The Sailmaker's House

The Sailmaker's House is an adults-only inn in a historic building, with garden views, an inner courtyard and the sort of setting that suits a couple who would rather walk to dinner than queue at a buffet. The atmosphere is built around the house itself: outdoor seating, a terrace, a balcony and a shared lounge give you several places to put your feet up without retreating straight to your room.

The property is geared towards English-speaking guests, with the hotel website and booking information presented in English. It is also a non-smoking property, with air conditioning and heating in the rooms, so the practical side of the stay is covered when the weather does what it likes. The inn is known as The Sailmaker's House in the booking information and as Hotel Thaxter on its official website.

You are in Portsmouth, United States, at 15 Middle Street, close to the historic centre rather than beside the coast. The African Burying Ground is a four-minute walk away, while the John Paul Jones House is about 0.3 miles from the inn. This is a location for exploring Portsmouth on foot, with the town's history and restaurants close enough that your car can take the evening off.

A few useful landmarks sit nearby. Haven Park is about 0.3 miles away, South Mill Pond about 0.3 miles, and Four Tree Island roughly 0.6 miles. Wallis Sands Beach is 4.5 miles away by road, taking around nine minutes by car. Portsmouth International Airport at Pease is about 2.3 miles away, with Manchester Boston Regional Airport much farther out at roughly 44 miles by road.

The room choice is mainly about how much space you want around the bed. The smaller Queen Room is a compact option for a couple travelling light, while the larger queen and king rooms give you more breathing room for bags, wet-weather clothing and the usual collection of chargers that somehow multiplies on every trip. The king rooms use super-king beds, and the Deluxe King Suite is the one to consider when you want a separate step up in space or are travelling with more than two adults.

Rooms have private bathrooms, air conditioning, heating, a fan, a television, a work desk and views over the garden or city, depending on the room. There is also an alarm clock, a hairdryer and free toiletries. In plain terms, you can cool down, shower, dry off and settle in without needing to turn the room into a temporary expedition base.

The adults-only policy makes the inn naturally suited to couples and adult travellers. The booking conditions state that children are not allowed, while the fine print says guests aged 12 and over can be accommodated; the minimum age for check-in is 21. That is one point to settle before booking, particularly if your group includes younger teenagers.

Dinner is handled on site by Nichinan, an intimate Japanese restaurant just steps from the guest rooms. The menu is contemporary Japanese, with sushi and cocktails among the reasons to stay in rather than head back out into Portsmouth. After a full day of travel, sightseeing or generally making the most of the coast, that short walk has obvious appeal.

Nichinan serves dinner from Sunday to Thursday between 5pm and 9pm, and from 5pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. There is no breakfast arrangement described here, so your morning plan belongs outside the dining room: Portsmouth is close at hand, and the inn also has fruit and a snack bar for something less ambitious than a full meal.

When you are not eating or heading out, the property keeps things deliberately easy. The garden, picnic area, terrace, balcony and outdoor furniture give you places to sit with a drink, a book or simply the rare luxury of not having an appointment. The inner courtyard adds another quiet corner, while the shared lounge gives you a change of scene when the room starts to feel too sensible.

For a little more activity, there is a games room with board games and puzzles. Bike tours and walking tours are available, and the official programme also covers harbour cruises, fishing charters, art gallery tours and cultural outings such as the USS Albacore Museum, Prescott Park Gardens and the Great Bay Discovery Center. Haunted Portsmouth Tours and craft brewery tours are also part of the local line-up. Choose your pace carefully; nobody awards extra points for turning a recovery day into an endurance event.

The town setting works well for a couple with different ideas about the afternoon. One of you can take a walking tour, the other can settle in the lounge, and you can meet again for Japanese dinner without organising a complicated transfer.

Check-in runs from 4pm to 11pm, and you need to tell the property your expected arrival time in advance. Check-out is available from midnight until 11am, which gives you a broad departure window, although an early-morning start still deserves a little planning. Express check-in and check-out are available, and daily housekeeping is included.

Free private parking is available on site, but spaces are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. That matters if you are driving into Portsmouth at a busy time. WiFi is free throughout the property, and the rooms include a socket near the bed, flat-screen television, cable channels, a radio and an iPod dock.

Portsmouth International Airport at Pease is about 2.3 miles away, around an eight-minute drive. Manchester Boston Regional Airport is roughly 44 miles away by road. The minimum check-in age is 21, pets are not allowed, and the property is non-smoking throughout. The inn is best suited to adults who want a walkable Portsmouth base, on-site dinner and a historic building rather than a large resort with a long list of facilities.