The Trump Organization is selling its historic Washington, DC hotel and the new operator will rebrand it with Waldorf Astoria — see inside the property
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
- The grand opening of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC was held on October 26, 2016.
- Over the years, the hotel became a meeting ground for conservative groups and Trump associates.
- The Wall Street Journal reported the hotel will be sold for $375 million and rebranded as a Hilton Waldorf Astoria.
October 26, 2016, marked the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC. The hotel is located inside the Old Post Office Pavilion, which dates back to 1899 and required $200 million in renovations. According to the Wall Street Journal, the building is owned by the federal government and has a near 100-year lease.
Along with being known for its high price tags — one night in the presidential suite cost $15,000 — the hotel became a meeting ground for conservative groups and Trump associates.
In 2019, The Washington Post reported that Attorney General William Barr booked the hotel for a private holiday party, which cost upwards of $30,000.
Despite its glamour, the hotel lost millions in revenue since 2016, according to a House committee audit, and on Monday, The Journal reported the family has agreed to sell the hotel for $375 million.
Keep reading for a look inside the hotel and its controversial five-year life.
Previous versions of this article were written by Sarah Jacobs and Libertina Brandt.
AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
Source: Google Maps
Crystal chandeliers hang in the lobby. The hotel's ballroom — the largest in Washington, DC — was named the "Presidential Ballroom."
Shutterstock
Source: TrumpHotels.com
An old mail chute remains, a nod to the building's past as a busy post office.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Source: TrumpHotels.com
Rooms start at $297 a night for a deluxe room and go up to $15,000 a night for the presidential suite with unrestricted access to all amenities. Booking the Trump townhouse with amenities set guests back $25,000 a night. There is also the very first Ivanka Suite, which costs $1,047 a night.
Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Source: TrumpHotels.com
Those amenities include the 10,000-square-foot spa and fitness center designed by Ivanka Trump.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Source: TrumpHotels.com
And as for the decor, you can't go far without seeing a Trump-branded product.
Brooks Kraft/ Getty Images
Source: Getty Images
Conference rooms were named after former presidents — and, in line with his style, after Trump himself.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Source: TrumpHotels.com
Dining options include David Burke's steakhouse BLT Prime and the Benjamin Bar & Lounge.
Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Source: TrumpHotels.com
BLT Prime has tables in the mezzanine, with views of the clocktower, but there is also more intimate seating available in the lower level.
ZACH GIBSON/AFP/Getty Images
Source: TrumpHotels.com
The decor was chosen by Ivanka Trump, partnering with the design firm HBA.
Linda Davidson/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Source: The Daily Beast
Also on offer in the atrium's Benjamin Bar and Lounge are ounce-sized samplings of rare wines served on a silver spoon.
Facebook.com/trumpwashingtondc
Source: Fox News
The cocktail menu also includes several pricey drinks, with the most expensive bottle of champagne setting guests back $2,650.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Source: TrumpHotels.com
The Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC was opened to guests in September of 2016. However, the grand opening was held a month later in October.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Source: Business Insider, The Washington Post
While critics said Barr booked Trump's hotel to win favor with his boss, the former Attorney General claimed it was the only hotel available in Washington DC after exhausting other options. According to The Washington Post, the Department of Justice "determined that ethics rules did not prohibit him from hosting his annual party at the Trump hotel."
Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images
Source: The Washington Post
On election night in 2020, the hotel's 263 rooms were sold out as the Trump Campaign planned to host an "epic" party at the business. However, the event was canceled before November 3 due to COVID-19 restrictions in the city.
Evan Vucci/Associated Press
Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Save the Stork
Source: Getty Images
Trump is the first president in modern history to own a business while in office, according to NBC News, though he claimed it was being run by his sons. Nevertheless, dozens of foreign representatives reportedly spent money at the hotel.
Business Wire via AP
Source: NBC News
The Trump Hotel also hosted representatives from 33 countries after he won the 2016 presidential election, like Egyptian parliament member Dalia Youssef and Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Andrew Medichini/Associated Press
Source: Forbes
The visitations drew criticism of the former president, with people like Jordan Libowitz, communications director for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), saying Trump was getting paid to be influenced.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press
Mark Lennihan/Associated Press
Source: Insider, The Wall Street Journal
Over the years, Trump "grossly exaggerated the financial health" of the business, according to documents released by the House Oversight Committee, with the hotel losing $73 million from 2016 to 2020.
Mark Tenally/Associated Press
Source: Insider
Moreover, Trump had to "inject at least $24 million to aid the struggling hotel," according to the House committee audit.
Alex Brandon/Associated Press
Source: Insider
The hotel's new owners hope to remove politics from the hotel's past. "If it becomes affiliated with a luxury brand, that brand can create a new identity for the property," Sean Hennessey, chief executive of Lodging Advisors, told The Journal in October.
Business Wire via AP
Source: The Wall Street Journal
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/2NEAil8
No comments