The Mainstay Inn Room Descriptions
The Main House - 6 Rooms
The President Harrison Room
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The President Harrison Room is named for Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president of the United States (1889-1893) who spent several summers in Cape May both during and after his presidency. He had a summer home in Cape May Point from 1890 to 1896 and made the Congress Hall Hotel his summer White House. The room features twelve-foot ceilings and is located on the second floor of the mansion. This room is decorated in shades of rust and green with a hand-made oriental rug and a queen-sized Renaissance style walnut bed. The large bathroom was the home's original bath, serving the entire house, and features the original wood framed tub and pedestal sink. The room has central air conditioning with individual controls, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. The room is on the second floor of the mansion. Parking is provided with this room.
The Henry Sawyer Room
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The Henry Sawyer Room is named for Cape May’s Civil War hero who was captured by the Confederates. On the eve of his execution he was traded in a prisoner of war exchange for the son of Robert E. Lee. This is our largest room, with two double beds and three large windows overlooking Stockton Place and Columbia Avenue. It features twelve-foot ceilings and is located on the second floor at the front of the mansion. The wallpaper and border are hand silk-screened, and the carpet is by Karastan. The two double beds, each with matching marble topped dressers, were part of the original furnishings of the Clubhouse. The bath has a tub and shower, central air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. Parking is provided with this room.
The Henry Clay Room
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The Henry Clay Room overlooks Columbia Avenue with six eight-foot windows and commemorates the visit of statesman Henry Clay to Cape May. It is said he was so popular ladies often pursued him on the beach seeking a lock of his hair. The spectacular queen-sized Victorian bed was here in the 1870’s, as was the matching marble topped dressers. The room features twelve-foot ceilings and is located on the second floor at the front of the Mansion. It is believed to be the original master bedroom. The bath has a tub and shower, central air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. Parking is provided with this room.
The Cardinal Gibbons Room
The Cardinal Gibbons Room is named for James Gibbons, the Roman Catholic Archbishop who was elevated to the cardinalate in 1886, and the second American to receive that distinction. He used the Mansion as a Catholic retreat for several summers in the late 1890’s at the turn of the century. This spacious room has twelve-foot ceilings and is furnished with a stunning, museum quality matching double bed and dresser, which have been in the building since 1872. The rooms matching Greek revival wardrobes predate the house to the 1820’s. The bedroom also has one of two original chamber pots on a leather covered “slider” under the bed for decorative function only please. The wallpaper is hand silk-screened by Bradbury and Bradbury, and the carpet is a fine hand woven oriental. This room is on the second floor of the mansion and has a bath with tub and shower, central air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. Parking is provided with this room.
The Stonewall Jackson Suite
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The Stonewall Jackson Suite salutes the famous Confederate General who visited Cape May many years before the Civil War. This large suite has a king-sized bed with a comfortable traditional love-seat and chair. The love-seat is a twin-sized sleep sofa making this room available for a third person. The room features nine windows on three sides on the Inn, which make this room especially light and breezy, a large bath with tub and shower, air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. This second floor suite is at the rear of the mansion and was expanded as part of an early 1900’s addition which extended the second floor over a back porch that was behind the first floor kitchen. Parking is provided with this room.
The General Grant Suite
The General Grant Suite commemorates President Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States (1869–1877), who visited Cape May after the Civil War. This spacious suite has a bedroom with a king-sized brass bed and a separate sitting room with high quality period antiques. The room is light and airy featuring eight windows on three sides of Inn, a bath with tub and shower, air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. This third floor suite is the most private room in the mansion and was part of an addition in the early 1900’s which added this third floor space at the back of the house. Access to the suite is by a separate stairway which is steep and not recommended for guests with any mobility issues. The room can be matched with the Cardinal Gibbons rooms via a separate door in the Gibbon’s bathroom for a nice two room reservation that would bypass the steep stairs. Parking is provided with this room.
The Cottage - 6 Rooms
The Windsor Room
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The Windsor Room honors Wallis Warfield, the Duchess of Windsor whose family vacationed in Cape May. This room is located on the first floor of the cottage and is our most easily accessible room. This is a large room as it was once the dining room of the original house with twelve-foot ceilings and a lovely bay window overlooking the garden and fountain. The three-piece birds-eye-maple bedroom suite with queen-sized bed is of museum quality. The wallpaper is by Scalamandre and the carpet is a Karastan. The tiled bathroom has a tub and shower with a fabulous oversized pedestal sink. The room also has air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. Parking is provided with this room
The Bret Harte Room
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The Bret Harte Room is named for the famous writer of western novels who visited Cape May for a journalist’s convention. This is one of our most popular rooms because of its access to a large private veranda that wraps around the entire front on the cottage with vintage wicker furniture and a private hammock. The bed is a queen-sized “Shakespeare” carved headboard and matching dresser. The room features ten-foot ceilings, four large windows facing the ocean breeze, bath with tub and shower, air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. It is located on the second floor front of the Cottage. Parking is provided with this room
The Clara Barton Room
The Room commemorates the visit of the famous Civil War nurse and founder of the American Red Cross to Cape May. This is a large room with ten-foot ceilings and a bay window overlooking the garden and fountain. There is a queen-sized Victorian bed with matching marble-topped dresser and other fine antique pieces. The bath is small but popular because of its large two-person shower with dual showerheads. Other features include quiet air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. This room is on the second floor of the Cottage. Parking is on the street.
The Henry Ford Room
The Henry Ford Room celebrates America’s famous industrialist who once raced automobiles on our beaches against Louis Chevrolet. This room is a bit smaller than our other rooms but it is popular because it has a private back porch overlooking the garden and fountain. The room also features a large bathroom with tub and shower. It is furnished with a beautiful queen-sized Renaissance Revival bed and other quality Victorian antiques. This room is located on the second floor rear of the Cottage. Features include a bath tub and shower, air conditioning with individual control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. Parking is on the street.
The Lillie Langtry Room
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The Lillie Langtry Room honors the famous British actress and mistress of the Prince of Wales who shortened her visit to Cape May when her presence was discovered by too many adoring fans. This sunny room has five large windows overlooking Columbia Avenue. There is a king-size bed and beautiful seating area facing the beach just a block away. The room features a bath with shower only, air conditioning with individual room control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. The room is located on the third floor of the Cottage and parking is on the street.
The Stephen Decatur Suite
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The Commodore Stephen Decatur Suite is named for the famous naval hero who visited our city many times even before the American Revolution. This suite has an impressive Victorian queen-sized bed with matching dresser and a separate sitting room with lovely furnishings. The wallpaper is a beautiful blue and the carpets are by Karastan. The room features a bathroom with shower only, air conditioning with individual room control, a 15-inch flat panel TV, and wireless internet access. This room is light and airy with six windows on all four sides of the third floor of the Cottage.
Parking is provided with this room.
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The Beach Apartment
Beach Apartment Suite
Includes breakfast and afternoon tea in the Main House as well as all property amenities.
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Recently renovated modern accommodation for up to four people with a queen-size bed and a new queen-sized sofa bed in the living room. The first floor features a living area with gas fireplace, sofa bed, a small kitchen with stove, microwave, refrigerator, dining area, large LCD flat screen TV, and private deck. The second floor bedroom and bath include a second TV and is accessed via a spiral staircase. The space is air conditioned and heated.
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New items include a queen sofa bed, occasional chairs, dining table & chairs, high definition TV with BluRay player, dressers, bed, headboard, and private patio area.
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Parking is provided with this room.
