Oh I'm in agreement w/ you; don't think I'm not. I'm surprised that CCIE Flyer hasn't seen the same type of thread in the United forum, since that forum has had one for years (and I think like BA gets a new one started each year but not totally positive on that).

Cheers.

I thought people would add to the discussion...

Like, should the hotel have done something for guests as it was a big inconvenience for those of us staying at the hotel. They had 4 elevators in the hotel. 2 of them were taken over by the secret service. There are 27 floors in the hotel...do the math on how slow it was getting either up to the lounge or down to the lobby with only 2 elevators...

The lounge itself was full of State Dept. people and secret service people. If I hadn't gotten there early, there is no way I would have had a seat. If was packed from 5:30 to 7:30 (food time) the two nights I was in there.

Seeing a celebrity would have been cooler...a VIP who takes over the hotel...not so cool. I thought some of those who do business in Washington would have a comment or two to make as this probably happens all the time in DC...

The Delta forum has a thousand plus post thread on celebrity sightings, I think most of the airline forums have one

Legit question - what did you want the hotel to do for you/other guests? Obviously they couldn't unblock the elevators if the arrangement was SS took over 2 of 4. Lounges can be busy, whether SS/SofS folk are there or not. And if they had paid for club level they were entitled to be there. Perhaps a note that due to some top-level gov't mtgs during your stay, elevators might take longer or there could be increased security? Or notify you in advance so you could move to another hotel? Your experience isn't unique. We've had reports of increased security, longer elevator wait times, for such events as G8 meetings, Super Bowl, etc. Yes it's an inconvenience, but in the overall scheme of things not a horrible one.

Cheers.

Indeed, and I could see that it was a new thread, and, especially after reading it, thought it ridiculous that anyone would start such a thing of their own - esp given that they had zero interaction/not even a sighting of the VIP in question.

I just recently stayed at a JW where a head of state also stayed, and it never once occurred to me to take to FT about it (and yes, I personally saw him and all of his security apparatus). I guess the whole star-struck thing will always remain a mystery to me.

I presume that at least where the airline celebrity sighting threads are concerned, at least there's an actual sighting involved (just due to sheer proximity involved with an aircraft vs. an entire hotel property) -- maybe even a conversation if seatmates or boarding together!

I talked to one of the managers while I was there. Basically we would have gone to a Renaissance that is 10mins away, has a great lounge as well but wouldn't have had all the security so that our stay could have been more enjoyable.

I was talking to one of my daughter's friends parents today and he often stays at the hotel I was at. He said a few years ago when Obama came to Beijing that hotel was pretty much shut down. If you had a reservation you could still stay there but the hotel was packed with security.

I now know that it is the embassy hotel. I doubt Trump would stay there if he came...it isn't posh enough for him. Maybe he will pick the Four Seasons which is across the street from the US Embassy.

:rolleyes: