The 10 Best Bed and Breakfasts In Cape May

Peter Shields

Cape May, New Jersey is a historic town located at the southern tip of the Cape May Peninsula where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Cape May is one of the oldest American vacation destinations. During the latter nineteenth century, Cape May became a summer destination. Mostly wealthy families from Philadelphia built summer homes in this breath taking seaside village. Cape May retains its Victorian charm. Travelers flock to the quaint town and stay at its many historic Victorian style Bed and Breakfast inns.

Wilbraham Mansion

10. Wilbraham Mansion

The Wilbraham Mansion is located at 133 Myrtle Avenue. The home was built in the 1840’s and enlarged in the 1890’s to be a summer mansion for a wealthy Philadelphian. The mansion retains its Victorian features including plaster and moldings, large French doors with beveled glass, and original gilded mirrors. Today Wilbraham Mansion is a Victorian bed and breakfast with 10 rooms and suites. Each guest room is well appointed with Victorian style furnishings and private baths. The Wilbraham Mansion includes a gas fireplace, a spa bath tub, and a double headed shower. The Wilbraham Mansion has beautiful porches, a charming parlor, and a heated indoor pool. This bed and breakfast offers a full breakfast, afternoon tea, and delicious fresh baked snacks. The Wilbraham Mansion offers complimentary bicycles, beach chairs, and pool towels.

The Queen Victoria

9. The Queen Victoria

The Queen Victoria is located at 102 Ocean Street, close to the beach and close to the town where guests enjoy strolling, shopping, historic tours, and fine dining. This boutique inn consists of 3 restored 1880’s homes. Each has spacious porches, parlor rooms with fireplaces, and dining rooms. There are 31 rooms and suites at The Queen Victoria. Each guest room is uniquely styled with period antiques and high quality bedding topped with handmade quilts. Each guest room has a private bath and a mini refrigerator. Some guest rooms have gas fireplaces. A buffet breakfast is served daily. A British style tea is served each afternoon. Guests are welcome to the pantry with beverages, ice, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. The Queen Victoria offers complimentary beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, and bicycles.

Mainstay Inn

8. Mainstay Inn and Cottage

Mainstay Inn and Cottage is located at 635 Columbia Avenue. The Victorian home was built by Stephen Decatur Button, a Philadelphia architect, in 1872 as a gambling club. When gambling was prohibited in Cape May in 1898 the now Mainstay Inn was purchased by a Philadelphia family as a summer home. The home remained with private owners until 1977 when the new owners renovated it into a Bed and Breakfast adding “The Cottage” with additional guest rooms. The Mainstay Inn and Cottage. The Mainstay Inn offers breakfast in the dining room and a buffet during spring and fall. The Inn offers cookies, coffee and tea as well as a guest refrigerator and concierge service. The Mainstay Inn also offers a shower and changing room for guests checking in early or after check out if they wish to enjoy the beach.

Virginia Hotel

7. Virginia Hall

Virginia Hall is located at 25 Jackson Street in Cape May. The elegant Inn hosts weekend getaways as well as weddings and other important invents. Virginia Hall offers fine guest rooms with modern amenities including plush mattresses and bedding, luxury baths, and classic Victorian furnishings. Virginia Hall offers a variety of guest rooms including 2 doubles, queen, and king styles. Every morning Virginia Hall offers a delicious locally sourced continental breakfast. Virginia Hall also offers seasonal access local bicycle shop, beach chairs, beach umbrellas, and beach towels. Virginia Hall is easy walking distance to downtown Cape May where there are plenty of dining and shopping options.

John Wesley Inn

6. John Wesley Inn

John Wesley Inn is located at 30 Gurney Street in Cape May. John Wesley Inn is a charming Victorian Bed and Breakfast. The current owners renovated the site in 2005 and established a beautiful Victorian style Bed and Breakfast close to the town of Cape May and just a half block to the beach. John Wesley Inn offers 6 unique Victorian style guest rooms as well as apartments that can be rented for larger parties. Guest rooms boast king size beds, connected rooms for families, private baths with whirlpools, and the finest amenities. The main house has a dining room, family parlor, and sun room. “Bonnie’s Kitchen” provides daily homemade breakfast made from local ingredients as well as afternoon tea. The John Wesley Inn also provides weekly rental carriages for guests to get the real feeling of visiting Cape May during the Victorian era.

