Clipper Ship Inn

Motel · Salem

Clipper Ship Inn

Motel · Salem
40 Bridge St, Salem, MA 01970

Photos

Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null
Clipper Ship Inn by null

Highlights

Nestled in a humble property, this clean and cozy motel offers free parking, Wi-Fi, and picnic spots, wrapping you in comfort just steps from downtown Salem.  

Placeholder
Placeholder

40 Bridge St, Salem, MA 01970 Get directions

$$

Information

Static Map

40 Bridge St, Salem, MA 01970 Get directions

+1 978 745 8022

$$

Features

wifi
payment credit card

Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.

Courtney G

Google
Before staying at this hotel, I was worried by the negative reviews. But it was the best price in Salem so I felt my only choice. When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised, the woman working the front counter was very friendly and informative. She let us check in hours early with no problem and gave us a map of salem and circled some popular restaurants and attractions, gave us walking directions and the number to the salem taxi. The room itself was very clean and nicer than expected. Mind you though, this is a 2 star hotel, so it's of course not going to be luxurious or have new furniture. But it fit our needs perfectly, we stayed for 4 nights and everything was great. I would stay here again.

Casey Tyll

Google
There are many reasons we didn’t enjoy our stay. Please remember we only used the inn for sleep. We were gone all day. The bath tub had mold, they told us someone was in the office till 10 and at 8 we had to go to the store to get ice. The machine was in the office. The worst part is the woman that checked us in. “ I have never had to pay a deposit anywhere.” Said I needed to leave 100.00 deposit. I wanted to give cash. She had my card because of doing room charges and charged that too. I said I did not want that on my card she assured me it wouldn’t. It did. Surprise. Not only showed but was charged. I called to get a refund. She asked me if there was damage to the room. I would think she would know that. It was a scam. They got an extra 100 from us. Stay away. I told them I would give a review. I also said I would review to the chamber of commerce . Please stay away. The 2 ladies in the next room also had issues with the people in the office.

April Luper

Google
A quite older motel. The rooms were comfy and clean. The staff really drove the 5 stars. My friend and I get cold easy and even though they don't turn the heat on in September they brought us up a space heater so we could be comfortable. I would stay here again and it was priced right. It's close to every thing including a beach not but a 4 minute drive. A restaurant right across the road that gives you a 10 percent discount if you tell them your staying in the clipper. They have a strict keep it quite policy so don't plan on be loud.

Samantha Moore

Google
So I I stayed her awhile ago. But it wasn’t a good experience the room didn’t have heat in October so I asked for more more blankets and the front decks told my NO! I was so upset I’m on my vacation I spent good money well I felt like good money to enjoy my time. To no heat in October with no blankets! So I went cvs and bought a heating pad to keep myself warm in bed. And I was so busy doing other stuff besides sleep. But I froze. But when we checked in is smelt of cats in the front office and food. You could see the chicken carcass. We were in one room originally but it smelt of cigarette but me or my companion r smokers so we asked for a none smoking room and we go the no heat room I guess 😬😒 . I will never go back unless it’s owned or ran by different owns.

Wesley Salen

Google
Undoubtably the rudest staff I have every encountered. The rooms were as expected and suited our needs. Be weary if extra charges that they will hit you with. I would not stay here again because of the owner and receptionists disrespect. I went on a two day trip with a couple of old friends and was belittled for having alcohol bottles in the hotel, I was forcefully told to bring garbage down, and my friend was insulted for asking to be let into the room after we temporarily misplaced the key. All in all, nice 2 star hotel, incredibly nasty staff, and an owner who has no tact when it comes to dealing with guests. Enjoy your trip to Salem and stay someplace that embodies the beauty of the city.

John Martine

Google
We were headed to a conference, then found out there was no early check in and had to find a room quickly. This was pleasant surprise. Clean rooms, keurig coffeemaker comfortable beds and towels were nicer than at the Hampton Inn night before. I think it was a deal and would stay here again.

Chris Long

Google
Ok, so you have to accept what you are doing. You are saving money by staying here. The rooms are large, but sparsely furnished and older. Everything was clean though, no complaints there. Would you stay here with your family? I wouldn't, I just needed a quick and cheap place to sleep for the night but there's absolutely nothing wrong with the hotel. So just know what you are getting when you stay here.

Ellen McGirk

Google
Our room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. The owner was very friendly and helpful with information about the area. The location was close to everything in Salem and it was a convenient commuter train ride into Boston. We would absolutely stay there again.

Kay V.

Yelp
I must say I was terrified to stay here after reading some reviews but the bad ones couldn't be farther from the truth. I stayed here one night in October to experience Salem. I was immediately greeted with kindness. The front woman was extremely helpful & even let us check in early! I was told 4pm checkin but arrived around 12pm and was given access to my room nonetheless. After checkin she took the time to explain the main / best things to do in Salem & how we are walking distance from there. The room was spacious and tidy. I really enjoyed the space aspect of it. I saw cleaning staff throughout my whole stay keeping the rooms & grounds clean. The best thing about this hotel is the price and location. You have access to parking & can walk within 10-15 min to all of Salem's main attractions. Since parking is limited in town this is a huge help & I know my car is safe back at the Clippers Ship Inn. Across the street is a convenience store and a Dunkin' Donuts. I really enjoyed my stay here & highly recommended for anything visiting Salem, especially during busy/ expensive Halloween season.

Cailin C.

