Trump International Hotel Washington D.C. Sets Opening Date
by Doug GollanThe property, the 19th century Old Post Office Pavilion, underwent a $200 million renovation. Photo:
Trump International Hotel Washington D.C. is set to open September 12, Eric and Ivanka Trump announced to New York travel agents at an event last night held at their SoHo property. The newest hotel is a redevelopment of the former post office building and will yield 263 guest room and suites. There will be three presidential suites, the largest, at 6,300 sq. ft. will be named Trump Townhouse. The next largest, at 4,000 sq. ft., is situated in the former office space occupied by the Postmaster General.
The building features ceilings ranging 14 to 16 ft. high. In addition to Trump Kids and Trump Pets programs, there will be a 10,000 sq. ft. Spa by Ivanka Trump as well as BLT Prime by David Burke. Managing Director Mickael C. Damelincourt. who opened Trump properties in Chicago and Toronto, told Travel Market Report that he hasn’t made any adjustments to his pre-opening promotional plan despite his boss’ daily coverage in the news cycle. He said, “When you are opening a new hotel awareness is always a big issue. Everyone knows about this hotel. Bookings are further ahead than any other opening I’ve done.”
He said, he believes the nation’s capital has room for a new luxury entrant. “It’s been a long time since a new luxury hotel has opened here. There are boutique hotels, but not at the scale of a full-service luxury hotel,” he said. Capella’s 44-room hotel in Georgetown was reflagged to Rosewood earlier this year.
One travel agent who asked that her name not be used, said, “Trump runs very good hotels. I have some clients who really want to stay in his hotels now that he is running for POTUS.” Asked why she didn’t want to be quoted, she laughed and said, “It’s not worth the grief.”
Damelincourt said, “Everyday we have a line of people stopping outside to take pictures, which is not anything that you typically see at a hotel that is not even open.”
