A Peek Inside Donald Trump's Exclusive Mar-a-Lago Resort
He bought it decades before he knew it'd become the "Winter White House."
Back in 1924, almost a century before Donald Trump became president, heiress and socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post broke ground on Mar-a-Lago. Construction wrapped in 1927 and Post went on to live at the estate until 1973, when she donated it to the U.S. government to, interestingly enough, be used as the "Winter White House."
Even though Trump bought the mansion back in 1985 to use as a private residence and turned it into a members-only club in 1995, it's safe to say Post finally (after several decades) got her wish. Today, it serves as Trump's getaway from Washington D.C., as well as a members-only resort.
Those who wish to join have to pay a $200,000 initiation fee, an annual fee of $14,000 and an additional $2,000 fee for food. For this reason, the club is nothing short of extravagant — here's everything you might not know about Mar-a-Lago.
The resort covers 20 acres.
Talk about prime real estate in Palm Beach. The estate was designed by architect Marion Sims Wyeth and the interior decor was the work of Joseph Urban. Both used Old World features inspired by Spanish, Venetian and Portuguese cultures, which makes the entire estate feel like a European palace.
But you have to be a member to enter.
As soon as you drive up, you'll first reach a gate, and then once you enter you'll feel like you're in another country. Throughout the resort, arches and Old Spanish tiles are a constant theme to help enhance the Old World design.
The interiors include Post's antiques.
When Trump bought the estate, he also purchased many of Post's antique furnishings, including 16th century Flemish Tapestries. The lobby of the resort sets the stage for the opulent decor and use of gold guests will find throughout the rest of the grounds.
The dining room hosts important meetings.
It should come as no surprise that the opulence doesn't stop in the dining room, which was inspired by Rome's Chigi Palace. After all, this is where Trump has reportedly has some very important meetings regarding sensitive national security information.
The ballroom is a Trump addition.
The grand 20,000-square-foot ballroom was added by Trump back in 2005 and continues the Spanish- and Mediterranean-theme, plus $7 million worth of gold leaf decor (which reminds us of his penthouse). Not only did Trump marry his wife Melania at the resort back in 2005, but his two oldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, married their wives here as well. Like father, like son.
The food has some mixed reviews.
When it comes to the dining experience, the resort is famous for its meatloaf (the chef makes Trump's mom's recipe) and chocolate cake. But consider yourself warned: The kitchen received 13 violations during its latest inspection. Three of them were "high priority," which means they could lead to the presence of illness-causing bacteria. But in January, inspectors ultimately decided the resort met the minimum standards.
Trump stays in a private owner's suite.
This is the entrance to the suite, where Trump and his family spend holidays and vacations. According to reports, Trump has spent 25 of his first 100 days in office at Mar-a-Lago, presumably in this room. There are 58 additional bedrooms on the premises for guests.
There's stunning waterfront on both sides.
The resort has the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Florida's Intracoastal Waterway on the other. That means every guest enjoys an waterfront experience, which is really all you want when you travel to the beach.
Some people host their weddings by the pool.
Others opt to set up tents on the lawn. Clearly, the resort doesn't lack options when it comes to the most important day of a club member's life.
The pool is the focal point of the exterior.
The beach club facing the Atlantic Ocean side of the property has a 100-foot-by-50-foot pool and is surrounded by happy yellow umbrellas and a full service experience (what else did you expect?).
And there's more.
If that doesn't strike your fancy, guests can enjoy the spa and salon, six tennis courts, a croquet court and seaside cabanas. Not much is off of the table for people willing to invest in such a luxurious club membership.
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