Yelp
Not worth the stay. Lobby was filthy, there were trash bags and sticky empty cans all over the tables, and stacks of paper all over the place. There are people who live here full time and the guest staying next to us was intrusive and made us incredibly uncomfortable. They had a cat running around, and they were always outside trying to chase the cat down and chain smoking cigarettes. She at one point had asked me to climb through her open window to unlock her door as she had locked her keys inside and was mad when I said no. Very strange situation. The room itself was ok at first, the mattress and pillows were uncomfortable and the air conditioner didn't work. I would've opened the windows but didn't feel safe doing that with our neighbor milling about, and the other windows had no screens so bugs could get in. When we were getting to leave I noticed a mouse/bug trap behind our refrigerator. Had I noticed this when I arrived I don't think I would've stayed. Wont be returning.

Holly T.

Yelp
I'm not sure where to start. I wish I could give zero stars. We had 4 in our party and shared 1 room. 1. $475 for 2 nights + $100 mandatory deposit after I had already paid in full prior. 2. Not in walking distance from Salem center unless you plan on walking A LOT 3. On check-in, the woman looked and acted high. 4. Alongside the hotel, in the same parking lot is what looks like crack houses. 5. Room did not have a deadbolt. I questioned if that was even legal. 6. The air barely even worked. After walking outside all day in the heat and sun the air was a huge issue. 7. 2 of the outlets in the room actually worked. The rest either didn't work or the plugs would fall right out. I gjestioned electric safety. 8. Walking into the room I was taken back to the 70s with the mustard walls, old furniture, bright red sink (matched nothing), and 2 beds that kinda matched-ish. 9. I can't describe the mattresses as bad as that really are bull I'll try. Imaging a think plastic baby mattress that creeks and squeeks every time you evenslightly move. 10. I wouldn't get under the blankets or even lift them up. I slept on top with a sweatshirt. 11. We spent the first 30 min in the room killing bugs of different types. 12. I wouldn't walk on the floor without shoes. 13. My Daughter wouldn't shower without flip flips on. 14. No phone chargers in the lamps. Since we couldn't use the outlets we had to take turns charging. 15. The smell in the non smoking room was of old stale smoke covered by some type of spray to cover it. 16. The shower didn't shut off unless you played with the handle. 17. The coffee k-cup machine didn't work. 18. No hangers in the closet. 19. No ironing board with the iron that was there. 20. I wouldn't put my bags on the floor in case there were bugs. 21. I felt the need to inspect between the mattresses for bed bugs and thankfully didn't find any. 22. Housecleaning made 1 out of 2 beds. 23. Couldn't turn the bathroom light on at night because it was so loud it corks wake everyone up. 24. Just when we thought we killed all the bugs, on day 2, we came back to the room and found more. All that for a total of $575 plus tax Please don't waste your time and money.

Ryan D.

Yelp
Manual locks don't work well on the doors. Very thin walls. No fridge. Very confused front desk lady who would rather watch "real housewives" than help the customers. Spend your money elsewhere and closer to the main strip. Very out of date business who won't even use trip advisor.

Sarah C.

Yelp
The front desk lady is rude and should not be running this place. My flight was delayed 5 hours so I ended up arriving at 3:30AM. When I found out my flight was delayed, I called and explained the situation and asked if it would still be okay for us to check in at that time. Everything seemed to be fine she said we would have to pay an extra 25$ for late checkin - ok I guess- upon arrival she tried to charge me 50$ extra for late checkin, said she tried to contact me but couldn't get ahold of me (obviously as I just flew several hours on a plane from Hawaii) ended up "compromising" and paying 35$ for a late check in fee. The rooms are old and dirty with moldy showers. Smell of musty cigarettes and nothing works in the room. The curtains don't even close all the way so people can look right in your room. DO NOT STAY HERE EVEN IF ITS THE ONLY CHOICE. BETTER OFF SLEEPING IN YOUR CAR.

Knickerbocker R.

Yelp
I am not sure what other reviewers were expecting but I enjoyed my stay here. I did a last minute booking for my husband and I on a last minute trip to Salem in October...and I must say I am very satisfied with my stay. The room had everything I needed. I like my room freezing and that is the only reason I did not give it a 5 star rating. Check in and check out were great. My husband enjoyed his shower which is one of the things I consider when reviewing any establishment. We walked into town, which is a healthy 0.9 walk to the attractions. I honestly would not think twice about staying here. The key and lock did not bother me. It actually reminded me of the good old days.

Paulie G.

Yelp
My gf and I stayed 2 nights and our room was very clean and the staff was very nice and pleasant. Giving 4 stars for that. I do want to mention that when we first got there to check in, the office was in shambles, a very messy front desk, cat food on the counter and garbage on the floor. Like a tornado hit. I began panicking with anxiety worrying about what we would find in the room. We were pleasantly surprised, it was clean. We later learned that they were short staff due to Covid.

Karim P.

Yelp
So I had made the wrong reservation for a last minute trip before I came to Salem. Called two days before and asked if they could help, and no problems at all. She said it was easier to move people around during the weekdays, called me back and let me know everything would be fine. There was no one in the front when I arrived, turns out the lady at the front (never caught her name) was doing the laundry! Also, I lost my ID the second I arrived, went to her and she saw a picture of it on my phone, took all the info down, took my deposit for damages to the room, and proceeded to show me all the neat things to check out, what beaches to go to, and what the best restaurants were. Gave me my keys and wished me a nice trip! Room was super clean, extra towels, two sinks lmao, bedding was clean, bed was super comfy, didn't need anything extra. I'm so grateful that we found this place, and next time we come to Salem, I know where I'm staying! Thank you clipper shipp inn!

