The Trump Organization is selling its historic Washington, DC hotel and the new operator will rebrand it with Waldorf Astoria — see inside the property
Taylor Rains
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.
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.
The hotel is located near the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 12th Street, just a 15-minute walk from The White House South Lawn.
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.
Washington Post reporter Monica Hesse inside the Trump International Hotel. 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.
A doorman at the entrance of the Trump International Hotel Washington. 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.
Justice Neil Gorsuch speaking at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC. 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.
A waiter pouring champagne in the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC. 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
In August of 2019, the Washington Post reported that Attorney General William Barr booked the hotel for a private holiday party in December that cost upwards of $30,000.
President Trump and Attorney General William Barr. 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."
A exterior image of the 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.
Trump speaks at a campaign rally for Senate Republican candidates in Valdosta, Georgia Evan Vucci/Associated Press
During its short five-year life, the hotel was visited by many of President Trump's associates, like former Vice President Mike Pence and former Second Lady Karen Pence.
Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Spence speak at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC in January of 2019. 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.
Trump International Hotel dining room 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.
Donald Trump with African leaders, including Yemi Osinbajo, at G7 Summit in Italy 2017 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.
Trump speaking with lawmakers in Cabinet Meeting Room of the White House Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press
After five years of glamour and controversy, Trump's prized DC hotel is being acquired by Miami-based CGI Merchant Group for $375 million. The firm plans to remove Trump's name and replace it with Hilton's Waldorf Astoria, reported The Wall Street Journal. According to The Journal, the contract has already been signed and the sale will be closed in Q1 2022.
Waldorf Astoria hotel in Las Vegas 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.
Trump International Hotel 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.
Trump International Hotel 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.
Trump International Hotel Business Wire via AP
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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