Tag: Barack Obama View All Tags
Inauguration Packages
Primp for the Inauguration Ball at a D.C. Kimpton Hotel
November 11, 2008 at 11:30 AM | 0 Comments
This inauguration, mimic the chiseled perfection of the weird statues at D.C.'s Hotel Rouge.
In a tizzy over the January blitz of glam balls, dinners, and parties in Washington, D.C. celebrating Barack Obama’s inauguration? We hear you, world. After all, Michelle isn’t the only one whose fancy dress matters come Jan. 20 (well, maybe it is, but whatever).
Kimpton totally understands your stress. But the hotel chain also thinks you should, uh, calm the eff down--ideally with their Ba‘Rock’ Star Treatment Package. Designed to help you do just that, the package’s perks pamper you head-to-toe in your guest room.
Barack Obama
Obama Was Celebrating in the Hyatt Regency Chicago's Presidential Suite
November 7, 2008 at 1:51 PM | 0 Comments
Dude, you just won!
Photos of President-Elect Barack Obama celebrating his victory has been made public on Flickr by photographer David Katz and almost immediately our brain was asking, "What hotel is this?"
Obvs it had to be close to Grant Park where the victory celebration was held. After doing some research we are positive it was the Hyatt Regency Chicago on Wacker Drive. (See here.) And naturally, the celebration was held in the hotel's presidential suite.
The ideal location to host an impressive VIP event, the Presidential Suite boasts an extra large parlor with a large plasma screen TV, cable and in-room pay movies, a surround sound system and an iHome Alarm Clock.
There is indeed an iHome Alarm clock as we spied it in the corner of this pic. And unlike many hotels with HD flat-screen TVs, this one actually looks like it gets HD reception. However, we could probably do without Hyatt's signature anonymously-modern decor. It just looks so impersonal. C'mon, this man just won the presidency!
[Photo: Barack Obama]
Political Hotels
D.C. Hotels Already Filling Up For Obama's Inauguration
November 5, 2008 at 9:10 AM | 0 Comments
The nation's 44th President was elected just last night, but hotels in D.C. are already filling up for Barack Obama's Inauguration on January 20, 2009.
According to Washington Business Journal, rooms for Inauguration Day were becoming scarce long before last night's election. So far, the Ritz-Carlton D.C. has sold 50% of its rooms, while the Four Seasons is half full as well and has also sold its $15,000-a-night presidential suite (which is also bulletproof). Oh, and that Four Seasons has managed to sell those rooms even with its life-savings-draining Inauguration rules: a minimum stay of five nights, and full payment when reservations are made; no cancellations, no refunds.
Election 2008 Hotels
Chicago Hotels Fill Up For Obama
November 3, 2008 at 4:06 PM | 1 Comment
Grant Park, prepping for all those Obama-loving hotel guests.
Hotels are supposed to be non-partisan, but this year, all Chicago hotels will probably be rooting for Obama. After all, he's the reason there is expected to be 100 percent occupancy on Election Night and the days leading up to it. Like today.
Since Obama announced his election night rally will be located in Chicago's Grant Park, Chicago's Mayor said the city is expecting over 1 million people to come to the park. Hotels surrounding the park, like the Essex Inn are expecting to be 100 percent booked.
We did an unscientific check of other hotels in the area and found that Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center, the Fairmont Chicago, the W Chicago - City Center, Hilton Chicago and Hard Rock Hotel all have availabilities. All you Obama followers still have a chance for a last minute booking, but don’t wait too long because they might sell out.
Who would have thought that, at least for one night, one person can single-handedly book out almost an entire city’s lot of hotel rooms?
[Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune]
Election 2008 Hotels
Is Barack Obama Worth Spending a Night In This Room?
October 23, 2008 at 10:15 AM | 0 Comments
Last night, campaign aides confirmed that Senator Barack Obama is preparing to throw the country's biggest party -- or the biggest sobfest, depending on which ticket you support -- at Chicago's Grant Park.
As one of the the Windy City's most revered public spaces, and the beneficiary of more than a decade of a multi-million dollar renovations, this may very well be the country's biggest post-election party hot spot the night of November 4.
There's only one hotel that's closest to all the Election Night action: The Best Western Grant Park Hotel. But is Barack Obama or any candidate for that matter, worth spending a night in a room that looks like that? Eeek.
Then again, convenience may win out here. You can literally walk just a few steps from the park back to the hotel after the party/sobfest at any hour.
Pittsburgh Hotels
Presidential Hotels :: Where In Pittsburgh Is Obama?
October 10, 2008 at 9:29 AM | 1 Comment
Barack Obama visits Pittsburgh today so he can drop the puck at the Penguins' hockey game, oh, and probably remind us all that "Main St. is suffering" and "we don't need four more years of broken George W. Bush policies." Agreed, dude, but switch up the syntax once in awhile so the talking points aren't so obvious.
We digress. Our priority here is to decipher where Obama might rest his potentially presidential head. What Pittsburgh boasts in rusty bridges and abandoned factories, it lacks in top-tier hotels. So we've been able to narrow it down fairly easily.
