A verbal assault was apparently enough to earn permanent banishment for Zhirinovsky at the end of his stay at New York's Plaza Hotel last week.
Slow room service is one thing, but when the leader of Russia's Liberal Democratic Party went to pay for his "classic" room at Donald Trump's five-star hotel, he erupted into a verbal rampage criticizing everything from the hotel's dawdling room service to its poorly pressed shirts.
Zhirinovksy's outburst earned him the status of persona non grata, Itar-Tass reported Sunday, banning him from staying in any Trump establishment in the future.
According to Plaza representatives, Zhirinovsky's timely complaint was an attempt to get out of paying the bill, a version corroborated by the New York Post Monday in its article headlined, "Plaza Suite & Sour."
But LDPR representatives denied Zhirinovsky was trying to skip out on the bill. "It is not a question of money," said a spokesman for the Liberal Democratic party who accompanied Zhirinovsky during his U.S. tour. "They cheated us. They overcharged us by $3,000." Zhirinovsky paid the bill in full, and then "expressed his dissatisfaction."
Zhirinovsky is apparently used to much better service, having stayed in five-star hotels throughout Europe for much less than the $1,000 a night charged at the Plaza -- and that is without a view of Central Park. "In Russia the service is certainly not great," the Post quoted Zhirinovsky as saying, "but when you pay $1,000 per night you expect more."
Sadly, according to Vladimir Volfovich, the Plaza was "not up to par." He had to wait an hour and a half for his breakfast, and then he could not have his shirts pressed until the evening.
"This is not just a question of bad service, but a poorly qualified staff," said the LDPR spokesman. "The hotel hires poor Filipino and Vietnamese workers for $3 a month. They economize by hiring a cheap workforce, and it shows in the level of their service." The disappointed party also surmised that multi-millionaire Donald Trump cuts down on his taxes by hiring illegal aliens.
Following up on Zhirinovsky's complaints, the New York Post sent a reporter to stay at the Plaza overnight and do everything Vladimir Volfovich did. According to the Post, the breakfast came on time and the shirts were well-pressed.
The Trump organization declined to comment on Monday, or confirm or deny that Zhirinovsky would be barred from any future visits to the Plaza, but this point did not seem to ruffle any feathers at LDPR headquarters.
"They say Zhirinovsky can't go back to the Plaza -- well he himself wouldn't go back there," said the LDPR spokesman.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.