planetf1.com

Having hired a caravan last year for the British GP and enjoyed the convenience of being so close to the circuit, for 2013 I've splashed out and gone for a Snoozebox so was just wondering if anyone had good, bad or indifferent experiances of this.

Silverstone 2013 prices: £795 for 3 nights?! I dont care if DC is the president of the company, thats crazy.

(Plus your GP tickets!)

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They do look nice. Well on the inside anyway. And the location it the but the price it ott

Not had any experiences of Snoozebox, but saw them last year at the circuit (Silverstone). They certainly have no close competitors in terms of location! That would have been of particular importance last year.

My grandmother used to live within 10 miles of Silverstone, so I'd always have free accommodation - she's moved now, so last year and this year I've used hotels. Staying in the same town that my grandmother used to live in, we've got an Alan Partirdge-esque travel tavern on the Thursday for £45, and then a nicer four star hotel for the Friday and Saturday for around £180 per night. I've seen some pretty unappealing hotels with rooms priced much higher than that over that weekend.

Even though the Snoozebox price is a hell of a lot, I don't think it is unacceptably so. That £795 includes parking (Silverstone parking has gone up to £60 this year, whereas just 6 years ago it was a quarter of that price) and breakfast. Subtract the £60 from the £795 and divide by 3 and it works out as £245 per night. Plus free breakfast which, if buying in the circuit, can cost around £10 per head. It's still an outrageous price, but I can understand how, for someone who is prepared to pay the already-insane F1 prices, it might be worth it to have a clean and comfortable place to stay and already be at the circuit.

I'd love to hear about your experience afterwards.

£795 my eyes nearly popped out!

Location, location, location? Is it in the paddock or the grounds of the track?

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http://www.racefan.co.uk

It's just behind the old pit straight grandstand

All here: http://www.snoozebox.com/home/index.html

Can I ask - is £795 for 3 nights for the 4 rooms? If so, that's actually really good - If you could split that with friends over the stay you're looking at just under £200 for 3 nights in a prime location.

I'm tempted for next year at that price!

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I AM THE THREAD KILLER.

I thought that too, but then saw this:

"Maximum occupancy for this event: 2 adults or 2 adults + one child."

The spec is 795 quid for three nights. One double bed, one single bunk. Maximum occupancy two adults and one child. Breakfast and en suite included.

Sounds like a lot but are you going to spend much less on a hotel room? I'd far rather stay in one of these than a hotel outside the venue. The question is weather I'd rather save the money and cope with a tent/camper.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

Balls.

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I AM THE THREAD KILLER.

So even if you find 1 friend, you end up spending £397.50 (£132.50 / night). That gets you a parking spot (no idea if you're any more likely to get that spot than those that paid for one and didn't get one in 2012 though) and breakfast.

It's not as bad, but still not cheap when you consider you've got your race tickets on top of that.

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Just checked out the other costs for this years race. If a couple go to the GP by car and get grandstand tickets for Club, it will cost over a thousand quid.

A week in Spain, including 4 star hotel, flights, taxes etc. can be had for less than 100 quid per person.

Something's wrong there.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

I've just checked and for my (F1-loving) gf and I this year the costs are £932. That's £599 for Luffield A early-saver tickets, which includes parking and 'fees'. We're staying in a budget hotel on the Thursday for £45, and a nice hotel on the Friday and Saturday for £144 per night. Then there's food and the inevitable merch purchases, although we are reluctantly saving the £50 or £60 for FanVision this year.

It's a crazy price, really, particularly when considering how cheap other Grands Prix, or even other formulas, can be. But we get three full days of motorsport, and we both love GP2 and GP3 as well.

You're right that something's wrong with your week-in-Spain example... there's no F1

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

Though you could coincide with a Spanish GP, still save money and get a holiday out of it.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

True, but if Spanish capitalists are anything like our British ones, that £100 per person might creep up a little during F1's visit

After clocking your location, perhaps sacking off the F1 and driving to Vegas in the Great Red Shark with a 'full' trunk might be more fun...

Just get general admission tickets they are perfectly fine at about £166 each for 3 day ticket

While I'm sure is just lovely to stay in a hotel and haw a nice seat waiting for you at the track, for £216 all in I'm much happier to camp at woodlands and have a general admission ticket ever year. For that price there's always scope for another F1 trip the same season

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Multi 21 or Catch 22?!

It ain't hating just 'cause it's not love

Yep. £55 a day for general admission that's cheap entertainment !!

