10 hotels with scandalous pasts

The Watergate Hotel
Washington, D.C.

In the wee hours of June 17, 1972, five men (later found to be associated with President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign) broke into the Watergate Hotel on Washington, D.C.'s waterfront. Looking to steal classified documents from the Democratic National Committee offices in the hotel complex, the burglars also attempted to bug the office. It wasn't until after Nixon's landslide win in the 1972 presidential election that the extent of his campaign's involvement in the Watergate break-in came to light. On Aug. 8, 1974, Nixon announced he would resign.

The term "Watergate" became the eponym for "scandal" in modern America. No matter how much you might want to book a stay or bug a phone in The Watergate Hotel, you can't — the property is closed for renovations until spring 2014.

(Photo: Marco Rubino/Shutterstock)

Hotel Caribe
Cartagena, Colombia

Employees of the Hotel Caribe in Cartagena, Colombia, spent the night of April 11, 2012, bombarded by noise complaints from guests. By morning, the hotel grounds were littered with broken glass, and the truth began to emerge: The source of the debauchery was not ordinary tourists, but rather U.S. Secret Service agents. A few agents — who had arrived in Cartagena ahead of President Barack Obama's official visit — took advantage of the nightlife in a city where prostitution is legal. They ended the evening by bringing booze and escorts back to Hotel Caribe.

The Secret Service indiscretions overshadowed the president's appearance at the Summit of the Americas and resulted in an internal investigation, dismissals and resignations, plenty of embarrassment and a blow to the service's reputation. The Hotel Caribe, however, remains a popular tourist hotel thanks to its historical architecture, relaxing pool and three on-site restaurants.

(Photo: Liz Saldaña/Flickr)

Chateau Marmont
Los Angeles

Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont has stood as a bastion of celebrity debauchery since its debut in the 1930s. Back then, aviator Howard Hughes allegedly spied on bikini-clad women at the hotel pool through binoculars from his penthouse. In 1955, actor James Dean leaped through one of the hotel's windows while auditioning for "Rebel Without a Cause." And Jim Morrison of The Doors swung from the hotel's roof in the late 1960s, irreparably injuring his back.

The Chateau party soured in 1982 when comedian John Belushi died from a drug overdose in Bungalow 3, but the hotel's reputation for outrageous guest behavior lives on. Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears have been banned for disruptive behavior. Maybe it's the abnormally thick walls and stringent privacy rules that attract scandal, or maybe there's just something in the air in West Hollywood. Whatever it is, Chateau Marmont remains a magnet for celebrity misbehavior.

(Photo: Sarah_Ackerman/Flickr)

Washington Hilton
Washington, D.C.

With its iconic modern architecture and staggering 110,000 square feet of function space, the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., is usually in the news for large-scale events like the White House Correspondents Dinner. On March 30, 1981, this Hilton hotel made headlines for another reason. A man named John Hinckley Jr. shot and wounded President Ronald Reagan as the he exited the hotel following a luncheon address to members of the AFL-CIO.

The assassination attempt proved unsuccessful, but the Washington Hilton took measures to ensure nothing like that would happen again. The so-called "President's Walk," the concrete-canopied corridor from which Reagan exited the hotel, was redesigned to be safer and more secluded for presidential access.

(Photo: Bill Rand/Flickr)

Hotel Adlon Kempinski
Berlin

Sometimes, a scandal is simply inexplicable. In 2002, pop singer Michael Jackson dangled his 9-month-old son off of a fifth-floor balcony at the Hotel Adlon in central Berlin. Whether it was a planned publicity stunt or a spur-of-the-moment decision, the "baby-dangling" incident earned Jackson condemnation from the international press, as well as a parental negligence investigation spearheaded by the German police. Jackson apologized for his bizarre behavior, but the damage to his public image was lasting.

The Hotel Adlon, on the other hand, lived down the media attention, in large part due to its reputation for elegance and luxury. Guests who stay here are treated to a comfy lounge, a boutique-lined shopping gallery and the modern Adlon Spa by Resense.

