The Watergate Hotel gave its most infamous room a 'scandalous' makeover

Forty-five years after the famous Watergate break-in, the (in)famous Washington, D.C. hotel is paying homage to its most scandalous room.

On June 17, 1972, E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy checked into room 214 at the Watergate Hotel. From the room, the pair orchestrated the break-in at Democratic National Convention headquarters, right next to the hotel. Hooked up with microphones and radios, the two directed the “plumbers” as they attempted to wiretap the offices.

However at that time, a Watergate security guard noticed that the doors of the nearby office building were taped open. He notified police, who showed up in time to catch the “plumbers” red handed.

The incident is one of the most notorious events in 20th-century American politics. And so, in honor of the hotel’s 50th anniversary this year, they transformed room 214 into the “Scandal Room.”

The room is, of course, named after the scandalous history that took place there, but also after one very popular T.V. show. The hotel tasked Lyn Paolo, the costume designer on “Scandal,” with the mission of redecorating their most famous room.

Inside room 214, guests will find newspaper clippings about the scandal on the wall. Much of the furniture inside the room is reminiscent of what would have adorned a political office in the early 1970s, including a vintage typewriter and desk.

But even those who don’t book the famous hotel room will be able to take part in the hotel’s scandalous history. Room keycards read “no need to break in,” pencils in the rooms read, “I stole this from the Watergate Hotel” and instead of hold music, guests will listen to excerpts from Nixon’s speeches. Robes are monogrammed with a cheeky message: “Cover up.”

The Watergate Scandal Room 214 can be booked starting at $800 per night.