Monaco GP 2014 VIP Packages. Who to use?

[JBliss]

Hi all

Looking to go to the Monaco GP next year, but i want something a bit more than a normal Grandstand ticket.

Ive seen numerous sites offering varying packages, but i am somewhat dubious of some of them!

Has anyone used a company for a VIP Package, and if so what sort of costs am i looking at?

Would be for around 5 people i imagine
Julian

[Bigal1980]

Hi,

I am just organizing a trip for my husbands 40th birthday. I am thinking of going to town on this one as I have just found tickets on gumtree for £1200 for both days hospitality in what looks like a lovely apartment with brilliant views of the race track.

It does look good here is the link.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/monaco-f1-formul...

they also have a facebook page with the photos and videos from 2013

https://www.facebook.com/MONACOGPF1HOSPITALITY

Does anyone have any experience of these?

[anonymous-user]

I'd buy tickets direct from the official website (ACM) or from a reputable F1 travel company who are ATOL registered rather than tickets off gumtree etc. Fools and money are easily parted when F1 is invovled. Monaco is one of the few places I think VIP would actually be worthwhile as its so cramped and busy that getting a good seat and moving around the principality on the day will be a nightmare. We went in July and its a bizarre but interesting place. A seat overlooking the marina in the swimming pool section would be a good view.

Spend a day in Nice too, its lovely!

Monaco GP ticket thread here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Bigal1980]

Well Just spoke to Sean who has the tickets advertised on Gumtree and he is on Pistonheads funnily enough (So I better be careful what I say).

Apparently he runs his own business but the tickets are nothing to do with his business but are just a personal thing he does as he says it cuts the cost nearly in half of what other companies charge and he and his wife will be going again next year.

It all looks very reputable and he has even told me to get in touch with some of the people that booked with him last year.

I am thinking of booking but does anyone know of him?

I am not too concerned as it all looks completely legitemate but as its for my Hubby's special birthday. I really want to make sure this is probably the best thing I can do within the budget. Sean has told me that he has only 8 people going in 2014 as opposed to 12 people he had in 2013 but I am wondering if being within an intimate group of people is either good or bad or what it is like on other corporate balconies.

I dont really want to buy Grandstand tickets as apparently all the best ones go straight away and Sean has said in the Grandstands you are open to the elements where as in an apartment you have the choice of going inside if the weather is too hot or raining.

Does having the TV help you understand whats going on in the race or is this not an issue?

What are the toilet facilities like at other venues? As I am a woman and would prefer private toilets as the ones in the apartment do look nice or are all Monaco toilets 5*? strange question I know.....

[Monaco7]

Bigal1980 said:

What are the toilet facilities like at other venues? As I am a woman and would prefer private toilets as the ones in the apartment do look nice or are all Monaco toilets 5*? strange question I know.....

Hi Bigall

Like you, at my first Monaco GP in 2001 I had this notion that the loos would be these remarkable Amtico floored, tiled walled, chandelier'd havens of calm with a butler in the corner offering refreshing Hugo Boss, Hermes soaps and gold leafed quad-ply loo rolls and classical Beethoven piped in.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered those horrid little dalek things with no soap, no loo roll, long queues and that all-too-pungent aroma of fermenting waste......euch!

Any balcony you book will have their own washroom facilities of course, but there might be only one between however many guests are there enjoying the event with you, again, it comes down to making sure they are managed properly which I know to a lot might sound irrelevant but regular soap/air-freshner/paper-towel/loo-roll checks are important!

Rgds,
KMc.

[Monaco7]

pablo said:

I'd buy tickets direct from the official website (ACM) or from a reputable F1 travel company who are ATOL registered rather than tickets off gumtree etc. Fools and money are easily parted when F1 is invovled. Monaco is one of the few places I think VIP would actually be worthwhile as its so cramped and busy that getting a good seat and moving around the principality on the day will be a nightmare. We went in July and its a bizarre but interesting place. A seat overlooking the marina in the swimming pool section would be a good view.

