Travel Tips

Outrageously Over the Top Obama Inauguration Travel Packages

Locations in this article:  Chicago, IL Dallas, TX

Obama headshotWant to be a part of Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration on January 20 in Washington, DC?

There are still a few hotel rooms still available … if you’ve got a few thousand to spare.

You’d never know there was a recession with these over-the-top inauguration package travel deals…

Don’t miss Washington, DC, Travel For Obama’s Inauguration and Beyond.

CELEBRATING, DC-STYLE
Go all out with the Omni Shoreham’s four-day Commander-in-Chief package, which offers four people a long weekend of shopping, feasting, celebrating, and traveling.

After being flown to Washington, DC, in a private jet, you’ll be escorted to the hotel’s two-bedroom Presidential Suite which comes with private breakfast served daily and a 24-hour personal concierge and chauffeur.

To prepare for the inaugural festivities you’ll be treated to a makeover at Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Day Spa, a $44,000 shopping spree (!) from the Lambros jewelry inauguration collection, and you’ll get your own personal President and First Lady cologne and perfume.

Barack Obama 2After your private in-room dinner prepared by your very own personal chef—with entertainment from political satirist Mark Russell—you get to attend the swearing-in ceremony, inaugural parade and a gala ball.

And, to help you remember your trip for years to come, you’ll receive a commemorative inaugural photo album, shot by your own inaugural photographer. As a bonus you’ll get to take a “Foreign Policy Trip” at a future date: which includes four first-class round-trip tickets to St. Petersburg, Russia, plus a five-night gift certificate to the Kempinski Hotel Moika.

The total cost of the package? A mere $440,000, a portion of which will be donated by the hotel to the charity of your choice.

If that’s a little over your budget, the Omni is also offering a 58th Inauguration Package for—what else—$58,000, which includes a four-night stay in a one-bedroom deluxe Presidential Suite, two first-class plane tickets for arrival and departure, daily in-suite breakfast, a private in-room dinner, and a 24-hour personal chauffeur. You’ll also get entry for two to the swearing-in ceremony, parade and gala, a $5,800 shopping spree and a commemorative photo album.

Around the corner at the Mandarin Oriental you can live it up with the five-day four-night Presidential Privilege Package for just $200,900.

You’ll stay in the hotel’s 3,500 square-foot Presidential Suite, which affords incredible views of the city’s major monuments. In addition to daily breakfast in bed, daily spa treatments, nightly Champagne and caviar, a 24-hour butler, robes monogrammed with your party’s affiliation, and a fridge stocked with your favorite foods, you’ll also get access to a chauffeur-driven 2009 Maserati Quattroporte (with a backseat hamper of snacks and Champagne) throughout the entire stay.

Obama Wears ShadesBefore attending your choice of inaugural event, you’ll be treated to a private five-course dinner party and wine pairing for eight in the CityZen. And, of course, you and your date will look fabulous at the ball because you’ll be wearing his-and-hers inaugural ball fashions and accessories from Ralph Lauren. You’ll be sent home with an assortment of Washington, D.C.-based collectibles, and the hotel will make a $10,000.00 donation in your name to new First Lady’s favorite charity.

As if that isn’t enough, you’ll be entitled to return to the hotel for 10 overnight weekend stays throughout the year, with a two-hour spa treatment included each day.

Go green like a democrat at the Fairmont Washington D.C.’s Eco-Inaugural package, which offers environmentally-friendly treatment with a $40,000 price tag.

You and a guest will stay four nights in the eco-chic two-bedroom Lexus Hybrid Living Suite on the hotel’s Fairmont Gold Floor. The suite includes rapidly-renewable resources and organic materials such as bamboo. During your stay you’ll have use of a Lexus LS 600h L hybrid luxury vehicle (with driver), and two butlers at your disposal.

Prior to the festivities, you’ll be treated to his-and-hers organic spa treatments, and the lady will get her very own custom-tailored ball gown by famed organic designer Linda Loudermilk. After the ball, you’ll sit down to a midnight organic supper with eight of your “constituents.” To top it off, the hotel will donate $2,000 to the National Geographic Society in your honor. The only possible drawback to this package: no inaugural tickets are included.

At the Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown, the Red, White, Blue and Green package also has an eco-twist, and starts at an easy $99,000. Valid from January 17-21, 2009, you get first-class round-trip tickets, including Flight TerraPasses to offset your carbon footprint, a four-night stay in a Presidential Suite, seating for two at the Inaugural parade, two tickets to one of the official Inaugural balls, a private, all-organic dinner and wine pairing, an eco-friendly spa gift basket, your own chauffeur with a hybrid vehicle, a set of Gucci luggage, and a four-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman plus admission to eco-adventure programs … with airfare (but you have to stay between January 21-25, 2009).

