Next year my husband and I plan to incorporate the Monaco Grand Prix into our vacation.

He suggested that there may be hotels with views of the race, so tickets wouldn't be required. Are there such hotels and are they outrageously expensive?

Would it make more sense to stay in another town and take the train? Is that difficult with the crowds. (Of course then we would buy race tickets).

I can't say I have ever been (passed through on the train once) to Monaco much less at GP time but from what I gather everything is booked out so far in advance it defies belief! There is a GP tour company in this country (there are several in Britain) that will get you hotels, race tix and the whole package (including airfare if you want) and I believe they are called simply "Grand Prix Tours". I get mail from them once in a while since I subscribe to various magazines, I guess. Monaco is the crown jewel of GP's and is very crowded, overbooked and overpriced, I would imagine. As with most big sporting events, corporate hospitality takes up a lot of room. The companies that sponsor the cars with their megabucks get to entertain their best clients there. Not to discourage you, but you are smart to think of it now, and I would go with a tour company, at least my first time. Good luck, have fun, and hopefully someone can beat Schumacher!

The Monaco Gran Prix is the type of event that some people book the same rooms year after year after year - and others book a year or more ahead. Good rooms in good hotels will cost you MEGA bucks.

I'd just plan on staying outside of the area and taking a tour or public transport into Monaco -- OR -- book a package tour that includes hotels and race/paddock tickets.

The hotels get booked a long time in advance, and at extortionate prices. Last week I was talking to someone who lives in Monaco, and she always leaves town for the event, since it is so crowded then. Probably better to stay outside and take the train in.

I have been to the Monaco Grand Prix twice, last year and the year before. We stayed in the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel, and yes, the prices are extortionate. Our track view room cost £10,000 GBP for 2 nights. It was an absolutely fantastic experience, being so close to the race was incredible, especially since we were over looking the hairpin corner, so the cars obviously were going a little slower, so you got to see them better.

There are much cheaper ways of doing it. Staying in one of the nearby towns, you can get the train in each day.

To me, the Monaco Grand Prix is the best and most exciting, and I'm not even particularly interested in the racing - but, if my husband insists on dragging me along, who am I to argue!!!

Please ask if you have any further questions.

Angela

If anyone thought you could just travel to Monte Carlo on Grand Prix day and watch the race final, forget it. You have to get a ticket in advance, as anywhere within a view of the race is barricaded off and non-ticketholders will not be admitted by the security. Tickets are on sale from various agents that advertise on the net, or for a price from tour operators, but not from race organisers to my knowledge. Price seems to range from around 200 euro for the cheapest stand and many times that for a grandstand seat. Best to start looking for them before Christmas. It's much easier watching one of the practice days earlier in the week.

I was in Monaco the week before the grand prix last month. My colleague bought grandstand seats on the Friday 9 days before. Our office may have had a couple of contacts but they were standard tickets - as said about 200 euro and it did not seem to difficult. The train he took from Nice station to Monaco was pretty full but they put extra on, so trains were every 10 minutes.
The weekend before was the vintage car grand prix. They also blocked the city centre for that, but the grandstands looked pretty empty. Might not have the glamour but it would be a cheaper alternative and there were rooms in the city (albeit not too many) and still exceptionally loud.

I've done the Monaco GP a few times. Hotels with a view of the race are insane, and even the (relatively) cheap hotels in Monaco will triple their rates for race weekend. I always stay in Nice and pay normal room rates. The train is 30 minutes away from Monaco, or, in the other direction, 30 minutes from Cannes. When going towards Monaco, get near the front of the train - you must cross the tracks through a single small tunnel near the front, and passengers in the back will wait forever to squeeze through. Buy tickets on the web early. Avoid the "rocher" - these are the cheap tickets without seats; they are on the side of a steep hill.

Monaco is different from other GPs in that they have 1st practice on Thursday, then Friday is an open day - no racing - then Saturday and Sunday are like normal GPs. This means that on Friday you can wander among the teams and watch them working on the cars (Monaco is so small that the pits are on the street).

Forza Rossa!

Thank you all for answering. In summary it sounds like a hotel with a view will cost $5,000+/night. Does anyone know one that is cheaper.

But what is encouraging is it sounds like we could easily stay in Nice and go back and forth on the train. Does anyone disagree?

Of course we will get event tickets in advance.

INOR