Hotel du Pont / Wilmington DE

Who knew that a downtown high-rise building could be chock full of interesting history?

This stately building overlooking Rodney Square was built in 1908 as the DuPont company headquarters. Just 5 years after that it was expanded to include the Hotel du Pont and the du Pont Theatre. While the company recently moved its headquarters from here (after over 100 years) both the theatre and hotel continue to live on, to our benefit.

The famous Hotel du Pont is the only grand hotel in Delaware listed in Historic Hotels of America. A luxurious destination to stay for road-weary travelers looking to get off 95 or maybe just for a weekend getaway. Even if you’re not looking for lodging a visit to their lobby is worth a stop to ogle the ornately carved ceiling and doorway. For dining, the oak lined Green Room with its gilded chandeliers and oil paintings definitely give that “stepped back in time” feel during dinner or special events.

Just off the marble lined lobby, the du Pont Theatre is now known as the Playhouse on Rodney Square. Originally built to offer Broadway-level stage shows to the residents of Wilmington, that live theatre tradition continues to this day.

Upon entering the lobby you are surrounded by ornate plaster work, plush curtains and golden-hued mirrors, recreating the old-fashioned glamour of going to a live stage show. With 1200+ seats and an orchestra pit is thought to be the oldest legitimate, continually operating theatre in the country.