HOTEL DU PONT Unveils Gilded Age-Inspired Renovation in Wilmington, Delaware

As HBO’s The Gilded Age draws the curtain on its third season, travelers seeking their own taste of turn-of-the-century opulence can now experience it firsthand at HOTEL DU PONT. This legendary Wilmington, Delaware landmark, long celebrated for its Italian Renaissance architecture and storied guest list, has entered a new chapter with an extensive transformation that marries its historic grandeur with present-day sophistication.

Since its debut in 1913, HOTEL DU PONT has stood as a masterpiece of European-inspired craftsmanship. French and Italian artisans brought its twelve stories and 217 rooms to life, adorning spaces with imported chandeliers, intricate moldings, sweeping staircases, and the dazzling Gold Ballroom. Over the decades, the hotel’s registry has read like a Hollywood roll call, with luminaries such as Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Elizabeth Taylor, Julie Andrews, Ingrid Bergman, and Meryl Streep gracing its halls.

Positioned in the heart of downtown Wilmington, the property serves as a refined home base for exploring the Brandywine Valley’s gardens, arts, and cultural treasures. Guests can also indulge in the acclaimed Le Cavalier at the Green Room, a modern French neo-brasserie honored as one of the nation’s top hotel restaurants by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards. The menu seamlessly blends the flavors of Provence and North Africa with reimagined French classics, paired with natural wines to elevate every course.

At the heart of the renovation is the debut of The Parlour Suites, a new room category designed by Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo to evoke the elegance of European salons. These suites feature timeless architectural touches, classic moldings, custom-built-ins, and richly layered materials such as marble and onyx, complemented by a warm neutral palette with accents of burnished gold. Curated artwork in gilded frames, plush furnishings, and touch-controlled lighting complete the balance of heritage and modernity.

Select Legacy rooms have been refreshed with updated furnishings, wall treatments, and textiles while preserving their original architectural details. Across all accommodations, guests will enjoy an enhanced sleep experience with upgraded mattresses, oversized king pillows, premium linens, and monogrammed HOTEL DU PONT duvets. Modernized HVAC systems ensure year-round comfort with improved climate control.

The renovations extend beyond guest rooms. The Mezzanine-level Conference Center now boasts new paint and carpeting for a polished setting ideal for meetings and corporate gatherings. The Christina and Brandywine Rooms have been reimagined with updated décor and carpeting, alongside the painstaking restoration of original 1913 mosaic tile floors, a nod to the property’s architectural heritage.

Infrastructure enhancements, including the modernization of elevator systems, further underscore the hotel’s commitment to marrying historical preservation with forward-thinking hospitality.

HOTEL DU PONT’s transformation signals a new era for one of America’s grandest historic hotels. Guests can immerse themselves in its storied past while enjoying the comforts and conveniences of contemporary luxury, an experience as captivating as any scene in The Gilded Age.