President Donald Trump did America a favor when he ended his push to hold the G7 meeting at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort.
Dignitaries from some of the world's most beautiful countries and vacation destinations would have been stuck for four days on a property far from the beach and deep in Miami's suburban sprawl - a property that Trump bought at a deep discount in bankruptcy proceedings.
To take the full measure of the resort Trump has called 'one of the most exceptional in the world,' DailyMail.com went undercover to experience the vacation spot first hand for three days at the end of October.
Visitors need only to sit by the aquarium windows of the resort's BLT Prime Restaurant to understand fully why it was ridiculous to even consider hosting an auspicious gathering like the G7 there.
They can munch on a $106-porterhouse steak while enjoying the views of not just one but two county garbage dumps rising high above the golf course's palm-tree line – and getting higher by the day.
If French President Emmanuel Macron was digging into a $38-Dover sole at a different window, he'd be able to spot, just to the west, the smokestacks and silos from a garbage-burning plant towering over the 12th hole of the resort's famed Blue Monster golf course.
Dignitaries from some of the world's most beautiful countries and vacation destinations would have been stuck for four days on a property far from the beach and deep in Miami's suburban sprawl - a property that Trump bought at a deep discount in bankruptcy proceedings
The waste management plant and dump can be seen directly behind the golf course and from the main lobby balconies at the Trump National Doral Miami
Visitors need only to sit by the aquarium windows of the resort's BLT Prime Restaurant to understand fully why it was ridiculous to even consider hosting an auspicious gathering like the G7 there. They can munch on a $106-porterhouse steak while enjoying the views of not just one but two county garbage dumps rising high above the golf course's palm-tree line
If French President Emmanuel Macron was digging into a $38-Dover sole at a different window, he'd be able to spot, just to the west, the smokestacks and silos from a garbage-burning plant towering over the 12th hole of the resort's famed Blue Monster golf course
An airplane flies directly over the pool at the Trump National Doral Miami where noise from passing planes is constant
The planes were so low that bikini-clad floaters could get a whiff of kerosene fumes and see clearly the airline logos on the cabins
There's worse.
To freshly arrived guests, it becomes clear in mere minutes that Trump National Doral is smack dab in the middle of two landing paths at Miami International Airport - one of the country's busiest - and the resort's neighbor to the east.
Trump claimed that's why he proposed the location for the event.
But on a late afternoon recently, guests lounging by the two pools were treated to the thunderous landings one minute apart of European airliners ending their cross-Atlantic jaunts.
The planes were so low that bikini-clad floaters could get a whiff of kerosene fumes and see clearly the airline logos on the cabins.
Swissair flew overhead at 5:55 p.m. on the dot both evenings, in true Swiss fashion.
If, say, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wanted a breath of fresh air on the balcony of his $6,000-a-night presidential suite at dawn, he'd be treated to the rapid-fire arrivals of red-eye domestic airliners from Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
If he returned late at night, he'd be able to spot the flights from Atlanta and New York City.
The unending queue of jetliners, however, is like the view of county dumps: One gets used to it.
Some things at Trump National Doral don't fade into the background.
We checked out the Trump Spa, where guests can get a $300-massage with an anti-aging serum and organic oils that leaves 'your skin feeling like silk,' according to the resort's brochure.
Silky skin, however, doesn't feel so silky if it touches the rim of the toilet in the men's gold-and-marble bathroom caked in what appeared to be feces, which we witnessed on the afternoon when we visited.
There's the mold growing alongside a ceiling AC vent in the lobby and on nearly every chaise-lounge by the pools.
There are black stains in the large aging carpets by the lobby bar.
During our stay, we found other malfunctioning equipment and questionable sanitary conditions at a resort where the average room goes for about $350 a night, placing it out of bounds for most Trump voters.
The 125-foot slide at the Royal Palm Pool, a popular attraction for kids, was not functional during our first day.
Donald Trump stands in front of the Tiger Woods Villa in 2014. To take the full measure of the resort Trump has called 'one of the most exceptional in the world,' DailyMail.com went undercover to experience the vacation spot first hand for three days at the end of October
The 125-foot water slide at the Royal Palm Pool, a popular attraction for kids, was not functional during our first day
Pool furniture is seen with puddles of water on them
Countless moldy pieces of furniture can be seen at the pool
Weathered and torn pool towels and moldy furniture are not uncommon at the Trump National Doral Miami
An overflowing cigarette waste receptacle outside one of the main entrances to the hotel
There are black stains in the large aging carpets by the lobby bar and a moldy ceiling near the air conditioning vents in the lobby
Next to the bed is one outlet and a phone that does not function
Each guest room has a desk with only two outlets and no USB outlet at Doral. Above is a dirty socket in one room
One of the elevators was out of order (right) creating lines for guest from the upper floors
Pictured above are filthy walls with chipped paint as well as a carpet that could use some vacuuming
A damaged and dirty pool deck
Tables outside of a dining area near the pool appeared weathered and dirty
Tourists seemed to enjoy the dog-sized iguanas defecating near the pool grill tables
A 'Caution Wet Floor' sign that is damaged and peeling at the sides sits next to the water slide at the resort
Junks takes center stage in the guest parking lot at the Doral
We found a gaping hole in the pool deck because of a broken tile, never mind that Miami-Dade County court records show the resort has been dealing with five 'slip-and-fall' lawsuits over the past year.