Jason A.

Yelp
Checked in late on a Friday night with a party of 4, received 4 Dunkin cards, nice! That's where the nice ended. The room was old, no deadbolt, smelled like an old smoking room, hard bed, junk pillows. Budget room, whatever, we're easy going people... Return from a very long day of tourism in town at around 11pm to find a large gray boot over our door knob. Like a chastity device. After waking up the night woman, an older blonde lady, I was told that we had extra people who she needed to be paid for before she could let us into our room. She demanded an extra $50 per night (3 night stay=$150) for our 2 "additional guests" (who were present and given gift cards to Dunkin the previous evening, mind you). "We tried to call you 3 times and couldn't get a reply, so we had no choice but to lock you out". Now if you ran your business in an organized and linear fashion, you would have checked the ID, the credit card and contact information against the reservation on file at the time of check in. The reservation was made months ago and the number had changed. Ok... Fine.... So we settle that and she says she'll be right up to let us in. 15 minutes later we're still standing outside with all of our stuff from the days adventures as it's started to rain. When she finally wanders up to let us in, I'm smoking a cigarette against the balcony railing. She makes a comment about some empty coffee cups that were with our things and then proceeds to snip that the rooms are not to be smoked in... Yeah? Well no shit Dick Tracy. The 73 signs all over the hotel were plenty of notice of that, on top of the 3 in our room. I don't smoke in hotel rooms or in my own home even, I can't stand the stale smoke odor. Funny that this room was full of that old smoke smell though..... The proper way to handle this situation would have been to bill us at check out for the extras incurred, just like every hotel in the US, Canada and probably almost everywhere else in the world. If not that, slip a bill or a note under the door, that would have sufficed also. You don't isolate paying customers from their private possessions because you lack basic customer service and comprehension skills. Lucky for you none of us had any serious meds that we had forgotten... good thing there wasn't an emergency since you were konked out, mouth agape, when we were trying to retire for the night. Avoid this place... Going to check our bags for missing items now, will update this review upon checkout with further details as they present themselves.....

Miki C.

Yelp
The place is an absolute dump. The staff is very rude and they took $364 from my reservation with Expedia and then refused to let us stay there. She claimed she had no reservation or money from me to hold the rooms. When I showed her the proof she denied it and I called her out on several lies. I traveled dix hours with my children and was left with nowhere to stay and she had half of my money. When I was in the lobby, another guest came up to my husband and said its not even worth it, to go somewhere else. As we were leaving to look for another hotel, we seen a rat in broad daylight in the parking lot. So probably was a blessing in disguise. But she still has my money. I will never ever recommend that place, not even to my worst enemy. Absolutely horrible all the way around. I only choose 1 star because this website makes you. I wouldn't give it a 1 star at all

Kelly R.

Yelp
Stayed at the Clipper Ship Inn because of its proximity to downtown Salem, which was great. Parking here was also great. That is pretty much where anything great stops. Check in and check out process is incredibly long as everything is done "the old fashioned way," handwritten receipts, stacks of paperwork everywhere etc. Not terrible, but make sure you have nowhere to be when checking in. We were given our room key and found that we were unable to open our door with it, as the lock stuck with that key. When asking to switch rooms or to get another key, we were given an attitude and told not to complain because our room was very nice (we had not even been able to see it yet because we could not access it). Reluctantly, they swapped the key for their set of keys, and all was finally well. The room left a lot to be desired and was not as clean as you would hope for. However, we didn't have high hopes, but for the price per night, a clean room would have been nice. We were told if we left the air conditioner on when we were not in the room, we would be charged extra for it, and upon check out, someone had to physically go to our room to check for damages before we left - which I have never experienced even at higher end hotels. Would recommend you stay elsewhere, or that you bring your own bed sheets to stay at the Clipper Ship Inn.

Ken L.

Yelp
In most parts of the country, this would be an average outdated $49 motel. However, Salem has very few hotels and if you insist on staying in town in the summer, you are going to pay a lot for the privilege. The room was a good size and completely clean. Staff was friendly. WiFi speed was good. That's all the good news. The room lock was a standard household door lock with no safety latch or dead bolt. It did not make us feel very secure. The air conditioner was a home window unit which meant that if you wanted to use the A/C, you had to leave your drapes open for everyone on the walkway outside to look in. The place looks like it was built in the 1950's and has had only the minimal possible upgrades since then. Pillows were thin slabs of foam rubber. Water faucet was difficult to adjust between off and such high pressure that water splashed out of the sink onto the user. I was awakened early (too early) in the morning from the sounds of the plumbing from people flushing toilets and turning on showers. My wife made the mistake of opening a small bottle of body lotion that came with the room and accidently spilling some of it on the countertop. It smelled so bad that she cleaned it up as best as she could and flushed the contents down the toilet. The sickening smell was still there the next day. The location is not in the touristy part of town. You have to walk (or drive) about a mile for that. If I had to go to Salem again, I would either spend the extra $75 to stay at a better place, or stay in another town and drive in.

Gale L.

Yelp
Was mot impressed with this inn. 5 minutes after we got to our room someone came into our room with a key. Which brings me to my first problem, no inside lock, just a push button on the door knob. I am diabetic, there was no refrigerator. There was an ice machine but it was in the office and the office was locked at night. The beds were squeaky. No complimentary breakfast, which i did know about. The good was the air conditioner worked good.

