South Jersey Resort Named Among America’s Top Hotels

Congress Hall in Cape May has been added to USA TODAY's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards list for best historic resort and hotel for 2025. The luxury hotel ranked No. 7 in USA TODAY's listing.

In choosing the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Award winners, a panel of experts in various categories submits nominations. The public then votes on these nominations to determine the top 10 winners.

Regarded as the oldest seaside resort in the country, Congress Hall opened in 1816. The hotel has welcomed thousands of summer visitors over the centuries, including U.S. presidents and members of Congress.

Here's what USA TODAY had to say about the property's amenities and enduring legacy:

"The hotel's prime beachfront location, stunning ocean views, and luxurious accommodations have attracted a number of presidential guests, among them Ulysses S. Grant and Benjamin Harrison. Renovations over the years have maintained its charm and elegance inside and out. Congress Hall also features a variety of dining options, a historic lounge, a full-service spa, beach lounges and umbrellas, and plenty of activities for visitors."

According to The Courier Post, Thomas H. Hughes, a Cape May businessman, established Congress Hall. Originally called "The Big House," the property was rebranded as Congress Hall following Hughes's election to Congress in 1828.

The resort blossomed as a destination, but the property was destroyed in 1878, when a fire burned 38 acres of the seafront. Rebuilding took a year to complete, and business resumed. 

At the beginning of the 20th century, the hotel fell into disrepair and remained closed for more than a decade. It reopened during the 1920s, debuting new renovations. In 1934, Congress Hall was home to Cape May's first post-Prohibition cocktail bar.