(Photo: Axel Lauer/Shutterstock)

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel
New York City

On the outside, The Carlyle oozes Old New York elegance — from its original 1930s art deco architecture to its East 76th Street locale (just a block east of Central Park). But inside, it has hosted its fair share of famous guests engaged in inappropriate conduct. A 1965 FBI memo (made public in 2010) details rumors of wild parties in John F. Kennedy's Carlyle suite, with an attendee list that includes Robert Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Marilyn Monroe. Thirty years later, record producer Phil Spector allegedly attempted to force a female photographer into his Carlyle guest room at gunpoint. And as recently as June 2011, a $350,000 painting was stolen from The Carlyle's lobby; the thief was caught and sent to jail.

The Carlyle remains a popular spot for celebs visiting New York City. Actors George Clooney and Tom Cruise have made recent appearances at the hotel, so keep your eyes peeled.

(Photo: Courtesy Rosewood Hotels & Resorts)

Hotel Chelsea
New York City

By 1978, New York's Hotel Chelsea had garnered a reputation for welcoming famous clientele like Jane Fonda, Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan. Andy Warhol used to host parties there, including his infamous "Assassination Party," which took place days after John F. Kennedy's death in 1963. More than a decade later, punk rock royalty Sid Vicious (former bassist of the Sex Pistols) and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen took up residence in Room 100. That is, until Oct. 12, 1978, when (after an anonymous tip) the hotel bellboy found Spungen's fatally stabbed body in the bathroom.

The Hotel Chelsea continued to host a litany of artistic residents, from beat poets to famous musicians. In 2011, the 130-year-old hotel stopped taking reservations to begin major renovations. It is expected to reopen in September 2014.

(Photo: Marco Rubino/Shutterstock)

The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel
Washington, D.C.

On the night of Feb. 13, 2008, the married governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, paid a female escort to spend the night with him in Room 871 of The Mayflower Renaissance hotel in Washington, D.C. The room, booked under the false name George Fox, was located on the Mayflower's Club level, where guests can gain access to upscale hotel amenities like a private lounge and complimentary food and beverages.

Spitzer wasn't the first politico to have a tryst at the Mayflower. During a campaign event in 1996, President Bill Clinton was photographed hugging Monica Lewinsky at the historic hotel. Later, in January 1999, Lewinsky stayed in room 860 of the Mayflower to be interviewed before the president's impeachment trial.

(Photo: Erika Cross/Shutterstock)

MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas

When you're the highest-paid athlete in the world, a trip to Las Vegas is no small affair. Golfer Tiger Woods proved himself a high roller after staying and gambling at The Mansion at MGM Grand, an exclusive, Tuscan villa-themed offshoot of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. Several women came forward, telling the press of nights they spent with Woods at The Mansion.

In a 2010 article, an unnamed source told Vanity Fair magazine that The Mansion provides deluxe amenities for its VIP guests, like $8,500 bottles of Champagne and $25,000 VIP tables at famous Vegas nightclubs Light and Pure. But as Woods' mistresses are now public knowledge, it seems that what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there.

(Photo: Lorcel/Shutterstock)

Hotel Sofitel New York
New York City

The Hotel Sofitel New York is known for its city vistas (it boasts a great view of the Chrysler Building) and its ideal location close to many of Manhattan's top attractions. Because of its glamorous reputation, it plays host to an illustrious clientele, though some guests may arrive with less-than-noble intentions. On May 14, 2011, Nafissatou Diallo, a member of the hotel's housekeeping staff, accused hotel guest Dominique Strauss-Kahn — then the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) — of sexually assaulting her in Room 2806. The allegations and the ensuing press coverage resulted in Strauss-Kahn's resignation from the IMF and an eventual civil lawsuit settlement for Diallo.

Two years later, the Hotel Sofitel maintains its good reputation. The same can't be said for Strauss-Kahn, who faces charges of pimping in connection to a prostitution ring allegedly operating out of the Hotel Carlton in Lille, France.

(Photo: Rob Young/Flickr)

More about hotels with scandalous pasts