How many have stayed in a room next to a President or Vice President of a country?
Mar 16, 2017, 11:13 am
#32
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
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Posts: 2,979
Oh boo hoo...
No, but I shared a train car with the King of Denmark.
I only found out who he was when asking another passenger why the guy had obvious security.
Was pretty cool in that other than speaking momentarily to the Queen Mum once at a horse race in Toronto, it was my only other brush with royalty.
I only found out who he was when asking another passenger why the guy had obvious security.
Was pretty cool in that other than speaking momentarily to the Queen Mum once at a horse race in Toronto, it was my only other brush with royalty.
Last edited by obscure2k; Mar 16, 2017 at 2:07 pm Reason: Deleted personal attack
Mar 16, 2017, 1:41 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Never shared a floor but in 2015, India Prime Minister Modi stayed at the RC Portman Shanghai at the same time as a big group of us who were visiting China. It went from no security the day we arrived to pretty tight airport style security (think TSA precheck), barricades and tons of police preventing any vehicle access to the entire block, and a ton of security on the elevators and throughout the building.
Had to go a couple blocks away to grab a cab to the airport the day we left since they weren't allowed to pull up to the hotel.
Had to go a couple blocks away to grab a cab to the airport the day we left since they weren't allowed to pull up to the hotel.
Mar 16, 2017, 2:09 pm
#34
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Location: Los Angeles
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Mar 16, 2017, 2:41 pm
#35
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 597
I sat in front of the Pope LAX-HNL once.
CO flight 1.....747.....we were sitting in Row 1 on the right side - K&L, I believe. It was called P class (Premium). Morning flight.
Behind us in Row 2 was Pope Shenouda III, the spiritual leader of the Coptic Christian faith, on a world tour, en route from California to Australia. The trip included a stop in Honolulu.
There were numerous clergy up front, dressed in black or brown cassocks. Several mentioned that there were other members of the faith back in Coach class who were willing to offer us money to be able to change seats and sit up front with the leader of their faith. We politely declined.
Breakfast included a whole pineapple, cut and hollowed out and filled with pineapple chunks, along with chunks of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew. It was delicious.
Moments later, the fruit had its effect, and I cut the cheese at 38,000 feet, fragrancing the premium class cabin. My partner turned and looked at me in horror. We didn't dare look behind us. We were both gravely embarrassed.
At that moment, I turned to my partner and whispered the punch line made famous by Judy Tenuta, "suffer, Pope."
True story.
CO flight 1.....747.....we were sitting in Row 1 on the right side - K&L, I believe. It was called P class (Premium). Morning flight.
Behind us in Row 2 was Pope Shenouda III, the spiritual leader of the Coptic Christian faith, on a world tour, en route from California to Australia. The trip included a stop in Honolulu.
There were numerous clergy up front, dressed in black or brown cassocks. Several mentioned that there were other members of the faith back in Coach class who were willing to offer us money to be able to change seats and sit up front with the leader of their faith. We politely declined.
Breakfast included a whole pineapple, cut and hollowed out and filled with pineapple chunks, along with chunks of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew. It was delicious.
Moments later, the fruit had its effect, and I cut the cheese at 38,000 feet, fragrancing the premium class cabin. My partner turned and looked at me in horror. We didn't dare look behind us. We were both gravely embarrassed.
At that moment, I turned to my partner and whispered the punch line made famous by Judy Tenuta, "suffer, Pope."
True story.
Mar 16, 2017, 2:51 pm
#36
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
I had a very interesting last night at the hotel I have been staying at for the last 3 weeks, the Wuhan Reniassance. It seems that Wuhan is hosting a Women's Worldcup Soccer event this weekend. So some country dignitaries have come to the city with their teams. And one such dignitary, the Vice President of Gabon decided to stay at the Wuhan Ren last night.
Of course the VP wanted the big suite room on the Club Floor. Yes, the one next to my room.
Well, I left for a dinner party yesterday and noticed a couple of big rough looking fellers just walking around the floor. I didn't think much about it and went on to dinner. When I got back about 5 hours later, they were still there. One of them was standing next to my door and the other standing next to a different door. Of course, the one at my door gave me a good looking over as I entered my room, but he didn't say anything. I'm really wondering what is going on now. So I'm in my room and notice that things aren't quite where I left everything. Someone had been in my room. I wasn't very happy now. 
So I try to talk with the guy outside my door to find out what he is doing there, but he didn't speak English, so that didn't provide me any insights. So I call down to the front desk. And the lady there, just couldn't understand that I was trying to tell her there were two guys just hanging around the floor doing nothing, except maybe looking mean.
She said she would send somebody up to find out what I was trying to tell her. Her English wasn't much better than the guy outside my door.
After waiting about 10 minutes, I finally said enough and went to the Conceirge Lounge and had them call the hotel manager. Well, he came up and apologized saying tha they tried to call me earlier, but I had already left. It seems the Gabon VP really wanted the whole floor to himself. Unfortunately, there were already two people on the floor including myself. So what the Gabon security did was have two of their security guards to stand watch over each of our rooms all night, just in case we weren't the fine upstanding citizens we were pretending to be. And they had their security with dogs and all, go through every room on the floor including mine (the hotel manager stated that the hotel security was with them the whole time.) That made me feel a lot better. And that was why some of the items were a little out of place.
