Rockcliffe Mansion: An Historic BnB in Hannibal, Missouri

I’ve been to Hannibal a number of times in my life. As a kid, I went up there to visit a relative and for occasional sporting events. As an adult, I’ve taken my family up there to take in the local culture.

Recently, we decided to spend a couple of days in Hannibal to do a few of the popular attractions, and we decided to stay in town while doing it. In researching lodging, I stumbled across a Gilded Age mansion that took in travelers. Intrigued, our family decided to give it a stay.

Getting There

Rockcliffe Mansion is located in east-central Hannibal, on 1000 Bird Street. (Google Maps link) It’s a little over an hour and a half (roughly 110 miles) from St. Louis, and less if you’re coming from St. Charles. The fastest route is by way of U.S. 61 North, which you can pick up near Wentzville. Taking MO-79 North from St. Peters adds to both the time but also the view.

Parking

There are two entrances to the mansion, one on Bird Street — which Google Maps links to — and another on the other side of the mansion on Hill Street. On the day we visited, the Bird Street entrance was closed, so we went around to Hill Street on the opposite side of the mansion. There isn’t a lot of parking on the premises, but there aren’t usually a lot of cars there, either.

Costs and Considerations

Prices for stays can be found on the mansion’s website or by calling. As of mid-2025, prices range from $179 for the cozy Butler’s Quarters on the 3rd floor to $349 for a 2-room combined suite — known as the Mississippi Suite — on the 2nd floor. As with many overnight locations, there are additional taxes and fees as well. All of the rooms have a maximum of 2 occupants except for the suite, which has a maximum of 4 occupants.

Potential customers should check out the policies section of the mansion before booking. As both a BnB but also an historic location, there are some rules that differ from your average hotel. For instance, all people staying must be at least 13 or older, and to book you’ll need to pre-approve having children between 13-17 either by calling or emailing. Other restrictions include no tobacco products, no pets, no visits by anyone outside of those who are paying to stay there, and no food or drink in the chambers outside of bottled water provided free of charge to guests.

Another consideration is that the mansion gives guided tours to the public. While they won’t be going into occupied rooms, the mansion sets limits on how many people can stay so that it can show at least some of the rooms and protect the experience for staying guests.

Because of the guided tours, check-in is at 4 p.m., which also marks the time of the last tour of the day. People staying at the mansion are encouraged to take the 4 p.m. tour the first night to get familiar with the location. Tours are free to paying guests. Check out is at 10 a.m., also because tours start at that point.

Things to Do

The mansion offers several perks on-site for people staying there. One of them is the aforementioned complementary tour, which introduces guests to the story behind the residence.

A second is a complimentary wine and cheese reception, which lasts from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. every night on the side porch or in the kitchen depending on weather.

Breakfast, always a treat at a BnB, begins with coffee and tea available at 7:30 a.m. and a three-course breakfast served in the dining room at 8:30 a.m.

Other smaller perks include outdoor seating offering a view of Hannibal and the river beyond. The mansion is just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Hannibal.

Our Thoughts

We stayed two nights in the Mississippi Suite, a combination of two rooms connected by a bathroom on the second floor. The suite had all the charm you would expect from staying in a Gilded Age residence, from the 19th century decor to the vintage toilet.

As it is an old home, there are some quirks that the hosts do a good job of guiding you through, such as the light switches and locks. The shower is another such instance, as it may require some understanding of how a few different knobs work. I would add here that our bathtub was a little tall and narrower than a modern tub, so be careful getting in and out. Our shower used a rainfall showerhead that was quite different than my showerhead at home.

The first two things we did were the guided tour and the wine and cheese reception. The guided tour was led by one of the owners and was a fascinating window into the history of the home and the lives of its owners. There were several photos of the home’s rooms on display, many of them from a newspaper article in 1901, that illuminated the world of the time.

The wine and cheese reception was a stately but relaxed affair out on the porch, complete with a beverage along with a small assortment of snacks. If you can’t or don’t drink alcohol, you can ask for sparkling water instead. We spent the time chatting with another guest, a man making a cross-country trip to visit family, and with one of the owners. It was a lovely time before heading out to dinner at a local restaurant.

The sleeping arrangements are atmospheric but also reasonably comfortable. The rooms have individual A/C units in the summer and use original circulated radiators in the winter, so the temperature is comfortable. Some members of our group found the pillows a little firm, so if you’re particular about those things, you might want to bring one of your own.

In the morning, the owners provide tea and coffee starting at 7:30 a.m. followed by a three-course breakfast at 8:30 a.m.

For our visit, we were served courses of assorted fruit, a vanilla yogurt with granola and fruit, and a main course. One day, the main course consisted of French toast, sausage, bacon, and fruit, while on another day we were served a veggie frittata alongside breakfast potatoes, bacon, ham, and tomato. More tea or coffee were also available during breakfast, as were various fruit juices. Several of us were fond of the peach juice.

One or both of the owners were often nearby, leading us on the tour, chatting with us at the wine and cheese reception, or serving the food for breakfast and asking us about our day ahead. We found them to be excellent hosts for the mansion from start to finish, and anywhere in between.

Overall, this was one of the more unique and memorable overnight stays we’ve ever had, and it’s one we would recommend to anyone who would like a different kind of lodging while in Hannibal.