Condé Nast Traveler – Zach Everson

My Trump Hotel D.C. feature for ‘Condé Nast Traveler’ took top honors for investigative reporting in Lowell Thomas competition

My 5,550-word look at the Trump Hotel D.C. for Condé Nast Traveler, “Inside the World’s Most Controversial Hotel,” just took top honors for travel news/investigative reporting in the 2018–2019 Society of American Travel Writers Foundation’s Lowell Thomas awards.

Here’s what the judges, faculty members at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, said about the article:

Zach Everson uses the allure of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., to draw readers into its darker corners where its questionable position in the president’s portfolio is fully explored. The reporter uses the full range of strategies and techniques to show how messy the relationship is between the leader of the free world and a hotel perfectly situated to benefit from his status. What a rare combination of vivid, witty writing and solid investigation this is. Bravo.

Thirty-four other articles were entered in that category. The competition is open to all North American journalists.

The awards, recognized as the most prestigious in travel journalism, were announced Oct. 21 in El Paso, Texas. They are named for Lowell Thomas, a broadcast journalist and author.

Thanks to everyone at Condé Nast Traveler who worked on the article, especially Pilar Guzmán, Laura Redman, Brad Rickman, and Alex Postman for their insightful edits, and Luke Zaleski and Carey Dunne for helpful queries and a thorough fact check. Thanks also to everyone who made time to speak with me or pass along tips for the piece.

‘Condé Nast Traveler’ publishes my review of the yes you guessed it Trump Hotel DC

The Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. placed third in Condé Nast Traveler‘s Readers’ Choice Awards 2018 for the top hotels in the city. As I know a little bit about the hotel, the magazine asked me to answer some boilerplate questions for a review to accompany the ratings. It’s been published:

Condé Nast Traveler‘s Readers’ Choice Awards 2018: Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.

‘Condé Nast Traveler’ publishes my deep dive into the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.

Today Condé Nast Traveler published my months-in-the-making 5,500-word article on the Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C.

“Inside the World’s Most Controversial Hotel”

In New York City last spring, I met with Laura Redman, one of my editors at Condé Nast Traveler. In the magazine’s 33rd floor office in One World Trade Center with a brilliant view of Lower Manhattan, Laura asked what the buzz was travel-wise in D.C. My answer would’ve worked for just about any subject area though: Trump. Just a few months into the president’s term, the new Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. had become a hot spot for like-minded political powerbrokers. And Trump’s ownership of it already had led to a watchdog group suing him for allegedly violating the Constitution’s emoluments clauses.

Also, Trump was engaged in two lawsuits with high-profile chefs who’d backed out of opening restaurants there after then-candidate Trump denigrated Mexicans on the campaign trail. While I’d covered the hotel’s opening for Fox News, I wanted to delve into those issues and research other ones that hadn’t received as much media attention—including security and what is it like to actually stay there. You know, because it’s a hotel.

A lot happened between when the piece was assigned and today. I saw Trump in the hotel. And the D.C. and Maryland attorneys general sued over emoluments concerns. And about 200 Senators and Congressmen sued over emoluments concerns. And and and…with so many issues surrounding it, many that haven’t yet been fully detailed, the Trump Hotel D.C. could merit its own vertical (hint, hint assigning editors).

And if 5,550 words isn’t enough for you on the doings at the Trump Hotel DC, follow me on Twitter: I’ve found