
Daniel Street Tavern - 2 min walk
About this property
The Bow Hotel
The Bow Hotel offers 10 air-conditioned accommodations with bathrobes and designer toiletries. Memory foam beds feature premium bedding. 32-inch flat-screen televisions come with cable channels.
Bathrooms include shower/tub combinations, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Housekeeping is offered on request and hypo-allergenic bedding can be requested.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Make yourself at home in one of the 10 air-conditioned rooms featuring flat-screen televisions. Your memory foam bed comes with premium bedding. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature designer toiletries and hair dryers.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as bicycles to rent, or other amenities including complimentary wireless internet access and concierge services.
Featured amenities include express check-in and luggage storage. Limited parking is available onsite.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Offsite parking available (USD 35 per night)
Limited onsite parking (max 1 space per unit)
Things to do
Bicycle rentals
Conveniences
Luggage storage
Virtual front desk
Guest services
Concierge services
Housekeeping (on request)
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
15 steps to reach entrance
Upper floors accessible by stairs only
More
Built in 1880
Designated smoking areas
Room amenities
Bedroom
Hypo-allergenic bedding
Memory foam mattress
Premium bedding
Bathroom
Bathrobes
Designer toiletries
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Shower/bathtub combination
Towels provided
Entertainment
32-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels
More
Air conditioning
Desk
Heating (climate-controlled)
Iron/ironing board
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: anytime
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 21
Check-out
Check-out before 11 AM
Late check-out subject to availability
A late check-out fee will be charged
Special check-in instructions
There is no front desk at this property
Guests will receive an email within 24 hours before arrival with check-in instructions and an access code; access will be through a private entrance
A virtual front desk provides assistance to guests
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Access code, private entrance
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Property payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Nearby parking fee: USD 35 per night (49 ft away)
Late check-out is available for a fee (subject to availability)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, and a first aid kit
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
This property welcomes guests of all sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+ friendly)
Property is also known as
Ale House Inn Portsmouth
Ale House Inn
Ale House Portsmouth
Ale House Hotel Portsmouth
Ale House Inn
The Bow Hotel Hotel
The Bow Hotel Portsmouth
The Bow Hotel Hotel Portsmouth
The Bow Hotel Reviews
Reviews
8.6
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 283 out of 521 reviews
10 - Excellent
283
Rating 8 - Good. 141 out of 521 reviews
8 - Good
141
Rating 6 - Okay. 60 out of 521 reviews
6 - Okay
60
Rating 4 - Poor. 20 out of 521 reviews
4 - Poor
20
Rating 2 - Terrible. 17 out of 521 reviews
2 - Terrible
17
9.2/10
Cleanliness
8.6/10
Staff & service
7.8/10
Amenities
8.8/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Catherine
Jan 25, 2026
Catherine
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2026
8/10 Good
Val
Traveled with group
Jan 4, 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The room was clean, the check-in was easy, and the overall accommodations were nice. What would make it even better is if the bed was not quite so soft.
Please let patrons know up front that parking is $35/NIGHT. The room was tight, but clean and modern. The mini fridge needs to be pulled out of the bottom of the closet. It was incredibly convenient to be on Bow street to walk anywhere we needed to in town. We saw a show in at The Rep theatre (same building), but we never heard any other shows, so it was lovely and quiet when we were in the room and common area.
Parking was hassle free, perfect!! Room was basic, but very comfortable and lovely. Easy access and close to everything we love about Portsmouth. Great location. The minimal interaction with staff was very friendly.
Very cute industrial chic with attention to detail, but our room was very small and all the furniture was quite low (for seniors). Digital check in, parking and location were all great.
The room at The Bow was lovely, clean and very quiet. Located in a great spot with easy walking to the shops, restaurants and waterfront. Although the room was a little too warm for us for sleeping, the bed and linens were so comfy!
No front desk???? Worst expierence I have every had. Clean rooms yes, but the hassle to get into the building was horrible. And the person who was on was so rude. I will never recommend this hotel to anyone.
Tracy
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
4/10 Poor
Sara
Traveled with partner
Nov 10, 2025
Disliked: Staff & service
The room was nice and the location was convenient however good luck getting anyone to help you. They give you a number to text and call for someone who will just say that they don’t know and hang up on you. You also can’t control the air only the heat which meant that we had to sleep with the windows open. Overall, there are better places to stay at Portsmouth.
The trash cans had not been emptied. The tv service was terrible- we couldn't find local news stations/CNN/ABC/ESPN etc or college football. Navigating the service was frustrating. The night noise was loud! There was a Louis vibration in the wall as well as exterior cycling of machinery on the ne t rooftop. I couldn't sleep.
Interesting experience. Place was clean and we loved the decor and the bed was amazing. There was no front desk or attendants on site though, everything was done through your phone, which we weren't expecting. The hotel has a tiny lot for parking though and you have to pay an extra $35 to park there. That was a bit frustrating. Overall ok, great central location, but we would take the parking price into account if we stayed here next time to see if it was worth it.
Great experience in a great location in Portsmouth! If you’re looking for a clean, comfortable stay, that embodies a self service model, this is your place. They have a cozy lounge area with games and couches, a self serve coffee station as well as snacks that you can purchase. Very comfortable and our room was spacious. Good communication with staff. Will definitely stay here again in the future.
Katherine
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025
4/10 Poor
Donald
Traveled with group
Oct 29, 2025
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Open Key App was a complete failure, but call to the 24hr help line provided pass codes allowing entry. The rest was okay - fair location for walkable downtown activities but view to the roof of the abutting building wasn't exactly the river view I had hoped for and had led to my choice. Several better, more reasonably priced alternatives in the area.
The room was just perfect. We had the petite queen and it had everything in it that we could want or need for our two night stay. I had no trouble checking in. If I needed to call and ask a question there was always someone available by phone. The ability to park right opposite was super. The area is so pretty and right on the water. The only thing to mention but it did not bother us was the heaviness of the doors when they opened or shut and the thin walls. However, during the night we heard nothing and that's all we cared about. Will definitely stay again!
Roni
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
6/10 Okay
Mary
Oct 24, 2025
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Ok parking across street. Need to be careful as it is a curve & locals speed
Check in directions sent via text were not clear. And, I was with other guests all standing outside trying to figure out how the front door opened. the key pix should not be sent first, when it is not the first thing a guest has to deal with. Otherwise, it was a nice place to stay.
Not having staff was weird. Got an email to do a keyless room entry did that and wouldn’t work. Had to call and figure out how to get a key. Again no staff and no direction was a little weird. Room had an odd odor. Overall did not feel comfortable here probably wouldn’t come back.
Megan
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025
4/10 Poor
JAMES
Oct 18, 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Contactless check-in sucks! We never got the code for the entrance, had to wait for a guest to let us in and give us the code. The app to use open door took forever to download and another guest said theirs never worked. The room is small and bare bones, the bathroom about the size of a closet. More like a hostel than a hotel.