America's most controversial hotel rooms revealed
Do not disturb! From the retro Watergate room that gave birth to infamous Nixon scandal to the ritzy Las Vegas suite where Prince Harry played ‘naked billiards’ and racked up a $35K bill, America’s most SCANDALOUS hotel rooms, revealed
- Room 214 at The Watergate Hotel in Washington DC is where the Watergate burglars hung out
- On March 5, 1982, comedian John Belushi died in Bungalow 3 at Chateau Marmont of a drug overdose
- Room 1742 at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal is where John Lennon and Yoko Ono had their bed-in
Murder, robbery plots, and alleged sexual assault.
These are just some of the things that have happened in some of America’s most colorful hotel rooms and suites.
From one of the country’s most infamous hotel rooms in Washington, D.C.’s Watergate Hotel – a name that would be forever immortalized for the role that it played in the Watergate scandal – to the glitzy suite inside the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, where Prince Harry famously played a game of ‘naked billiards’ while racking up a $35,000 bill, these hotels have played host to some of the world’s most infamous scandals.
DailyMail.com has traveled across the country to find the places you can spend the night, with the stories certainly making for tantalizing bedtime reading. Take a trip down to see which room numbers take your fancy.
Room 214: The Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C.
The Watergate Hotel is the best-known part of the Watergate complex in Washington DC’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood
Five burglars were caught breaking into the Democratic National Committee’s offices on June 17, 1972. They had checked into rooms 214 and 314 of the Watergate Hotel, using aliases. Room 214, pictured, has been refurbished and is open to bookings
It was decorated in collaboration with Lyn Paolo, the costume designer for Scandal and contains items from the Watergate period including binoculars, a manual typewriter, a reel-to-reel tape recorder and curated book collection
If it is not booked and you ask politely, The Watergate Hotel staff members will let you see the room
Then-President Richard Nixon resigned two years after the Watergate scandal in August 1974
Room 214: The Watergate Hotel
THE STORY: Five burglars were caught breaking into the Democratic National Committee’s offices on June 17, 1972. They had checked into rooms 214 and 314 of the Watergate Hotel, using aliases.
Among them was a security coordinator for the Republican National Committee and the Committee for the Re-election of the President, James W McCord Jr. Then-President Richard Nixon resigned two years later in August 1974.
Following the incident, the hotel was bought and sold several times and underwent various iterations.
Then on June 1, 2016 it reopened its doors as an upscale hotel and once again welcomed guests. Room 214 is open to the public and it is called the Scandal Room. It was decorated in collaboration with Lyn Paolo, the costume designer for Scandal.
THE PRICE: From $1,521 per night
The Watergate Hotel is the best-known part of the Watergate complex in Washington DC’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood.
The building, designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti, neighbors the Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts on the Potomac River banks.
It first opened in 1967, welcoming high-end guests such as Elizabeth Taylor, then-Representative Bob Dole and the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Five burglars were caught breaking into the Democratic National Committee’s offices on June 17, 1972. They had checked into rooms 214 and 314 of the Watergate Hotel, using aliases.
Among them was a security coordinator for the Republican National Committee and the Committee for the Re-election of the President, James W McCord Jr. Then-President Richard Nixon resigned two years later in August 1974.
Following the incident, the hotel was bought and sold several times, and underwent various iterations.
Then on June 1, 2016 it reopened its doors as an upscale hotel and once again welcomed guests.
Now keys at the Watergate Hotel tell guests, ‘No need to break in,’ speeches of the former commander-in-chief can be heard in the hotel’s bathrooms, and the telephone number, 844 617 1972, brings to mind the date of the burglary.
At the hotel’s restaurant, the Kingbird, there is also a Scandalous Martini on offer, featuring a heady blend of blackberry and lemongrass-infused vodka, apricot liqueur, tarragon cordial, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and prosecco.
If you want to further immerse yourself in the world of Watergate, Room 214 is open to the public and it is called the Scandal Room.
It was decorated in collaboration with Lyn Paolo, the costume designer for Scandal and contains items from the Watergate period including binoculars, a manual typewriter, a reel-to-reel tape recorder and curated book collection.
Modern amenities are also included – a 48-inch flat screen TV with episodes of Scandal available for viewing. Stays in the Scandal Room start from $1,521 per night.
