Whistling Swan Inn

A Bed and Breakfast Landmark on Main Street

Daniel L. Best built the Victorian mansion at 110 Main Street in 1905, back when Stanhope was still a working canal town. Today the same building runs as the Whistling Swan Inn, a bed and breakfast in Stanhope, NJ, under innkeeper Audry Burnett. Best, a local Justice of the Peace, put the house up for his wife, Sarah, and it passed through the Sedgeman and Salmon families before standing vacant for years through the mid-20th century. Joe and Paula Williams bought and restored the mansion in 1986 and reopened it under its current name, and Burnett, the fourth innkeeper, has described running it as a lifelong goal rather than a career change.

Rooms and Breakfast at the Whistling Swan Inn

The inn’s suites, including the High Point and Walnut Valley rooms, mix antique furnishings with private jacuzzi tubs, streaming TV, and quality linens. Every stay includes a made-from-scratch breakfast that Burnett prepares herself: house-made yogurt, sourdough baked daily on site, and a rotating mix of sweet and savory plates, with dietary accommodations available on request. On-site parking, an EV charging station, and complimentary bicycle rentals round out the practical side of a stay that otherwise leans on period detail and quiet.

Weddings, Jazz Nights, and Exploring Sussex County

A Venue for Small Weddings and Gatherings

The wraparound porch and Victorian gardens make the inn a popular backdrop for small weddings, elopements, and bridal or baby showers, along with the occasional murder mystery dinner and a formal Victorian tea. On the second Thursday of most months, the inn brings in a live jazz act for guests and neighbors alike.

Getting Out Into Sussex County

Black Forest Inn, an easy walk from the inn, serves up German food for guests looking for dinner nearby. Guests headed farther afield can reach Lake Hopatcong in about ten minutes, or spend an afternoon at Waterloo Village along the old Morris Canal. Antique shops in Chester, Andover, and Lafayette give a weekend a second gear once breakfast is cleared away, and hiking trails through nearby state parks fill the rest of the day.