There’s something timeless and effortlessly romantic about Dalvay by the Sea. This elegant Victorian Inn and National Historic Site stands proudly along PEI’s North Shore, where it’s a treasured destination for visitors and Islanders.

Photo by Caley Joy Photography

Dalvay by the Sea

Grand Beginnings and Victorian Design

Alexander MacDonald was a wealthy businessman and one-time president of the Standard Oil Company with John D. Rockefeller. MacDonald fell in love with the North Shore’s pastoral landscape, tranquil lake and sparkling beach complete with sand dunes and, in 1895, he built a luxurious house here. He named it “Dalvay by the Sea” after his boyhood home in Scotland. In the 1930s, Dalvay became a resort hotel and has been treasured by locals and visitors since then.

Dalvay by the Sea is a stunning Queen Anne Revival Victorian home. Though it has passed through several noble hands, its old-world grandeur remains preserved. A grand staircase greets guests upon entry and flames dance inside huge fireplaces constructed of quarried blocks of the Island’s red hued sandstone. Wooden floors and beams, a veranda wrapping around the front of the property overlooking the manicured grounds, and a horse-drawn carriage are among the original features connecting Dalvay’s past to its present.

Dalvay by the Sea

Favoured by Fans and Royals

As part of their 2011 honeymoon tour, Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, visited Dalvay by the Sea. The royal couple later named Prince Edward Island one of their top five travel destinations from their first year of marriage.

Fans of Anne will recognize Dalvay from the Anne of Green Gables movies and the Canadian television series, Road to Avonlea, where it was featured as the “White Sands Hotel”. Guests can retrace the actors’ steps or find themselves amid the now famous landscape as they explore the surrounding PEI National Park.

Photo by Tourism PEI/Emily O’Brien

Exquisite Food, Casual Elegance

Dalvay’s MacMillan Dining Room is a staple of Island hospitality, world-class culinary creations and tradition. The full-service restaurant offers guests an opportunity to enjoy fresh local ingredients prepared with a modern flair.

Photo by Caley Joy Photography

Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner or a cocktail on the sprawling veranda and you’ll understand why Chef Ryan Janssens and the Dalvay team set the standard for relaxed fine dining.

Photo by Caley Joy Photography

There is something truly special about this place, this inn, these grounds, the food and the history. It is, after all, a destination fit for Royalty. Experience Dalvay by the Sea for yourself. What are you waiting for? 

Add some extra magic to your next Island excursion with inspiration from Rural Views That Will Make City Dwellers Swoon and Discover Charming PEI