Few members of the public see behind these doors.
This is where the rich and powerful relax, and politicians tackle global crises.
We take a look behind the scenes at the 5-star hotel Schloss Elmau in Bavaria and show you
where heads of state and government stay during the G7 summit.
But first things first.
In 2015, Schloss Elmau gained international fame when it hosted the G7 Summit, the annual
economic meeting of the heads of state and government of 7 major industrialized nations.
In 2022, the summit will be held here again.
What makes the hotel so special it's been chosen twice?
One thing is obvious: The location.
The hotel is located in the very south of Germany near the Austrian border.
It's one of the most beautiful regions of the Alps between Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze,
and the Karwendel mountains.
100 kilometers south of Munich, its remote location makes
it ideal for vacationers who want their peace and quiet and for heads of state and government.
The main building has 115 rooms and suites.
It's called the Hideaway because there are so many places where you can find privacy.
You'll notice an elephant theme as we continue our tour.
But more on that later.
There's the hotel's very own bookstore,
lots of long corridors, a clothing and furnishing store.
In fact, the hotel has an extraordinary amount of common space.
According to the hotel, only 35 percent of the total space consists of hotel rooms.
The hotel also has a concert hall.
With more than 200 concerts a year, Schloss Elmau says it is one of the largest concert
organizers in Germany.
The artists don't get paid.
Play to Stay is the motto they perform and stay for free.
During the 2015 G7 summit, heads of state and government also attended concerts here.
But they didn't stay in this building.
Schloss Elmau's owner built another one, seen here on the left.
It's essentially a hotel within a hotel with 47 suites.
It's called Retreat and gives guests plenty of privacy.
It was built specifically to suit a G7 summit.
The German government agreed, and it was inaugurated in 2015 with the G7 meeting.
The presidential suites are virtually identical.
So no head of state or government has a better or worse room.
And what does a presidential suite look like?
In addition to the hallway and a small living room, each has a larger living room.
It also has a spacious bathroom.
And in it: a high-tech toilet that's very expensive, just like the furniture.
But what's truly priceless is the stunning view.
No matter how much you pay, there is no air conditioning.
However, the eco-friendly cooling system only manages a temperature difference of 8 degrees.
In the main building, there's no cooling at all.
Sustainability matters greatly at the hotel.
Ferchenbach stream also plays its part.
Its hydroelectric power plant covers 20 percent of the hotel's electricity needs.
The other 80 percent are from a renewable energy provider.
Heating largely comes from processing wood waste.
A second wood waste plant will be added later this year, so the hotel can forego gas.
It's easy to find great food in the hotel's 9 restaurants.
Fidelio, located in the castle, serves sushi and other Asian dishes and has hosted G7 guests.
The smaller, but better known and more expensive restaurant is Luce d'Oro, which has two Michelin stars.
No detail is lacking.
Each table has a smaller stool where one can put handbags or briefcases.
Now let's take look at where the magic happens: the kitchen.
Time to meet chef Christoph Rainer and his team.
His guests are a mix of gourmet food-loving travelers and families.
The 8-course menu costs 249 Euros.
This Japanese tasting board comes first, free of charge as a greeting from the kitchen.
Hiramasa Kingfish is the second course.
Next up, let's take a look at the spa area.
At the Oriental Hamam you can relax, talk and drink tea.
There are many places to lounge, whether here, in front of the bathhouse, in one of the two
dozen treatment rooms or at the indoor and outdoor pools.
If you want to be more active, you can visit one of the two fitness studios.
Or take Yoga lessons.
Instructor Verena Simmann holds classes at the yoga pavilion at the retreat.
Though during the G7, the yoga pavilion was used for meetings.
And do you recognize this inconspicuous bench?
Probably half the world knows it from a certain iconic photo.
Many political deals are made here, even outside the G7.
Often they are done in secretive locations, like the library.
As vacationers, on the other hand, Germans are frequent visitors.
Most guests come from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, while there are also many guests
from Britain and the US.
They can stay here, for example, in junior suites like these.
The furnishings are similar to those in the presidential suites, although they are a bit
smaller at just over 40 square meters.
Guests can stay here for about 700 Euros per night.
You'll find the elephant motif on beds, armchairs, coasters, pillows and much, much more.
Why is that?
The guests love it too, perhaps a bit too much.
If you have enough money and time, you can totally switch off here even from world politics.