I stayed at the historic Hotel Du Pont. These luxurious perks made me feel like a wealthy Gilded Age heiress.

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.

Wealthy Gilded Age tycoons often modeled their homes after European royal residencesand 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.

The doorbell, which elicited a two-note chime when pressed, was an elegant touch that made my room feel more like a home.

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 note on the countertop said that the hotel offered complimentary reusable water bottles as part of “our efforts to reduce plastic waste.”

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 contemporary living room included a couch, TV, and workstation.

The bedroom also had two nightstands and a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed.

Glass cups and individually wrapped cotton balls and swabs were laid out on the vanities.

Pairs of slippers were also included in the pockets of each bathrobe.

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.

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.

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.

The French brasserie’s menu features dishes such as vol-au-vent, poulet aux morilles, and charcuterie with French cheeses.

The $16 drink came garnished with a dried lemon slice and a skewered lychee. It was the perfect fizzy balance of sweet and tart.

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.