Obamas settle in to Washington luxury hotel

WASHINGTON - Barack Obama may not become president until Jan 20, but starting Sunday the president-elect and his family are at home in Washington.

Obama Sunday joined his wife, Michelle, and daughters, Malia and Sasha, at the luxurious Hay-Adams Hotel just steps from the White House. Michelle Obama and the girls moved into the hotel Saturday, one day earlier than planned, to allow them to settle in before starting school Monday, the Washington Post reported.

The luxury 19th-century hotel faces the White House from across Lafayette Square, and is named after two of its most famous residents: John Hay, the one-time private assistant to president Abraham Lincoln, and Henry Adams, author and descendant of two of the country’s early 19th century presidents - John Adams and John Quincy Adams.

Later this month, the family will move into Blair House, the presidential guest home that typically houses presidents before they are sworn in and can move into the White House. Because the Obamas moved to Washington so early, the building had already been booked for other events, necessitating their stay at the Hay-Adams.

Malia, 10, and seven-year-old Sasha start classes Monday at the private Sidwell Friends School, where former first daughter Chelsea Clinton attended while her father was in the White House.

But the girls aren’t the only ones getting down to work Monday. Their father is to spend the day getting a jump start on his work to salvage the US economy. Obama will spend the morning meeting with congressional leaders on his proposed up-to-$775-billion economic stimulus plan and the afternoon meeting with his economic advisors.

In his weekly radio address Saturday, Obama urged Congress to quickly pass the plan, which focus on spending on renewable energy, infrastructure and technology projects.

Wednesday, Obama is to lunch with President George W. Bush and former presidents Jimmy Carter, George HW Bush and Bill Clinton.