If it is not booked and you ask politely, staff members will let you see the room.
Room 2401: Wynn, Las Vegas
In 2012 Prince Harry made headlines after indulging in a debauched weekend in Las Vegas at the Wynn hotel
He checked into the Wynn hotel’s $6,000-a-night, three-bed suite – the biggest and most luxurious of the 16 duplexes
Pictures, which were leaked to a US website and taken on a fellow reveler’s mobile phone, showed Harry stark naked – apart from a distinctive thong necklace – playing a game of ‘naked billiards’ in his high rollers’ suite
Despite the scandal, the Wynn remains one of Las Vegas’ most popular hangouts among the high rollers
Following the scandal, the prince’s advisors at St James’s Palace were locked in meetings about how best to handle the situation and Harry flew back to Britain to resume his military duties following his 10-day break
Room 2401: Wynn, Las Vegas
THE STORY: In 2012, Prince Harry made headlines after indulging in a debauched weekend in Las Vegas.
He checked into the Wynn hotel’s $6,000-a-night, three-bed suite – the biggest and most luxurious of the 16 duplexes.
Pictures, which were leaked to a US website and taken on a fellow reveler’s mobile phone, showed Harry stark naked – apart from a distinctive thong necklace – playing a game of ‘naked billiards’ in his high rollers’ suite.
In another picture the prince could be seen cupping his hands around his groin in a fruitless bid to preserve his modesty as a dark-haired girl hid behind him.
THE PRICE: From $6,000 a night
In 2012, Prince Harry made headlines after indulging in a debauched weekend in Las Vegas.
The jaunt cost more than $35,000, but his hotel bill was waived as he breezed out of the opulent Wynn resort.
Billionaire Steve Wynn, who owns the hotel along with numerous casinos, reportedly ordered that the royal party would not have to pay for anything.
Harry and his two travelling friends were shown to their palatial eight-room suite when they arrived and they went on to party the days away, with photos of him at one point wearing no clothes surfacing.
Pictures, which were leaked to a US website and taken on a fellow reveler’s mobile phone, showed Harry stark naked – apart from a distinctive thong necklace – playing a game of ‘naked billiards’ in his high rollers’ suite at the five-star Wynn Hotel.
In another picture the prince could be seen cupping his hands around his groin in a fruitless bid to preserve his modesty as a dark-haired girl hid behind him.
He could then be seen bear-hugging a nude girl by the side of the pool table as other partygoers looked on.
Following the scandal, the prince’s advisors at St James’s Palace were locked in meetings about how best to handle the situation and Harry flew back to Britain to resume his military duties following his 10-day break.
At the time, senior royal sources made clear to DailyMail.com that the prince was in his hotel suite on a private holiday and had expected a ‘reasonable degree of privacy.’
Despite the scandal, the Wynn remains one of Las Vegas’ most popular hangouts among the high rollers.
The $6,000-a-night suite Harry stayed in – Room 2401 on the 63rd floor of the Wynn – is the biggest and most luxurious of the hotel’s 16 duplexes.
Along with three master bedrooms, the amenities include its own private lift, butler service, a room with a massage table and gym equipment, a steam shower, a 75-inch TV, chandeliers, a wet bar and, of course, a pool table.
Room 100 & Suite 211: Hotel Chelsea, New York
Photographer Hans Juul Hansen took this photo of Suite 211 at the Hotel Chelsea where Bob Dylan was staying in the early sixties. He took the shot in 2008 before the property was refurbished
Maybe the hotel’s most famous room was number 100. This was the spot where Sid Vicious, 21, of the Sex Pistols was accused of stabbing his 20-year-old girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, in October 1978
The venue – which was built between 1883 and 1885 and once described by Life magazine as ‘New York’s most illustrious third-rate hotel’ – reopened last year after an 11-year hiatus and it now offers 155 restored guest rooms
While the hotel has been refurbished and upgraded with modern touches like Marshall speakers in the rooms, many period features remain, from the central wrought-iron spiral staircase to the original elevator
Bassist Vicious, pictured left in 1977, was charged with the murder of his girlfriend – only to die himself from a drug overdose within months while out on bail
Spungen and Vicious had a rocky relationship in the more than a year they were together (pictured 1978)
Room 100 & Suite 211: Hotel Chelsea
THE STORY: One of the hotel’s most famous rooms, which was knocked into another unit to prevent hoards of morbid sightseers descending on the property, was number 100.