Cadence S.

Yelp
sketchy, the workers were surprised the air worked. the beds weren't even ready either, no fitted sheets. The receptionist forgot we were even coming

Coley G.

Yelp
I booked a room here on Hotwire last minute (the night before arrival) for $145. It was the only hotel with available rooms on 9/1/18 according to all the booking sites. My husband and I decided to visit Salem for our 5th wedding anniversary with our newly adopted one year old... so although it's rated as a two star hotel and had copious bad reviews, we decided how bad could it really be? All we really needed was a place to sleep and shower... we were interested in exploring anyways! We arrived at 1pm and decided to see if we could get an early check in. That was no problem. But here is the kicker... the woman at the front desk was allegedly quite rude to my husband and advised that we would need to pay an extra guest fee for our one year old (a child who doesn't even use the toilet or coffee maker or even walk on the sidewalks at the hotel). My husband was irritated and wanted to leave. I told my husband to just do it because it was our anniversary and I'd rather pay a stupid fee than waste my time searching for another hotel. We made our peace with it and parked our car. As I was getting my child out of the car, a woman with blonde hair sternly called out to us across the parking lot asking us if we had a child with us. I said yes and with the worst attitude ever she responded "well did you let the woman at the front desk know?" I said yes. She then responded that she was going to check to make sure and that she'd get us a crib... something I don't need. Walking up the stairs, we were greeted by a housekeeper who was very sweet and complimented us on how cute our baby was. Finally, We were getting our things ready in our room and the woman from the front desk came up with a crib. She was very nice to me and made sure we had everything we needed. Other than the horrendous customer service and cold reception... everything was fine. The property is clean and nicely landscaped. The rooms are dated but very clean (can I praise the housekeeper again? She's their saving grace.) We had an air conditioner in the window that was very cold. I paid $175 to stay here for one night. I think that entitles me to some common decency and respect. Yelling at me across a parking lot, like I'm a school kid being reprimanded by my mother for potentially doing the wrong thing was totally out of line. And for that reason alone, I will not be back. It was a special day for me. So I didn't let the crappy service get me down. However, I was left with a bad enough taste in my mouth to write a negative review. If you plan to stay here... get ready to pay $25 +tax for every additional person... even your one year old children that can fly on airplanes and go to Disney World for free.

Scott D.

Yelp
The desk person hit me up for an extra hundred dollar security deposit and I said no and she said she was gonna call the police, fu

Brendan G.

Yelp
Let me first say, I sent them a request through their "Contact Us" form on their website, and they never responded to it. Not one response whatsoever. So after hearing no response, my best friend was able to secure a room for the night there, and let me know we could change into our wedding attire and go over together for a wedding that day at 4:30pm. My wife and I got there just before noon (there were exactly 4 cars in the parking lot when we pulled in), and my best friend, his girlfriend, my wife and I decided to go out for lunch. We walked to the local 99 pub, then we came back to the room, got changed, and went to the wedding. We took a cab from the "hotel" (the cab company that the "hotel" recommended to my best friend's girlfriend during check-in) to the wedding venue, had a great time at the wedding, then came back, with my wife was feeling fine to drive (there were now 5 cars in the parking lot, not including ours). So we went into the room, I went to the bathroom, then we left for home. After that happened the front desk person (a rude woman whom I didn't get the name of) called my best friend (at 10:45 at night) to say they would be charged extra for the "guests" in the room overnight. My wife and I had left much earlier in fact we were home in Marlborough, MA at 11:20pm (it's over an hour and 15 minutes drive, so they called at least 20 minutes after we had left). Please keep in mind they said to my best friend's girlfriend they saw us leave in a cab earlier in the day, and come back in a cab tonight, but Somehow ApPaReNtLy didn't see us leaving on the cameras for the night. When my best friend's girlfriend told the very rude woman that we did not stay the night, that we just came into the room to get changed, she said she didn't believe them, as, and I quote, "what wedding takes 10 hours?" My best friend and his girlfriend were incensed that the "hotel" would be SoOoOo persistent with checking the cameras to see when we left and came back from the wedding, but not that my wife and I left before staying the night. My best friend and his girlfriend (after being treated like absolute trash by the staff) checked out, because who would want to stay in a "hotel" that treats people like garbage. And just for full disclosure, I keep saying "hotel" because it's standards and living arrangements are about on par with tv show motels where prostitutes get murdered. TL:DR - Garbage rooms, Garbage staff, Garbage place to stay. You're better off sleeping in your car. Avoid at all costs, literally.

Ann Marie M.

Yelp
Stayed here earlier this week, the room was spacious, and close to Salem! The woman at the desk was kind and welcoming, constantly checking with us making sure we had directions. Highly recommend if you're looking for a homey place to stay I Salem

Taylor S.

