Unearth The Voyage
Delaware may be the second smallest state in the country, but its collection of historic hotels punches well above its weight. From a grand Gilded Age landmark in downtown Wilmington to a modest Victorian cottage steps from the Atlantic, the state has preserved an impressive range of historic places to stay. Some of these buildings have been welcoming guests for over a century, surviving storms, economic shifts, and changing tastes without losing what makes them special. A few have been relocated, renamed, or reimagined over the decades, but their original bones and stories remain intact.
Whether you are drawn to ornate ballrooms, wraparound porches, or brick buildings that once doubled as courthouses and post offices, Delaware delivers. This list covers 10 historic hotels across the state, from the coast to the capital, each one offering a genuinely different window into the past. Read on to find your next favorite place to stay.
1. HOTEL DU PONT, Wilmington, Delaware
French and Italian artisans spent over two and a half years carving, gilding, and painting this 12-story masterpiece before it opened in 1913, and their work is still on full display today.
Originally conceived as an extension of the DuPont Company headquarters, HOTEL DU PONT was designed to impress executives, industrialists, and the occasional head of state. It succeeded. John F. Kennedy, Amelia Earhart, and Prince Rainier of Monaco all stayed here at various points.
The Gold Ballroom, added in 1918, features twenty bas-relief medallions honoring influential women, crafted using the rare sgraffito technique. The original mosaic marble-and-terrazzo floor in the French brasserie was discovered during a 2020 renovation, hidden under carpeting for decades.
The hotel also displays an impressive collection of Brandywine Valley art, including original works from three generations of the Wyeth family. With 19 Signature Suites inspired by European salons, this Historic Hotels of America member remains Delaware’s most decorated address.
2. Addy Sea Historic Oceanfront Inn, Bethany Beach, Delaware
In 1927, workers moved this entire building westward using manpower, mules, and logs to protect it from coastal storms. That alone tells you something about how determined people were to preserve it.
John M. Addy built the original structure in 1901 as a private summer retreat, and it was considered ahead of its time for featuring indoor plumbing and gaslights. The late Victorian architecture includes cedar shingles and intricate gingerbread trimmings that remain intact today.
The property transitioned from a private home to a guest house during the Great Depression and has operated as a bed and breakfast since 1935. Original tin ceilings and elegant fireplaces have been carefully restored throughout the interior.
Guests enjoy a gourmet breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea, and the wraparound porch provides direct access to Bethany Beach’s sandy shore. With 13 to 16 guest rooms that blend modern comforts with Victorian-era character, the Addy Sea remains one of the most recognizable historic buildings on the Delaware coast.
3. Boardwalk Plaza Hotel, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Three resident parrots greet guests in the lobby here, which sets the tone for a hotel that clearly enjoys doing things its own way.
Built by Jeff Sr. and Ruth Ann Zerby on the site of an earlier motel their family purchased in 1963, the Boardwalk Plaza was designed to honor Rehoboth’s Victorian roots. The result is a visually striking structure with ornate balconies, decorative woodwork, and period furnishings throughout the lobby and guest rooms.
The hotel offers 84 rooms ranging from standard accommodations to oceanfront suites and two-bedroom apartments. A rooftop area with hot tubs and shuffleboard provides one of the better vantage points on the Delaware coast, while the heated indoor-outdoor spa pool operates year-round.
Victoria’s Restaurant serves meals with direct views of the boardwalk and ocean, and the hotel maintains a full-service approach including bellhop service and 24-hour front desk coverage. One beloved tradition is the Victorian afternoon tea, a nod to the era that inspired the building’s design. The hotel operates every day of the year.
4. The Bellmoor Inn & Spa, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
A dinner bell from the 1930s still sits in the garden by the adults’ pool, quietly marking the spot where this property began its long career in hospitality.
Back then it was called The Dinner Bell Inn, and it was notable for being the only local hotel with an on-site restaurant. The Moores family purchased the property in 1999 and reopened it as The Bellmoor Inn and Spa in 2003 after a significant transformation.
The inn now offers 78 rooms and suites, including Club Level Suites with gas fireplaces, hydrotherapy jet tubs, and private balconies. Apartment-style accommodations with full kitchens are also available, as is The Gardener’s Cottage, which sits tucked among the landscaped grounds.
Guests receive a complimentary full breakfast each morning and afternoon refreshments, and the full-service spa has earned award-level recognition. Two seasonal pools, a year-round indoor hot tub, and a seasonal beach shuttle round out the amenities. The inn sits two blocks from Rehoboth Beach’s boardwalk, close to shops, galleries, and dining.
5. The Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa, Montchanin, Delaware
Named after Anne Alexandrine de Montchanin, the mother of the DuPont family patriarch, this property has one of the more unusual origin stories in Delaware hospitality.
The village was established around 1840 as a workers’ settlement for laborers at the nearby DuPont powder mills. Today, eleven carefully restored historic structures make up the property, with the earliest dating to 1799. What was once a schoolhouse, post office, blacksmith shop, and train station is now a collection of guest cottages, garden paths, and dining spaces.
