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Trump DC Will Open Across The Street From The White House

Where: Washington , D.C. , United States

It was announced this morning that, after much consideration, Trump will be the one to revive DC's floundering architectural relic, the Old Post Office, by turning it into a 250-room hotel. According to the Washington Post, quite a few investors and developers (including Hilton) had their eye on the building, which dates back to the 1890s.

Though Trump and his daughter Ivanka have plans to do it up Trump-style (think wall mosaics, temperature-controlled chocolate labs, Louis Vuitton-inspired wine bars), the plan—for now, at least—is actually to preserve the hotel's heritage.

"I think the historic facade of the building will be the greatest signage of all," Ivanka told journalists yesterday. Because, as we all know, it's what's inside that counts.

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Hotel Music / W Hotels / Aloft Hotels / Hotel Trends / Hotel News / DC Hotels / Rock n Roll Hotels / → All Tags

Are Hotels Becoming The Next Rock 'n Roll Venues?

Where: 515 15th St Nw [map], WASHINGTON, D.C., United States, 20004

Yesterday, the widely-read indie music blog Stereogum published a second installment of their new "Stereogum x W Hotel Suite Session" video series, which features up-and-coming bands performing at a W Hotel of their choice. No fans, no stage, not even any fancy lighting or effects. Just a regular old rock band taking over a regular old hotel room—and making you wish you could be snuggled up in bed for a front row seat.

But this isn't the first time we've seen this. Back in April, Aloft hotels were running a near identical partnership with Pitchfork called the Video Surveillance Series, where the "footage" was made to look as though it "caught" the bands in action. Same idea, different effect.

And while the trend is certainly proving a success, we have to ask: what's going on here? Is this the next generation of live music? Will bands eventually give up on the traditional venues and just embark on national chain hotel tours?

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Twitpic Of The Week: Look What Conan O'Brien Found In His Hotel Room

There is one particular trend @HotelChatter happens to quite enjoy: candid hotel photos. These pics range from stunning views to anti-views to celebrity tomfoolery and everything in between. And we can't get enough of 'em! Every Monday, we commemorate our favorite hotel-themed snapshot du semaine. Got a favorite of your own? Want to show off your sweet suite? Send it in!

We don't know quite what to make of this photo @ConanOBrien tweeted from his DC hotel room yesterday. On the one hand, we're happy that he was greeted by such a thoughtful, though slightly bizarre, gesture. On the other, we're a little jealous. Seriously, a phallic cookie? With frosting? Normally, we count ourselves lucky just to get a few apples when we check in. Ah, life at the top...

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POTUS Hotels / White House / DC Hotels / Virginia Hotels / Ritz Carlton Hotels / Hotel Jobs / → All Tags

Angella Reid Says Bye-Bye Ritz Carlton, Hello White House

Where: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW [map], Washington, D.C., United States, 20500

Almost three years ago, America welcomed its first black president. This week, history was made again when the White House hired its first-ever female Chief Usher, Angella Reid.

OK, fine, not quite as ground-breaking as Obama's inauguration. But still! One small step...yada yada. Reid will leave her post as general manager of the Ritz Carlton Pentagon City to take over the coveted position, which entails housekeeping duties like property inventory, state dinners, and Inauguration Day house moves. That last one's gotta be a doozy—moving the president isn't exactly your standard U-Haul by-the-hour operation!

Two decades of work for the Ritz Carlton brand (at properties in Miami, New York, D.C., and Rocky Hill, CT) should have prepared Reid for the role, which former Chief Usher Gary Walters told C-Span is "not always easy".

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The Hilton Muffin Drama Gently Winds Down

Where: Washington , D.C., United States

An Inspector General report found last week that the government spent $16 per muffin at a 2009 conference inside a Hilton Hotel. The news, which spread around the internet faster than spilt coffee on a tablecloth, snowballed into a broader condemnation of both the government's extravagance and the hotel chain's greediness.

But everyone can calm down now. ABC News is now pointing out a receipt error that misrepresented the total cost of the continental breakfast, which was served each morning during the five-day conference. So rather than actually serving $16 muffins, the invoice had simply mis-labeled the entire cost of the continental breakfast (which included fresh fruit, coffee, juice, function space, tax and tips) as "muffins."

So if you were saving up for an unreasonably expensive hotel breakfast, you'll now have to look elsewhere.

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The W D.C. Spent Thanksgiving With Obama and a Turkey

Where: 515 15th Street NW [map], Washington, D.C., United States, 20004

How was your Turkey Day? Stay at any hotels this holiday weekend? The turkeys pardoned by President Obama did.

That's right. You know all about the Presidential tradition of saving a bird--but did you know that the turkey also gets an all-expenses-paid trip to D.C., complete with a stay at the W Washington D.C.?

In case you missed the pardoning ceremony held in the Rose Garden last week, this year's National Turkey is named Apple, and his feathered friend, Cider. As President Obama explained, the turkeys came from the Foster Farms Wellsford Ranch, just outside of Modesto, California. They made a shortlist and then the "big prize--life."

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Play First Lady With The St. Regis Washington D.C.'s Latest Offer

Where: 923 16th St NW [map], Washington, D.C., United States, 20005

With plans for a D.C. weekend this fall, we're totally psyched about seeing Michelle Obama's Jason Wu inaugural gown at the National Museum of American History. Now we're wondering if we should splash out and have a much more presidential experience, with the First Ladies: American Style at the White House package at the St. Regis Washington D.C.

Forget the Real Housewives! We want to live it up like a First Lady. So if we can rustle up the $509 a night necessary, here's what we'd choose to do over being tacky and crashing a White House party...

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Hilton Cooks Up Top Chef Partnership With Hotels in D.C.

Where: Washington, D.C., United States

A new season of Top Chef kicks off on Bravo tonight, and while we've seen contestants land in hotel gigs after appearing on the show, this time hotels are starring right alongside the cooks. The chain looking for fame is Hilton Hotels, which is all over Top Chef D.C.—including, of course, in the kitchen. The new Top Chef Kitchen is located inside the newly renovated Washington Hilton, best known for hosting power events such as the White House Correspondents' Dinner and Inaugural Balls.

We'll also get to see Hilton in some of the chef's challenges, in gift packages given to the contestants throughout the show, and in the finale episodes, which will be set at "an international Hilton location."

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