She won't tell us which VIPs (hotel policy protects the privacy of its guests) have reserved the lavish Royal Suite since it was unveiled during Barack Obama's Jan .20 inauguration. But in between high-end (the suite runs $12,500 per night) bookings, Ms. Baldassari on Friday allowed Inside the Beltway a tour of the one-of-a-kind fortress, starting in the sparkling stone mosaic foyer with its shimmering crystal chandelier and rich woodwork with inlays of mother of pearl.

The 5,287-square-foot living space - including three bedrooms, sitting areas, stocked kitchen, dining room for 10, library, private study with computer and a wooden-floored 1,000 square-foot landscaped terrace with fire pit - is surrounded by silk velvet draperies. The floors are limestone, enhanced with designed wool-and-silk-blend rugs that actually feel comfortable enough to sleep on.

There's a glass-enclosed fireplace, media center, 60-inch LCD (among other state-of-the-art TV sets) and white marble bathrooms - the largest one featuring a sculptural 90-gallon bathtub (a lighted crystal masterpiece is draped directly overhead) and oversized glass “rain” shower.

VIP guests, either foreign heads-of-state or Hollywood types, also receive personalized butler service, a luxury car and driver, and practically every other imaginable amenity a visitor to Washington could ask for. The Four Seasons even takes care of the unpacking and packing.

And yes, there's a private entrance, so that the guests can come and go unnoticed by the rest of us.

LOL

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, New York Democrat, wants to assure everybody that he's not the greedy type:

”Madam speaker, on Wednesday, April 1, 2009, during consideration of the End GREED Act, my vote was recorded as 'no' on final passage of the bill. I intended to vote 'aye.' ”