Where Germany's G20 guests will reside
On July 7 and 8, the G20 summit is taking place in Hamburg. 9000 hotel rooms will be needed for state visitors from around the world. We look at the finest hotels, from the Grand Elysée to the Atlantic Kempinski.
Hamburg Senate guest residence
For security reasons there is no advance notice on where the official guests at the G20 summit will stay. But there are already a few conjectures. One is that US president Donald Trump will be spending the night in the Hamburg Senate's guest residence. The neo-classical villa on the banks of the Outer Alster has already hosted such prominent visitors as Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Park Hyatt
The politicians' safety is a priority at the G20 summit. More than 20,000 police officers are to be deployed. Hotels that house official guests will become fortresses, and streets around them partially closed off. The Park Hyatt will be submitting to those measures. It's said that Russian president Vladimir Putin and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau will be staying there.
The Westin
A special atmosphere awaits the delegates from Saudi Arabia if they actually spend the night in the Westin. The hotel is in the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg's new landmark in the HafenCity district. Not only will the Saudis have a fantastic view of the city; they'll also have the shortest way to the G20 concert, which will take place on July 7th a few floors below.
Reichshof Hotel Hamburg (Hilton Curio)
State guests from Brazil, Britain, Vietnam and India are said to have booked rooms in the Reichshof. The hotel, a historically listed building near the main railway station, re-opened in 2015 in a new guise after extensive renovation and has 278 rooms available. It calls itself an art déco design hotel that combines Hilton hotel standards with Hamburg's Hanseatic tradition.
Grand Elysée
The Grand Elysée has 511 rooms. Some of them may go to the Chinese delegation at the G20 summit. This luxury hotel was built in 1985 and is said to have as its credo treating all its guests equally. Celebrities such as Steffi Graf and Cliff Richard have to pay, just like other guests. There are no VIP discounts.
Sofitel Hamburg Alter Wall
Turkish president Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan is said to be staying at the Sofitel. The hotel describes its style as a blend of "French art de vivre and local finesse". Carrara marble and abstract art reflect French elegance; polished concrete is a reminder of Hamburg's industrial past.
Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten
The rumor mill has yet to proclaim which state visitors will reside at the Vier Jahreszeiten on the Inner Alster. Trump and Putin were evidently rejected as overnight guests, unlike former US foreign secretary John Kerry. He stayed at the Vier Jahreszeiten during the OSCE Ministerial Council in December 2016.
Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg
This trendy luxury hotel in Sternschanzen Park in central Hamburg is unique: a huge red brick water tower built in 1910 was converted to house it. The Tower Suite on its 17th floor offers a 360-degree view of the city. It might be just the right place for French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte to stay during the G20 summit.
Hotel Atlantic Kempinski
The summit's host, Angela Merkel, is said to be staying in this 5-star hotel on the Outer Alster. Of course, all the luxury hotels expect a good return. If you want a room during the G20 summit, you'll have to dig deep into your pockets - if there's anything available. On the second weekend of July, many hotels are charging twice as much as during the rest of the month, if not more.