This was the spot where Sid Vicious, 21, of the Sex Pistols was accused of stabbing his 20-year-old girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, in October 1978.
A large part of the hotel is also residential and Welsh poet Dylan Thomas occupied the address, number 211. This is where he drank himself into a coma with 18 whiskeys before being admitted to hospital and dying four days later.
In the sixties, Bob Dylan lived in the same suite and wrote Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, Sara and likely other songs from his Blonde On Blonde album.
THE PRICE: Standard rooms start from $535
One of America’s most famed hotels when it comes to rock ‘n’ roll history has to be New York’s Hotel Chelsea and it has played host to dozens of famous faces of the years.
The venue – which was built between 1883 and 1885 and once described by Life magazine as ‘New York’s most illustrious third-rate hotel’ – reopened last year after an 11-year hiatus and it now offers 155 restored guest rooms, a Spanish-inspired restaurant called El Quijote’s where Andy Warhol et al used to dine and a spa is currently in the works.
One of the hotel’s most famous rooms, which was knocked into another unit to prevent hoards of morbid sightseers descending on the property, was number 100.
This was the spot where Sid Vicious, 21, of the Sex Pistols was accused of stabbing his 20-year-old girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, in October 1978.
She’d suffered a fatal knife wound to the abdomen, and Vicious was charged with her murder – only to die himself from a drug overdose within months while out on bail.
It was one of the most high-profile – and damaging – incidents to take place at the landmark Manhattan hotel, which would never fully shake the association with the murder.
But it was far from the only wild incident at Hotel Chelsea – also known as the Chelsea Hotel or simply the Chelsea – which attracted the famous, the artsy, the edgy and the genius for most of the 20th century.
A large part of the hotel is also residential and Welsh poet Dylan Thomas occupied the address, number 211. This is where he drank himself into a coma with 18 whiskeys before being admitted to hospital and dying four days later.
In the sixties, Bob Dylan lived in the same suite and wrote Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, Sara and likely other songs from his Blonde On Blonde album.
Zooming up several flights, Madonna lived in room 822 in the early 1980s and returned in 1992 to shoot photographs for her book, Sex.
Today rooms at the hotel range from $535 for a ‘Petite Queen’ to $2,250 a night for a One Bedroom Pied-à-Terre complete with a full-kitchen and separate living room.
While the hotel has been refurbished and upgraded with modern touches like Marshall speakers in the rooms and plush retro-styled furnishings, many period features remain, from the central wrought-iron spiral staircase to the original elevator.
The rooms also feature vintage photos of previous guests, offering a glimpse of the hotel’s debauched heyday.
Bungalow 3, Chateau Marmont: Los Angeles
Known for maintaining a sense of privacy and exclusivity, the famed Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles has played host to dozens of celebrities since its opening in 1927 and it has many stories to tell
One of the most notable incidents at Chateau Marmont happened on March 5, 1982, when comedian John Belushi died at just 33 after injecting heroin and cocaine. He was staying in Bungalow Three, pictured
The Chateau Marmont management decided to completely remodel Belushi’s room and changed the furniture and the decor because they didn’t want it to become a ‘cult symbol’
Photographer Dave DeCaro told DailyMail.com that he stayed in Bungalow Three several years ago
The famed bungalow is not bookable via Chateau Marmont’s website, but a stay can be arranged over the phone
Belushi, an original Saturday Night Live cast member, had checked into his usual private bungalow at the hotel on February 28, 1982 – almost a week before he suffered the fatal overdose on March 5
Belushi’s body is taken from a small house behind the Chateau Marmont to the coroner’s office
Bungalow 3, Chateau Marmont
THE STORY: One of the most notable incidents at Chateau Marmont happened on March 5, 1982, when comedian John Belushi died at just 33 after injecting heroin and cocaine. He was staying in Bungalow Three.
Belushi, an original Saturday Night Live cast member, had checked into his usual private bungalow at the hotel on February 28, 1982 – almost a week before he suffered the fatal overdose on March 5.
According to Shawn Levy’s book, the Animal House star was visited by Robert De Niro on the evening of March 4, 1982 because he wanted to go partying. But De Niro left after being freaked out by the state of the suite.
