[3] The Embassy Row Hotel was financed and constructed by Dr. Cyrus Katzen, a local dental surgeon who became a multi-millionaire by investing heavily in real estate.

Accompanying her were Walter Washington, Mayor of the District of Columbia, and Guillermo Sevilla Sacasa, Nicaraguan ambassador to the United States and dean of the diplomatic corps.

He called it "bland", "uncharming", and "a triumph of Middle America—the assertion of nouveau riche, middle-brow culture that is all at once touching, camp and distressing.

Katzen offered (tongue in cheek) his dental services, writing, "I would be glad to see him in my capacity as a dentist and extract his foot from his mouth at his earliest convenience."

On only a single occasion did Minchew deliver cash elsewhere, and that occurred at The Embassy Row Hotel in November 1974 after Talmadge gave a speech there.

Armando Fernandez Larios, offered to testify against the conspirators if the United States dropped extradition proceedings against him.

Negotiations over the agent's testimony and extradition occurred at the Embassy Row Hotel, although no agreement was ever reached.

[17] [18] The consortium consisted mostly of individuals involved in the Oklahoma oil drilling and petroleum refining business, including J.D.

[5] The company also took over management of the property, and said it would renovate the structure in an attempt to turn The Embassy Row into a five-star hotel.

The eight-month strike ended on July 12, 1982, when the Embassy Row Hotel signed a new contract with Local 25.

The Republican-led consortium won nothing: The new agreement was nearly identical to the hotel association's master contract (with very minor changes).

The following year saw New York City real estate executive Jerome Zipkin, department store heiress Betsy Bloomingdale, cosmetics and perfume magnate Estée Lauder, and actress Mary Martin stay at the hotel.

The Iran–Contra affair broke open on November 25, 1986, when the Reagan administration disclosed that funds generated by arms sales to Iran had been used to support rebels in Nicaragua fighting the communist regime of Daniel Ortega.

Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North was fired from the National Security Council the same day for orchestrating the arms sales and funds diversion.

On November 24, North met for several hours with fellow conspirators Richard Secord, a retired Air Force Major General; Albert Hakim, an Iranian American businessman; and Thomas C. Green, a prominent D.C. criminal attorney who claimed to be legal counsel for North, Secord and Hakim.

[29] The Los Angeles Times reported that congressional investigators and legal experts both agreed that the conspiracy to attempt to cover up the Iran-Contra Affair began at these two meetings.

Director of Marketing Maureen Curry was forced to lower rates and seek motorcoach tours to fill rooms.

By 1991, CapStar Hotel Company had taken over management of the property[34] and La Reserve had closed in favor of yet another restaurant, Lucie.

[35] On June 26, 1992, Embassy Row Hotel Investors declared bankruptcy, claiming more than $10 million in debts.

It underwent another renovation in early 1994, at which time Lucie changed its name to Bistro Twenty-Fifteen (although chef Jim Papovich was retained).

[2] But in September 2006, Blackstone put the Hilton Washington Embassy Row and six other D.C. area hotels up for sale yet again.

[3] Willow Hotels hired an outside firm, LNR Partners, in 2011 to service the debt while it negotiated with lenders to extend the maturity date for the loan prior to any renovation or rebranding.

[3] Willow also sought to rebrand and reposition the hotel,[1] and hired an outside firm to find a potential buyer.

Lowe said it intended to make extensive upgrades to guest rooms and public areas (including the lobby).

[47] Beginning in November 2014, the hotel's guest rooms, common areas and meeting spaces were refurbished.

[48] The main lobby was relocated from the lower level to the first floor, with the addition of a bar and takeout cafe.

[34] Originally, guests entered the hotel beneath a spartan brown metal and glass canopy and were confront by a set of narrow steps.

[2][49] When it opened, the Embassy Row Hotel had two restaurants, the luxurious Le Consulat and the middle-brow Cafe Jardin.

[6] Le Consulat was rated one of the best restaurants in the city when it opened, although changes in management and chefs led to a significant decline in its food and service by 1972.

[2] Former United States Army counterterrorist commando Eric L. Haney wrote in his 2002 memoir Inside Delta Force that his Delta Force "graduation exercise" (which consisted of eluding the Federal Bureau of Investigation for as long as he could) began in the Embassy Row Hotel with a meeting in the Le Consulat restaurant.