Just before the sun came up, chaos checked in early at the Holiday Inn on 2nd Street. Staff frantically dialed 911 after spotting a well-known homeless woman — infamous around town for her bizarre and often alarming behavior — wandering the property once again.
The woman, who’s been banned from businesses across Portsmouth, was reportedly highly agitated and possibly on drugs, though police later determined she wasn’t under the influence at that moment. Still, officers reminded her that she was trespassed from the hotel and ordered her to leave.
But the drama wasn’t done.
Just an hour later, the hotel rang police again — this time reporting a different person sleeping on a bench along the west side of the building. By the time cops rolled up, the mystery napper had vanished into the early morning fog.
🏨 A Big Problem for Local Hotels
Incidents like this might sound like late-night nuisances, but they’re a major headache for businesses — especially hotels trying to provide a safe, welcoming space for guests. For staff, it’s not just about safety. It’s about protecting the hotel’s reputation, preventing damage, and keeping guests from checking out early — or never checking in at all.
🌆 Bad PR for a City on the Rise?
Portsmouth has been working hard to reinvent itself — with riverfront concerts, festivals, and downtown business investments aimed at turning the city into a tourism and business destination. But ongoing problems with mental health, homelessness, and drug use — especially in high-traffic areas like hotels — risk unraveling those efforts.
No traveler wants to dodge trespassers on their way to breakfast, and no investor wants to pour money into a city with front-page problems and back-alley solutions.