There were dozens of blackbirds frolicking in the balmy water alongside swimmers, no doubt dropping bacteria into the water that they could've picked up at the nearby county dumps. European tourists seemed to enjoy the dog-sized iguanas defecating near the pool grill tables.
The Trump coat of arms is often seen at the resort
Although comfortable with their 'gold leaf Spanish revival' style, 500 square feet of space and aromatic pillows on the bed, the guest rooms were hit-or-miss, too.
In one of ours, the telephone was missing its wall cord, making it impossible to call the front desk, and one of the elevators was out-of-order, creating lines for guest from the upper floors.
In the other room, two light bulbs over the shower sink were out.
Both rooms featured walls that allowed for unavoidable 5 a.m. eavesdropping on the neighbors. One guest, named Billy, woke us up when he told the other guy 'to get the f… up' for their crack-of-dawn round of golf.
Despite the obvious flaws, Trump National Doral is a fairly pleasant resort for vacationers and a top destination for golfers with the notoriously challenging courses tamed only by the likes of Greg Norman, a three-time winner of what was known in the 1990s as the Doral-Ryder Open, and Tiger Woods, three-time winner in the 2000s of what became the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
A lounge just off the lobby of the resort is indicative of the Trump style. Despite the obvious flaws, Trump National Doral is a fairly pleasant resort for vacationers and a top destination for golfers with the notoriously challenging courses
The main entrance to one of the buildings at the resort is typical of the decor with its gilded ornate mirror
When the man who would be president bought the 800-acre resort for $150 million in early 2012 after it lingered in bankruptcy proceedings for more than a year, the property showed the scars of its 50 years of age and was in dire need of rejuvenation.
For the next 18 months, Trump spent what he claims was another $150 million updating the clubhouse, hotel lobby and ballroom and the 643 rooms spread over 10 large villas named after famous golfers like Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson.
Things didn't go smoothly at first. Trump sued a neighboring homeowner's association for allegedly messing with the golf courses' new landscaping.
And in 2016, New Jersey businessman Eric Linder sued Trump National after he was attacked by bed bugs while sleeping at the Jack Nicklaus Villa. Linder provided the court with photos of his neck and back pockmarked with what appeared to be dozens of insect bites as well as receipts from two visits to local emergency clinics for medication.
New Jersey insurance executive Eric Linder woke up from a night's sleep at the resort in March 2016 with dozens of bed bug bites
Linder and the resort reached a settlement in early 2017, right before Trump was inaugurated.
By the time the president left his mark on the resort, it looked like it had been redone by Scarface's Tony Montana.
There are large gaudy mirrors everywhere, including in the lobby, every guestroom and the clubhouse restrooms.
Gold is a dominant color throughout and appears on every faucet, grand staircase and toilet-paper holder, and even in the form of gold-coated sugar flecks on chocolate dessert pastries.
Trump's love for shiny white and pinkish marble comes across loud and clear under the glow of crystal chandeliers in practically every room.
But what comes across the loudest is Trump's love of all things Trump.
It's as if the 73-year-old's most ardent desire is to sear his name and the crest that serves as his logo into the minds of everyone who drives up the resort's short palm tree-lined driveway.
Had the G7 summit been organized in Miami – in June, a most uncomfortable season in the Magic City with suffocating heat and monsoon-like downpours – the top world leaders would've been hammered over the head with Trump's name hundreds of times a day.
It starts at the check-in counter, where a plaque near the fresh lime-and-mint-flavored refreshment announces 'Trump Mojito' and the one-time-use plastic cups next to it bear the Trump crest. PICTURE
The gift shop includes golf hats of every color - with the name Trump on all
The shop also sells all kinds of Trump branded chocolates, clothing, playing cards, USB chargers, soap, spirits and luggage...
...and Trump-branded snacks...
...and Trump-branded wine...