Yelp
I have never left a review regarding anywhere I have stayed, but I felt the need to warn others of this place. Let me start off by stating some of the few things I liked about the Clipper Inn, the cleaning staff was amazing, super nice and accommodating. The walk to all the shops, restaurants, tourist attractions, etc in Salem was just about a mile, so easy to walk to which was fantastic! Now, let me get to the negative aspects of the Clipper Inn. This place has not been renovated since the witch trials, but that is not even the worst part. The women at the front desk was extremely rude, not just on one occasion, but the whole weekend. Everything was an issue, and she wanted to charge us for every extra thing. I left a $100 deposit which I better get back as the room was cleaner than when I arrived. I had a third person stay in the room with us which was unplanned, the room was a suite, with two beds and pull-out couch. She charged us an extra $80 for the person to stay... I have never had that happen before. She asked multiple times all weekend if they stayed with me and I am sure they were watching us through the cameras, no joke it was that sketchy. My family and I were standing in the parking lot making plans for the day and she comes out and counts the people in our group and asking us questions, it was so uncomfortable. All to get the extra money from the third guest... For a "super busy hotel" she was awfully desperate for that $80. Once we started walking to town, she gets in her truck and starts going in the same direction we are walking. She slows down behind us and is driving behind us for a few before driving away, it was so bizarre. She also called my family member on Thursday afternoon and canceled their room for Saturday night due to overbooking. THE NIGHT BEFORE, we were traveling from NY, like what kind of system do you have that you don't notice overbooking until one night before? We booked this hotel in August there is no reason their room should have been canceled. They were going to stay in our room that night since they didn't have a room and she wanted to charge them an extra $50!!! Like are you kidding me? They made an error and wanted them to pay? They ended up having the room available after all. Overall, pay the extra money to stay somewhere else, you'll end up paying more here with all the extra fees anyway.

Rum T.

Yelp
Worst customer service ever. Perhaps I should blame Expedia for the booking issue. Either way, after reading the reviews it may have been a blessing.

Kimberly A.

Yelp
Never again will I stay at this motel. The owner here is a nut case and I found out that she had been looking in my windows while I was out. The beds are not comfortable at all and the place looks as if it has had very few improvements made since it was built. The prices here are okay but next time I want to stay overnight in Salem I will definitely pay a few extra dollars and stay at the Hawthorne which is actually closer to all of the action in Salem anyway.

Cathy M.

Yelp
Our room was huge. We got a refund because one of our party wasn't able to join us. Close enough to downtown Salem we could take an Uber to go eat. Clean. No issues. We'll come again.

Kevin S.

Yelp
Not happy with this motel. You first walk in and get checked in and the area was a pure mess!! Letters envelopes and magazine all over the place and a half eaten lemon pie on a table. Ok so we check into our room and oh boy ! The room I would consider this room a Motel 1.5 rating the rooms to be a 1960 era. And no end table lamp just the over head light. I would consider a Motel 6 it would be better. Other wise GOOD LUCK!!!! Pathetic place

Ashley P.

Yelp
Stayed here this past weekend. Not sure what the terrible reviews are for. It's a homey old inn, it's not the ritz. The lady at the front desk, i'm assuming the owner, was very polite. Our room was clean, the area was within 4 minutes to Salem by car. We walked around in the area and had dinner - we felt very safe. I'm truly not understanding the bad reviews, because we did not see nor experience any of it. I would recommend it to anyone, and stay again if we're back in town. Thanks again for having us.

George S.

Yelp
OMG... STAY AWAY! Absolutely horrible . Staff (The Gimp) was Horrible, after arriving they tried to upcharge my wife and I. We had to bring up the website on our phone to prove that they where charging us $50. More than was advised! The next morning the Owner (Suzanne ) was very RUDE. and made me feel very unwanted ,even though we payed full price for the night. We stay in Salem often and will never darken there doors again. Can you say ( Bates hotel)

Gloria K.

Yelp
I'm not sure about A-OK, maybe C-OK. I had booked this hotel months ago and most reviews were satisfactory. I was looking for an inexpensive and clean motel, as most hotels in Salem are quite pricey during season. Several days before I was to travel, I checked the web site for directions, and decided to click on a few recent reviews. Once I read them, I was really worried about what i was getting, as we had paid in advance. Well, it was fine. The place is dated (the website pictures must have been taken years ago), and needs some spiffing up. But the room was very clean, with good, crisp cotton sheets on the king bed (which had a good, firm mattress). The air conditioner worked fine and unlike air conditioners in other hotels, very quiet. The TV is small, and I would recommend placement of a channel guide for future guests. The bathroom was also clean, with ample large towels, soaps and shampoos.Other amenities included an ironing board, iron, hair dryer and Keurig coffee maker. The staff was helpful and cooperative, if not a little tired. This place is not the Ritz-Carleton, but nevertheless, it wasn't a bad place to stay. The Clipper Ship Inn is about a mile's walk to downtown Salem.

Jamie B.

Yelp
My kids and I love Salem in October and usually stay at the Salem Waterfront but they were booked when we were coming. This hotel was the only one available so I booked it. I then proceeded to read all of the reviews about this insane person who runs it and I thought - surely they have been fired. So I called up to see if the manager there was named Susan (mentioned in the reviews). She was immediately combative and refused to answer me but was demanding to know my name, and I told her I was a potential customer that wanted to make sure I was not ruining our trip by choosing that hotel. She refused and continued to argue so I said, well that answers my question and she hung up. I wouldn't chance a visit there with these kind of people running the place.

Tessa J.

Yelp
Wish I could give this place zero stars. The woman who runs the hotel is nasty and provides terrible service. I asked for an extra blanket because I was cold, and she proceeded to question me about why, suggesting I did not know how to turn on the heat. She refused to give me a blanket until she personally came to check the heat. She was rude to us and snapped at us multiple times. Save your money.

Wendy C.

Yelp
My sister, Kelly, and I enjoyed our trip he week before Halloween. Rooms were clean and comfortable and we were happy to have a Keurig coffee maker in the room. We appreciated our local box of chocolates on arrival We also enjoyed meeting Chummly, the resident cat, too.