Cocaine was piled on the living room table, there was dirty laundry everywhere, and the place was littered with discarded pizza boxes and wine bottles.
At noon the next day Belushi was found unconscious by his bodyguard, Bill Wallace. Paramedics arrived but Belushi was already gone from an overdose.
THE PRICE: From $3,000 a night.
Known for maintaining a sense of privacy and exclusivity, the famed Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles has played host to dozens of celebrities since its opening in 1927 and it has many stories to tell.
Designed as a reproduction French castle, the venue looks the epitome of respectability from the outside. And yet over the years it has become the ultimate hedonist’s hangout. It has been witness to both terrible tragedy and wild joy.
A spokesperson for the hotel told DailyMail.com that some celebrities have ‘run up bills of $450,000 or more, all of whom were covered by the property because of the unique nature of the Chateau and its guests.’
They added: ‘In some cases, bills were paid by artists with artwork and in the case of the famous Morgan that sits just inside the garage entrance to the property for all to see when entering and exiting the Chateau, it was given to the property by writer Kit Carlson who owed over $1million to help settle his bill.’
While the hotel has many eccentric stories to tell, one of the most notable incidents at Chateau Marmont happened on March 5, 1982, when comedian John Belushi died at just 33 after injecting heroin and cocaine. He was staying in Bungalow Three.
The details about the night Belushi died were included in Hollywood historian Shawn Levy’s book, ‘The Castle on Sunset,’ about the iconic and scandalous hotel. In excerpts of the book Levy details the tragic final days and hours of the comic’s life.
Belushi, an original Saturday Night Live cast member, had checked into his usual private bungalow at the hotel on February 28, 1982 – almost a week before he suffered the fatal overdose on March 5.
The Animal House star was visited by Robert De Niro on the evening of March 4, 1982 because he wanted to go partying – but De Niro left after being freaked out by the state of the suite.
Cocaine was piled on the living room table, there was dirty laundry everywhere and the place was littered with discarded pizza boxes and wine bottles. According to Levy’s book the living room was a ‘shambles – not sloppy, but actually trashed, as if in a rage.’
De Niro returned 3am to do some cocaine, as did Robin Williams but both left Belushi in the squalor of the $250-a-night bungalow because they found the scene so disturbing, Levy wrote.
At noon the next day Belushi was found unconscious by his bodyguard, Bill Wallace. Wallace called Belushi’s manager Bernie Brillstein and screamed: ‘There’s something really wrong with John!’ Paramedics arrived but Belushi was already gone from an overdose, the book revealed.
A gardener was reassigned to another hotel after telling reporters that Belushi appeared to have choked on his tongue. Eventually Belushi’s body was strapped to a gurney and wheeled out in front of the waiting news media, turning his death into a bizarre and grim circus.
The next day Brillstein was allowed into the bungalow after the police had done a sweep, and was horrified at what he saw. As well as the half finished beers, coffees and plates of food there were piles of trash and piles of phone messages.
The Chateau Marmont management decided to completely remodel Belushi’s room, and changed the furniture and the decor because they didn’t want it to become a ‘cult symbol,’ but some say they did not succeed.
Levy writes: ‘More than three decades after Belushi’s death, the tragedy was still synonymous with Chateau Marmont. Almost every article about the hotel would mention the connection, and even for many in the Hollywood community, the comedian’s overdose was considered a feature of the hotel and not a sad fact from its past.’
San Diego-based photographer Dave DeCaro told DailyMail.com that he stayed in Bungalow Three several years ago. He described it as an ‘incredible’ experience, but said that the place had a slightly strange feel.
He explained: ‘I have stayed in the majority of rooms at the Chateau and love them all. I have never really had much of a ghost vibe in any of them, however in this one, I did not sleep well. Something felt off.
‘I was showing a friend of mine the bungalow, and when we got to the master bathroom, the lights started flickering on and off and making a sound. It freaked both of us out a bit. The bungalow is lovely though; it is done in a midcentury modern style and has a beautiful backyard patio with steps down to the pool.
‘Very spacious. If I ever decided to stay in one of the hillside bungalows again, it would most likely be number four instead – I would probably sleep better!’
The retro-styled pad is not bookable via Chateau Marmont’s website, but a stay can be requested and arranged over the phone. It costs from $3,000 a night. Standard rooms at the property start from $495.
