 "Here's where PM Narendra Modi is likely to stay during his US visit")
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday left for his landmark visit to the United States. PM Modi’s visit to the States is being considered the highest diplomatic reception reserved for closest allies. He is the third world leader after French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol to be invited by US president Joe Biden for a state visit and dinner. Hundreds of Indian Americans are assembling at well-known places around the US, such as Times Square in New York and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, to greet the Indian Premier. The community also intends to display the diversity of the Indian culture at the Freedom Plaza through various cultural events. PM Modi is likely to stay again at the Willard InterContinental Washington DC, one of the most famous hotels in America, during his visit. He had previously visited the hotel in September 2021 and had also stayed there. The National Register of Historic Places-listed hotel has a rich past of hosting US presidents, dignitaries from other countries, and celebrities for more than 200 years. The storied building is conveniently located two blocks from the White House and the World War Memorial on renowned Pennsylvania Avenue in the city’s centre. Let’s take a closer look at the history of the most celebrated hotel. The history According to the hotel’s website, Captain John Tayloe built six-row houses, which served as the hotel’s first incarnation, at the intersection of 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Joshua Tennyson was given a lease on the property by the former so he could build a new hotel there. Over the following many decades, ownership of the structures and its name changed numerous times. Eventually, in 1850, Henry and Edwin Willard acquired the entire block, christening it Willard’s City Hotel. The two men would subsequently unify all the structures for the first time in the city’s history behind a single façade.
In 1818, a two-story row house called the Tennison Hotel opened on Pennsylvania Avenue. The hotel changed names several times until Henry Willard leased it in 1847. Today, the 12-story Beaux-Arts structure welcomes guests as diverse as the city it calls home
— Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. (@WillardHotel) October 25, 2022
📷️: sanfordcatlady pic.twitter.com/9QC3GZNujN
The Willards kept running the company for the following forty years before selling it to new owners in 1946. However, the hotel went through a protracted period of deterioration and shuttered in the 1960s. Fortunately, the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation (PADC) soon afterwards provided salvation. They were able to prevent the hotel from being demolished with the aid of the Oliver Carr Company and Golding Associates. In addition, the group decided on InterContinental Hotels Group to take over the management of the landmark after the restoration was finished. Once again one of Washington’s most distinguished vacation destinations, this exquisite historic hotel reopened as The Willard InterContinental in 1986. Also read: Ahead of his US visit, PM Modi says 'there's an unprecedented trust' with Washington; touts New Delhi’s leadership role Famous guest list The Willard InterContinental has long served as the hub of social and political activity in Washington. To celebrate the conclusion of his illustrious career as the British Ambassador to the US, international diplomat Francis Napier hosted a renowned ball at this hotel. It has also hosted a number of Japanese envoys during one of the earliest trade agreements between the two countries. Renowned author Julia Ward Howe wrote her iconic song “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” during her stay at the hotel. Nearly a century later, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. composed his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech inside The Willard.
On August 27, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gathered his closest advisors at Willard Hotel to discuss his speech for the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom.
— Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. (@WillardHotel) January 16, 2023
Working into the early morning, King finished his speech, later known as his "I Have a Dream" speech. pic.twitter.com/0RKEHTJ1me
Since the 1850s, every president of the United States has either visited or stayed at this hotel, which is why it is deemed “the residence of the presidents.” Just before his inauguration, the 16th US president Abraham Lincoln stayed at this hotel to evade three murder attempts. The 18th US president Ulysses S Grant was also frequently spotted in the foyer smoking his trademark cigars and drinking whiskey. The 28th US president Woodrow Wilson’s League to Enforce Peace meetings were hosted here. Following the passing of Warren G. Harding in 1923, Calvin Coolidge even took his second oath of office as president at The Willard. Several others who stayed at the prestigious historical hotel were author Mark Twain, poet Emily Dickinson, author Charles Dickens, Sam Houston (leader of the Texas Revolution who later served as president for the Republic of Texas), 42nd US president Bill Clinton, 44th president Barack Obama and many more. Features There are 69 suites among the 335 rooms at the Willard InterContinental Washington DC, which combine modern luxury with classic charm. The iconic hotel offers exceptional culinary experiences in addition to the personalised service that has distinguished the landmark property since 1818. These culinary experiences include Café du Parc, which serves traditional French fare with views of the US Capitol Building and the Washington Monument from its Terrace; the legendary Round Robin Bar, which offers flawlessly made classic cocktails and has been a gathering place for DC’s political and social elit The all-day Le Café, located on the first floor of Café du Parc, is open to visitors and serves breakfast, lunch, coffee, cocktails, and speciality foods.
Enjoy a thoughtfully crafted menu of American brunch favorites and classic French dishes, to start your day right.
— Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. (@WillardHotel) January 22, 2023
Join us for Sunday Brunch at Cafe du Parc.
Learn more at https://t.co/muYCvYKqsq pic.twitter.com/hbXnqDU5jS
The five-star hotel’s unparalleled amenities include The Willard Spa, over 22,000 square feet of elegant meeting and event rooms, including the recently refurbished Crystal Room and Willard Room for social and corporate gatherings, Big Whig Media, a full-service multimedia studio, among others. PM Modi’s visit to the US PM Modi’s visit will commence in New York with an International Yoga Day celebration on 21 June at the United Nations Headquarters with the UN leadership and members of the international community. Thereafter, he will leave for Washington DC on 22 June where his high-level dialogue with President Biden and other senior US leaders would continue. Soon, he would be joining the US leader and First Lady Jill Biden for the State Banquet along with a number of dignitaries.
During his visit on the same day, he would also address a Joint Session of the US Congress at the invitation of Congressional leadership. It should be mentioned here that he would be the first prime minister to address a joint session of the US Congress twice. On 23 June, the Indian Premier will also be hosted at a luncheon by US vice president Kamala Harris and US secretary of state Antony Blinken. Besides the official dialogue, he will also interact with leading CEOs of America’s top 20 companies, business professionals, and the Indian diaspora. Prior to leaving for the States, PM Modi tweeted, “Leaving for USA, where I will attend programmes in New York City and Washington DC. These programmes include Yoga Day celebrations at the @UN HQ, talks with @POTUS @JoeBiden , address to the Joint Session of the US Congress and more.”
Leaving for USA, where I will attend programmes in New York City and Washington DC. These programmes include Yoga Day celebrations at the @UN HQ, talks with @POTUS @JoeBiden, address to the Joint Session of the US Congress and more. https://t.co/gRlFeZKNXR
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 20, 2023
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More ShortsFurther, he added, “In USA, I will also get the opportunity to meet business leaders, interact with the Indian community and meet thought leaders from different walks of life. We seek to deepen India-USA ties in key sectors like trade, commerce, innovation, technology and other such areas.” With inputs from PTI Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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