Beyond Politics
Business Traveller Middle East|December 2017

In Washington DC, as across the country, residents are adjusting to the Trump administration. But there is more to the US capital than monuments and government, discovers Jenny Southan

Jenny Southan
Beyond Politics

The lobby lounge of the new hotel in Washington DC is filled with people seated on blue velvet couches under glittering chandeliers that would look at home in the Palace of Versailles. A bell rings, and, to a ripple of applause, a waiter slices the top off a bottle of champagne with a sabre. The glass-encased cork flies across the room and skids across the polished marble floor.

Opened in September 2016, two months before Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States, the Trump International Hotel occupies the prestigious Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue. The location is prime, being on the street that connects the White House at one end to the US Capitol, home of Congress, at the other. Constructed in 1899, the building’s pièce de résistance is its 96-metre clock tower, the third-tallest structure in DC.

Beneath a row of billowing Stars and Stripes flags, the main entrance is blocked off by metal barricades (access is from the side, on 11th Street). I see a man stop to gesture at the gilded Trump International Hotel sign, and take a photo on his phone. The fact that the Trump Organisation is leasing this landmark from the government has caused controversy, but federal agency the General Services Administration says the agreement is valid.

Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av Business Traveller Middle East.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av Business Traveller Middle East.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BUSINESS TRAVELLER MIDDLE EASTSe alt
Onwards and upwards
Business Traveller Middle East

Onwards and upwards

In an exclusive interview with Ian Fairservice for Business Traveller, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO and Founder of the Emirates Group, provides insight into the current and future state of travel and Emirates’ pivotal role in getting the industry back on track

time-read
5 mins  |
July - August 2021
Cleaning up the crisis
Business Traveller Middle East

Cleaning up the crisis

How hotels have risen to the challenge of keeping guests safe during the pandemic

time-read
10 mins  |
May - June 2021
The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act
Business Traveller Middle East

The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act

The city is working hard to conjure up events and make millions of visitors reappear

time-read
9 mins  |
May - June 2021
TAKES OFF
Business Traveller Middle East

TAKES OFF

Corporations are seeking new travel solutions that put safety and convenience first

time-read
5 mins  |
May - June 2021
TEE TIME IN TOKYO
Business Traveller Middle East

TEE TIME IN TOKYO

The Tokyo Olympics may be delayed, but the golf courses around Japan’s capital aren’t slowing down

time-read
5 mins  |
May - June 2021
KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
Business Traveller Middle East

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

New and upcoming hotels to check out when you next visit Saudi Arabia

time-read
10+ mins  |
May - June 2021
QATAR CALLING
Business Traveller Middle East

QATAR CALLING

A swathe of hotels are opening in the Gulf State in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup

time-read
10 mins  |
March 2021
MEMPHIS CON BRIO
Business Traveller Middle East

MEMPHIS CON BRIO

Music and history flood through the heart and soul of this quintessential American river town

time-read
6 mins  |
March 2021
Sofitel Mumbai BKC
Business Traveller Middle East

Sofitel Mumbai BKC

BACKGROUND Sofitel Mumbai BKC is one of Accor’s most prominent addresses in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The French hospitality group’s other hotels in the city are operated under the Novotel and ibis brands.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2021
Taking Scotland in Stride
Business Traveller Middle East

Taking Scotland in Stride

A walk through the Highlands and Borders is the best way to touch this country’s history and nature

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2021