The Miller-Dunham House Bed and Breakfast is located in Odessa, Delaware. In total, the property encompasses almost four acres of land with a variety of plants and trees that were planted by the Dunham family, the original owners of the house. Behind the inn is also a path that leads through the woods and to a gazebo that visitors can observe. There are a total of four guestrooms available for reservation in the house, each with a unique name and theme. Common amenities in each room include ensuite bathrooms with walk-in showers and heated floors, ensuite heating and air conditioning controls, and TVs. The two more popular rooms feature balconies that overlook the property. Bob, one of the house’s innkeepers, says that “we want [guests] to be comfortable” during their stay. As such, he and his wife, Debi, strive to make themselves available to assist guests as needed.
The Miller-Dunham House Bed and Breakfast is located on about four acres of land in Odessa, Delaware. The building’s style is described by the innkeepers, Bob and Debi, as being “New England colonial.” Throughout the property are a variety of flowers, such as rosebushes and tiger lilies, as well as magnolia trees. A u-shaped path behind the guesthouse leads patrons into a wooded area of the property on a nature walk to an old gazebo and follows the property line from one side to the other. Should people wish to gather outside, seating is available near the inn’s firepit with a table and chairs.
Inside the house, four rooms are available for guest reservation, each with its own unique name and theme. All of the rooms offer amenities such as ensuite bathrooms with heated floors, private heating and air conditioning controls, and TVs. The Dunham Room, named after the Dunham family who first built the house, offers the only queen-size bed in the inn as well as a balcony. Another room with a balcony is the Provence Suite, which the innkeepers say is the most popular room among visitors, along with the Dunham room, because of the balcony. The Provence Suite also offers the largest bathroom with a soaking tub.
Some of the other areas that patrons have access to are the kitchen, living room, dining room, and the enclosed sun porch. Bob and Debi cite the sun porch as being a favorite of many guests, especially in the mornings when breakfast is served. The meal is typically served around 8:30; however, the innkeepers say that the time can be changed upon request. Patrons can have breakfast served to them in the dining room, sun porch, living room, or their guest room. Bob cooks the breakfast and says that he strives to serve dishes that have a “wow factor” that people can’t get when making breakfast at home for themselves. One dish he does is called the “breakfast banana split,” which is served in a sundae glass and consists of yogurt and fresh fruit instead of ice cream. Accommodations can be made for those with dietary restrictions or allergies upon request.
There are several attractions that guests often visit in the area while they stay at the Miller-Dunham House Bed and Breakfast. Some of these include properties that were du Pont Family Estates, such as Longwood Gardens or the Nemour Estate, which are gardens and museums that give people a look at how the du Ponts lived and what they did for the area during their lives. For those interested in the history of the area, other museums showcasing the region’s history are Fort Delaware, a Civil War prisoner of war camp that documents the events of the war, and a tour of the historic buildings of Odessa led by the Historic Odessa Foundation. Bombay Hook, a nearby wildlife refuge, has a number of different species of bird that some guests find exciting and may take pictures of or paint. Bob and Debi recommend that patrons looking for places to eat visit Cantwell’s Tavern, which is down the street from the bed and breakfast, as well as Schaefer’s Canal House in Chesapeake City.
When asked about how they want their guests to feel while staying at the Miller-Dunham House Bed and Breakfast, Bob, one of the house’s innkeepers, says, “We want [them] to be comfortable and not confined to [their] guestroom.” They strive to create this atmosphere by offering various board and card games as well as making themselves available should the patrons need anything. One aspect of the inn that many guests like, according to Bob and Debi, is Pablo, their dog. Other visitors' reviews highlight the innkeepers’ hospitality and the quality of the breakfast each morning. Said one guest regarding their stay, “Bob and Debi were amazing hosts and very accommodating. Breakfast was great. The rooms were spacious and clean. Lots of details in the whole house both inside and out.” Another patron mentioned that they appreciated the suggestions for things to do in the area made by Debi and the nature trail in the back of the property.
In order to help guests feel comfortable, there are one or two policies that Bob and Debi ask that their visitors to the property follow. The most important policy, according to Bob, is that while the property is dog-friendly, patrons interested in bringing their dogs must arrange to do so with Bob and Debi, as they want only one additional dog on the property at a time plus Pablo. Additionally, dogs cannot be left unattended in the guestrooms and must be taken with their owners whenever they leave the property.
Typically the busiest season for the Miller-Dunham House Bed and Breakfast is between May and October. With that being said, the inn is open year-round. Historically, many people who have stayed at the property during this busy season have been families visiting St. Andrews School, whether to visit students who are enrolled there or enroll their children in the school. In recent years, however, Bob and Debi have noticed a shift where more of their patrons are from places close by who are exploring the area, as opposed to those who may travel further distances for St. Andrews School.
The Miller-Dunham House Bed and Breakfast was originally built as a home for the Dunham family, as the name implies, in the 1970s. Charles Dunham and his wife were horticulturists, and this passion for plants resulted in the many flowers and trees being planted on the premises of the bed and breakfast. After years of living in the home, the property was sold to Kory and Gantt Miller, who established it as a bed and breakfast. Gantt grew up in Odessa and wanted to turn the house into an inn to continue to have a presence in the town.
Bob and Debi Schulman, the current innkeepers, had talked about innkeeping for about ten years prior to running the Miller-Dunham House. Bob has a degree in hotel administration and has worked in the hospitality industry in various capacities since he was twelve years old. Debi has also worked in the hospitality industry and, for many years, was a property manager. “One way or another,” Debi says, “we were always on the end of servicing a client.” The Schulmans did some research and decided to assist the Millers with running the Miller-Dunham House, conclusively moving to live on the property in 2019.
207 High St
Odessa, Delaware 19730
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Debi and Bob Schulman