Hi pablo

The ACM site doesn't offer any hospitality/VIP viewing, only the grandstands all of which are uncovered. I agree entirely that VIP viewing is the way to go, I've done Monaco every which way you can from hotel balconies, private terraces, yachts, Energy Station and even Paddock Club, each of them offering 'something' to the race fan. With regard to protecting your money, ATOL is only of use for air-travel, the bonding to look for is ABTA. However, one should note that the 1st thing ABTA will ask in the event of a tour operator failure is if you paid by credit card as the card has a built in protection against failure, some free advice to everyone is no matter who you book with, use your credit card (not debit) as this comes with automatic protection should the company vanish with your money. (ABTA will not act if you've booked by credit card)

Hope that helps, and beware many of the plethora of 'experts' in Monaco, I've seen dozens come and go over the years, check Companies House to see who it is you are dealing with.

Rgds.
KMc.

[wadsapple]

Kuoni Travel agent did a special brochure a few years ago just for Monaco. Lunch with Eddie Irvine on his boat was £1,800 and a room in the 5* hotel overlooking the entrance to the tunnel was a minimum of four nights at over £4k ...............a night if I remember correctly. I used Kuoni Travel for the swimming pool grandstand tickets on race day £350 ish and For qually we were in grandstand opposite pits by rasscasse £175 ish . both were fantastic but as has been said no roof. I took a £4 umbrella, worked fine as it was hot.I stayed in Nice great choice. There was an extensive thread on this forum about going this year that had loads of advice in it worth looking back some pages to find it.Oh and a 40th B'day present to die for I should think.

[Bigal1980]

Monaco7 said:

Bigal1980 said:

What are the toilet facilities like at other venues? As I am a woman and would prefer private toilets as the ones in the apartment do look nice or are all Monaco toilets 5*? strange question I know.....

Hi Bigall

Like you, at my first Monaco GP in 2001 I had this notion that the loos would be these remarkable Amtico floored, tiled walled, chandelier'd havens of calm with a butler in the corner offering refreshing Hugo Boss, Hermes soaps and gold leafed quad-ply loo rolls and classical Beethoven piped in.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered those horrid little dalek things with no soap, no loo roll, long queues and that all-too-pungent aroma of fermenting waste......euch!

Any balcony you book will have their own washroom facilities of course, but there might be only one between however many guests are there enjoying the event with you, again, it comes down to making sure they are managed properly which I know to a lot might sound irrelevant but regular soap/air-freshner/paper-towel/loo-roll checks are important!

Rgds,
KMc.

Thanks Monaco,

I thought as much with the Grandstands and I suppose the amount of people queueing I dont think they could help it. I suppose the restaurants and larger balconies will be similar as I am sure they will cram the people in as well to make as much money as possible.

I think we will go with Sean and the Core Monaco F1 Hospitality apartment as he has said that there will only be 8 people altogether and so the toilet situation will be minimal plus it looks a lot nicer than our bathroom at home.

Do you think £1200 pounds is about right as it seems very cheap compared to most companies but then I suppose there is the odd person out there that money is not the be all and end all and well suppose he does like to keep the costs down for fans such as ourselves.

The pictures on his facebook page do look very close to the action and it also looks like a really good view and a really lovely apartment (think i have talked myself into it already). What are your thoughts? I dont like committing to anything unless I know I am sure but I usually have my husbands opinion on things like this but of course I cannot ask him this time without spoiling it for him.

Only thing I cannot see on photos are the food & drink but I suppose as long as it is edible we should be OK. He also mentions a ride around the track in his Porsche, Can you get around the track race weekend?

[ewolg]

I went with http://www.exclusivegp.com/ and had the best time. Nothing was too much trouble and the balcony view was second to none.

[zeberdee]

Hi Bigal
Well………. How was it?
Was it real?
Were the loos OK
And the view?

[zeberdee]

Hi Bigal
Well………. How was it?
Was it real?
Were the loos OK
And the view?