A highly flexible and free-standing paper with high antibacterial activity made from silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-decorated ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires (HAPNWs) is reported. The HAPNWs@ AgNPs nanocomposites were obtained from a facile one-step solvothermal process and utilized for the construction of highly flexible and free-standing inorganic paper through a simple vacuum-filtration procedure. The structure and properties of the HAPNWs@ AgNPs paper were characterized in detail. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) micrographs show that AgNPs are highly dispersed and stabilized in the nanocomposite and exhibit a narrow particle size distribution. The effects of the concentration of silver nitrate, solvothermal temperature and time on the product were systematically investigated. This method is simple, convenient and reproducible. The as-prepared HAPNWs@ AgNPs paper shows long-time sustained silver-ion release, high antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, and good biocompatibility. Overall, this work provides a novel pathway for the preparation of a new type of highly flexible, freestanding and antibacterial inorganic paper made from silver nanoparticle-decorated hydroxyapatite nanowires for various applications, as a promising functional biomaterial.