The Inn at Montchanin Village- Montchanin, DE

Although New Jersey may be widely known as the Garden State, I feel that title should definitely go to Delaware. Yes, Delaware, the small state that most people don’t think much about- excluding Joe Biden, of course. Thanks largely to the DuPont family and its vast fortune, Delaware has a ridiculous number of insanely beautiful gardens, and several are located a mere stone’s throw from the charming Inn at Montchanin Village. 

Unlike a traditional hotel, the rooms at Montchanin are housed across 11 historic structures that once comprised a small village. Dating from 1799, the 28 unique rooms are located in homes that once housed laborers employed at the nearby DuPont gunpowder mill.

The whole village has been restored (by a descendant of the DuPont’s of course) and is incorporated into the inn: the lobby is housed in a converted barn, and the onsite restaurant was once a blacksmith’s workshop. The property’s quaint main pedestrian thoroughfare was once a back alley, where the resident’s  privies were located. There is even a lovely stone schoolhouse on the edge of the property. 

The rooms here are traditional and quaint. Many retain original architectural details, such as stone walls and fireplaces. Be sure to make your dinner reservations well in advance- the chef rules with an iron fist and will instruct the hostess to turn away those without reservations. Even so, it is a relaxing retreat for those visiting the area’s attractions.