Recommendations - Monaco GP 2021

[chappj]

Does anybody have a recommendation for a Monaco GP weekend to remember? I'm planning drive down on the Weds/Thurs and make the journey part of the experience by staying somewhere overnight in the Alps. It will be me and the wife so keen to make it special without going crazy.

I'm looking for recommendations on where to stay, best hospitality company / packages for Sat/Sun, dinner on Sat night and where the best parties on Sunday night that Joe public can get into :-)

Thanks in advance!

[rlw]

Will it even happen? I think planning for as early as next spring is very optimistic.

[vaud]

I'd wait for the F1 calendar first.

I'd be surprised if the early races have many fans, especially for a street circuit. Not sure about the regular parties on the street, etc

That said, personally I would stay outside of Monaco and rent a villa for a week or stay in Nice, and then commute in on the train. Monaco itself is a bit of a concrete jungle (in my view). Okay to visit but not that much to see.

That said, the classic seems to be on in April (at least for now)

[sparta6]

vaud said:

I'd wait for the F1 calendar first.

I'd be surprised if the early races have many fans, especially for a street circuit. Not sure about the regular parties on the street, etc

That said, personally I would stay outside of Monaco and rent a villa for a week or stay in Nice, and then commute in on the train. Monaco itself is a bit of a concrete jungle (in my view). Okay to visit but not that much to see.

That said, the classic seems to be on in April (at least for now)

^^this^^

Even the Yacht Club is a bit vanilla.

Hopefuly the Classics will get the go ahead it's a real spectacle.

[cholo]

Does anyone know when the official tickets go on sale?

[Thundersports]

cholo said:

Does anyone know when the official tickets go on sale?

They've been on sale for a while.
https://www.formula1monaco.com/

[vaud]

Thundersports said:

They've been on sale for a while.
https://www.formula1monaco.com/

But it is a provisional date.

[chappj]

So is the classic a better spectacle than the main GP?

I was also thinking about next spring still being too soon for the world to return to normal, but was having a bad day hence dreaming of being in Monaco for the GP

[Sandpit Steve]

vaud said:

Thundersports said:

They've been on sale for a while.
https://www.formula1monaco.com/

But it is a provisional date.

Sadly it’s likely to remain a provisional date for some time yet, doubly so for a city street circuit where running the event behind closed doors is impossible.

[StevieBee]

chappj said:

make it special without going crazy.

best hospitality company / packages

I've selectively quoted for a reason.

Covid may be your friend on this.

Your criteria for not going crazy (by which I assume you mean budget) will not be met if you stay in Monaco and certainly not of you're looking at hospitality type packages. Race day you'd be looking at £5k minimum each and that's at the very bottom rung.

However...

I went in 2005. On the Wednesday before the race, we get an email from a hospitality company offering all-inclusive hospitality tickets for £800 each. Early morning chartered flight from Stansted to Nice. Coach to circuit breakfast, lunch (no dinner) and grandstand seats opposite pits. Back home that same day in time to watch the highlights. The reason was that they had a batch of places left and the agreement with the promotor is that all seats must be filled (I assume empty seats at Monaco doesn't look good) - or they pay a penalty, even though they have bought and paid for the tickets.

Given everything with Covid, assuming the race does go ahead then I would imagine that there will be many in similar positions next year. It's a bit of a gamble because nothing may come up but it's a gamble anyway because nobody knows what's happening so I'd be thinking in terms of 2022 but be ready for next year in case something pops up.

Do go though. If you have an interest in the sport then it has to be on the bucket list.

HTH

[cholo]

I've taken the risk and already booked flights so am hoping it's on.

[Graveworm]

I have been looking at this but the packages we have been looking at include transfers but not the international flights so I think it wouldn't be underwritten. Previously we did an AMG one which included flights but it doesn't look like they are doing it next year. Any recommendations for any that include flights.

[Sandpit Steve]

Graveworm said:

I have been looking at this but the packages we have been looking at include transfers but not the international flights so I think it wouldn't be underwritten. Previously we did an AMG one which included flights but it doesn't look like they are doing it next year. Any recommendations for any that include flights.

