Aston hospitality at Le Mans
Discussion
I guess most of us have received the invite from Aston for the hospitality package at Le Mans this year and I just wondered how was the experience for those that have done it in previous years? I assume that you sort out your own accomodation but once you reach the track you can take advantage of all the Aston facilities?
I have experienced the Aston Martin hospitality at Le Mans a few times now and it seems to get better each year. Last years was incredible. Yes, you sort your own accommodation whilst you are there, but pretty much everything else is catered for from Friday – Sunday with great insights into the race team operations over the weekend and full, top quality hospitality with food and drink, as you would expect. There's a shedload of things going on in the hospitality to keep people of all ages entertained, with partner displays, big screens/lounge areas, bars, racing sims, team presentations, garage tours and of course – the race. There’s always a few interesting & familiar faces in the hospitality, along with AML/AMR staff and execs to talk to throughout. For me it's the highlight of the Motorsport calendar.
I would absolutely recommend it to both thoroughbred racing fans and anybody just looking for a quality ‘bucket list’ experience - it's mega.
I would absolutely recommend it to both thoroughbred racing fans and anybody just looking for a quality ‘bucket list’ experience - it's mega.
peteA said:
Go to Le Mans every year with mates - why can’t Aston owners just pop in and have a beer and spend an hour or so having a rest?
£2500 per person???
I’m slumming it in camping which is all part of Le Mans for me. Maybe I’m the wrong crowd...
As much as I'm sure AML would love to see owners there, it's incredibly difficult to police. It's a magical place to be and lots of people justifiably pay the price to be there. Furthermore, I'm not sure that everybody would be as honest as you and just spend an hour there.....£2500 per person???
I’m slumming it in camping which is all part of Le Mans for me. Maybe I’m the wrong crowd...
A lot of the guests are also camping, but the beauty of the hospitality is that you can literally be there for the entire weekend if you want to, or nip back to the tent for a snooze.
peteA said:
£2500 per person???
That's the 'slumming it' option....how about the £15,750 (per couple) option. 
https://www.astonmartinartofliving.com/experience/...
Bincenzo said:
I have experienced the Aston Martin hospitality at Le Mans a few times now and it seems to get better each year. Last years was incredible. Yes, you sort your own accommodation whilst you are there, but pretty much everything else is catered for from Friday – Sunday with great insights into the race team operations over the weekend and full, top quality hospitality with food and drink, as you would expect. There's a shedload of things going on in the hospitality to keep people of all ages entertained, with partner displays, big screens/lounge areas, bars, racing sims, team presentations, garage tours and of course – the race. There’s always a few interesting & familiar faces in the hospitality, along with AML/AMR staff and execs to talk to throughout. For me it's the highlight of the Motorsport calendar.
I would absolutely recommend it to both thoroughbred racing fans and anybody just looking for a quality ‘bucket list’ experience - it's mega.
That sums the weekend up very well Mark. Have done Le Mans a couple of times and doing the AMR package just takes the whole experience to a fantastic level. Yes, it is expensive but I know that when we go back again we will be looking to go with AMR again - any other way of doing it will just not stand up to the past experience. We have been spoiled now I would absolutely recommend it to both thoroughbred racing fans and anybody just looking for a quality ‘bucket list’ experience - it's mega.
We went with Travel Destinations and stayed in the Flexotel Village which was within easy walking distance and there were some fabulous cars in the car park. Our pod even had a shower in it.
As someone who has done hospitality at LM for the last 10 years, 8 with AM and the other two with audi and porsche, I guess I'm in as good a position as most to offer my two penneth
There are two things in particular that for me stand out. The first is the differentiation between cost and VFM. Its unquestionably expensive. That's in no small part down to what the ACO charge the teams. Whilst somewhat arguable and based partly on affordability to the individual, I'd suggest that following last year's hefty price increase it's gone from costly to fairly expensive. However I'd also suggest that even with the price increase it's moved from exceptional value for money to still being very good value for money
Like many on here, I've done a fair few hospitality gigs both as guest and as host to clients from small to huge. Most of those are cheaper, but they are significantly shorter events so an a £s per hour basis hugely more expensive and offer nothing close to the access of AMR hospitality at LM.
