Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United States / Cape May / Congress Hall
Congress Hall
Cape May, New Jersey, United States · Independent · Accessible Luxury
Congress Hall opened in 1816 and is often cited as America's first seaside resort, the yellow beachfront pile at 200 Congress Place in Cape May. Benjamin Harrison used it as a summer White House in 1891, and Ulysses S. Grant was a guest. Cape Resorts still runs the Gilded Age rooms and the spa, and striped cabanas still line a beach that has hosted two centuries of summer.
- 107 rooms
- Opened 1816
- Neighborhood: Historic District
About Congress Hall
- Opened 1816; often cited as America's oldest seaside resort hotel.
- President Benjamin Harrison used it as a summer White House in 1891.
- One hundred seven rooms after the bicentennial renovation; yellow beachfront facade at 200 Congress Place.
History
Congress Hall began in 1816 as a boarding house on Cape May's beach, the settlement that became the United States' first seaside resort. The present yellow hotel at 200 Congress Place is the Gilded Age rebuilding of that house. Presidents including Ulysses S. Grant visited; in the summer of 1891 Benjamin Harrison's staff took over the first floor and treated the hotel as a summer White House. Grace Kelly and later Oprah Winfrey were among 20th-century guests. The Bashaw family of Cape Resorts restored the hotel and now runs it year-round, with 107 renovated rooms, a spa, and striped beach cabanas.
Restaurants and bars
- The Blue Pig Tavern — Bar
- The Brown Room — Restaurant
- The Boiler Room — Restaurant
- Veranda Bar & Grand Lawn — Bar
- Ice Cream — Café
- Coffee Shop — Café
- Smoothie Bar — Café
- Ebbitt Room — Restaurant
Experiences
- Congress Hall History Tours — 60-minute interactive guided tours of the hotel's past, led by 'Annie Knight'; open to non-guests who buy tickets.
- Holiday Grand Lawn — Holiday season Grand Lawn features lights, a carousel, the Congress Hall Express and an Enchanted Vendor Village.
- Beach yoga — Complimentary summer activity for guests.
- Beach Bootcamp — Complimentary summer activity for guests.
- Bike Shop — Bike rental and shop on property.
Amenities
- Bike Shop
- Boutique
- Logo Shop
- Grand Lawn
- Enchanted Vendor Village
- Weddings
- Meetings & events
- Gift Cards
- Indoor meeting spaces and scenic outdoor areas
- Team building activities
- Attentive service for conferences and special events
Open Congress Hall in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More hotels in Cape May
- The Southern Mansion — Independent · Accessible Luxury
- Virginia Hotel — Independent · Accessible Luxury
- Ocean Club Hotel — Independent · Near Luxury
- The Harrison — Independent · Near Luxury