Election 2008 Hotels
How Hotels Effect the Presidential Race
August 19, 2008 at 3:35 PM | 0 Comments
Ah, if only we could get inside the minds of this year's presidential candidates. We'd know for sure then, whether Obama intentionally plays the race card, like McCain alleges, or whether McCain really thinks like a wealthy elitist, as the Democrats allege, or how candidates choose hotels to host fundraisers ... You think they use TripAdvisor?
It would appear so, given the rave reviews of The Fairmont San Francisco, where Obama just hosted a fundraiser that brought in his largest amount of campaign dough yet: $7.8 million, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Because really, if you're going to ask a bunch of C-level execs to fork over $2,300 for dinner you want to make sure the place has unrivaled bay views from atop Nob Hill, or an innovative lavender salt-crusted beef tenderloin on the menu.
Hotel News Briefs
Hotel News Briefs :: The Mona Lisa is Now Open For Business
August 13, 2008 at 5:00 PM | 0 Comments
There's tons of hotel news flying around this week and we don't have time to give each and every story the love and attention it may deserve, so you will have to settle for some news briefs.
· Mona Lisa Suite Hotel Opens in Celebration, FL: An all-suite hotel named after Da Vinci's famous portrait sitter has opened in Celebration FL aka near Orlando. The hotel is offering 30 percent off room rates through the end of the year. [MarketWatch]
· Barack Obama Lands in Hawaii: And the Kahala Hotel is there to greet him. Over 500 people who paid $2,300 dollars a ticket will attend a fundraiser for Obama at the hotel.[KHON]
· "Maid In Manhattan" Going to Small Screen: J.Lo wants to turn her movie, Maid in Manhattan, about a luxury hotel housekeeper, into a TV series. Ay dios mio. [E! Online]
· W Hoboken Architect Talks: For design hounds, this article is all about the W Hoboken. Good news for guests: almost all rooms will have spectacular views. [Wallpaper]
Barack Obama
Suspicious Package for Obama in Berlin Turns Out To Be Just a Book
July 24, 2008 at 10:35 AM | 0 Comments
Barack Obama is having a bit of a scary time during his hotel stays as he conducts his trip abroad. When Obama was at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, shots rang out, killing an Arab bulldozer driver who had gone mental overturning vehicles and wounding 11 people. Yikes.
Now while he was holed up at the Hotel Adlon in Berlin, a package was delivered that was initially deemed to be a bomb threat but turned out to only be a book. IHT reports:
The Hotel Adlon was closed off for 10 minutes while police specialists checked the package.
Police spokesman Bernhard Schodrowski said that someone had sent a package containing a book for Obama, and officers initially regarded it as suspect.
We wonder what book it was! A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton?
Also, perhaps Obama would like to think about traveling more discreetly these days. First step? Change the plane situation. Obama is currently jetting around in a chartered Boeing 757 emblazoned with his trademark slogan, "Change We Can Believe In." Not quite subtle.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama Stops In at the Ritzy Fontainebleau in Miami
June 25, 2008 at 4:15 PM | 0 Comments
Speaking of the Fontainebleau brand....
Presidential hopeful Barack Obama recently spent a night at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach which we had no idea was even open!
Currently the hotel is still under-going it's billion-dollar makeover and will officially debut in September, to be followed shortly thereafter by the sexy ladies of Victoria's Secret.
Yet even though the hotel's reps are saying the opening is not until the fall, guests can actually book rooms in the Tower Suites and the Serranto Tower with rates starting at $212 a night.
We're guessing Obama ponied up the $853 nightly rate for a 2BR suite with an ocean view. Or at least his campaign did.
As for the cute kid, he's being referred to as one of "America's young future leaders." Is that a boatload of pressure or what?
Political Hotels
Obama Hotel Loves Barack Obama
February 18, 2008 at 3:22 PM | 0 Comments
Should Barack Obama be elected president, one of the first place he should visit overseas is Hotel Sekumiya in the Japanese town of Obama.
ABC News reports the people in Obama are crazy for Obama, the senator.:
Obama's name graces posters hung in the main hotel. Headbands and T-shirts with drawings of the candidate's face will be available soon. Local confectioners are designing Japanese-style sweet bean cakes with Obama's portrait on them.
But their obsession has nothing to do with politics. They just like his name!
And the town is hoping that Obama will be elected president to elevate their town's tourism. (Obama means "Little Beach" in Japan) One woman said:
"If he becomes popular, I'm hoping this whole region will get recognition."
Could there be a Hotel Obama in the future?
Political Hotels
Barack Obama Spending the Most on Hotels For His Campaign
February 4, 2008 at 3:26 PM | 0 Comments
Holiday Inn Express has come up with a pretty genius promotion called The SmartMeter which calculates how much presidential candidates have spent so far on hotels during their campaigns and measures that number against what they could have spent had they stayed in Holiday Inns along the way.
Leading the pack is Barack Obama who has spent $833,247 on hotel stays. Close behind is Mitt Romney who has spent $708,189. (Hmm...considering he was once a board member for Marriott, can't he get a discount?). Rounding out the top three big spenders is Hillary Clinton who has racked up $502,932. And as for Republican front-runner John McCain? He's kept it at $360,784.
True, the Smart Meter might not be a perfect measurement tool (the disclaimer admits this: "We gotta admit, we're not pollsters, political scientists or even economists. Heck, we're not even very good at math.) Still, it's plain to see that when it comes to campaign lodging, no expense is spared.