Good point about underwriting, there’s been a lot of shocking stories about holiday companies washing their hands (yes, I know!) of people who had booked holidays for this year. Double check, for example, that your expensive hospitality suite in an hotel is dependent on the race actually happening, so they’ll cancel with a full refund if there’s no race. Some unscrupulous operators will try and hold their event anyway, and argue that you just booked a suite for this date at that price, which is going ahread so no refunds.

Always pay with a credit card, that way the bank can help you get refunded if there’s any problems.

[vaud]

Try https://www.motorsportstravel.co.uk/

[Graveworm]

Sandpit Steve said:

Good point about underwriting, there’s been a lot of shocking stories about holiday companies washing their hands (yes, I know!) of people who had booked holidays for this year. Double check, for example, that your expensive hospitality suite in an hotel is dependent on the race actually happening, so they’ll cancel with a full refund if there’s no race. Some unscrupulous operators will try and hold their event anyway, and argue that you just booked a suite for this date at that price, which is going ahread so no refunds.

Always pay with a credit card, that way the bank can help you get refunded if there’s any problems.

The company say that:
"If the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix date is changed or the event is cancelled after your booking has been made, you are entitled to re-book to a revised date at no extra cost, a credit voucher for the full value of the event booked with us or a refund."
My concern is of course they can't refund if they don't have the money.

[Sandpit Steve]

Graveworm said:

The company say that:
"If the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix date is changed or the event is cancelled after your booking has been made, you are entitled to re-book to a revised date at no extra cost, a credit voucher for the full value of the event booked with us or a refund."
My concern is of course they can't refund if they don't have the money.

Or if they go bust between now and the event. Anything that talks about voucher refunds is usually a bait-and-switch, a friend got a voucher for his cancelled £500 holiday, but all next year’s holidays to the same destination were over £1,000 so he was paying twice anyway. Many travel companies simply don’t have the cash available to refund everyone without going bust, and many of them appeared not to have had pandemic insurance either.

I know it’s pessimistic, but I’d hold off booking anything that’s once-in-a-lifetime money at the moment, until we have a better idea of how this bloody virus is going to look nearer the time. There’s just way too many variables, most of which involve either losing your money, having to jump through many hoops to get it back, or having to travel to attend an event that you’d rather not.

I used to travel two or three times a month for work and three or four times a year for family or holiday. Not been on a plane now since January, and don’t miss it at al!

[Thundersports]

chappj said:

So is the classic a better spectacle than the main GP?

I was also thinking about next spring still being too soon for the world to return to normal, but was having a bad day hence dreaming of being in Monaco for the GP

The Classic is in my opinion a far better event also much better value for money.

[Dan_1981]

I started this thread back in July as we saw a very good looking offer from a company.

We decided not to go ahead in the end - mainly due to the levels of uncertainty in what might happen.

Would the race take place?
Would the company go pop before then?
If it got cancelled or moved what were the T&C's?
Would we all still have jobs by then?

We ultimately decided to leave it for a while and see what happens.

But the offer we'd seen at the time was basically £1700 quid per person - 4 nights in a hotel in Nice, harbourside yacht access on the friday morning, apartment with balcony for Saturday qualifying overlooking Ste Devote

Grandstand tickets on the Sunday harbourside. & yacht access after the race for a couple of hours.

But no flights included.


ETA: Would have helped for me to add the link huh?!

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Edited by Dan_1981 on Monday 5th October 12:28

[cholo]

I'm looking to book soon for next year (bit of a bucket list thing for my 40th)

As mentioned above, i have already booked flights, but am having a bit of a dilemma as to which seats to go for.

I am thinking a different location for the Saturday and Sunday.

I have been looking at the Senate Grand Prix website - anyone had any experience booking with these?

Also for the Saturday i was looking at some of the terraces/bars/hotels.

Has anyone had any experience viewing the race from La Rascasse, The Fairmont or the Metropole?

It's a little bit pricier than standard grandstands, but not too much over budget, comes with food, but I'm just not sure what the race viewing will be like (which is what i am there for)?

I have a feeling that viewing may be compromised if they over book, although i doubt that will be the case as Covid is still likely to be around,.

Am i best just sticking to grandstands for both days?

Edited by cholo on Monday 5th October 12:27