Travel Roundup: Watergate Hotel's Auction, Carnival Cruise Murder, British Airways Bans H1N1 Passengers and More

Watergate Hotel to be auctioned — The Watergate Hotel, now empty since 2007, is on the block. The hotel, which had a role in the scandal which took down President Richard M. Nixon, will be auctioned Tuesday by the bank that holds its $40 million loan.  However, for whomever buys the 12-story hotel, they also need to be able to pay about $100 million in repairs to bring the building up to code as well as pay any back taxes. The hotel was bought for $45 million in 2004. [Source: Washington Post]

Man arraigned for killing wife on Mexican cruise — A Southern California teacher was arraigned in San Diego federal court for killing his wife on a five-day cruise to Mexico. Robert McGill, 55, is accused of killing his wife, Shirley, also 55, on the Carnival Cruise ship Elation last week. Shirley McGill was found dead in the bathroom and her husband’s “hands and knuckles appeared as if he had been in a fight,” prosecutors said. They also said that McGill told FBI agents that he had killed his wife in the bathroom “with his bare hands.” No motive was given and no bail was set. [Source: Los Angeles Times]

British Airways will bar those with H1N1 virus from boarding — British Airways has told its staff to keep watch for passengers showing symptoms of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, and to alert doctors who can keep them from boarding a flight, the airline said. Calling the measures “standard practice” for a medical situation, a spokeswoman said only a handful of people so far had been turned away from boarding British Airways flights as a result because of the medical checks. Virgin Atlantic has also adopted similar measures, but were not immediately available for comment. [Source: Reuters]

Los Angeles Four Seasons Hotel evacuated after fire alarm — Hollywood stars Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler were among hundreds of guests and workers evacuated from the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles after a fire alarm sounded. No reason was given for the alarm and police are investigating, a hotel employee said. [Source: Los Angeles Times]