For those seeking rest as well as those who are romantics, a private refuge of a very special kind is awaiting them this summer in form of a green island at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg. Floating in the inner harbor of the Mittelland canal, The Island can be booked as a one-of-a-kind destination for an outing for two to four persons from June to September. Delicately arranged food and champagne put a perfect finish to the excursion. The island arrangements cost from 120 euros to 395 Euros for each person.
The crossing to the floating island itself is an adventure. On board a nostalgic mahogany motorboat made by the traditional Swiss boat builder Pedrazzini, hailing from the 1940s, island guests are greeted by their personal skipper with a glass of champagne. The boat casts off from the hotel’s own pier at the floating outside pool of The Ritz-Carlton. From there, an expedition trip commences that opens up completely new vistas on the buildings along the inner harbor for the passengers. The skipper, meanwhile, explains a few of the intriguing factual details on both the park landscape of the Autostadt and the impressive backdrop of the landmarked VW power station.
After a round tour of the Autostadt, the skipper pilots the boat toward the actual goal in the inner harbor: the largest of the four artificial islands, measuring 13 x 13 meters. On the green float with a surface of more than 160 square meters, three willows arch over a wooden terrace at ground level, furnishing ample shade even on sunny days. Being solidly fixed in the inner harbor, the island hardly moves and is eminently suited for safely stepping on it and spending some time there. Upon the boat’s arrival at the island, a butler receives the guests and places them at a stylishly set teakwood table. There is a choice of four different arrangements for the individual menu depending on the time of day. Two champagne breakfasts are offered for a relaxing morning break—one can pick breakfast either with or without caviar. The Island Tea arrangement is perfect for a private afternoon tea, letting no wish go unfulfilled, with premium loose leaf teas and champagne, freshly baked scones, savory delicacies and the finest patisserie.
The Riviera Dinner rounds off the island experience to perfection. With a vista on the brightly illuminated Autostadt and The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg, in the evening, the sunset can be thoroughly enjoyed while being served an exclusive three-course dinner of select seafood such as lobster, mussels and oysters, as well as a pitcher of premium champagne.
With the floating island group, a new staging evolved as part of the Autostadt’s Four Season concept, connecting nature in the park with technology and culture in an artistic fashion. Each island is planted with one of four tree species each: alder, willow, water chestnut and pine; this way, the greenery of the park continues and is extended to the water. Connected to the foundation at the bottom of the inner harbor, the three smaller island plateaus, measuring 7 x 7 meters each, are allowed to drift freely and move with the rhythm of the wind within a radius of around twenty meters. In conjunction with the larger island, a picture of living movement emerges, which integrates the cuisine of The Ritz-Carlton by means of the green dining room.
Reservations for all island arrangements are accepted by telephone or email: Tel +49 5361 607091 ; email ccr.wolfsburg@ritzcarlton.com
About The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg
The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg has 174 rooms and suites and is located in the centre of Autostadt, the world’s first custom-designed celebration of automotive innovation encompassing architectural originality, scientific advancement, artistic inspiration and lifestyle aspiration. With its impressive open circle architecture, The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg has won numerous awards. It offers nine conference rooms, the restaurants Aqua – honored with three Michelin Stars – The Grill, Hafenterrasse and the Newman’s Bar as well as the Kraftwerk spa with its floating open air pool. More than six hundred works of art, with a focus on photography, shape the ambience of the hotel, as do the modern-classic furnishings by renowned French interior designer Andrée Putman. The hotel is just an hour from Berlin or Hamburg by ICE high-speed train. Additional information and reservations may be obtained by calling +49-5361-607000, toll-free within the USA or Canada at (800) 241 3333, toll-free from the UK on 0800 234 000, or at www.ritzcarlton.com/wolfsburg.
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