Room 2806: The Sofitel, New York
The Sofitel scandal erupted in May 2011 when maid Nafissatou Diallo accused then International Monetary Fund boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn of having sexually assaulted her in the presidential suite, pictured
Diallo, who worked at the Sofitel New York Hotel, claimed the married Strauss-Kahn, known as DSK, forced himself on her on May 14, 2011 while she was cleaning his room, number 2806, on the 28th floor
A photo showing the door to the presidential suite at the luxury high-rise hotel
The hotel also changed owners following the 2011 incident, with 44th Street OwnerCo selling it to Hong Kong-based group Keck Seng Investments for $273 million
Strauss-Kahn seen leaving the Criminal Courts Building of New York with his wife Anne Sinclair, on June 6, 2011
Diallo, pictured center, said she received death threats and had to move out of her apartment to a safe house outside of New York during the legal proceedings
Room 2806: The Sofitel, New York
THE STORY: The Sofitel scandal erupted in May 2011 when maid Nafissatou Diallo accused then International Monetary Fund boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her.
Diallo, who worked at the Sofitel New York Hotel, claimed the married Frenchman Strauss-Kahn, known as DSK, forced himself on her on May 14, 2011 while she was cleaning his room, number 2806, on the 28th floor.
The incident later became the subject of Room 2806, a docu-series which was released on Netflix in 2020.
THE PRICE: The presidential suite at the hotel has been renamed L’Appartement New York and it starts from about $1,700 per night.
The Sofitel scandal erupted in May 2011 when maid Nafissatou Diallo accused then International Monetary Fund boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her.
Diallo, who worked at the Sofitel New York Hotel, claimed the married Frenchman Strauss-Kahn, known as DSK, forced himself on her on May 14, 2011 while she was cleaning his room, number 2806, on the 28th floor.
The incident later became the subject of Room 2806, a docu-series which was released on Netflix in 2020.
When Diallo alerted her manager about the incident, the hotel put in a 911 call. She was taken to hospital where it was recorded sperm had been found on her blouse.
When Diallo led police into the Presidential Suite, where DSK had been staying and allegedly sexually assaulted her, they found a specimen of the IMF boss’s sperm on the floor and the walls of the corridor she pointed to.
DSK was arrested by the police at JFK just moments before his plane was due to take off. After the case was filed against him by the State of New York on behalf of Diallo, DSK posted a $1 million bail and was put under house arrest in New York at a property rented by his wife, Anne Sinclair.
He pleaded not guilty to four felony charges: two criminal sex acts – including forced oral sex – attempted rape and sexual abuse, as well as unlawful imprisonment. Because of DSK’s high profile and long political career – he was France’s Finance Minister from 1997 to 1999 under President Jacques Chirac – conspiracies theories abounded.
After his arrest, a poll showed 57 per cent of French voters believed he was the victim of a smear campaign and prominent French political figures came forward saying they believed he had been framed by his political opponents.
In July 2011, the prosecution asked for the charges against DSK to be dropped on the basis that Diallo had been ‘persistently, and at times inexplicably, untruthful in describing matters of both great and small significance.’
This was based on the fact Diallo changed her story several times after the case was filed and the fact physical evidence showed no sign of violence. It was also found the single mother had lied on the asylum application she had filed to escape Guinea and move to the US with her daughter.
The civil suit was officially dismissed in August of the same year and Strauss-Kahn swiftly returned to France.
In an interview with French media upon his return, DSK eventually conceded he had had a sexual affair with Diallo, which he called a ‘moral failure,’ but denied the use of violence.
Later, the suit between Diallo and DSK was settled, for a sum which has never been confirmed officially, at the request of both parties, but was estimated to have been in the region of $1.5 million.
Diallo said she received death threats and had to move out of her apartment to a safe house outside of New York during the legal proceedings. Yet, she said she did not regret reporting the politician to the police. She runs a West African restaurant in The Bronx and has stated her intention to set up a charity for victims of sexual abuse.
Since the scandal, the presidential suite at the hotel has been renamed L’Appartement New York and stays starts from about $1,700 per night.
Some of the features of the swanky room include prime city views, good soundproofing, a deep soaking tub and a rain shower, three 48-inch Smart TVs, plush robes and slippers, and a Nespresso coffee machine.
