scented

Doubt an Aman will meet their security requirements. Buy-out could be an option. Don't forget they need many rooms for staff, entourage and security. FS Sayan is a better choice than Jimbaran and likely much easier to secure..

GUWonder

I've been in my share of properties when heads of state/government have been around, including in properties when there has been a POTUS staying there. The more "security" is obviously around, the more potential hassles to be encountered at a property.

The "security requirements" are less rigid when it comes to an ex-POTUS than with a POTUS. But the FS is likely to cut a better financial deal for a group than an Aman, but even that is subject to flexibility.

Aventine

He's coming to Korea for a keynote speech after Indonesia. I wonder where he'll be staying...

Before it was usually the Grand Hyatt.

rwm818

yeah, I was at the GH in Seoul when Condi Rice stayed there (around '06?)...was nothing more than a minor inconvenience - maybe they are used to high profile guests

offerendum

Condi Rice is not the President. If the President stays at your hotel change the booking at all costs. Had it last year and at least my experience was a nightmare.

Aventine

I was at GH for Obama in 2014 and it was a nightmare. Security on pretty much every floor, ID and bag checks, elevators always backed up. I would take a pass!

GUWonder

I've stayed in hotels when C Rice was staying as US Secretary of State; and it was indeed nowhere close to as disruptive as when the POTUS was staying at the same hotels as I. It's a whole different game.

Ex-POTUS is nowhere near as disruptive as POTUS. But ex-POTUS is not necessarily more disruptive than US Secretary of State, and yet it can be rather the oppposite depending on the situation.

Musken

When we stayed at FS in San Fransisco, Obama visited for a meeting. We were about to leave, my husband was out picking up our rental car, and suddenly the lobby, elevator and all floors were full of security wearing black suits and sunglasses (just like a film), bomb dogs and you name it. Obama himself would arrive only 3 or 4 hours later, but it was already a nightmare. We were not even allowed to go in and out, had to decide whether to wait inside our outside with our luggage. Husband was not allowed to go to the most convenient entrance (below at the parking), but had to stop at the front, but not allowed even close to the entrance itself. Noone explained why, all was very secret but we found out later that Obama was there. He was still the president back then.
We were happy to leave.

offerendum

At least you were able to use another entrance. I wasn´t able to leave or enter the whole hotel for hours.

GUWonder

Sometimes a POTUS occupation of a hotel means that the previously booked customers with a reservation overlapping the POTUS occupation get the boot; and sometimes even already registered guests of the hotel get the boot.

Also, in case this matters, even if you don't get the boot, the hotel guest and employee lists may end up handed over to the visiting and/or hosting government's authorities. This sometimes even happens for less well-known heads of government/state than a US President.

MikeFromTokyo

I would have many reasons for not wanting to share the same hotel as the sitting POTUS, inconvenience being only one of them.

offerendum

I woudn´t be surprised if housekeeping is been done not only by hotel-staff at registered guests.....

GUWonder

I wouldn't call that housekeeping, but I may call that a sweep. If it's a plant, watch out.

offerendum

Musken

Why not rather inform guests a few hours in advance so that one can plan around it. The president`s schedule is official so it shouldn`t be that difficult. But there might be a reason??

We met one employee in the elevator saying to us that we would have to avoid a certain entrance but would not say why (but we got the point when we saw the secret service people).