The hotel was built in 1851 by Robert Norman. The first licensee was E.T. Parsons. Robert Norman sold the hotel to Richard White, who sold it to William Mitchell in 1853. The Mitchell family owned the hotel for many years.

When it first opened it was known as the Normanville Hotel, but from 1857 to 1861 it was called the Jetty Hotel. In 1861 the name was changed back to the Normanville Hotel, by which name it has been known ever since. In its early years it served not only as a hotel but also as a venue for a number of activities. Before the court house was built, a court day held in the hotel on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The first meeting of district council was held in the hotel 11th April 1854. The hotel was extensively renovated and expanded in 2003.