The Obamas' Pricey Hotel Stay

The Obamas' Pricey Hotel Stay

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

filed under: first family

Barack and the fam are staying at the luxurious Hay Adams hotel, and are spending thousands a night. Is this okay?

The White House wasn't available for move-in quite yet, so Barack and wife Michelle decided to rent a wing at the luxurious Hay Adams hotel in DC until mid-January so that daughters Sasha and Malia wouldn't miss their first day of school.

Momlogic talked to a representative at the hotel, who said the most expensive room in the hotel runs $7,000 a night. When asked if that was the room the Obamas were staying in, the representative had no comment, but did mention that they were more than likely taking over a part of the hotel.

We did the math, and if the Obamas are paying $7k a night for one room, and let's say they have just two rooms (unless Sasha and Malia are sharing a room with their parents -- doubtful), that means they are spending $14,000 a night. Hmm...

The first-family-to-be will reportedly be staying at the hotel until they move to the Presidential guest home on January 15. If our calculations are right, their two-week hotel tab will therefore run nearly $200,000.

Click to see where the money's going!



Barack Obama	Obama Family's Matching Style

24 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

Wow way to cut out big spending by politicians!! I don’t think it is fair for the taxpayer’s to foot ANY of the bill.

- Anonymous

Posted 01/06/09 02:21 PM

What do you mean “in this economy”? Spending money is the best possible way to stimulate the economy—hoarding it is how we get into trouble. It’s the ENTIRE basis for Obama’s stimulus package which will pump money into the economy. I would also add that this is hardly avoidable. The girls started school yesterday, they needed a place to stay, and were denied into Blair House. There are not many hotels that can accomodate the security needs of the First Family. There is not really any alternative.

- Elena

Posted 01/06/09 02:42 PM

it’s ridiculous. period. 19,000 on a friggin hotel? come on now. that is totally unnecessary and extreme

- jackie

Posted 01/06/09 02:56 PM

That’s a little extreme to me. They could have stayed some where else for much less. Nice example Mr. President (NOT!!)

- Amanda

Posted 01/06/09 03:00 PM

The bill with be paid by the Transition Comitee alone, not a cent by the taxpayers, Hello Magazine got it all wrong. The taxpayers are paying for the Secret Service though, but it is for the best. And they are only there because: a)Blair House wasn’t released by the Bushes, b) Secret Services probably felt this was a more secure building.

- Ernie

Posted 01/06/09 03:04 PM

Um, spread the wealth?

- busy

Posted 01/06/09 03:08 PM

FYI secret services can secure ANY where they want. That is what they do. So that excuse don’t fly with me!

- Anonymous

Posted 01/06/09 03:37 PM

Honestly you don’t really know what they are paying so it’s unfair to guess at that. This hotel is probably one of the few places the Secret Service can guarantee the Obama’s safety. The SS can’t make just any place safe and it’s stupid to think that!

- Obama Mama

Posted 01/06/09 03:46 PM

They can hardly just stay at the Holiday Inn.

- Scary Mommy

Posted 01/06/09 03:54 PM

Why is this news? If “W” had done then when he came to Washington 8 yrs ago, no one would have blinked an eye. So now everyone wants to give this family grief for coming to Washington early so the girls could start school on time after the holidays (glad to know they value their educaction)and if Blair House had been available, this would have not been an issue…let’s move on people and find something else to complain about.

- LaVonne

Posted 01/06/09 08:30 PM

Who are you…Nancy Grace? A Fox News shill? They tried to get into White House guest quarters and the Bushes couldn’t be that gracious. You have no idea what they are really paying or why they are staying there instead of some other high-priced Washington hotel. This is sheer, mean-spirited speculation.

- Diana

Posted 01/06/09 09:02 PM

Clearly the Obama family needs to watch the news, the rampant unemployment rates, the collapse of this nation is upon HIM and they are using it as a ticket to pay for the extravagant lifestyles? I am utterly disturbed!…this happening on the heels of the Bushes $500K china tab??? Sadly, we are ALL going to pay the tab for this like it or not!

- Disturbia

Posted 01/20/09 08:14 PM

Hmmm….maybe he should have stayed at Motel 6 with no secret service agents and fed his kids chicken nuggets from the dollar menu. CMON PEOPLE!!! You know that he has security issues to deal with and has to always keep that in mind. It wouldnt care if it was 100k per night…as long as the new first family was safe and secure and not to mention more than comfortable!!!!

- Me

Posted 01/20/09 08:19 PM

everyone is so quick to judge. right, maybe he should have stayed at motel 6 where someone could have access to him and hurt him and his family. please…bush wouldn’t let him into the blair house mansion (35 bathrooms no less). so why shouldn’t he stay safe and sound. not like he doesn’t need to be well rested and taken care of as he assumes the daunting task as world leader!(sarcasm)

- arhyme100

Posted 01/20/09 08:38 PM

And your point is….????

- Sandy

Posted 01/20/09 08:55 PM

For the uninformed: it is tradition that the incoming Presidential family stay at the “Blair House”. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/sorry-were-booked-white-house-tells-obamas/ Excerpt: “The Obamas were told that Blair House, where incoming presidents usually stay in the five days before Inauguration Day, is booked in early January, a spokesperson to the Obama transition said. “We explored the idea so that the girls could start school on schedule,’ the spokesperson said. “But, there were previously scheduled events and guests that couldn’t be displaced.” It remained unclear who on Bushes guest list outranked the incoming President.”

- anonymous

Posted 01/21/09 12:05 AM

He’s our PRESIDENT! Nothing less than the Best. I guess you would have him stay at Motel 6…I think not. By the way, the hotel probably offered his family a stay for free. Royalty baby! Deal with! OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA!!!!

- yeahyeahyeah

Posted 01/21/09 07:29 PM

I do not care for Obama but I have to be fair about this… Every president gets some sort of royal treament. He shouldn’t be singled out. They all spend too much!! Tom Lester, Des Moines Iowa

- Tom

Posted 01/24/09 08:01 PM

Lovely. Great site.

- home loan

Posted 01/30/09 01:45 PM

Interessante Informationen.

- lieben

Posted 03/05/09 04:10 PM