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TL;DR: The Berry family, led by dreamer Win Berry, runs a series of hotels, each called the Hotel New Hampshire, from a small New England town to Vienna and back. Narrated by John Berry, the story follows the eccentric family through love, violence, tragedy and survival, guided by their motto: “keep passing the open windows.”
Table of Contents
The Hotel New Hampshire at a Glance
| Author | John Irving |
| First published | 1981 |
| Type | Novel |
| Best for | readers who enjoy quirky, dark family sagas |
The Hotel New Hampshire is a novel by John Irving, published in 1981. It follows an unusual family through comic and tragic events. Below you will find a part-by-part summary, five key takeaways, ideas worth remembering and a note on who will enjoy it.
Content note: Includes rape, incest, suicide, terrorism and deaths.
Main Characters
- John Berry: The narrator, the middle child.
- Win Berry: John's optimistic, dreamy father.
- Franny Berry: John's bold, brave sister.
- Frank Berry: John's eccentric older brother.
- Lilly Berry: John's small, serious younger sister, a writer.
What Happens, Part by Part (Contains Spoilers)
The first hotel
Win Berry and his wife, Mary, marry young after meeting at a resort where a man with a bear performs. Win buys an old girls' school and turns it into the first Hotel New Hampshire. Their five children grow up there with the family dog, Sorrow.
Tragedy
Franny is raped by a group of football players at school, and the family supports her in different ways. Sorrow dies and is stuffed by Frank, which leads to comedy and later tragedy. Mary and the youngest son, Egg, die in a plane crash on the way to Vienna.
Vienna
The family moves to Vienna and runs the second Hotel New Hampshire, which houses prostitutes and radicals. A girl named Susie wears a bear suit to cope with her trauma. The radicals plan to bomb the opera, and Win is blinded when the family stops them.
Back home
The family returns to the United States, rich from the story of their heroism. Franny becomes an actress. Lilly writes a book about the family but, unable to write another, takes her own life. John and Franny confront their feelings for each other.
The third hotel
Franny confronts her rapist through a revenge plan. Win and John create a final Hotel New Hampshire, a rape crisis center, at the old resort. Franny has a child, whom John and Susie raise. The family keeps going, passing the open windows.
5 Key Takeaways
- Families survive through humor and loyalty.
- Trauma affects people differently.
- Dreams can be both foolish and sustaining.
- Resilience means continuing despite loss.
- Healing takes many forms.
Ideas Worth Remembering
These are paraphrased, not direct quotes:
- Keep passing the open windows.
- Sorrow floats.
- Love can be messy and complicated.
Who Should Read The Hotel New Hampshire?
Read The Hotel New Hampshire if you enjoy dark comedy and big, eccentric family novels. It suits adults only.
About John Irving
John Irving, born in 1942, is an American novelist famous for long, eccentric family stories. Many of his novels feature wrestling, bears, Vienna and New England, all of which appear here. His other books include The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Irving studied in Vienna as a young man, which inspired the city's role in several of his novels.
Questions to Think About After Reading
These prompts work for solo reading, a book club or a classroom discussion of The Hotel New Hampshire:
- What does “keep passing the open windows” mean?
- How does each family member deal with tragedy?
- Why is Win so optimistic?
How to Use This Summary
Use this page as a quick reference before a book club meeting, an exam, or a decision about whether The Hotel New Hampshire is worth your time. The takeaways are written to stand on their own. If a point interests you, go back to the book for the author's full story, characters and style, which no short summary can replace.
A Note on Accuracy and Spoilers
This summary is based on the published text of The Hotel New Hampshire, not on any film, series or stage adaptation, which often change the story. Details are kept at the level of the main events so that nothing is invented. Editions differ slightly in length and wording, so page numbers and small details may vary between copies.
Should You Read the Book?
Yes, for John Irving fans. It is strange and often disturbing, but full of heart, though its content is very mature.
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What to Read Next
- The World According to Garp by John Irving: another tragicomic family
- The Royal Tenenbaums (film) by Wes Anderson: a quirky family
- The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen: a dysfunctional family
Related: The Cider House Rules by John Irving: Summary and Key Takeaways · The World According to Garp by John Irving: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Hotel New Hampshire about?
An eccentric family runs hotels in New Hampshire and Vienna and survives many tragedies.
Who wrote it?
John Irving, in 1981.
What is Sorrow?
The family dog, who is later stuffed.
What does “keep passing the open windows” mean?
Keep going and do not give in to despair.
Who narrates?
John Berry.
Is there a film?
Yes, a 1984 film with Jodie Foster and Rob Lowe.
What age is it for?
Adults, due to disturbing content.
How long is it?
About 450 pages.
How many hotels are there?
Three hotels called the Hotel New Hampshire.
Who is Susie the Bear?
A woman who wears a bear suit after her trauma.
Is The Hotel New Hampshire worth reading?
It depends on what you want. The book is best for readers who enjoy quirky, dark family sagas. If that describes you, it is likely a good fit. If not, the titles under What to Read Next may suit you better.