Upgrades with Marriott Bonvoy are so tough in the United States that even the President’s granddaughter couldn’t get one.
The Trump family stayed at St. Regis D.C. for the inauguration, based on video shared by President Trump’s granddaughter Kai who took on a much larger profile this past summer at the Republican Convention.
St. Regis D.C., credit: Marriott
This hotel is notoriously challenging for upgrades because – despite having plenty of suites – they seem not to inspect their suites as having been cleaned until they’re booked for cash so that they are ‘not available’ when Ambassador members check in.
That approach seems to apply to Kai Trump, who is Donald Trump, Jr.’s daughter. A seasoned premium cabin traveler, Don, Jr. is known for his video trip reports like in Emirates first class.
Kai Trump appears to have had a simple king room assigned, with a rollaway bed for a friend.
And the president’s granddaughter seemed to only receive an in-room amenity of flavored canned water or non-alcoholic Spritz with a couple bottles of Perrier water and fresh flowers.
This surprises me. The St. Regis D.C. is Marriott-managed, and not a franchise. But the property is owned by a subsidiary of the Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company which is controlled by Qatar’s ruling Al Thani family. I’d expect they would want to offer all the free upgrades that they could.
So, anyone want to wager how long that ‘BLM’ on the street outside this St. Regis will last? I personally liked it, but that’s not who’s in charge anymore. Regardless of whether it’s under DC’s jurisdiction, I’m surprised it wasn’t removed on ‘Day 1’
@ 1990 — It was placed there during Trump’s first term, so I am quite sure it will remain for the second one.
@ Gary — We rather enjoyed our 5-night reward stay with complimentary suite upgrade at the Willard for the 2025 inauguration. It was fun terrorizing the Trump scum with our anti-Trump clothing. Cost = 432,000 IHG points that we bought for $2,160. Sure beats the 5-night cash price of $29,525 for a Jr. Suite!
Creating an issue when none exists (to both trigger people about Trump and also beat the dead horse of hotel upgrades). Maybe that is the room she wanted. Also, you have no idea if she is Ambassador or Titanium (about only levels that can reasonable expect an upgrade since Platinum has been devalued due to credit card access – thank God I’m lifetime Titanium). Surely with the money this family has if she wanted a suite she would have simply booked one!
I was going to stay there last time but didn’t want that address of BLM street. I remember when some dumb people painted BLM in Highland Park, someone painted NO in front of it.
I’m so glad that Trump presidency, he’s gonna make Americans richer. Who wouldn’t like that?
Unless Elon buys a hotel or Trump gets his his hands on the bankrupt Waldorf-Astoria and converts it back to a Trump hotel, I imagine Trumpworld will be making the St. Regis their go-to spot given its location to the White House.
@ Hal — And, why are they “dumb” exactly?
@Hal
‘Good!! Let the hate flow through you!’
@Bob
Point taken, but the ‘deep state’ isn’t stopping Him this time. Would the Democrat/Marxist mayor of DC stand a chance against Trump’s Sec Def Hegseth’s ‘un-woked’ loyal-to-the-leader, not the constitution, ‘just-following-orders’ military?
I think not. Again, not my preference, and my word choices above are sarcastic, not genuine, but remember, they got the tanks and nukes, and the Supreme Court, in their pocket.
Since ‘Make America Great Again’ the more characters than ‘Black Lives Matter’ they may have to take up a little more of the street. Also, they’ll probably go with red instead of yellow.
Here’s a trick to getting an upgrade every time you check-in: PAY FOR IT!
I do and I’m just a schlub like everyone else.
@ 1990 — Maybe Trump will nuke DC in retaliation.
@Gene
I see what you did there. Clever. If He nukes anyone, say China on a whim or if the tariffs don’t work out so well, or more likely when He mistakenly hits that ‘red button’ while intending to hit the ‘Diet Coke button,’ it’ll be the same result, unless you’re hiding in a cave in New Zealand for years and years. This is what I think the oligarchs forget about the ‘madman’ approach to leadership—historically, industrialists backing fascists usually ends poorly for everyone. So, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!
So, choose another hotel if the St. Regis fails to treat a member of your family as you expect them to.
I mean, this is pretty incredible. How did the Presidential Inaugural Committee not buy-out the whole hotel given its proximity to The White House?
You would think the PIC or the Trump-Vance Transition would have bought all out the suites.
For security reasons, I imagine the Trump family at least had a whole floor to themselves. Even if the suites were sold-out there would have been connecting rooms that could have been turned into makeshift suites.
@ Nick — Well, duh, that would mean less money in the moron’s pocket!