The former blacksmith shop is now Krazy Kat’s Restaurant, which uses herbs and vegetables grown in the inn’s own gardens. A full-time horticulturist maintains the grounds, which were redesigned by Anthony Matolla in the 1970s.
Each of the 28 guest rooms is individually decorated with period furnishings, and some include fireplaces, private porches, and direct garden access. The Inn has been a member of Historic Hotels of America since 1999 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
6. The Towers Bed & Breakfast, Lewes, Delaware
Originally built in 1783 and dramatically remodeled in 1891 in the elaborate steamboat Gothic style, The Towers is one of those buildings that stops people in their tracks on the way past.
The property has hosted some notable residents over the years. John Lofland, a celebrated Delaware poet, lived here in the early 1800s, followed later by William Burton, who served as the state’s governor during the Civil War.
Restoration work brought the exterior back to life with a California painted ladies color scheme, and the inn began welcoming guests in 1988. Today it is managed by Daniel and Rhonda Bond, who have preserved the original stained glass and intricate millwork that define the building’s character.
Five guest rooms occupy the second and third floors, including the popular Tower Room with its circular sitting area inside the corner oriel. Guests enjoy a full gourmet breakfast daily, served in the garden Sun Room or beside the fireplace in the formal dining room. The Towers is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the North Milford Historic District.
7. Savannah Inn, Lewes, Delaware
There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over Lewes in the evenings, and the Savannah Inn is perfectly positioned to help guests appreciate it.
The building dates to 1914 and underwent a thorough renovation in 2004 that preserved its original architectural details while updating the interiors with a refined, contemporary approach. The result is a property that feels historically grounded without being frozen in time.
Six spacious guest rooms each include a private bathroom, Wi-Fi, and TV with DVD player. Select rooms also offer balconies, microwaves, and refrigerators, and the entire house is equipped with central heating and air conditioning for year-round comfort.
Guests start each morning with a healthful gourmet breakfast, which can be enjoyed on the porch or in the first-floor living area. The inn also offers in-house massage services and on-site yoga classes in a dedicated wellness space. Its location on a quiet historic street puts shops, the canal front, Lewes Beach, and Cape Henlopen State Park all within easy walking distance.
8. Blue Water House Bed & Breakfast, Lewes, Delaware
Most historic inns in Delaware play up their colonial roots, but Blue Water House takes a different approach entirely, bringing a Key West theme to the coast of the First State.
Built in 1995, the property is constructed on pilings that elevate the living spaces above the ground floor, a practical design choice that also gives the building its distinctive layered appearance. The first floor holds a tiki bar and both covered and uncovered decks, while guest rooms are spread across the second and third floors.
Nine individually decorated rooms each include a private bathroom, mini-fridge, couch, table, television, and Wi-Fi. A fourth-floor common area with couches, a wet bar, and games gives guests an extra reason to linger. Some rooms include private balconies.
Free cooked-to-order breakfast is provided each morning, and the inn offers complimentary afternoon snacks, free bike rentals, barbecue facilities, and a firepit. The property sits just a few blocks from the center of Lewes and two and a half blocks from Lewes Beach, with Cape Henlopen State Park and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry both nearby.
9. Atlantic View Hotel, Dewey Beach, Delaware
Dewey Beach is a narrow sliver of land between the Atlantic Ocean and Rehoboth Bay, and the Atlantic View Hotel occupies one of the best spots on that sliver.
The hotel was originally built in 1978 and underwent an extensive renovation that concluded in 2025, introducing updated guest rooms, a redesigned pool area, and a new fourth-floor deck. As the only oceanfront hotel in Dewey Beach, it offers direct beach access that no other property in the area can match.
Rooms feature open floor plans, comfortable beds, and a dedicated nook for morning coffee. Second and third-floor rooms include private balconies, while ground-floor Dune View rooms open onto spacious private patios. Complimentary breakfast and nightly treats are included in the stay.
The operating company, Seaboard Hospitality, has roots in the area stretching back to a tea room established in 1937, which adds a layer of local history to an otherwise contemporary property. Rehoboth Beach is less than two miles away, making this hotel a practical base for exploring the broader Delaware coast.
10. Hotel Rodney, Lewes, Delaware
Few buildings in Lewes have had as many names as this one. Originally opened in 1926 as Caesar Rodney Hotel, it has also gone by the New Devon Inn, the Zwaanendael Inn, and the Swans’ Inn at various points in its long history.
The hotel was named in honor of its original owners, John and Ruth, two of whose twelve children went on to serve as governors of Delaware in the 1800s. That kind of family legacy gives the property a connection to state history that goes well beyond its brick walls.
The facade has remained largely unchanged since 1928, and a significant restoration in 1989 helped preserve that original character. Today the hotel offers 20 rooms and four suites across two floors, along with the Rose and Crown restaurant and several shops at street level and in the basement.
Amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness center, and an elegant lobby with worktables, sofas, and a fireplace. Located on Second Street in the heart of historic Lewes, the hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and sits within walking distance of centuries-old landmarks.
