Former Australian prime minister and Bush mate John Howard is the reason Barack Obama and his family are staying in a hotel ahead of the president-elect's inauguration later this month.

Mr Howard and his wife Janette are booked to stay at Blair House, the official White House guest house, on January 12, The Washington Post reports.

The Obamas had asked to move into the 119-room mansion across the street from the White House so that their daughters could start school in Washington this week.

But they were told Blair House had been booked, leading to them taking a suite at the exclusive Hay-Adams hotel instead.

The White House would not say then which events were bumping the Obamas, but on Tuesday the Post said Mr Howard's party were the only overnight visitors booked into Blair House.

>> Read the full AAP story at Yahoo!7 NEWS

Howard once said that terrorists would be glad if Obama was elected President of the United States.