The hotel also changed owners following the 2011 incident, with 44th Street OwnerCo selling it to Hong Kong-based group Keck Seng Investments for $273 million.
Today the property serves up 398 rooms including 47 suites, four ‘prestige suites’ with terraces, and L’Appartement New York.
Room 217: The Stanley Hotel, Colorado
The Stanley Hotel in Colorado gained notoriety after famed horror writer Stephen King spent the night there in 1974 with his wife. He stayed in room 217, pictured, and his experience at the hotel inspired him to write The Shining
One of the most troubling parts of King’s stay was a nightmare about his two-year-old son being strangled by a fire suppression hose
The ‘Stephen King Suite’ features all new furnishings, a king-size bed, an armoire, a writing desk, a pull-out queen sleeper sofa and a double-bathroom vanity
In keeping with the theme, the hotel plays Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of The Shining on loop on one of its cable channels
Shelley Duvall as Wendy Torrance and Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance in the 1980 hit The Shining
The hotel runs is an hour-long Shining-themed tour, with highlights including seeing one of the axes used during filming. Pictured, a still from the movie
Room 217: The Stanley Hotel
THE STORY: Room 217 at the haunted Stanley Hotel in Colorado gained notoriety after the famed horror writer spent the night there in 1974 with his wife. One of the most troubling parts of his stay was a nightmare about his two-year-old son being strangled by a fire suppression hose.
His goosebump-inducing experience at the Stanley inspired him to write his novel, The Shining, with the firehose scenario making the cut. It continues to attract ghost hunters and movie fans to this day.
THE PRICE: From $509-a-night
No list of the world’s most haunted hotels would be complete without the property that inspired Stephen King to pen The Shining.
And, according to legend, those creepy kids featured in Stanley Kubrick’s movie adaptation can actually be heard giggling and running around on the fourth floor of the Stanley Hotel in Colorado – especially around room 418.
The hotel’s deceased founder and his wife are also often seen passing through the lobby or heard playing piano in the music room.
Meanwhile, room 217 which is better known as the Stephen King Suite, is reportedly haunted by a maid who died during a gas explosion and power outage in 1911.
This suite gained notoriety after the famed horror writer spent the night there in 1974 with his wife. One of the most troubling parts of his stay was a nightmare about his two-year-old son being strangled by a fire suppression hose.
His goosebump-inducing experience at the Stanley-inspired him to write his novel, The Shining, with the firehose scenario making the cut.
The Stephen King Suite features all new furnishings, a king-size bed, an armoire, a writing desk, a pull-out queen sleeper sofa and a double bathroom vanity.
Ghost hunters’ other favorite rooms at the hotel include 401, 407, and 428, and prices for these spooky suites start from $509 a night.
In keeping with the theme, the hotel plays Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film adaptation of The Shining on loop on one of its cable channels.
The firehoses have since been removed after the film inspired people to try and recreate the scene.
However, Kubrick fans can still get their fix as the hotel runs is an hour-long Shining-themed tour, with highlights including seeing one of the axes used during filming and access to a bathroom recreated to look like the one in Room 237, where Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, finds a silent and naked woman in the tub.
Room 1742: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, Montreal
Once strewn with white flowers and crammed with dozens of journalists, the room where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged one of their famed 1969 bed-ins is now part of a smart hotel suite, costing about $2,250 a night
A cabinet in a separate living features artefacts from the 1969 bed-in, with explanations of what guests are looking at
One of the bathrooms in the suite features snazzy tiling and a TV screen built into the mirror
Along with turtle soup, one room service order sheet reveals that the couple also tucked into a ‘broiled filet of sole’ along with ‘jam, marmalade and lots of honey and butter’ for breakfast. They also ordered ‘their own special bread’
John and Yoko were the most talked-about visitors in Montreal when they chose to hold their Bed-In for Peace in suite 1742 of Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel in 1969
An entry in the housekeeping book dated May 26, 1969 reveals how the ‘corridor and suite were very dirty and littered with flower petals’ during John and Yoko’s stay and the cleaner had to ‘vacuum three to four times a day’
Room 1742: Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth
THE STORY: Room 1742 at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal comprises four adjoining rooms: 1738, 1740, 1742 and 1744.
It was where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged one of their famed 1969 bed-ins, with the place strewn with white flowers and crammed with dozens of journalists.
