Armitage Inn

uilt in 1732, the Armitage Inn is beautifully situated on the banks of the Delaware River in the heart of the Battery Park in Olde New Castle. The house has been known as the Van Leuvenigh House after one of its earliest owners, Zachariah Van Leuvenigh, bought the property in 1765, expanded it and lived there with his family until his death in 1789. He was a patriot during the Revolutionary War and chief magistrate of New Castle. Zachariah Van Leuvenigh began a long tradition of hospitality in this house when post riders, bringing word of the battles of the Revolutionary War, would stop to pass on the news to Mr. Van Leuvenigh, who then provided them with refreshments and sped them on their way.

The Armitage Inn is one of the older homes in New Castle. One of the rooms on the main floor is believed to have been built in the 1600's and was later used as a kitchen. Within it is an original brick "walk in" cooking fireplace. The house is situated only a few feet away from the spot where William Penn, who was given title to the area now known as Pennsylvania and Delaware, first set foot in the New World.

The Armitage Inn gets its name from the Armitage family whose daughter Ann married Zachariah Van Leuvenigh and lived in this house with her family. In 1789, her husband bequeathed to her this house "fronting the River Delaware" where she lived until her death in 1824 at the age of 87. The Inn includes the main house, a wing, now connected to the main house, and a garden cottage.

Each guest room is beautifully furnished and decorated in its own individual style to ensure absolute comfort and a sense of beauty. All furnishings, beds, linens and towels have been carefully selected to pamper our guests and provide them with a feeling of opulent comfort and luxury. The rooms feature king and queen size beds, private baths, several with whirlpool tubs and all are air conditioned. Concealed within the period furniture are modern day conveniences such as telephones, modem connections and television sets with cable service. Please read on for a description of each of the five guest rooms.

The Angelica Suite — Situated in the oldest wing of the house, built in the 1600's, the suite is comprised of two rooms and a spacious bathroom with a whirlpool tub. The main room features a lovely queen size canopy bed with a hand crocheted canopy cover. The second room, originally used as a nursery, has a single bed, and historically unique fireplace, and its decor is reminiscent of its use as a children's room in the 17th century. Every room in this intimate suite provides a beautiful view of the Delaware river and Battery Park.

The White Rose Room — Situated on the west wing of the second floor, this is a large sunny room with a magnificent view of the Delaware river and the Battery park. A high king size four poster canopy bed, draped in soft white fabric is the focal point of this spacious room. Across it is an intimate nook created by the bay window where guests can watch the ships sailing up and down the Delaware river, just as the occupants of this room have done for hundreds of years. This room's bathroom is spacious and bright and features a whirlpool tub.

The Hawthorne Room — Just across the landing, on the east side of the second floor, this room reigns bold and beautiful, overlooking the historic buildings and narrow passages of The Strand and Delaware street. A high and magnificently comfortable four poster king size canopy bed, draped in magenta and white, invites you to sink into its opulent luxury. As in the White Rose room, the Hawthorne's spacious and bright bathroom features a whirlpool tub.

The Belle Fleur Room — On the west side of third floor, the Belle Fleur room is framed by the unique lines of this ancient house's roof line. A comfortable chair near its sunny west window invites you to spend hours gazing at the magical view of the Delaware river, the park and the intimate English garden below. A romantic and lovely queen size bed with a curved canopy that is red with a hand crocheted coverlet, stands just below the gently sloping ceiling. An intimate private bathroom completes this delightful retreat.

The Gardenia Room — On the east side of the third floor is this charming room which overlooks kitchen garden and The Strand. Its queen size bed, inviting and comfortable, is tucked under the sloping roof line with garlands of originally painted beautiful flowers lending it a special sense of intimacy. The room also features a bathroom with a shower and two sinks, one in the bathroom and the other near the dormer window in the room itself.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES:

• Five guest rooms each with private bath, air conditioning, telephone, color cable television, hair dryers, alarm clocks.
• Two rooms have four poster king size beds, three have whirlpool shower/ tubs, and two have queen size beds with stall showers.
• Beautifully furnished rooms, each with its own individual style.