Published on: January 3, 2025, 10:36h.
Last updated on: January 3, 2025, 10:36h.
Guests at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas had numerous complaints following the recent explosion outside the building on New Year’s Day.
Issues raised included poor communication and a lack of hotel staff to assist guests. Several guests were unable to access their luggage or vehicles for hours after the explosion in the valet area on Wednesday morning.
Many visitors opted to temporarily relocate to Resorts World Las Vegas, but some were unaware of this alternative.
The explosion occurred when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded near the main doors of the Trump Hotel lobby. The driver of the truck died in the fire and explosion. Seven others sustained minor injuries.
Multiple firefighters, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers, and ambulances responded to the scene.
Questions About Hotel Procedures
Hours after the incident, guest Dallas Aimer from California, who was staying on the 56th floor, recalled the lack of functioning elevators and the presence of smoke outside. He descended numerous flights of stairs with his family to reach the lobby.
“There was no communication with the hotel whatsoever,” Aimer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “People weren’t evacuated. We were just told after we came down that we couldn’t go back up.”
Aimer also mentioned the challenge of accessing their car parked in the valet area.
Another guest, Trianna Signorelli, also on the 56th floor, highlighted the inadequate communication from the hotel staff and the difficulty of navigating numerous flights of stairs with luggage.
Janet Kwon and her husband faced similar challenges and eventually found accommodation at the Sahara Las Vegas due to the lack of assistance from the Trump Hotel staff.
Impact on Wedding Ceremony
A couple from Germany experienced difficulty accessing their belongings in their room to prepare for their wedding scheduled at the Bliss Chapel.
“We couldn’t get back in to get our clothing for the wedding and we also don’t have our passports, and anything,” Ian Rasshofer told KLAS.
Despite the challenges, the couple managed to proceed with their wedding ceremony.
Most guests were eventually able to return to their rooms by Wednesday evening, with some receiving refunds.
In a statement released on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Trump International Hotel emphasized the safety of guests and staff as their top priority and expressed gratitude to local emergency responders for their swift action.
Following the incident, LVMPD officers assisted departing guests at the hotel, with RTC buses providing transportation.
Return to Normal Operations
By Thursday, operations at the Trump Hotel appeared to have resumed normalcy. The valet area’s glass doors were being cleaned and sprinklers were being repaired.
Valet service, the registration desk, and a restaurant off the lobby were all operational. A police cruiser was parked outside the building.
The Trump Hotels did not provide an immediate response to criticism from guests as reported by KLAS.