Delaware's Wilmington Westin: Upscale Lodging

Review of The Westin Wilmington | 818 Shipyard Dr
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Kurt
Kurt 
Published
| 3 min read

There’s a lot going on in Wilmington these days with new food options, entertainment, and other attractions. The Westin Wilmington near the Christina River area south of town is a great place to stay to experience the region’s best.

A bit of history

Ever since E. I. du Pont started his gunpowder factory on the outskirts of Wilmington, the town has been a hotspot for business. Nowadays, the city of Wilmington is home to 65% of the world’s Fortune 500 companies. The du Pont family has helped Wilmington along this path of prosperity by opening three of the family’s estates to the public (for a fee) and built the luxury Hotel Du Pont in 1913.

A new luxury hotel on the river

king room #310
Source: Kurt Jacobson

There was a need for a new luxury hotel, and that’s where the Westin Wilmington comes into the story. Located next to the convention center on the city’s south side, is a gleaming, modern, and welcoming hotel. Featuring 170 guest rooms, 10 suites, 5 event rooms, indoor swimming pool, fitness room, and onsite restaurant for most everything a traveler wants.

Choose from five types of guest rooms to match your needs. A king guest room has a work desk, comfy armchair for reading, closet, fridge, and sparkling clean bathroom with marble accents. Ask for a river view room for sweeping views towards the south. A one bedroom suite offers a separate living room, dining area, sofa, washer/dryer, and a bathroom with a shower plus a separate tub.

All rooms have an ultra-comfy pillow top bed, for oversized fluffy pillows, device charging station, robes, ironing board, and in-room safe. Hotel amenities worth noting are the free shuttle within 5 miles/8.04 km of the hotel. Guests arriving by train can call the Westin Wilmington for a ride. If you have an appointment in the city center or want to go to one of the areas excellent restaurants, the shuttle is there for you on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dining and drinking options

UDairy Creamery
Source: Kurt Jacobson

The River Rock Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner without having to leave the hotel. Their menu features local ingredients with a seasonal spin with small plates or entrée-sized portions. If you have a group of 18 or less, the River Rock Kitchen can provide a private space.

The local area abounds with dining, entertainment, and drinking possibilities. A ten-minute walk takes you to Big Fish Grill, Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, Constitution Yards beer garden, Ciro Food & Drink, and other tasty choices. Beer lovers will enjoy a newly added massive beer garden called the Constitution Yards. This beer garden holds over 30,000 square feet/2,787 sq m of beer-fueled fun and an axe throwing area.

In downtown Wilmington, don’t miss The Green Room for fine dining, DE.CO for delicious food hall fare, Bardea for creative Italian lunch and dinner, and Udairy Creamery for excellent ice cream.

Get out and explore

Hagley Museum grounds
Source: Kurt Jacobson

Entertainment options nearby includes Altitude Trampoline Park, Riverwalk Mini Golf, Penn Cinema Riverfront & IMAX, Frawley Stadium for Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball, or the Grand Opera House.

Go a bit further and you have the Hagley Museum, Nemours Mansion and Garden, Winterthur Museum, and three golf courses within a short drive from the hotel. All three of these grand estates of the du Pont’s are worth a look. A walk in the gardens of Nemours in spring or early summer is unforgettable. Feel like a king or queen as you stroll the grounds and gaze upon some of the most elaborate fountains in the country. The Nemours mansion is open for tours most of the year, for a fee, and is one of the Wilmington area’s highlights. The Hagley Museum grounds are a peaceful change from the Wilmington city center. Plan on spending two to three hours and be sure and walk their park-like grounds on the banks of the Brandywine River.

Delaware’s tax-free shopping brings visitors from near and far to the Christiana Mall where you can save a bundle buying electronics at the Apple Store, mall shops, or Costco. The Christiana Mall is just beyond the hotel shuttle’s service area but is worth a drive if you have shopping in mind during your visit.

Make Wilmington part of your travel plans

If Wilmington is in your travel plans, you’ll have an idea of where to stay and what to do in this historic city. It would be easy to fill up two to three days exploring all the Greater Wilmington area has to offer. The Westin Wilmington puts you in reach of the area’s best dining, entertainment, and historical places.

Even though my trip was sponsored by the Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau my opinions are my own.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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