So if you can't afford it or justify it, that's understandable. But if you can, you won't be disappointed with what you get for what you pay
The other thing that stands out is the difference between the way AMR do it and the way audi/porsche do it. Aston's is not as slick - the food for instance is far better at porsche or audi, as are the goody bags and certain elements of the organisation. That's not to say AMR's is bad, but some of the others are quite literally, incredible. Audi flew in alexandra burke the year I was there for a small private concert and throughout the weekend, they had a high end cigar and whisky bar on one of the terraces, to give just a few examples
But I think Aston's is all the better for the approach they take because audi & porsche were soulless. The Germans are slick partly because of budget but also because they employ solely professional hospitality staff. Aston only use professionals for food & drink, everything else being done mainly by staff from Gaydon or Prodrive. As a result, you feel far more part of the family and embedded in the team. The buggy driver could be an accountant from Gaydon and the ladies on the desk are from Prodrive. You can chat about the race with literally anyone and they are at least as engaged, if not more so, in what is going on. Everyone mixes well and I've been sat next to Dave Richards watching entertainment, having a beer with Marek on the balcony watching the race or stood next to AP queuing for lunch chatting about the impact of incoming rain on the race
To be clear I'm not saying AMR hospitality is amateur, but perhaps a little like the cars, not quite as refined and all the more characterful & enjoyable for it. And again, I'm only talking in relative terms to in the example of Audi, the best hospitality by a significant margin that I've ever seen at any sporting event. With a full price (that we didn't pay) that was a significant multiple of what Aston's costs
.
There are two things in particular that for me stand out. The first is the differentiation between cost and VFM. Its unquestionably expensive. That's in no small part down to what the ACO charge the teams. Whilst somewhat arguable and based partly on affordability to the individual, I'd suggest that following last year's hefty price increase it's gone from costly to fairly expensive. However I'd also suggest that even with the price increase it's moved from exceptional value for money to still being very good value for money
Like many on here, I've done a fair few hospitality gigs both as guest and as host to clients from small to huge. Most of those are cheaper, but they are significantly shorter events so an a £s per hour basis hugely more expensive and offer nothing close to the access of AMR hospitality at LM.
So if you can't afford it or justify it, that's understandable. But if you can, you won't be disappointed with what you get for what you pay
The other thing that stands out is the difference between the way AMR do it and the way audi/porsche do it. Aston's is not as slick - the food for instance is far better at porsche or audi, as are the goody bags and certain elements of the organisation. That's not to say AMR's is bad, but some of the others are quite literally, incredible. Audi flew in alexandra burke the year I was there for a small private concert and throughout the weekend, they had a high end cigar and whisky bar on one of the terraces, to give just a few examples
But I think Aston's is all the better for the approach they take because audi & porsche were soulless. The Germans are slick partly because of budget but also because they employ solely professional hospitality staff. Aston only use professionals for food & drink, everything else being done mainly by staff from Gaydon or Prodrive. As a result, you feel far more part of the family and embedded in the team. The buggy driver could be an accountant from Gaydon and the ladies on the desk are from Prodrive. You can chat about the race with literally anyone and they are at least as engaged, if not more so, in what is going on. Everyone mixes well and I've been sat next to Dave Richards watching entertainment, having a beer with Marek on the balcony watching the race or stood next to AP queuing for lunch chatting about the impact of incoming rain on the race
To be clear I'm not saying AMR hospitality is amateur, but perhaps a little like the cars, not quite as refined and all the more characterful & enjoyable for it. And again, I'm only talking in relative terms to in the example of Audi, the best hospitality by a significant margin that I've ever seen at any sporting event. With a full price (that we didn't pay) that was a significant multiple of what Aston's costs
.
