Escapade Silverstone

The track views from the restaurant really made dinner feel special. We had the cornfed chicken and Atlantic cod, both tasty and cooked well, though the portions felt a little small. The buffet breakfast had a good range of hot food. My brother and I stayed one night while travelling to a local event at Silverstone. Check-in was easy and we got to our spacious, clean, comfortable room quickly. Since it was pouring, Benjamin kindly drove us to the Silverstone main entrance and picked us up afterwards. I tried the pool in the afternoon and found it relaxing. The sauna wasn't very hot because of an issue the team already knew about and were working to fix. They apologised for the inconvenience. Everyone we met on staff was friendly, courteous and helpful. It was a very enjoyable stay in a great location, and we'd gladly come back.

The Lap of Lights and ice trak were great fun, and the grounds were beautifully kept. Just bear in mind that while the Lap of Lights is running, you can't get onto the race track on foot or by bike, even during the day. We spent Boxing Day here as a family and had a wonderful time. Our three bedroom apartment overlooking the track was gorgeous. We're big F1 fans, though the accommodation would still be fabulous if you're not. Dinner at the restaurant was lovely too, with delicious food, friendly staff and more track views. The swimming pool is beautiful. My son called it his best Christmas present ever, which says it all. I'd definitely stay again and recommend it.

The visit was positive overall, but here are a few practical things I couldn't find information about beforehand. If you want to walk, run or cycle on the track, access depends on what activities are taking place. The kitchenette has a microwave, coffee machine, kettle, undercounter fridge with a freezer box, and a half size dishwasher. There isn't an oven, hob or toaster. It was close to 0°C outside during the day and below freezing overnight. The ground source heat pumps seemed to struggle: even with the thermostats at their 24°C maximum, the rooms never got that warm. The bedrooms were comfortable, possibly because of electric heating in the WC, but the hallway and lounge were cold, as was the wood floor there. I could also hear the outdoor heat pump cycling on and off throughout the night from our bedroom, which disturbed my sleep. We booked a 09:45 breakfast at the Gallery Restaurant & Bar, expecting to order from the breakfast menu, but on arrival were told they were only serving the buffet. That was fine at first, until they wanted to close it at 10:00, just 15 minutes later. At £20 per person, that didn't feel like good value. I'd recommend booking no later than 09:30 and going early if you want time for a relaxed breakfast.

The atmosphere was lovely and the restaurant food was very good. We did have a small issue with the bill: three 125 ml glasses of wine, listed on the menu at £10 each, initially came to about £50. Once we mentioned it, the staff changed the total to around £30. It was probably a billing mistake, but there was no apology or explanation. Aside from that, we had a pleasant stay.