The Autostadt where the Ritz Carlton is located is the visitor attraction next to the VW factory that features the pavilions of the company’s model range: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, etc. The hotel serves the visitors to Autostadt as well as customers picking up their new cars from the factory. The cars are stored in glass silos ready for collection, like a giant vending machine. As you can imagine this was heaven for the ‘Petrol Head’/Jeremy Clarkson look a like, Relative Lieutenant.

The ‘Relative Lieutenant’/Petrol Head/Jeremy Clarkson Lookalike, Pointing Out That The Bentley Is A Mechanical Masterpiece With A ‘Blah Blah Blah Engine’. I Was More Interested In The Leather Interior & Sheer ‘Class’ Of The Design.

The Ritz Carlton and Autostadt are completely accessible. At the hotel everything you need is on the ground floor (bar, restaurant etc.) and the rooms are accessed by well lit and well indicated lifts. There’s also a spa that floats in the lake with a heated pool (there are grab rails and steps into the pools but no hoist). The first night we just ate (& drank) in the bar and were serenaded by a live jazz duo whose performance included the theme to the Pink Panther, on sax and double bass. Whilst playing the saxophonist crept up to members of the audience like a panther and frightened more than one of us!?

View From The Other Side. VW Emissions In Full Blast

The Bar At Ritz Carlton Where The Saxophonist Crept Up Like a Panther!!

Swim Under VW Chimneys But No Hoist only Grab Rails In Pools

Ramped Access In Spa

As far as the accessible room is concerned it was amazing, one of the best in my experience. It was decorated to the same high, modern, standard as the regular rooms with the addition of the necessary facilities i.e. alarms in the bathroom and bedroom, walk-in shower & toilet with grab rails, smooth flooring throughout, fully adjustable lighting plus three great extras: first a fully height adjustable bed, second a height adjustable Hi Lo HEWI sink and thirdly a night concierge who didn’t mind helping me into/out of bed in the early hours!! The video shows the adjustable sink, not sure I like the look of the man??

My Bed a la Tracey Emin But This One Was Adjustable

Super Adjustable, HEWI Hi Lo Washbasin. I had Fun With This! It Costs £2500 – to £3500 But Not Available In UK Yet.

Good Grab Rails But More Would Be Helpful

Walk In/Wet Room Shower. The Pull Cord Is Just Out of View & The Seat Is Folded Against the Wall. 2 Shower Heads, Hand Held & Overhead.

The staff at the hotel couldn’t do enough for us and the service was friendly and impeccable without being over-intrusive. This was also true of their 3 Star Michelin restaurant Aqua, where we were treated to the tasting menu. At this point I should say we weren’t sure if the alcohol was included in the prize trip so we were slightly apprehensive as vintage champagne and wines appeared at every course but as the Lieutenant said after the second glass ‘no going back now’. The menu by chef Sven Elverfeld consisted of :

Snacks.

Caramelized Kalamata olive & Green olive, caper & smoked almond

Vitello Tonnato “Tartar”

Our burger – roasted beef cheeks & mountain cheese

Gillardeau oyster, artichoke & argan oil

Our Burger……….

Can’t Remember What This Was, There Were So Many Exquisite Tasters

Menu

Foie gras & Mole

Marinated chicory & fig

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Pike perch

Lemon sour cream, shallot pickles, guacamole & pomegranate

Pike Perch Was My Favourite & Loved The Addition Of Pomegranate

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Saddle of lamb from Muritz – cooked in hay

(Soz no photo of this but it was the most delicious well cooked piece of lamb. The knife just slid through the tender meat….mmmm!)

Topinambur, ricotta, herbs & hazelnuts

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Champagne cream sorbet „Edition Ruinart Rosé“

Creamy Champagne Sorbet, My Favourite Dessert. Before &……….

After

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Cherry & cherry wood

Matcha and coconut

This Cherry Dessert Was Accompanied By A Beautiful Cherry Wine

Sweet final

Elderberry, peanut & champagne

Muscat pumpkin, cranberries, yoghurt & pumpkin seed oil

This Was The 4th Dessert, The Muscat Pumpkin Before..

..& After. The Cranberries Added A Sharpness To this Beautiful Concoction

Donut with sour cream, Campari-Orange & black sesame

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Pralines

We Were Offered Pralines/Petits Fours From A Trolley. There Were So Many To Choose From But By This Stage I Was Too Full To Try Them All. Luckily You Could Buy To ‘Take Away’.

Afterwards it was straight to bed as we’d consumed at least five different wines and champagnes, I felt like Monty Python’s Mr. Creosote and just couldn’t eat another ‘petit morceau’! Watch The clip with caution……….

The Michelin Guide says of Aqua

‘Sven Elverfeld has secured his place at the very top of the German culinary world. The modern, creative notes forming an integral part of his expressive and fully flavoured dishes and never seeking to dazzle or dissemble. The elegant service is also beyond reproach.’

We couldn’t agree more as it was one of the most interesting (and tasty) menus we’d eaten in a long time and the wines were superb. I particularly liked the champagnes from lesser known vineyards.

Both Aqua and The Ritz Carlton get a well deserved maximum 3 BBS Ticks.

Blue Badge Style

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Ritz Carlton, Wolfsburg

Ritz Carlton, Wolfsburg

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