We’re living in a new Gilded Age. So why not travel in style like it’s the turn of the century?
In 1913, Du Pont Company executive Pierre S. du Pont built a hotel within the company’s headquarters to impress the wealthy business leaders flocking to Delaware and to cater to their expensive tastes.
Hotel Du Pont endures in downtown Wilmington as a symbol of wealth, power, and opulence, offering luxurious, modern accommodations surrounded by Italian Renaissance Revival furnishings.
Here are the most luxurious perks I enjoyed during my stay at Hotel Du Pont in May.
When I arrived at Hotel Du Pont, valet parking attendants immediately offered their services.
The hotel’s valet parking costs $45 per vehicle per night. Hotel Du Pont also enables guests to text the valet car service to request their vehicles in advance.
After unsuccessfully circling downtown Wilmington in search of a parking spot or garage that would allow my car to remain overnight, I felt that the extra cost was worth the convenience.
The hotel’s Italian Renaissance Revival ornamentation made a grand first impression in the lobby.
Wealthy Gilded Age tycoons often modeled their homes after European royal residences, and Hotel Du Pont kept the trend going when it was built in 1913. The lobby’s ceiling design was inspired by the Ducal Palace in Venice.
Hotel Du Pont’s classic tier of rooms starts at $599 per night, and one-bedroom suites start at $1,913. Business Insider paid a discounted media rate of $129 for a one-night stay in a Signature Suite.
As I approached my Signature Suite, I noticed that each room had a decorative doorbell.
The doorbell, which elicited a two-note chime when pressed, was an elegant touch that made my room feel more like a home.
In contrast to the Italian Renaissance Revival decor on the hotel’s main level, the Signature Suites feature contemporary furnishings.
Hotel Du Pont introduced Signature Suites in 2025 as part of a multimillion-dollar renovation of its guest rooms and meeting spaces. Details such as gold accents were inspired by European salons, but the design is more modern than the painstakingly preserved ballrooms.
I found the entryway was surprisingly spacious, with a large expanse of checkered floor and three well-lit mirrors.
A cabinet next to the door offered a La Colombe espresso machine and reusable water bottles.
A note on the countertop said that the hotel offered complimentary reusable water bottles as part of “our efforts to reduce plastic waste.”
In the entryway closet, I found hangers and a clothing steamer.
Hotel rooms often contain an iron and an ironing board that work well on items like dress shirts, but a clothing steamer is better for releasing wrinkles in more delicate fabrics such as silk.
The Signature Suite featured a living room and a bedroom separated by a pocket door.
The contemporary living room included a couch, TV, and workstation.
The bedroom had its own TV, mounted to the left of the king-size bed.
The bedroom also had two nightstands and a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed.
The bathroom featured two marble vanities, with the toilet and walk-in shower behind a textured glass door.
Glass cups and individually wrapped cotton balls and swabs were laid out on the vanities.
Across from the shower, fluffy bathrobes awaited.
Pairs of slippers were also included in the pockets of each bathrobe.
The shower amenities were from The Botanist & The Chemist, a brand available exclusively at luxury hotels.
The Botanist & The Chemist is part of the La Bottega Collective, which also supplies amenities to hotels such as the Fontainebleau in Miami, the Hay-Adams in Washington, DC, and the Carlyle in New York City.
Down the hall, the hotel provided a water bottle filling station.
Water fill stations are located on every floor of the hotel, plus another one in the conference center. It was a pleasant surprise, since many hotels only offer ice machines.
After settling into my room, I spent some time exploring Hotel Du Pont’s lavish Italian Renaissance Revival event spaces.
During the construction of the hotel, Du Pont Company executive Pierre S. du Pont flew artisans in from Italy to craft its hand-carved wooden doors, hand-etched sgraffito plaster art, and hand-painted gilded ceilings.
For more about the hotel’s history and a closer look at some of the most extravagant rooms, read about my architectural tour of Hotel Du Pont.
My final stop before heading up to bed was Le Cavalier at the Green Room, where Delaware’s wealthiest power brokers once dined.
The French brasserie’s menu features dishes such as vol-au-vent, poulet aux morilles, and charcuterie with French cheeses.
I ordered the Epées Liquids, a seasonal cocktail with gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon, lychee syrup, and sake.
The $16 drink came garnished with a dried lemon slice and a skewered lychee. It was the perfect fizzy balance of sweet and tart.
Sipping a cocktail surrounded by the finest Italian Renaissance Revival architecture, I felt a bit like a Gilded Age heiress myself.
Hotel Du Pont’s historian-in-residence, Tom Santora, told me that the Green Room’s corner table was known as a prime spot where Delaware’s most influential figures discussed business deals and policy decisions. Looking out at my gilded surroundings, it was easy to see why.
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