Despite its modern-day popularity, the Pavilion proved a financial liability for the city. In 2013, real estate developer, reality show star, and now-President Donald Trump was approved for a 60-year lease and renovated the Pavilion into the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. The luxury hotel, which opened in 2016, includes more than 260 guest rooms, a conference center, a spa, restaurants, and a museum dedicated to the building's history.
Second only to the Washington Monument in height, the Pavilion’s 315-foot (96-meter) clock tower and observation deck offer 360-degree views of downtown Washington and the National Mall. Free interpretive tours are given daily by National Park Service rangers; tours meet by the glass elevators on the Pavilion’s stage level. It’s a not-so-hidden gem in the heart of Pennsylvania Avenue.