Tobey D.

Yelp
We have stayed here multiple times now and are always impressed with the service, cost and close location to downtown Salem. Walking distance to downtown and all the fun Salem has to offer as well as rooms larger than expected! Free wifi and Keurig coffee makers on the room, so nice! The iron and ironing board provided came in handy. Highly recommend for couples and families. P.S. after reading past reviews on this inn, I just want to report that the cats are alive, in good health and friendly! I have no idea why anyone would write something so negative about a cat, but it does not show a ton of class to do so.

Julie M.

Yelp
I stayed here for one night back in October and had a great experience. The room was definitely a little old fashioned but very comfortable, spacious and well maintained! My friend and I arrived late and despite the crazy hour, the lady behind the desk was extremely helpful to us. So much so that my friend and I were actually just speaking recently about visiting again with our significant others for a longer stay next time! Thanks for your hospitality:)

Drew P.

Yelp
Stayed for two nights in Oct 2018. Booked direct rather than using Expedia. Big mistake. The help booked the reservation wrong and when we showed up, they said we were booked for the day before. I know I told them the right days and confirmed by saying two nights checking out on Friday. Luckily they credited the night, but then jacked up the rate for Thursday night from $175 to $275 even though when I checked the rates on Expedia it was $175. Staff was slow and confused and acted as if we were bothering them. Hotel was clean but dated. Wifi was unusable most of the time. A good twenty minute walk to Salem Commons which is on the East side of the Salem attractions. Should be the motel of last resort...!

Jasmine B.

Yelp
ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! The owners are rude and shady. The one owner (a male) walked passed our room and was trying to peek in our closed curtain window. The cops were called in the middle of the night. The owner and an employee were fighting loudly, cussing at each other. No locks on the door, out dated rooms, the coffee machine didn't work, and just plain creepy! They will touch your belongings and move them around. We closed the curtains before we left for the day, came back to the curtains wide open for all to see our belongings. STAY CLEAR PAY THE EXTRA MONEY AND STAY SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!

Mark M.

Yelp
A most bizarre business. Desk-clerk/apparent owner aggressively interrogated me about the time that my son's soccer practice ended when I informed her that I would return later in order to make my 100$ cash room deposit. She actually challenged me for saying I would return at 8 after she had discovered, due to my son's phone call, that I was picking him up at 5. "Are you saying your son's soccer ends at 8?" It felt like George Orwell's 1984. Or Turkey, Saudi Arabia or some such authoritarian regime. I was speechless and would have left but had already booked on Hotel.com. Their software has a problem and one must present 100$ in cash, on top of somewhat exorbitant room fees for such a hotel, One cannot check into one's room without the deposit. The WiFi doesn't work but I was told that this was because of my room's location in an "alcove."

H O.

Yelp
I have no idea how this place is still in business. The owner is the nastiest human being I've ever met in my life. She's condescending, cuts you off when your speaking and is downright rude. Please nobody give her business. I put a security deposit down. 6 days later i still haven't gotten it. Called my bank, got a solution. When I called the owner she cut me off several times and told me the bank has no clue what they are talking about she will just void it after she originally told me to go through the bank. When I told her I need t done ASAP as it's been 6 days she threatened me by telling me if I'm not nicer to her she will wait a week to do it. She's a disgusting human being. On top of all of this, our Uber driver went to the front desk to "claim" we left something in his car. The man at the front desk LITERALLY BROUGHT HIM TO OUR ROOM. You should never give out your customers room numbers. We were afraid the whole night as the Uber driver was beyond creepy. PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF. Pay the extra money or stay right outside Salem. Whatever you do, don't give her a dime. Shut this hell hole down. Side note- she's been investigated by the board of health. Wish I knew all of this before hand.

Stephen K.

Yelp
If I could give this pathetic joint half a star I would. We only booked because it was a last minute trip and there were no vacancies. Word of caution on the bait and switch rate publishing tactics: They list a low rate and then when you go to book, if you book a double bed and have more than 2 people in your party they charge $50 more per person. Before you know it with taxes and fees you are paying $200/ night. Also, the owner lists the room as the only one available probably so that you feel it is a decent place and as a pressure tactic to get you to book with them. When you arrive you will see a pleasant enough exterior but very few cars - eerily few. The cars parked there were mostly long term residents of the motel or duped travelers like ourselves. Inside, this place is a complete dump that hasn't been renovated since the 70s. The lobby smells like cat litter and even in its hay day I could easily imagine this place was sub par. I'm sure prison inmates currently enjoy higher quality towels, mattresses, bedding and toiletries. The rooms do meet your basic needs but they are dank and downright depressing and still carry the stale olfactory memory of all of the various smokers who took up the space in years past. Above all, beware of the socially inept and aggressively nosey owner who likely requires some sort of psychological/clinical intervention. She was constantly keeping tabs on our comings and goings and refused to give us more than 3 towels and 2 extra pillows to retaliate against us because we declined to upgrade to a (let me pause here and laugh hysterically at the term she used) "suite." We had 2 other adults with us who we planned to stay in our room because the room was listed as the last available. We paid for 4 adults and registered the license plates for both of our vehicles at check in. Our kids were content sleeping on an air mattress on the floor that we brought along. Despite her constant interactions with us over the 2 days we stayed, at no point did she ever ask us for more money to cover the kids. That is until checkout time when she informed us that we were dishonest and sneaky and insisted we pay more for the children. At that point an argument ensued and we left. Steer clear of the Clipper Ship Inn because you can be sure that the only dishonesty and sneaky behavior you will experience will be the creepy owner's. I hope she reaps what she sows.

