Dubbed the world’s first “activist hotel”, the 209-room Eaton Hotel has opened in Washington, D.C. Known as “anti-Trump hotel”, the venue is located only a few blocks away from President Donald Trump’s hotel chain.
“The [hotel] concept was created in 2014, but after the 2016 election it gave our mission more gravitas and even more urgency to accomplish what we set out do,” said Katherine Lo, the hotel founder and president.
Lo, 36, is the daughter of Lo Ka Shui, a real estate billionaire and chairman of Great Eagle Holdings. The luxury Langham hotels and Eaton are owned by the same company.
The hotel has been founded and is run on ideas of social and environmental justice. Inside rooms, closets are filled with sustainable bamboo hangers, and bedside tables have the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights on them. Bathrooms have gender-neutral signage. The hotel is also planning to have an urban farm.
The hotel runs an in-house radio station that interviews activists and musicians who visit it. It also houses a co-working space called Eaton House.
Yeah world’s first ‘Activist Hotel’ opens it’s doors. What do you think? #hospitality #hospitalityrecruitment #hospitalityjobs https://t.co/VHGboSah4i
— Hospitality Post (@hospitality__p) October 5, 2018
“We’re all curious whether we can prove it’s successful; that you can be ethical and environmental and also profitable at the same time,” said Lo.