Trump Hotel Guests Voice Complaints About Property’s Response Following Deadly Vegas Blast

Posted on: January 3, 2025, 10:36h. 

Last updated on: January 3, 2025, 10:36h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Guests at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas had many complaints late this week after the New Year’s Day explosion outside of the building.

Trianna Signorelli, pictured above. She complained about the Trump Hotel’s response following Wednesday’s explosion. (Image: KLAS)

They claimed there was poor communication and a lack of hotel employees to assist guests. Many couldn’t reach their luggage or vehicles for hours after Wednesday morning’s explosion in the valet area.

Numerous visitors who were at the Trump property chose to relocate temporarily to the nearby Resorts World Las Vegas. But some guests said they didn’t even know that was an option.

The blast took place after a Tesla Cybertruck was detonated near the main doors to the Trump Hotel lobby. The occupant in the truck shot himself and perished in the fire and explosion. Seven others suffered minor injuries.

Numerous firefighters, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers, and ambulances rushed to the hotel.

Hotel Procedures Questioned

Hours after the explosion, one guest, Dallas Aimer, who resides in California, recalled how he was staying on the hotel’s 56th floor when the blast took place.

He and his family saw that elevators weren’t working and spotted smoke outside. They walked down the multitude of stairs 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 were down that we couldn’t go back up.”

Nor could they get to their car which was parked in the valet area, he revealed.

“We didn’t know when we could leave,” Aimer explained. “We didn’t know when we could come back.”

There was absolutely just no communication,” Trianna Signorelli, who also was on the hotel’s 56th floor with family members, agreed in a statement to Las Vegas TV station KLAS. “We were left to fend for ourselves… We had a ton of luggage. Just trying to get down the stairs…Nobody from the hotel…Fifty-six flights of stairs is a lot and we just don’t know what’s going on.”

Janet Kwon initially attempted to check into the hotel on Wednesday afternoon. She and her husband faced many challenges and the Trump Hotel staff didn’t provide needed assistance, she said.

“Eventually we just figured out we had to find other accommodations,” Kwon told the Review-Journal. “The rooms were hard to get anywhere, because everybody was trying to find a room.” The couple did eventually find a room at the Sahara Las Vegas.

We got no email, no text,” Kwon told the Review-Journal about the response from the Trump Hotel. “Things happen, but just let us know what’s going on, and then [say] what do you want us to do.”

Later, the Kwons were able to check into the Trump Hotel on Thursday morning.

Wedding Ceremony at Risk

One couple from Germany really needed to get back to their room on Wednesday where their belongings were left.

At 2:30 p.m., they were scheduled to get married 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.

But thankfully, they were able to go on with the wedding ceremony, according to the news report.

Most hotel guests apparently were able to reach their rooms by Wednesday evening. Some guests, like the Kwons or Signorelli, got refunds.

In a statement released on Wednesday that was posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Trump International Hotel said in part, “The safety & well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response.”

Following the explosion, LVMPD officers did designate an outdoor location for guests who were leaving the Trump Hotel. RTC buses provided transportation.

Business As Usual

By Thursday, it appeared to be largely business as usual at the Trump Hotel.

The glass doors to the valet area were getting cleaned, according to the Review-Journal. In addition, sprinklers over the valet area were getting fixed.

The valet service was in operation. So too was the registration desk, as well as a restaurant off of the lobby. A single police cruiser was parked outside of the building.

Trump Hotels didn’t provide an immediate response to KLAS on the criticism from guests.