Edited by jonby on Thursday 9th May 18:30
So glad someone started this thread. I posted a similar question in another thread and it got buried.
@jonby: appreciate your in-depth reply. I had doubts before now I am really looking forward. Totally agreed about Porsche and Audi.
Happy to meet up with fellow enthusiasts if time allows.
@jonby: appreciate your in-depth reply. I had doubts before now I am really looking forward. Totally agreed about Porsche and Audi.
Happy to meet up with fellow enthusiasts if time allows.
Bincenzo said:
I have experienced the Aston Martin hospitality at Le Mans a few times now and it seems to get better each year. Last years was incredible. Yes, you sort your own accommodation whilst you are there, but pretty much everything else is catered for from Friday – Sunday with great insights into the race team operations over the weekend and full, top quality hospitality with food and drink, as you would expect. There's a shedload of things going on in the hospitality to keep people of all ages entertained, with partner displays, big screens/lounge areas, bars, racing sims, team presentations, garage tours and of course – the race. There’s always a few interesting & familiar faces in the hospitality, along with AML/AMR staff and execs to talk to throughout. For me it's the highlight of the Motorsport calendar.
I would absolutely recommend it to both thoroughbred racing fans and anybody just looking for a quality ‘bucket list’ experience - it's mega.
Who do you work for?I would absolutely recommend it to both thoroughbred racing fans and anybody just looking for a quality ‘bucket list’ experience - it's mega.
JohnG1 said:
Who do you work for?
Those that know me well, know exactly who I work for. For those that don’t know me, I see no reason to discuss it. I certainly wouldn’t ask you or anybody else to divulge personal information on a public forum. Regardless, I’m expressing an opinion on something that I have experienced for a few years running, and I don’t think anything I have stated is incorrect or disingenuous. The question was asked if anybody had any experience of Aston Martin Hospitality at Le Mans, and if so, what was it like. I answered the question based upon my experience and I hope the OP has benefitted from that.Bincenzo said:
Those that know me well, know exactly who I work for. For those that don’t know me, I see no reason to discuss it. I certainly wouldn’t ask you or anybody else to divulge personal information on a public forum. Regardless, I’m expressing an opinion on something that I have experienced for a few years running, and I don’t think anything I have stated is incorrect or disingenuous. The question was asked if anybody had any experience of Aston Martin Hospitality at Le Mans, and if so, what was it like. I answered the question based upon my experience and I hope the OP has benefitted from that.
I have, cheers. Bincenzo said:
JohnG1 said:
Who do you work for?
Those that know me well, know exactly who I work for. For those that don’t know me, I see no reason to discuss it. I certainly wouldn’t ask you or anybody else to divulge personal information on a public forum. Regardless, I’m expressing an opinion on something that I have experienced for a few years running, and I don’t think anything I have stated is incorrect or disingenuous. The question was asked if anybody had any experience of Aston Martin Hospitality at Le Mans, and if so, what was it like. I answered the question based upon my experience and I hope the OP has benefitted from that.The only thing I can add to the Le Mans experience is that staying too far away from the venue is a logistical nightmare as a shuttle service gets stuck in traffic in and out of the circuit. If however you opt for a hotel outside bring a bike and you will whizz along the queues.
Edited by hornbaek on Friday 10th May 07:52
Bincenzo said:
Those that know me well, know exactly who I work for. For those that don’t know me, I see no reason to discuss it. I certainly wouldn’t ask you or anybody else to divulge personal information on a public forum. Regardless, I’m expressing an opinion on something that I have experienced for a few years running, and I don’t think anything I have stated is incorrect or disingenuous. The question was asked if anybody had any experience of Aston Martin Hospitality at Le Mans, and if so, what was it like. I answered the question based upon my experience and I hope the OP has benefitted from that.
I received similarly sarcastic reply to a post on here last week and didn’t bite back, but have not contributed since and have sadly come to the conclusion I cannot take part any longer. I will however continue to read it. All the best SGassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff