Discover Mississippi: The White House Hotel

• If your travels take you to the Gulf Coast this year, make sure the White House Hotel is on your list.

If you’ve spent any time along our beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast, you know certain places just seem to hold the soul of the shoreline. For me, the White House Hotel in Biloxi is one of those rare treasures. It’s not simply a hotel—it’s a living chapter of Mississippi’s coastal history, one that keeps adding exciting new pages.

And in 2025, a whole new chapter is being written. Big things are happening at the White House Hotel! 

Cora’s Restaurant, long known for its coastal cuisine and elegant setting, has temporarily closed its doors as renovations begin on an exciting new chapter. While the dining room gets its well-deserved refresh, Cora’s Bar remains open, ready to greet guests with signature cocktails, a limited menu, and that same unmistakable Southern hospitality.

And there’s more good news—the hotel is expanding. Construction is underway on 49 new guest rooms, each designed with French doors and balcony views, set to debut this spring. It’s an investment that not only adds to the hotel’s capacity but enhances the ways guests can soak in the Gulf breeze and those unforgettable Biloxi sunsets.

Long before this year’s renovations began, the White House Hotel had already written a rich and colorful history. Its tall columns and gleaming white exterior might remind visitors of the nation’s capital. Still, the hotel’s name actually honors Walter A. White, a Mississippi attorney who arrived on the Gulf Coast in 1890 and went on to serve as a respected Circuit Court Judge.

Judge White purchased the property after the devastating Chenière Caminada hurricane of 1893 destroyed the Gorenflo Oyster Company that once stood on the site. Where others saw ruin, he saw possibility. Using thousands of discarded oyster shells, he filled in the swampy lowlands, creating a gentle rise in the land and opening up breathtaking Gulf views. It was then that he planted the seven grand live oak trees that still stand today, their branches like umbrellas over the property.

If Walter built the foundation, his wife, Cora, made it irresistible. She had the vision to turn their home into a haven for visitors. By 1911, they had connected two houses with a grand lobby and dining room, added a porch lined with columns and a balcony above, and created space for ballroom dances and elegant gatherings. New Orleans musicians in linen suits filled the air with music, playing on the porch from morning until after dinner, as guests sipped cold drinks and watched the sun dip into the Gulf.

The White House Hotel thrived, becoming a jewel of the Mississippi coast. But after closing in 1984, it sat vacant for 30 years, and survived Hurricane Katrina. Many feared it might be lost forever. Then came a wave of determination—locals, preservationists, and funding partners stepped in to restore it. In 2014, the White House Hotel reopened, reclaiming its place as one of Mississippi’s finest. Southern Living named it the number-one hotel in the state.

Today, that tradition of excellence continues—not just in preserving the past, but in shaping the future. The current renovations and expansion are proof that the White House Hotel is still evolving, still striving to offer guests the very best. Soon, visitors will enjoy brand-new rooms with sweeping balcony views, a refreshed dining experience at Cora’s, and the same gracious hospitality that has defined this place for more than a century.

I love that the White House Hotel doesn’t just sit still as a museum piece—it’s alive, growing, and ready to welcome both first-time visitors and longtime fans. Whether you’re there to sip something special at Cora’s Bar, attend a wedding under the oak trees Walter planted, or check in for a weekend escape, you’ll feel part of a story that stretches from the roaring porch dances of the early 1900s to the exciting new vision of 2025.

So, if your travels take you to the Gulf Coast this year, make sure the White House Hotel is on your list. Stop by Cora’s Bar for a toast to the future, wander the shaded grounds, and take in that postcard-perfect view of the Mississippi Sound. And keep an eye out next spring—because the next chapter of this coastal icon is going to be one worth discovering.