The federal government sold has sold the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Washington, DC, which was originally the Post Office Building, for $80 million.
The Wall Street Journal, sourcing its’ coverage from unnamed “people familiar with the matter,” report the sale involves both the full ownership of the building and the land beneath it. The buyers were the merchant bank BDT & MSD Partners, which held the long-term lease on the property since August 2024.
The property was originally the Post Office Building, which opened in 1899. The Trump Organization leased the property from the federal government in 2012 and reopened it as a hotel in 2016. During President Trump’s first term, the hotel was frequented by lawmakers and lobbyists, which raised complaints that Trump ran afoul of government ethics laws. The hotel’s lease was sold in 2022 to Miami-based investment firm CGI Merchant Group for $375 million, which rebranded the venue as a Waldorf Astoria hotel. CGI defaulted on its debt in 2023, which was later acquired by BDT & MSD Partners.
BDT & MSD is already in discussions to sell the property, with potential buyers discussing transactions of around $400 million, according to “people briefed on the matter.”
Hilton, which owns the Waldorf Astoria brand, has a long-term management agreement with the hotel that will continue with future leaseholders.
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