Hotel Thaxter

Hotel Thaxter is a charming spot in an equally charming town. The atmosphere is warm and thoughtfully curated, and the attached restaurant is an absolute standout—worth a visit even if you’re only in town for the night. The staff is top notch, even going out of their way to help me print a few things. The only drawback is the hotel’s habit of leaving doors open to housekeeping areas, kitchen access points, and other back-of-house spaces. It detracts from the otherwise polished aesthetic and feels like an easy fix. My recommendation: keep those doors closed at all times to preserve the guest experience. That aside, it’s a lovely place and well worth a stay.

Stayed here during a business trip and had a wonderful stay. Starting from pre-arrival, the hotel called me since I left a note regarding late check in (after midnight) to ensure I understood directions to check in. Check in was extremely easy. Loved not having a room key and being able to use a code. Hotel is impeccably kept. The hotel bed was very comfortable and one of the best I've ever slept on. Bathroom was great with an excellent large shower and great shampoo/conditioner (so no need to bring your own). Best was the heated bathroom floors! Appreciate the little details like having free womens feminine products available. I was pleasantly surprised to see there was an elevator to the second floor (most inns in Portsmouth are stairs only). Great, quiet location and I never heard any neighbors. Nespresso machine (happy to see since I only drink espresso) in lobby along with snacks, and free water. I travel to Portsmouth quite a bit for work and would rate this hotel in top 3 of places to stay here. I used to stay at chains for work but only stay at inns now in Portsmouth and never regret it. Highly recommend a stay here.

Hotel Thaxter is a well designed hotel in an excellent location, walkable to much of what Portsmouth has to offer. The design, decor, and overall ambiance are upscale and thoughtfully done. The staff we interacted with were polite and helpful within the constraints of hotel policy. Unfortunately, our experience was soured by a major issue with noise. Despite booking one of the hotel’s upgraded rooms, we were placed in a room where the kitchen’s industrial extraction fans were located directly outside the window. These fans run all night (they can’t be turned off due to fire regulations), and the noise level was astonishing, it genuinely sounded like a jet engine was roaring outside our room at 3am. Nowhere in the booking process was this mentioned as a possible disturbance. It’s hard to understand why a hotel would designate a room with such a significant flaw as an upgrade. When we raised our concerns, it became clear that because we had booked through a third-party site, the hotel was not interested in helping in any meaningful way. We were not offered a refund so we could move to another hotel. Instead, we were offered a downgraded room for the same price we had paid for the upgrade. To make matters worse, my wife suffers from a hearing condition that makes loud or persistent noise extremely painful. The staff’s response to this was disappointing, they offered earplugs, which we already know are ineffective for her. If they worked, we would carry them ourselves. There was no real understanding or accommodation for her disability from either staff or management. In short: while Hotel Thaxter has many positives in terms of design and location, travelers with noise sensitivity, or those booking through third-party sites, should be cautious. We had hoped for a relaxing stay but left feeling let down by both the room experience and the hotel’s rigid, impersonal policies.