The Blue Water House is a bed and breakfast that is located in Lewes, Delaware, and can be found two and a half blocks away from the beach. There are a total of nine rooms available at the establishment, and breakfast is provided each morning. The Blue Water House is open year-round, and the best times to visit are during the summer and later in the fall, around September and October. The first floor has a tiki bar and covered decks for outdoor seating. The second floor has several rooms, a dining room, and a kitchen, which is where breakfast is served. The third floor contains the rest of the living spaces, and the fourth floor is a common area that has games and can be used as a hangout area. The city of Lewes has a couple of beaches and many places to eat food and shop.
The Blue Water House has a total of nine rooms available during the year. Each room is private and can be found on either the second or third floor. The house is built on what is called 'pilings' to keep the living spaces off the ground floor and above water when flooding occurs. On the first floor, there is a tiki bar and decks that are covered in some places and uncovered in others, both of which are available to visitors. The kitchen and dining area are found on the second floor, along with three of the bedrooms. The other six bedrooms are located on the third floor. On the uppermost floor, there is a common area that offers couches for seating, a wet bar, and games. The ground floor has a covered area with a porch that is decorated similar to the interior of the building. Each unit is very colorful, and is uniquely decorated with specific colors and themes.
Each living space comes with a bed, private bathroom, mini-fridge, couch, table, television, and access to WiFi. There are some variations with each room's amenities that the owner recommends guests look at before making their choice when reserving a room. For example, some of the beds are queen-sized, while other rooms have king-sized beds. Also, while all of the units have private bathrooms, some of them come equipped with a tub and shower combo, while others may just have a shower. The units on the third floor have a balcony that wraps around the whole upper level. Though the terrace is shared amongst the rooms, there is still about 15 to 20 feet between each unit, and there is seating outside of each doorway for patrons to use. The Hemmingway is the largest of them all and can be used for couples and small families due to its size.
Breakfast is provided each morning by the manager of the property, whose name is Tony. While they do serve some continental items for breakfast, such as fresh fruit and pastries, Tony will also ensure that he makes things like waffles, pancakes, eggs, and other hot meals. Each dish can also be accompanied by various drinks like juice, tea, and coffee. Regarding Tony's cooking, the owner says jokingly, "I try to clip his wings by telling him that this is not a cruise ship, but he always goes a little overboard, and the guests love it." Accommodations can be made for guests that are on specific diets, like vegan or vegetarian, so long as the manager is given enough time to make qualifying dishes. The individual hot meals are prepared one at a time by the manager, but fresh fruit, pastries, muffins, bagels, and more are typically available via buffet style where guests can help themselves to whatever they would like for the morning. After breakfast, the kitchen is regularly supplied to have various snacks throughout the day for visitors to have at their leisure.
Lewes is a city on the edge of the ocean and has several beaches that are a short distance from The Blue Water House. Along with all of the beaches, there are many places that patrons can visit and restaurants that offer food for different times of the day. Lewes Beach is a bay beach that has a ferry that takes guests out on the water where they can see aquatic creatures, like dolphins. Cape Henlopen State Park has large sand dunes and many bike trails. There is no sales tax in Delaware, so shopping tends to be a popular activity for those who come from out of state. Rehoboth is another town that is southeast of Lewes that offers more places to eat and shop. Golf is another popular pastime that visitors are able to enjoy in the area; there are a number of golf courses close to Lewes.
There are a variety of restaurants that can be found throughout the town, but Rick, the owner of The Blue Water House, has several that he will often recommend to guests. Agave is an eatery that specializes in serving Latin-American food. Margaritas are also available for purchase. Heirloom is another restaurant that is found in Lewes. Heirloom serves American dishes in a Victorian house. The dine-in restaurant also has a bar. Another restaurant he likes to recommend is called Kindle. Kindle is a French bistro that also has an outdoor patio for guests to eat outside.
The Blue Water House has been repainted from top to bottom with vibrant colors and accented with many different pieces of art. Rick, the owner of the property, often says the property is less streamlined, enabling them to enjoy having a lively-looking atmosphere. He understands that some people would prefer to stay in something that is simpler in design however, so he mentions that he can help people find another place to stay if they aren't comfortable at his establishment. But he hopes that people will come and enjoy his unique establishment.
The goal for the property is to help guests have an enjoyable time and give them an opportunity to relax and recharge. The owner, Rick, describes the nature of The Blue Water House to be laid back and easy-going. He also says that they do their best to stay out of their visitor's way when they come to the property. He and the staff understand that the patrons probably have plans for their trips, and they do not want to micromanage that. In Rick's own words, "It is their stay, and we don't want to intrude on that. We will be in the backdrop. If they need us, we will be there for them, but it is their time here, not ours."
Lewes is a destination spot for weddings, and The Blue Water House has hosted weddings before, but the owner explains that the house is best suited as being a place for people to have a place to stay and to have breakfast in the morning. Rick explains, saying, "We are first and foremost a bed and breakfast, here for people to have a place to sleep and some food to eat for breakfast. It is also a residential area, so I have to be mindful about my neighbors as well."
The Blue Water House has received a number of reviews from patrons who have stayed in the past. One thing that is often mentioned is the quality of breakfast, which is made by Tony. A person that visited in the past wrote, "Blue Water is a lot of fun. The management is efficient and very friendly. Tony is an amazing cook, and he offers a wide selection of delicious breakfast food." Another aspect of the property that is often referenced is the cleanliness of the interior, which is maintained by Glenda. One guest wrote that "The owners and manager were super helpful with everything we needed. The cleaning lady was super sweet in getting my son a cot for the 2nd night we stayed over."
The Blue Water House was first built in 1995, and ever since construction finished on the building, it has been used as a bed and breakfast. Chuck and Karen were the first owners of the business, and they held it for about four years until they sold it to the current owner of the property, Rick, in 1999. Rick explains that the bed and breakfast swapped hands for a bit in the mid-2000s, but eventually, in 2009, he ended up with it again. When he retook ownership in 2009, Rick decided to redo everything from changing the floors to repainting the walls. Rick remodeled many things and purchased new furniture for the units.
When construction was finished on the property, the previous owners made it a simple establishment, with most of the decorations and additional features coming later. Their main focus was making it an appropriate building for a bed and breakfast, and things were more streamlined. Rick doesn't have any future plans for the property, and he explains that he enjoys having nine rooms in total. He considers it just the right number of units for his current team of employees and him to manage and maintain well.
The busiest season of operation tends to be in the summer, specifically around June, July, and August. September and October tend to be good months as well. As they have been open for a while, they have many repeat guests and some that have been coming for so long that the owner knows them by name when they walk in.
407 E. Market Street
Lewes, Delaware 19958
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Rick Quill
Chuck and Karen Ulrich
