TRAVEL
THE PEACOCK INN By Jeff & Stephanie Sylva
ombining a history dating back to the early days of this nation together with a dedication to providing modern, luxurious accommodations and upscale fine dining, The Peacock Inn has established itself as an iconic landmark in downtown Princeton, NJ. The only luxury boutique hotel and fine dining restaurant in this university town, The Peacock Inn, has garnered a long list of accolades and an impressive guest list that includes members of the Continental Congress, Albert Einstein, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
HOTEL HISTORY The inn’s history begins in the 1770s when Jonathan Deare purchased the property from Thomas Stockton and offered fellow members of the Continental Congress rooms with fireplaces and breakfast, tea, and dinner. In 1911 the peacock, a symbol of royalty, good food, and good luck, was adopted as the hotel’s emblem. It is believed that the basement of the Inn, also known as “Peacock Alley,” served as a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Evidence of such was discovered in 2006 during a 3-year renovation when original drawings by jazz age artist John Held, Jr. were found. These drawings, etched on the basement’s cement walls, are now framed and hanging on the dining room walls. The 16-room inn is part of the Ascend Hotel Collection and has earned the AAA Four-Diamond Award four years in a row, including the AAA Inspector’s Best of 2020. The entire inn has been completely updated with a clean, contemporary design. The rooms are bright with abundant natural light and decorated with a pleasing mix of neutral and muted earth tones. In addition to high-end bedding and luxury amenities, the bathrooms feature a glass-enclosed rain shower and radiant-heated floors. 40 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
Dining Room