Rob S.

Yelp
After hearing some harsh reviews I was pleasantly surprised when I stayed here. Plentiful free parking, comfortable/clean room. Easy access to downtown Salem. Yes it is a mom and pop kind of place but local businesses should be supported. Don't expect a fluffy check in or check out. It is a comfortable place and a good value.

Kathleen C.

Yelp
After reading the reviews, I should have been turned off... I thought I'd give them a try since I'm not high maintenance. I called inquiring about rates in May for a specific date. The rude lady snarled that there's a 2 night minimum. I honestly only needed to hear the disgusting tone of her voice to envision the weekend stay. Ended hanging up on her. Why so miserable?? This witch is the face of your business? I'll take mine elsewhere.

Mandy G.

Yelp
Went to check in and the front desk was so rude we didn't even stay there. Acted like she was annoyed just to be there and even rolled her eyes and sighed right in front of us while we were asking where to park. I've never written a bad review in my life but this woman definitely deserves it. I'm not speaking on behalf of the hotel itself because I didn't even want to spend money there just because of an immature attitude from a middle aged woman.

Ryan M.

Yelp
We booked a night here through Travelocity on our way towards Gloucester. In the parking lot we noticed the only one that seemed to be staying there was someone living in one of the rooms, outside grilling in the parking lot amongst about a half dozen over flowing trash containers. When I walked in the lobby to check in I was welcomed with the distinct smell of cat urine, an assortment of random things scattered everywhere including up the staircase, and dirty dishes with half eaten food and flies in them. Hesitantly I told the woman half asleep and seemingly intoxicated at the desk that I had reservations, when she found out I had my 2 kids with me she wanted to charge me more. Well that's when I decided I needed to get away from that place and that I didn't always my family staying in such filth and asked if I could just cancel for a refund. She told me that I didn't pay her, I paid Travelocity. From there I just walked out got in my car and drove as far away as I could. My wife put it nicely calling it "murder motel".

Christian S.

Yelp
My stay at this establishment was beyond horrible. The owner is very mean and aggressive. I am checking out a week early due to all the accusations towards me. She tried to say that I stole a blanket when my nephew bought me a blanket five years ago and I still sleep with it to this day. I have never been in a motel where I was accused of stealing a blanket I highly suggest that you do not come here to stay when you visit Salem Massachusetts. This is not an enjoyable place to stay. Plus she tried to not pay me when I was checking out! I wouldn't let my worst enemy sleep here! If I could rate this no stars I would I'll NEVER COME HERE AGAIN.

Redvelvetburlesque ..

Yelp
This hotel is run by an unethical and unprofessional person. I had reservations for September that I paid in full. In June, when I found out the event I was supposed to be attending in September was cancelled, I called the hotel to either cancel or change my reservations to the new event date. Some of the staff were nice, but kept taking messages, which were never returned. When I did get ahold of the owner when I called, she asked for more information on the new event dates, which emailed, she kept putting me off saying - "no hurry - it's a long way away," or some similar statements. In mid- August I finally called and was told that the change would be made the weekend of 8/22 and I would be mailed a new confirmation. So I waited a week. However, by August 30, I still had not received a new confirmation. So, I called the hotel back. They told me they would process the change on 8/31/2020. When I told them I needed them to do it now, the man on the phone told me to call back when I was less upset (I was firm, but did not cuss at the man) and then he hung up on me. When I called back they did not pick up the phone and I could not leave a voice mail message because their voice mail box was full. The reservations were for 9/3. And there is a 48 hour cancellation period. I believe these people are unethically doing this to try to claim that I did not change it and keep my full hotel reservation fee. Never stay here. These people are rude, unprofessional, and unethical.

Karen H.

Yelp
A nice place to stop and stay in Salem. It has everything you want and need. Friendly staff, clean rooms, generous with check in perks and inexpensive. We are coming back for sure. Another delightful discovery.

Sam M.

Yelp
This place was perfect for our trip to Salem in October. We were able to walk to all the festivities. The surrounding neighborhood is safe and beautiful so it's an enjoyable walk. The room was a lot larger than we expected. It was really clean and offered a lot of amenities. Also, the staff was nice. We also really like that they gave us gift cards for Dunkin' Donuts across a street instead of offering a continental breakfast so we were able to go and get coffee and breakfast on our time. This place is convenient, clean, and met all of needs for our Salem trip.

Erica D.

