Washington, D.C.’s Watergate Hotel is forever attached to scandal and infamy as on June 17, 1972, E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy stationed themselves in room 214 where they used a radio to stay in contact with burglars stealing documents at the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate Complex, adjacent to the hotel. Once the suspicious activity was discovered by a security guard, the police were called, the famous cover-up ensued, and, eventually, it led to the 1974 resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon just before impeachment proceedings were due to begin.
The 50-year-old, 336-room hotel closed in August 2007 and finally reopened in June 2016 under the new ownership of Euro Capital Properties after a US$200 million renovation. The question on everyone’s mind: what will they do with room 214?
Just this week, the Watergate Hotel unveiled The Watergate Scandal Room 214, which embraces the historic break-in with design elements created by Emmy-winning Hollywood costume designer Lyn Paolo, along with Rakel Cohen, co-owner of the hotel and senior vice president of design and development.
Room 214 has been designed with soft furnishings, in-room amenities and closet items that highlight the property’s significant history, including:
- a wall of news clippings from the time of the break-in
- several furniture pieces reminiscent of the 1970’s
- binoculars
- a typewriter
- a record player
- a cassette tape player
Clever nods to its infamous past can be found throughout the hotel, including “no need to break-in” inscriptions on room keycards, a phone number that alludes to the break-in date (1-844-617-1972) and hold music with Nixon speeches.
