Lighthouse Inn Bed and Breakfast | 20 Delaware Ave., Rehoboth Beach, 226-0407, www.lighthouseinn.net
“A good breakfast and a good bed.” Lighthouse Inn owners Matt Turlinski and Jerry Sipes are serious about their motto—they’ve perfected the morning repast and replaced the mattresses three times since opening in 1996. This combination of essential comfort and excellent cuisine has made The Lighthouse Inn a Rehoboth staple over the past 18 seasons.
The inn has four rooms and a two-story private cottage, all named after lighthouses around the world, from Key West to Cape May. The Lighthouse gives guests a chance to stay in one of the few remaining original houses in Rehoboth.
“When we bought the property, our friends thought we were crazy—it needed so much work,” says Sipes. With an original fireplace and woodwork, the house is just one reason to love Rehoboth. “We are the ambassadors of the town,” says Sipes, who is happy to provide recommendations for dining and activities nearby.
The Lighthouse offers Direct TV, HBO, a collection of old movies and a complimentary 40-minute thermal acupressure massage. “We want people to feel comfortable putting their feet up,” says Sipes.
BEDazzled | 65 Lake Ave., Rehoboth Beach www.seawitchmanor.com
Bewitched | 67 Lake Ave., Rehoboth Beach www.seawitchmanor.com
From old Hollywood charm to all things Bewitched, and gourmet breakfasts to ghosts, the adjacent Bewitched and BEDazzled bed-and-breakfasts offer—you guessed it—a bewitching beach experience. These inns, owned and run by Inez Conover and her partner, Sharon Marquart, are film-star-worthy and sure to impress even the toughest movie critics.
Bewitched was inspired by the popular TV show from the 1960s and ’70s. Conover was fascinated by the show’s ability to discuss issues of politics, race and sexual orientation in a comedic and relevant way. “The show really had a meaning,” she says. “There were lessons to be learned.” The inn’s nine rooms are each named and decorated for a different character from the show, including Tabitha, Aunt Clara and Samantha.
BEDazzled, the slightly smaller neighbor of Bewitched, is dripping with old Hollywood glitz and glamour. The essences of film greats like Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Judy Garland and Humphrey Bogart permeate the rooms, and signed photographs of the actors dot the walls.
Conover is also proud of the inns’ dog-friendly policy and high standards for cleanliness. She supplies doggie shampoo, towels and bathrobes, which must be worn inside until the pets are dry.
Conover and Marquart provide a full sit-down gourmet breakfast (catered to guests’ specific dietary needs), complimentary iced tea and lemonade throughout the day, and Apple TV technology. After 15 years, 45 percent of guests are returning customers. “Our guests say, ‘I feel like I’m at home,’ and when they leave they give us a hug,” says Conover. “They become family.”
