Checking In: Historic & Luxurious Hotel Du Pont

For over a century, HOTEL DU PONT in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, has been hosting guests. From presidents to kings and queens, HOTEL DU PONT has been THE place to stay, dine and be entertained. But it’s also the ideal place to stay if you’re discovering the region along the Pennsylvania-Delaware border that’s peppered with museums and history (Longwood Gardens, Nemours Mansion & Estate, Winterthur, Brandywine River Museum of Art). Recently my husband and I checked in at Hotel Du Pont for the night and it was the perfect place to unwind and relax.

History of HOTEL DU PONT

HOTEL DU PONT opened for business in 1913 and was one of the first high rises in the city of Wilmington. It was the project of the then DuPont Company president Pierre S. du Pont. Less than a mile from the Brandywine River, the hotel is in the city’s downtown area around Rodney Square. The downtown is full of historic and important buildings. But the hotel is perhaps the most impressive of them all.

The grandeur and lavishness of the Italian Renaissance building is everywhere. An elaborate and colorful wooden ceiling and massive stone carved door frames — and that’s just the lobby. Elsewhere, the Gold Ballroom is hard to believe. Covered in elaborate carved wood paneling and a large chandelier, it’s a reminder of artisan craftwork that we see so little of these days. Needless to say, the hotel lives up to the hype. To get a taste of the finer things in life, even just for an hour or two, I recommend afternoon tea at the hotel’s Green Room.

Even today, HOTEL DU PONT is impressive. The hotel maintains its historic legacy while blending in modernity and creature comforts that you’d expect. The little details — like the antique mail drop that runs parallel to the elevators from the lobby on up — offer a touch of class and character that you simply can’t get just anywhere. And you sure can’t retrofit history into a building.

The Room

The hotel rooms don’t disappoint. Large and spacious seems an understatement. We stayed in a room with two queen-sized beds. It also features a desk, a comfortable sitting area, a vanity and dressing area as well as a bathroom that can only be described as luxurious.

And, oh, the bathroom! As though the spacious living area isn’t enough, the bathroom is just the cherry on top of the sundae. Complete with fine fixtures, the bathroom features both a shower and a deep bathtub perfect for soaking.

Not a thing was out of place in the room. In addition to being extremely comfortable the room was, most importantly, clean.

Perhaps the only disappointment of the entire stay was the view from the room. Our ninth floor room had windows in the bedroom, sitting area and bathroom. But, unfortunately, all of the windows offer views to the building’s internal courtyard full of HVAC piping. The walls of the courtyard needed a paint or at least a power wash, too.

Staying at HOTEL DU PONT

The hotel is elegant and traditional. The staff are friendly and attentive without being overbearing. From the moment you pull up to the valet to when you checkout and return to everyday normal life, the HOTEL DU PONT provide the service you’d expect.

Getting There

HOTEL DU PONT offers valet parking. There is also a public parking garage across the street on the corner of 11th and Orange Streets. Alternatively, there is limited street parking around the hotel.