Historical artefacts from the hotel vaults reveal what John and Yoko got up to during their seven-day stunt promoting peace, including dining on turtle soup and greeting hundreds of fans each day.
It was only in the 1980s, after Lennon’s death, that the hotel began to take steps to redo the four rooms and join them together. In 1989 it was officially named the John Lennon & Yoko Ono Suite.
THE PRICE: From about $2,250 a night
Once strewn with white flowers and crammed with dozens of journalists, the room where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged one of their famed 1969 bed-ins is now part of a smart hotel suite, costing from about $2,250 a night.
DailyMail.com was given a private tour of the swanky pad, located on the 17th floor of the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in central downtown Montreal. The suite comprises of four adjoining rooms (1738, 1740, 1742 and 1744) knocked into one, and historical artefacts from the hotel vaults reveal what John and Yoko got up to during their seven-day stunt promoting peace, including dining on turtle soup and greeting hundreds of fans each day.
These artefacts, such as room service orders and housekeeping records, are on display in the suite (now labelled room 1742), giving it an almost museum-like feel.
Along with turtle soup, one room service order sheet reveals that the couple also tucked into a ‘broiled filet of sole’ along with ‘jam, marmalade and lots of honey and butter’ for breakfast. They also ordered ‘their own special bread.’ For lunch, orders included fried natural brown rice, ‘English fish and chips,’ grilled halibut and ‘lots of vegetables.’
For dinner, along with turtle soup, other delicacies included sirloin steak, lamb chops and fish. This was followed by rice pudding and ‘two-color jello’ for dessert with ‘lots of tea.’ The records note that liqueurs were for the guests only as John and Yoko abstained from drinking alcoholic beverages throughout their stay.
An entry in the housekeeping book dated May 26, 1969 reveals how the ‘corridor and suite were very dirty and littered with flower petals’ during John and Yoko’s stay and the cleaner had to ‘vacuum three to four times a day, since John Lennon threw flower petals into the air.’ The entry adds that on their day of departure, the housekeepers only had an hour to put the suite straight before the next guests arrived, and that John and Yoko were ‘asked several times to leave’.
It was only in the 1980s, after Lennon’s death, that the hotel began to take steps to redo the four rooms and join them together. In 1989 it was officially named the John Lennon & Yoko Ono Suite.
Joanne Papineau, a spokesperson from the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, explained that today the suite front door is one of the most photographed parts of the hotel, with fans flocking from all over the world. She revealed that the suite – which was given a revamp as part of a hotel-wide makeover costing more than $100 million – has welcomed celebrities and presidents from all over the world.
The spacious pad consists of a main living room, where John and Yoko staged their bed-in (which doubled as their honeymoon), a lounge/dining area and a kitchen. There is then a separate living room and another bedroom, meaning the suite can accommodate up to four guests.
Papineau said that the furnishings and artwork around the suite were inspired by their travels, with a ‘mix of east and west.’ There are also lots of knick-knacks to entertain guests.
For instance, if you pick up a rotary telephone in the living room, John’s voice can be heard on the other end of the line, explaining his commitment to peace, which was the purpose behind his bedroom lock-in. There is also a music player which plays Give Peace a Chance, the peace-inspired anthem the couple recorded during their stay.
Papineau added that John and Yoko turned up to the hotel with more than 50 suitcases, but no one was sure what they’d packed because they stayed in white pajamas for the duration of their stay. During the event, the newlywed couple gave up to 150 interviews every day.
Their second bed-in after the first in Amsterdam was planned to take place in New York, but John was not allowed into the United States because of his 1968 cannabis conviction. Instead the couple held the event in the Bahamas at the Sheraton Oceanus Hotel, flying there on May 24, 1969, but after spending one night in the heat, they decided to move to Montreal.
A modern, downtown Montreal hotel, The Queen Elizabeth Fairmont has 950 rooms and suites, a health club, spa and indoor pool. Hotel management describe it as within walking distance of an arrange of boutiques, restaurants, cafes, sport stadiums and cultural attractions.
In 2010, Montreal unveiled a commemorative artwork in Mount Royal Park commemorating the famous bed-in. The work by Linda Covit and Marie-Claude Séguin is entitled Give Peace A Chance and features the words ‘give peace a chance’ in forty languages.
Source: Read Full Article
