I was very disappointed to find that from my hotel bedroom window, this petrol station…read moreunfortunately blocked the view of the block of flats behind it. Very poor planning.

Y'all know that I love a good rest stop. There are over 200 in my "Rest up!" collection that…read morerecords my rest stop reviews across the USA. Well, this is my first ever international rest stop, which in German is a "raststätte". It was helpful for getting settled into the rental car now that I've figured out the climate controls and don't need all these layers. Located about a half hour southwest of Düsseldorf, this stop was quite easy to negotiate and consistent with what one should expect from a rest area. Excellent signage that warns you about 5 km out that it's ahead. An easy deceleration ramp with signs that point the way for cars and trucks. Easy pull-through parking for both and a fuel station. Inside, restrooms (not free, which is the way such things work in Europe) that were extremely clean. A gift shop and convenience store with snacks and drinks that had a seating area if you'd prefer to not get crumbs in your vehicle. Getting back onto the autobahn was easy and I got to practice my shifting to get up to highway speed swiftly. I'm very pleased with this rest area and looking forward to a few more on this drive. [Review 16394 overall - 199 in Germany - 1901 of 2021.]