Donald Trump received a hero's welcome as he made a sudden surprise visit to his own Washington DC hotel on Wednesday evening.

The president-elect arrived to cheers from a crowd of VIPs and campaign surrogates at the Trump Hotel - seen in exclusive DailyMail.com footage.

The triumphant entry came after feigning a drive to the city's Reagan National airport, then ducking the political press corps before turning around to drive to his own hotel.

But it was a quick stop – he spent just about 30 minutes inside the hotel, including the restaurant BLT Steak, before rushing back off in his motorcade.

Donald Trump received a hero's welcome as he made a sudden surprise visit to his own Washington DC hotel on Wednesday evening. He is pictured at the motorcade

The hotel's 200-foot ceiling was festooned with baskets of red-white-and-blue balloons – in preparation for a balloon drop on Friday after the inauguration ceremony.

The typically subdued hotel lobby was also decked out in blue and red strobe lights and dance music blasted, as staff prepared for the upcoming celebrations.

There has been some speculation about where Trump will stay the night before he takes the oath of office later this week.

But his surprise appearance at the Trump International, which he has called the best accommodation in Washington, suggests that he will spend his last night before becoming president at his own hotel.

After spending the late part in Washington rubbing elbows with top donors at two 'dinners' where he did not eat, Trump was expected to drive fly back to New York, but made an abrupt change of plans.

His motorcade changed direction, to the dismay of Washington reporters who were trying to keep up with him as Trump's car made a beeline for his hotel.

Trump is seen waving to the crowd of people cheering him on before he got back in the car and drove away

Mike Pence posted this picture of himself and the president-elect on stage at a dinner in DC on Wednesday

Thrilled onlookers erupted in cheers in the Trump Hotel lobby – even as the Washington press corps expressed frustration at Trump's unexpected pit-stop.

'Pool became suspicious when motorcade drove in exact opposite direction of the airport,' complained the press pool report on Wednesday evening. 'Motorcade arrived at the hotel shortly thereafter at 9:35 pm. No details are available yet on what PEOTUS is doing.'

The Trump Hotel in Washington was closed off to many of the members of the public and the press on Wednesday.

But Dailymail.com was able to get inside – and spotted plenty of Trump insiders celebrating his pending inauguration festivities.

Donald Trump is seen getting off 'Trump Force One' in Washington DC on Wednesday night. He will fly on the plane just one more time before he has to give it up after being sworn in

Donald Trump is in Washington DC on Wednesday night to attend two donor dinners. He is pictured arriving aboard the jet at Reagan National Airport

Revellers on Wednesday included loyal campaign surrogates Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich, who dined with their wives Judy Giuliani and Callista Gingrich at the hotel's high-end BLT Steak restaurant.

Blackwater founder Erik Prince and former Bush administration official James Woolsey were also spotted at the hotel.

Prince's sister Betsy DeVos is Trump's nominee for education secretary.

Trump's nominee for Treasury Secretary – former Goldman Sachs exec Steven Mnuchin – also made an appearance.

It was at least Mnuchin's second time stopping by the hotel this week, after Dailymail.com reported that he and his Scottish actress fiancée Louise Linton celebrated his pending confirmation hearing this Thursday with a bottle of champagne in the lobby bar on Monday evening - which was opened by saber.