I have stayed at the Hotel DuPont probably 15 or 20 times times over the last 10 years, and the last time I stayed there was in October, 2011.

The best thing about this hotel has always been that the rooms are bigger than any hotel rooms around (suites really) and the bathrooms are huge and luxurious. The negative has always been the service, which is spotty at best, and the last time I stayed there it was worse than ever.... Ordinarily the service suffers from things like light bulbs may be burned out in your room (and never checked), it may take forever to get your car when you call ahead for it, it may take up to an hour to get your room service, and the people (not all but some) at the front desk do nothing proactively to solve problems..... Either they just don't get it, or they are not given the authority to do anything about the problems that arise. You just can not count on good service here. You know you are not in a real metropolis where good service separates the good hotels from the not so good ones, but rather you are in Wilmington where they don't get it....or there just isn't the demand for it (it is a relatively small, sleepy city). No one at the hotel is cracking the whip, and no one is going out of their way to make sure things are done right every time. There are just not the same expectations on the part of both the staff and management here, as there is at other top hotels. The service is not in the same league as the top hotels in Philadelphia, for an example (not even close!).

However the last time I stayed at Hotel DuPont was the worse example of bad service of practically any hotel I have stay at. An alarm went off in the middle of the night, and all the guests had to pile outside by walking down the stairs. I had to help an elderly person down from the 10th floor. There we all were on the wet sidewalks of Wilmington, DE at 1:15AM. There was no one from the hotel there in charge.... No one to tell us what was happening, no one on the halls to help anyone (like the elderly or infirmed), no one anywhere.... And the next morning when I checked out, no one at the front desk said anything about the alarm that went off the night before. NOTHING! No apology, no offer to refund part of my room rate ($400+), no free coffee or breakfast, no note slipped under the door apologizing...nothing. I have had an alarm problem at one other hotel (a Marriott, I believe), and they had people on hand in the middle of the night to help and explain what had happened, they discounted our room rate etc. etc. They handled the problem with SERVICE, unlike the Hotel Dupont.

I called and emailed the manager of the Hotel DuPont after I had checked out, explaining my unhappiness, and needless to say, I never heard anything definitive back. Yup, not surprising for a hotel that has a "service" problem....

This could be a fantastic hotel...one of the best in the country, but it has never ever lived up to its potential, and from what I can tell, things are getting worse and worse. It could be such an easy fix, it is called SERVICE. Like another reviewer said, you should save your $$ and stay at the Marriott when in Wilmington. I totally agree....

I only spent one night here and I didn't make the arrangements so I can't comment on the value or on the room options. However, I enjoyed my short stay here. My room was spacious and included a sitting area with a couch and a desk, plus a really large bathroom that has a separate shower from the tub. The hotel is beautiful-- if you stay here, walk around to see the restaurant and event space. The wood panels, high ceilings, and ornate decorations and really make you feel like you've been transported to a different era. For this reason, Dupont is not a typical Hilton/Sheraton type of hotel. The omelet from room service for breakfast was nice and fluffy. The restaurant is beautiful and the food is OK although not exceptional. The hotel is a short taxi ride to the train station.

We spent one night here for a wedding we attended early November. The service was fantastic. The Hotel Du Pont is a throwback to the glory days associated with the Du Pont family and maintains its classic design in its rooms. At the same time, the rooms are modern with all the latest features and the bathroom was beautiful. The hotel catered the wedding and the food was absolutely fantastic. If you're planning a wedding or large party, I would highly recommend this hotel. The ballroom is magnificent; no need to decorate this room. The immediate area around the hotel does let lend itself to a casual evening stroll outside the hotel. Expensive unless you're attending a wedding and the wedding party has booked a block of rooms at a nicely reduced rate.

This hotel is an absolute jewel! The rooms are gracious, spacious, quiet and you won't want to leave. I can't imagine what "modern conveniences" Gutreaction is referring to as I have never felt lacking for any service or amenity there. The beds and furnishings are elegant and comfortable, the bathrooms are a marvel, room service is reasonable and weekend rates are unbeatable. My only wish is that the newspaper would be delivered by default rather than by request.