Ignoring the current affairs pun, it's all horses for courses.

Referring only to the Silverstone circuit, when my dad was paying in the 90s we'd always have general admission, and I loved it. As fully grown man in his 30s, having a warm bed at night and a guaranteed seat at the circuit with a roof is far more preferable than potentially having to stand in line in the pissing rain when the gate opens at 5am in order to get a good space. I don't have an issue with camping, either; I still sleep in a tent at punk festivals, but this seems a far less palatable option for me at the F1.

Money isn't stopping me from going to another race, but if it was I think I'd still rather have one experience with the above luxuries, than two without.

But each to his/her own

Now you're talking. Buy the ticket, take the ride. Perhaps I should say buy the ticket or take the ride.

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Klaus Kinski: making me question my heroes since January 2013

I have only been once, in 2011... I had a ridiculously small 1-man tent, or 'coffin' as I referred to it, which you couldn't even sit up in. After a Saturday consisting of the heaviest showers I've ever known, while being the coldest I've ever been in July, I trudged back out, after everyone else had left the circuit and gazed up longingly at the massive blue shipping containers...which, if not exactly glamorous, at least looked dry and sheltered...unlike my sagging, soggy tent...

On that day I swore, that next time I go, it will be with a more comfortable bed for the night!


(Those prices are bloody ridiculous though!)

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I went in 2010 and it was bone dry. I think you need a decent tent rather than a snoozebox, whatever that is.

Plus in some of the fields you can pretend to be Maximums from Gladiator.

I think there's a bit of event based profiteering going on there given that the price for the same facility at the MotoGP British GP is £80 a night.

No doubt, all about supply and demand and I am guessing they will sell out at those respective prices for each event.

They only allow 2 adults + 1 child in each unit. No three adults despite having 1 double and one single bed. If you were allowed 3 adults and it was £450 for the weekend, £150 would not be too bad and fair. If it continues to be a success, they will have a lot more units and probably a lower price in the future.

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http://www.racefan.co.uk

It's also very expensive when you take into consideration the poor quality of Silverstone. I've not been in a couple of years (last went there and 'snuck' past security about 2 years ago. Ended up joining in on a free drive day. My little old 1990s Corsa didnt like the track!! ) but the spectator areas were falling appart, and the facilities were pure crap.

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I guess that depends on your frame of reference. Aside from Silverstone, my recent circuit experiences have only been Thruxton and Donington. And only one of those experiences involved cars on a circuit.

The grandstands have always seemed plenty sturdy enough to me... although, being critical, last year's Grand Prix points to a need for larger tarmac parking areas.

What do you mean by the facilities being crap? Like... the bogs and stuff?

When you think about it...

I went to Barcelona GP in 2009.

Return flights - £120
Race ticket - £100
Transfers/taxis - £40
4/5* hotel with harbour view central Barcelona for 2 nights - £200

3 days of sunshine... priceless

The centre is only 35 mins from the Airport and the track 30 minutes (going slightly back towards the airport) from the centre. Great race to check out and general admission with flights/hotel in Barcelona works out the same as the most expensive race seat at silverstone.

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http://www.racefan.co.uk

I agree the price is very very high but at previous GPs I've endured camping (freezing cold) and caravaning (which wasn't bad) and so the idea of having a bit of creature comfort really appeals to me a lot. Its probably a one time deal - my 50th is in July so this is a birthday treat to myself - but I love the idea of being able to just chill out somewhere that is readily accessable from the track.

The one thing I'm worried about is the lack of atmosphere, which is something I've had bad luck with previously. The year I camped it was was wet and cold so zero atmosphere and last year in the carazan was pretty much the same (apart from the Thursday night). I would really love a bit of a party atmosphere around me but somehow I image most of the other folk who book Snoozebox are old gits like me so it will be dead in the evenings. And that will be a real shame.

Haha,

You have priced yourself out of an atmosphere. Only joking. When I camped in Spa last year we went down to the beer tents by the Le source entrance and it was european-man-carnage, men with no shirts struggling to stand and falling all over the place, arm wrestling competitions, beer spilling everywhere, crazy stuff.

If it is an exciting qualifying I am sure people will be soaking up some wine in the "booze box" especially as its not the type of thing you would take children too. All it takes is a few people to make an atmosphere, you'll be in the track of the evening who knows who you will run into...

Enjoy your weekend, that it is in the grounds of the track is certainly its big draw.

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http://www.racefan.co.uk