Yelp
As a touring band, we were really excited to be playing in Salem, MA, as none of us had ever been to the city before and we were all really interesting in seeing the sights and history of Salem. The promoter that we worked with had booked us a room at the Clipper Ship Inn on the night of July 24th. We didn't check into the hotel until quite late that night, so there was little to no interaction with any of the employees of the Clipper Ship Inn. We were all needing a good night's sleep after being on the road for over 2 weeks at this point, far away from our home in Portland, OR, and wanted to wake up early enough to walk around the city for a while before we had to head to Providence for a show the next night. Checkout was no problem, and once again there was really no interaction with any of the employees. After Providence, we all agreed that we didn't really get to spend enough time in Salem, so we drove back the night after we played in Providence, and tried to find another hotel closer to the city center. All the hotels we called were incredibly expensive, and it's not that we're poor, but we wanted to be budget-wise and not spend too much money to get us into financial trouble. My drummer, C, had called the Clipper Ship Inn earlier that day and asked what the rates were for a hotel room with 2 beds. He was quoted a price of $99 plus tax. This was a totally doable expense and we had no qualms with paying the amount even if it meant a bit of a further walk towards the places we wanted to go. So, after a long day in the tour van again, we ended up back in Salem, and back at the Clipper Ship Inn. We were greeted by an older lady at the front desk (NOT THE OWNER), who said that our room would be $135, much higher than the cost we were originally quoted earlier that day. When we explained this to her, she said that she could get us another room for $125. We then asked what was the least expensive room that was available. She then said that there was a room that was $85. WHAT?! Okay. A bit confusing. I wonder if she was just making up prices. To get this out of the way quickly; we are a touring band of 4 people. We have tattoos, we have piercings, we have funny haircuts, but we're the nicest bunch you'll meet, and understand that our image may not bring us the best first-hand judgement that so many people like to pass upon us. We go out of our way to be polite and respectful, with hopes it will bring us the same. That being said, I was with my drummer in the lobby booking the hotel room, while my other 2 bands members were outside waiting in the van. We agreed on getting the $85 hotel room. Ran the card through, got our hotel key. I went to the hotel room to check it out, while C parked the Ford E150 Van + trailer in tow. A few minutes after I got into the hotel room, my other band mate, S, came in and said that "the owner is really pissed off and wants you to go talk to her right now". Confused, and totally exhausted and not wanting to deal with any more stress that day, I waited in the hotel room that we had just paid for, waiting for my driver and 4th band member to return to the room. Meanwhile, while S and I were standing in the hotel room trying to figure out what was going on, the OWNER stormed into our room, and said "Come on, let's go, you're not staying here. Give me your key NOW". I'm 28 years old. I just paid a good chunk of change for a place to rest my head, and I haven't been spoken to this way since I was a child. I simply looked at her and then walked past her and went to go find C. He was in the lobby at that point, because he had also just had an interaction with this nasty lady as well, and trying to explain to the older lady that had given us our hotel room key what was going on. The owner (SUZANNE SULLIVAN) *stormed* in, and started yelling at us to get out of her hotel and that she was going to call the police on us if we didn't. She then started saying that we couldn't have 4 people in a room, when we were never asked in the first place how many people we had. We had simply asked for a room with 2 beds, which is what we have been doing since the beginning of the tour - WITH NO PROBLEMS. She then started saying some really strange things and going back and forth, saying that she remembered us from the prior stay, and that we had parked our vehicle in front of the "fire gate". We parked where we could and there were no signs anywhere stating that there was a "fire gate". We had asked where to park, and we were told to park where we could find room. The real kicker is when, amongst her yelling and profanity (calling us "assholes", "jackasses"), said to us "I've never had to deal with people *like you* before". We of course knew that "people like you" most likely meant "people with tattoos, and people who won't tolerate bullshit", and so when I questioned her on what she meant by that, she changed the subject and just simply kept saying that she

Chris S.

Yelp
It isn't really as horrible as people say; Pros: Location! It's 10 minutes from downtown and the neighborhood is safe though not scenic. The room was clean, there's a Keurig and the bed wasn't awful. Cons: There is NO INTERNET! They offer it yes but it is so slow it is useless. There were 2 pillows for a queen size bed and the decor truly is dated and cheap. I don't get their business strategy. With such a small investment, this place could be passable, maybe even average but they don't even try. I wouldn't come back simply because they don't even try (and.. NO.DAMN.INTERNET!!!).

Ken W.

Yelp
Yeah, this is far from any 5 Star Hotel or even a decent chain, but it served its purpose for us one night. We had no issues with the staff, even though they were eating dinner in the lobby and we interrupted them for check in. They and the Cat were friendly enough. Rooms were fine and as mentioned by other reviews, they should look in to upgrading the locks for the doors to deadbolts. The mini frig and kureig worked fine, beds were comfortable and location was more than convenient. We'd have no problem staying here again if ever back in Salem, which is a nice area and worth the visit as well. Reds Sandwich place had an outstanding breakfast.

Kate C.

Yelp
The ONLY space available at a last minute moment...which was wonderful! The staff was very courteous and gave a lot of recommendations on where to eat. It just doesn't match my expectations for lodging. And I'm not a prissy gal, but I am looking for few things when I stay... Comfort and Security. Rooms are huge, but are odd. Beds are not real comfortable, but appeared clean. Air units are loud. Door only has a lock on the knob, and we pushed a chair up to the door. The office of the hotel is SO unappealing. This place needs a general upheaval of organization, cleanliness, and design. The ice machine was surrounded by a half-bottle of lemonade, scattered appliances, and a chicken carcass. Gross. We left thinking that Salem was a creepy town and came up with a less than relaxing nickname for the joint. Book ahead, but it'll do in a pinch! Wifi works in office but not in rooms.

Tina C.

Yelp
Good location very over priced. Words of advice, do not let them talk you in to paying for your stay in advance. I had to cancel my reservations due to Covid restrictions imposed by the state of Mass for out of state visitors. I cancelled 3 months prior to my reservation and had to fight for my full refund that was well within the terms of the cancellation policy. My advice is to book through Expedia or Hotels.com, and not directly through the hotel. Expedia had to contact the hotel twice to fight for my refund which was several hundred dollars. I contacted the hotel a few times as well and the front counter woman was argumentative and rude. She kept insisting that everything was open in Salem and would not accept that I had to cancel due to Covid.