I stayed at a Florida Gilded Age hotel loved by the Vanderbilts, DuPonts, and Fords. It felt like traveling back in time.

I stayed at a Florida Gilded Age hotel loved by the Vanderbilts, DuPonts, and Fords. It felt like traveling back in time.

The Belleview Hotel, now a 35-room boutique inn, once hosted visitors such as US presidents and elites like the Vanderbilts, DuPonts, and Fords.Jamie Mercurio Photography/Courtesy of Opal CollectionThe Belleview Hotel, which opened in 1897, was a retreat for America's elite during the Gilded Age.Constructed by railroad magnate Henry B. Plant, it attracted visitors traveling via train.Only a small portion of the historic hotel remains, and it ope…