All about Blair House, where PM Modi stayed during US trip

Also known as ‘The President’s Guest House’, the property spans 70,000 square feet, functioning almost as an extension of the White House, with four connected townhouses, featuring 119 rooms. These include 14 guest bedrooms, 35 bathrooms, three formal dining spaces and a complete beauty salon.

Furnished with fine antique furniture and majestic artwork, “Blair House is carefully curated to portray the history, values, and hospitality of the nation,” according to the property’s website. It is maintained by the US Department of State and the General Services Administration, and interior décor, furnishings, and heritage collections are supported through financial and in-kind contributions to the Blair House Foundation, the website said.

In diplomacy and beyond

Built as a private home in 1824, Blair House has hosted numerous visiting heads of state, ambassadors, and other notable persons over the years.

According to its website, “Blair House serves as a site for American diplomacy in action. In addition to functioning as the President’s Guest House for visiting foreign leaders, Blair House is a stage for a multitude of internationally focused events that help to advance America’s relationship with foreign nations.”

For instance, In 2012, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hosted a summit of the G-8 Foreign Ministers at Blair House. It has also hosted many cultural exchanges for foreign diplomats and their families.

That said, the property has also been used for other purposes — from holding briefings by White House officials to serving as the residence of the President-elect in the days before she moves into the White House. According to the Blair House website, the property typically sees up to 30 visits by foreign leaders, multiple foreign policy–related luncheons, dinners, receptions and teas, and countless official meetings in a single year.

Indian PMs who stayed there

Blair House hosted Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi during their US visits. But in the decades that followed, this tradition was broken by several Indian leaders, including Indira herself, Rajiv Gandhi, and P V Narasimha Rao who opted to stay at hotels instead of Blair House.

Although Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stayed at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in 2009, just three blocks from the White House, he had put up at Blair House during his 2005 visit. Due to the strict security in Blair House, visiting leaders at times find it difficult to receive guests and schedule meetings at the property, and thus opt for hotels instead.