..and various other Trump-branded sundries
A poster for The Celebrity Apprentice is on display in the lobby and a 'Trump Kids Activity Book' is available at the Champions Bar & Grill
Dig deep intothe bottom of every trash can and you'll find the Trump coat of arms
You can even made out the Trump coat of arms on the tile behind a 'Caution, wet floor' sign
Ivanka gets into the act as well as Trump has named a salad after his No. 1 daughter
Head for the bathroom, and the bottom of the waste basket bears his coat-of-arms. Pass by a warning sign that the floor is wet and, you guessed it, the Trump crest is featured underneath the words 'wet floor.'
Grab a drink at the Champions Bar and Grill downstairs, and the decorations include magazine covers featuring Trump.
Order a salad, and you're likely to enjoy the 'Ivanka Garden Salad' with marinated garbanzo beans and oregano dressing.
The bikes for rent?
Each has eight, count'em, eight mentions of Trump or logos.
And there's a souvenir store in the clubhouse that sells nothing but Trump, from gold playing cards for $10 and $22 Trump tee-shirts for children to red Trump hats for $35.
Once in your room, get ready for another Trump onslaught. There's the carpet pattern of gold Ts and the Trump-marked shower caps, body wash bottles and bathrobes. The bed's a Serta 'Trump Hotels' pillow-top mattress with 'special' Trump Italian linen.
Not everybody, however, is bothered by the invasive branding.
'If you go to the Savoy (luxury hotel in the heart of London, England) you have the same thing,' said Doral guest Alan Crellin, an England-based high-end insurance broker who spends two weeks a year at Trump National. 'It doesn't bother me.'
We tried some of the food at the Trump National's cheaper grill, and it receives a thumb-up -- a far cry from the heart-choking fast food he's known to dish out at the White House.
There's even a vegan burger for the fair price of $16, crispy Brussels sprouts as appetizers for $12 and mushroom ravioli with a Madeira demi-glaze and truffle oil for $22.
Ironically, if there's one facet of the business where anti-immigration Trump distinguishes himself, it's in the impeccable service – service that, except for the occasional Haitian, is almost exclusively handled by Hispanic workers who wear name tags with their country of their origin, including Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba and Dominican Republic.
Is it Melania? Ivanka? It's unclear, but a room key says 'hard work & vision, that's what got us both here' with a background of not the Doral but the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C., now up for sale
A few barely speak English and fail to understand simple requests, but all bend over backwards for guests.
'We're well-trained,' said a Latin worker who agreed to discuss his job if his name wasn't mentioned. 'Each of us has days of classroom training, depending on our job description. There's a certain way to treat a customer that we're all taught.'
The 20-something worker said salaries at Trump National are 'slightly above' the average hospitality industry pay and starts in the low $20,000-a-year range.
There is, however, a major perk: 'We can play golf whenever there's a spot on the course. Free unlimited golf. For me, that's worth it.'
Since Donald Trump became POTUS, Alan Crellin, 56, of London, spends 2 weeks each year, at the Trump National Doral Miami
The worker also addressed the elephant in the room, the fact his ultimate boss is the most controversial president in history, one who by any standards hasn't been kind of people from Latin countries.
'Guests here are 50-50, either pro-Trump or all against,' he said. 'Women will come here and ask me 'how can you work for him? I've got to be diplomatic about it. Then other people are looking for MAGA stuff to buy, and I've got to tell them we can't sell anything like that.'
The American guests, it seems, are so well-heeled they drive up in a Rolls or a Bentley.
And most don't care Trump's shadow hovers.
'It's a fantastic place,' said Orlando retiree Tom Hubert. 'The service is phenomenal. People really take care of you. I'm apolitical. Trump wasn't the first thing I thought about when I got here.'
Many guests were mostly foreigners from the European Community, Russia, South American and South Korea.
'This is where I can disconnect,' said London insurance broker Crellin, 56. 'The suites are great. I admire Trump for what he's done. I met him once in here just after he was elected. He came in a motorcade with (lawyer Rudy) Giuliani. I congratulated him on how he redid the resort, and he said it was all his daughter Ivanka's work.'
There were a few young Russian women milling about the clubhouse, a staple on many Trump properties like Mar-a-Lago. They likely couldn't afford to stay at Trump National if they weren't accompanied by men too old for them.
Our well-trained cart driver wouldn't acknowledge the presence of these women. He didn't see them, he said, before bringing up the G7 controversy.
'We would've loved to have the G7 here,' he said. 'But I understand why we don't.'
During our stay at the resort, nearly 75 percent of the rooms were occupied -- a high number before the start of the busy season and a direct result of the publicity generated by the G7 controversy, the driver added.
That weekend, Trump National also hosted a Latin dancing competition in the Donald J. Trump Ballroom, showing that while the commander in chief lost out on treating Canada's Justin and Japan's Shinzo to a good time, at least he got cha-cha stars Riccardo and Yulia.
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