Congress Hall

5. Congress Hall

Congress Hall is the oldest hotel in Cape May. The site hosted many during the nineteenth century including Presidents of the United States of America including Franklin Pierce and James Buchanon. Sadly the original building burned to the ground in 1878 but was built to its former glory that exists today. Over the decades Congress Hall saw good and bad times, but in 2002 the large property was fully renovated. Since then Congress Hall features American heritage furnishings and unique rooms with attention to history as well as modern amenities. Congress Hall offers boutique style rooms in a great location close to the beach, restaurants and shops. Guest rooms include private baths, soak tubs, and high end linens.

Mason Cottage

4. The Mason Cottage B&B Inn

The Mason Cottage B&B Inn is located on Columbia Avenue in the heart of downtown Cape May. The Mason is a charming in located within walking distance of downtown Cape May boutiques, restaurants, and bars. It’s also within walking distance of the beach. The Mason provides complimentary beach bikes, beach chairs, and beach towels. The Inn was built in 1871 by Edward Warne, a Philadelphia attorney and developer as a summer home for his family. Warne divided the home in two, one for he and his wife and one the other side for his son and his son’s family. In the 1940’s the Mason family purchased the home and made it a stop for travelers and summer vacationers. Flash forward to 2009 when the current owners purchased The Mason and turned it into a charming yet modern Bed and Breakfast. They refurbished the Victorian architecture, added modern amenities including WiFi, charging ports, and private baths in each of the Inn’s 10 refurbished guest suites and rooms. The Mason boasts 2 elaborate staircases, a beautiful veranda, and offers a 2 course breakfast to guests each morning as well as snacks, coffee, and tea.

The Harrison

3. The Harrison Bed and Breakfast

The Harrison is located at 613 Columbia Avenue. The boutique style inn was built in 1867 for Samuel Harrison, a wealthy Philadelphian as a summer home for his family. Like many Cape May homes built during the 1880’s, Harrison’s home was designed by Stephen Decatur Button. After years of passing to new home owners, The Harrison was completely renovated into a bed and breakfast in 2015. The Harrison expanded to include 2 other bed and breakfasts including The Pharos Inn next store. The Harrison has 7 King rooms and 9 Queen rooms. Each guest room is meticulously decorated to reflect the Victorian romantic charm of the Inn. Each guest room has high end amenities for a comfortable, luxurious getaway for visitors to Cape May. The Harrison has a beautiful veranda, an English Garden, a spacious dining room, and a charming parlor. Each day guests are served a made to order breakfast. Guests also enjoy an afternoon tea, complimentary beverages and snacks including scones, cake, pie, torts, and fresh fruit as well as complimentary beach chairs, beach bags, and bicycles.

Angel of the Sea

2. Angel of the Sea

Angel of the Sea is the best place to stay when enjoying a vacation in Cape May. The Bed & Breakfast offers a unique experience staying in a nineteenth century home that has a lot of history and is refurbished to offer the finest modern amenities in a home filled with history. Angel By the Sea began its journey as a summer cottage for Philadelphia chemist, William Weightman. Weightman developed an anti-malaria drug. The original site of his family summer home was located at Franklin and Washington Streets. Weightman decided to move the home to a better location, closer to the sea, at Ocean and Beach Avenues. The home stayed in the Weightman family until 1905 and served as a guest house, hotel, a restaurant, and a dorm for 2 decades for students of nearby Shelton College. Sadly, Angel of the Sea was abandoned during the 1980’s but was fully renovated in the late 1980’s. Today, Angel of the Sea is a beautiful Victorian style Bed and Breakfast in Cape May. It boasts 27 guest suites in Victorian style with modern amenities. It’s vast porches offer vies of the Ocean. It’s historic preservation is incredible. Angel of the Sea is close to the Ocean and a great romantic getaway.

Peter Shields

1. The Peter Shields Inn and Restaurant

The Peter Shields Inn and Restaurant is located at 1301 Beach Avenue just steps from the beach. The romantic Inn has 9 guest rooms and 2 suites. Most of the guest rooms have ocean views, king size beds, and gas or electric fireplaces. All rooms have en suite bathrooms with soaking tubs and showers. Room amenities are of high quality. The 2 suites include kitchenettes. Peter Shields Inn offers concierge service, complimentary beach chairs and towels, and bicycles. There is an outdoor shower and changing room welcome to guests when returning from the beach. A full breakfast is served each morning as well as complimentary soft drinks and snacks and a daily afternoon wine and cheese social hour. The award winning Peter Shields Inn Restaurant is on site. The restaurant’s menu includes traditional and contemporary dishes. The Peter Shields Inn hosts weddings and other special events. It’s one of the best places to stay when visiting Cape May because of its high quality amenities, great service, and location.

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