If you want to party with your posse, the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill’s Presidential Entourage Package fits the bill, as it’s available for four nights for eight people for the bargain-basement price of $75,000 (that’s only $9,375 per person!).

Young ObamaA limo will take you from the airport straight to a welcome reception in Article One, the hotel’s swank private lounge. Your group will be spread out over the Presidential Suite and three Capitol Suites, all of which offer butler service. Amenities include a day at the spa, a private tour of the monuments at night, two VIP dinners for eight with wine pairings in the Monumental Affairs Design, eight tickets to the “We the People” inaugural ball (which the President has been invited to), and—get this—designer scarves and gloves to keep you warm while observing history in the making.

Being the closest hotel to the U.S. Capitol building, the Liaison Capitol Hill will put you at the heart of the inaugural activity and allow you to experience Washington like a true insider with the four-night Ultimate Inauguration Package, priced at $6,729.

In addition to breakfast in bed for two each morning, your choice of two in-room spa treatments and limo service each evening, you’ll get four hours with a personal shopper and stylist to find your perfect inaugural ball outfits.

And for posterity, you’ll get a four-hour session with your own private paparazzo. To help get you through the inauguration ceremony, you’ll be given a “swearing-in survival kit,” which includes a Burberry scarf and ear muffs for two, two pairs of binoculars, two umbrellas, gourmet hot chocolate to-go and a meal to-go courtesy of Art and Soul restaurant. Tickets to inaugural events are not included.

If you can’t make it all the way to D.C. (or if your favorite hotel is sold out), you can celebrate the inauguration in any number of other cities around the United States.

SEND-OFF IN CHICAGO
Barack Obama 3It should be no surprise that President-elect Obama’s adopted home of Chicago will be a popular place to party. Along those lines, the Fairmont Chicago is offering a Tribute to Obama package for $3,900 per night. You’ll get to stay in the top-floor Presidential Suite, overlooking Grant Park, where Obama made his historic acceptance speech. The suite will be styled to pay tribute to Obama and his family, including a pictorial montage of his life, a series of books authored by or about the family, various campaign memorabilia, and a welcome basket of some of Barack and Michelle’s favorite snacks.

To round out your stay you’ll be treated to a tour of Obama’s favorite Chicago stores, shops and locations in the hotel’s Bentley.

Also in Chicago, the Hard Rock Hotel is offering a Barack and Roll package for those wanting to give Obama a fabulous send-off. During your two nights in the Extreme Suite you’ll be treated to breakfast in bed (on red, white and blue sheets) featuring the Obama family’s favorite, “pork-barrel bacon,” a selection of Obama’s favorite films, a gift box of some of Obama’s favorite books and music, and the “First Lady” treatment at Red 7 Salon.

A limo will whisk you to Obama’s barber Zariff in Hyde Park for a trim, and then to your personal shopping experience and suit fitting at Hard Schaffner Marx (Obama’s favorite clothing store), to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants, Topolobampo, and to a Chicago Bulls game. And don’t forget the “Ciroc Obama” cocktails you’ll drink at the hotel’s Base Bar while you watch the inauguration. The price is an even $2,009.

WELCOME BACK, GEORGE
George Dubya Bush On the flip side, if you voted for the other guy and perhaps want to celebrate Bush’s homecoming to Texas, the Art Deco Stoneleigh Hotel in Dallas has a Suite Life inaugural package that will set you back a cool $20,000.

Your dollars will buy you a stay in the largest penthouse suite in the entire city with a terrace overlooking downtown, plus on-call chauffeured transportation, private butler service, brunch in bed, and a six-course paired dinner for 12 in The Penthouse Dining Room.

To keep you entertained while you’re in town you’ll also get a private Dallas art tour, two floor seats to the Dallas Opera, a tour of the historic Penthouse and the hidden passageways within, a private tour and shopping consult at the Neiman Marcus flagship store with gift bag, and a hands-on culinary instruction session for two with celebrity chef David Bull (the Iron Chef Challenger and James Beard nominee).

By Karen Elowitt for PeterGreenberg.com.

Don’t miss our other guide Washington, DC, Travel For Obama’s Inauguration and Beyond.

Plus, don’t forget our Off the Brochure Travel Guide to Washington, DC.