Ritz-Carlton Hotel Wolfsburg

The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg is owned by Volkswagen and operated by the Ritz-Carlton group. The 174-room luxury hotel overlooks the Autostadt and the Mittelland Canal, and you can walk directly from the hotel to the park.

Rooms are large, comfortable, and attractively furnished in a warm modern style. I was lucky enough to get a "premium deluxe" room on the top floor, which had a small balcony and a view of the Autostadt. (Standard "deluxe" rooms lack the balcony but are the same size as rooms on the top floor.)

The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg is geared to the corporate expense-account crowd, with two upscale restaurants: Aqua (three Michelin stars) and The Grill (which doubles as an elegant buffet breakfast room).

Rates drop a bit on weekends, and you can get packages that include tickets to the Autostadt. If you're a swimmer or spa enthusiast, make sure that your rate or package includes admission to the pool or spa facilities. The pool has a remarkable setting, by the way: It appears to float in the Mittelland Canal, and you reach it via a small footbridge.

For more information about the hotel, see the Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg Web site. If you're looking for something cheaper, search Booking.com's Wolfsburg listings for a hotel in downtown Wolfsburg, which is just across a pedestrian bridge from the Autostadt.