Inside Blair House: The Lavish Presidential Guesthouse Hosting PM Modi In Washington

Modi’s Sojourn at the Historic Blair House

After the end of a hectic schedule in France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be traveling to Washington, DC, to meet US President Donald Trump for a high-stakes summit. The talks would include major issues like trade and immigration. During a 36-hour stay in Washington, DC, PM Modi will be staying at Blair House, the official US President guesthouse.

Blair House has been a prominent place of stay for foreign visiting dignitaries for long, with dignitaries like Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and Vladimir Putin having been its guests. It is also the traditional residence of US presidents-elect on the day of their inauguration.

The History of Blair House

Blair House, 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue, directly across from the White House, was not built for diplomatic use. Constructed in 1824 as a Federal-style townhouse, the townhouse was the home of Dr Joseph Lovell, the first US Surgeon General. Journalist and political advisor Francis Preston Blair bought the house in 1837, using its strategic location to further his political clout under President Andrew Jackson.

The Blair family owned the house for a century before the US government bought it in 1942. The reason for the purchase was the growing need for official diplomatic housing during World War II. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s frequent visits to Washington, including a major 1941 visit to the White House, highlighted the need for a permanent guesthouse. After Churchill was seen wandering the White House in his pajamas, President Franklin Roosevelt suggested that Blair House be used officially, and Congress approved its purchase.

Inside the Exclusive Presidential Guesthouse

Blair House, or as it is also called, “Uncle Sam’s guesthouse,” is a 70,000-square-foot palace of luxury. Though it bears only one name, it is a complex of four townhouses that sit side by side, with a total of 119 rooms, 14 guest bedrooms, 35 bathrooms, three formal dining rooms, and a fully equipped beauty salon.

Kept in order by a full-time staff of 16, Blair House offers amenities that would be at home in a five-star hotel. It is famous for catering to the eccentric demands of its guests. Former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, for example, once asked for a last-minute pedicure, which the staff accommodated with a large stainless-steel mixing bowl from the kitchen.

The house’s decor is a rich mix of American history and craftsmanship. Its art collection features an 1864 portrait of Abraham Lincoln by Edward Dalton Marchant and a more modern painting, Bovines on the Brazos II, given to it by former President George W. Bush.

To keep it grand, Blair House has been renovated a number of times. In 1988, it was reopened after a temporary closing for mechanical and structural improvements. A major redesign in 2012 by designer Thomas Pheasant added modern yet elegant furnishings, including a supersized mattress in the principal suite reserved for the most elite dignitaries.

Blair House: A Witness to History

Blair House has been the setting for momentous events in history. When Harry S Truman became president, the White House was under heavy renovation, so he was compelled to live at Blair House. During his residence, Puerto Rican nationalists tried to assassinate him in 1950, but White House police and Secret Service agents foiled the attempt.

In a lighter moment, then Russian President Boris Yeltsin, during his visit in 1994, was found outside Blair House in his underwear and intoxicated, shouting for a taxi to bring pizza. US President Bill Clinton later confirmed that Yeltsin had, in fact, brought his pizza.

Blair House has also welcomed famous pets, including Lulu, the Chihuahua of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie. Lulu, who was treated like royalty, could only be touched by the emperor himself.

A Symbol of Diplomacy and Prestige

Blair House remains a symbol of US diplomatic hospitality, offering unparalleled luxury and historical charm. With PM Modi added to the list of famous visitors, his visit to Blair House will be another chapter in its history of hosting world leaders.