Patricia Talorico

The News Journal

Sunday night, I was one of the first people to bunk at the brand new Dogfish Inn in downtown Lewes.

Last fall, Dogfish Head announced it was buying the old Vesuvio, a motel at the corner of Savannah road near the drawbridge which had seen better days since its 1973 opening.

This past weekend, Dogfish Head owner Sam Calagione invited a small group of journalists for a sleepover at the 105 Savannah Road motel, which includes 15 rooms and one two-bedroom suite.

(And, hey, it's dog-friendly!)

The motel opens to the public on July 1.

Want a reservation? Visit www.dogfishinn.com or call (302) 644-8292

Dogfish Head has spent at least $1.6 million on renovations and it shows.

I got a room with a king-size bed on the second-floor. As soon as I walked in, the decor reminded me of a much-brighter version of the Ace Hotel in New York, a hotel I've stayed at often.

(The hip minimalism decor there is a palette of mostly grays and blacks, whereas the Dogfish Inn has bleached woods and the company's signature green hue that's used in the blankets, tile and trash cans.)

So, it wasn't a surprise to learn one of the partners of the design firm Studio Tack, hired by Dogfish Head, had been the Ace's former brand manager.

The decor is sparse. There are no phones in rooms, so don't forget your cell. If you want plush luxury, this isn't the place for you.

But rooms are very spacious. Prices will not be cheap, and will vary with the season and day of the week. Innkeeper Andrew Greeley said to expect rates from about the mid- to high-$200s to up $595 for the lone suite.

Sealy Posturepedic beds, on platforms, are very comfortable. (Seven rooms have two queen-size beds.) The crisp white Mascioni sheets are soft, and pillows are a nice combo of firm-meets-fluffy.

The suite - known as the Sweet! - has a few things the other rooms do not - mainly a small kitchenette.

Also, the toilet seat is painted with "tattoo" art of a sexy sailor. It's pretty hilarious.

Also, if you stay there, check out the framed 1960s bedspread and the collage of famous faces.

I was expecting to hear traffic since the hotel is located off Savannah Road and at an intersection in downtown Lewes, but the noise was minimal.

I did hear what I think was muffled TV voices. It was quiet - Lewes pretty much closes down by 10 p.m., but there weren't many other guests the night I stayed, so I'm not sure what a full house would be like.

The AC works like a charm - you can adjust the temperature. Toilets have two flushes. Showers are large, roomy and the water pressure is good. The thick white towels are Casa Rovea.

You can buy Dogfish Head shirts, caps, dog-treats, mugs, and other geegaws in the cottage, but you can't buy beer.

Seriously. If you want a DFH, bring your own, or walk to one of the nearby restaurants, or the liquor store on Second Street and buy some.

Calagione made a decision NOT to sell beer at the hotel or serve food, even though he owns both a brewery and a restaurant.

Why? He lives in the town and didn't want to take business away from shop owners and restaurateurs, most of whom are close friends.

Remember. Bring-your-own-beer. There are wall-mounted bottle openers in the rooms.

The Dogfish Head soap is wonderful. It smells so good, I highly suggest taking it with you.

But I highly suggest NOT taking anything without paying for it. (Well, if you do have sticky fingers, just know that whatever you lift, they'll tack onto your credit card.)

The location can't be beat. You are within walking distances to all the restaurants and ice cream shops. The beach is a slightly longer stroll, but it's easy to get to by hopping on a bike. (The inn has bikes for guests. Seriously. How cool is that?)

A few quibbles. The staircase leading to the second-floor rooms isn't wide, and can seem a little steep. There's no elevator, but there is free WiFi.

At first, I found I couldn't plug the 3-prong charger for my laptop into one of the outlets.

I thought I needed an adapter, but after a quick check with the front desk, I was told that the outlets were new and it would work with a good shove.

It did after a wiggle or two, but it did make me pause: Do I really want to shove something into an electrical outlet?

At night, the staff built a fire in the fire pit. It felt so warm and welcoming - like Camp Dogfish. In fact, a few passersby, seeing a group gather around the fire, walked over to view the hotel and seemed like they wanted to join the fun.

This is going to be a great gathering place to sip a few beers for most of the year. (There's a fireplace in the cottage when cold weather descends.)

Just remember, bring the beer WITH you. You can't buy Dogfish Head beer at the inn, but you can keep it in the mini fridges.