So how many of you have had the pleasure to have a country President or Vice President stay next door to your room before? I'm not sure I need that type of noterity again myself.
Of course the VP wanted the big suite room on the Club Floor. Yes, the one next to my room.
Well, I left for a dinner party yesterday and noticed a couple of big rough looking fellers just walking around the floor. I didn't think much about it and went on to dinner. When I got back about 5 hours later, they were still there. One of them was standing next to my door and the other standing next to a different door. Of course, the one at my door gave me a good looking over as I entered my room, but he didn't say anything. I'm really wondering what is going on now. So I'm in my room and notice that things aren't quite where I left everything. Someone had been in my room. I wasn't very happy now. So I try to talk with the guy outside my door to find out what he is doing there, but he didn't speak English, so that didn't provide me any insights. So I call down to the front desk. And the lady there, just couldn't understand that I was trying to tell her there were two guys just hanging around the floor doing nothing, except maybe looking mean.
She said she would send somebody up to find out what I was trying to tell her. Her English wasn't much better than the guy outside my door.After waiting about 10 minutes, I finally said enough and went to the Conceirge Lounge and had them call the hotel manager. Well, he came up and apologized saying tha they tried to call me earlier, but I had already left. It seems the Gabon VP really wanted the whole floor to himself. Unfortunately, there were already two people on the floor including myself. So what the Gabon security did was have two of their security guards to stand watch over each of our rooms all night, just in case we weren't the fine upstanding citizens we were pretending to be. And they had their security with dogs and all, go through every room on the floor including mine (the hotel manager stated that the hotel security was with them the whole time.) That made me feel a lot better.
And that was why some of the items were a little out of place. So how many of you have had the pleasure to have a country President or Vice President stay next door to your room before? I'm not sure I need that type of noterity again myself.
I would be very happy to have the VP or President of a country stay in the room next to me or have multiple rooms on a floor as it would be less likely to moot for someone to break into my room to steal anything. They would be too scared when they see these big guys standing guard. I would give the guard the website to FlyerTalk for some entertainment while holding down the fort.
Mar 16, 2017, 5:44 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 3
Actually happened to me several times. I had a project at the UN in NY and frequently stayed at the Millennium UN hotel across the street. Many dignitaries in and out. The staff there were so used to it that I more than once saw the staff at check-in tell a world leader's staff that they had to wait their turn in line. For most of them, having anyone suggest such a thing was such a strange concept that they would just slink away.
One of my colleagues was at the same hotel so often that he received upgrade priority above head's of state.
One of my colleagues was at the same hotel so often that he received upgrade priority above head's of state.
Mar 16, 2017, 6:28 pm
#39
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I went in to.king tuts mask room.at the Egyptian museum with the President of a South Americann country. Might of been Equador. All rules went.out the door....aka take as many flash photos as you can.
Mar 16, 2017, 8:46 pm
#40
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 597
I would be very happy to have the VP or President of a country stay in the room next to me or have multiple rooms on a floor as it would be less likely to moot for someone to break into my room to steal anything. They would be too scared when they see these big guys standing guard. I would give the guard the website to FlyerTalk for some entertainment while holding down the fort.
As far as enhanced safety, the Brits might think otherwise. Maggie Thatcher's stay at a 1984 Tory Conference at Brighton's Grand Hotel was rudely interrupted by an IRA bomber who detonated a device in an attempt to kill her and her cabinet. They survived, but five guests - including a sitting MP - were killed and more than 30 other people were injured.
In today's world, I wouldn't consider myself safer in the presence of a world leader, and I've met every President from Nixon to Obama. I'm in no hurry to be under the same roof of any hotel with any world leader these days.
Mar 16, 2017, 8:59 pm
#41
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great thread! i recall seeing discussion on this subject here before
especially when stay/event is publicized quite a while in advance
especially when stay/event is publicized quite a while in advance
Mar 16, 2017, 9:15 pm
#42
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I stayed at the Intercontinental Barclay in NYC in 2002 during meetings at the UN and the front desk noted there were many heads of state in residence. 48th Street between Park and Lexington was blocked off altogether and you had to show your keycard to access the street or any of the hotel entrances. The lane of Lexington Avenue nearest the hotel was barricaded off too.
The lobby was crawling with guys in glasses and talking into their cuffs.
Our limo driver for the ride back to JFK was very annoyed about having to wait on Park Avenue for us.
The lobby was crawling with guys in glasses and talking into their cuffs.
Our limo driver for the ride back to JFK was very annoyed about having to wait on Park Avenue for us.
Mar 16, 2017, 9:27 pm
#43
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UN definitely huge for NYC hotels. when Mark Hotel could not sell their 12,000 ft2 penthouse (listed for $60 million) they added it to hotel inventory and reportedly first booking was UN delegation.
some hotels in geneva (like hotel president wilson and intercontinental) can be similar.
recently in DC an entire hotel was booked with all guests being moved to other hotels.
some hotels in geneva (like hotel president wilson and intercontinental) can be similar.
recently in DC an entire hotel was booked with all guests being moved to other hotels.
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; Mar 16, 2017 at 9:51 pm
Mar 16, 2017, 9:42 pm
#44
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Stayed at the Ritz in Madrid at the same time The King of Morocco was visiting. He took over 2 floors. Had a huge entourage. Saw him many times while we were there.