Cheltenham Festival or Caribbean Cruise?

A trip to the Cheltenham Festival in March is the number one bucket list item for all horse racing fans. Four days of the very best racing action take place each year at the iconic racecourse nestled in the Gloucestershire countryside on the outskirts of the spa town of Cheltenham and the event attracts over 200,000 racegoers annually.

Those planning to make the pilgrimage to the 2023 Festival, which takes place from Tuesday 14th - Friday 17th March, will need deep pockets. Hotel prices in and around Cheltenham soar for race week with a twin room in an average 3-star hotel in the town coming in at £1,000 or more a night, which could alternatively secure you a two-week cruise around the Caribbean.

Racecourse admission and hospitality is not cheap either. The mid-range Tattersalls enclosure at the course costs £72 on each of the first three days of the Festival. That price jumps to £92 for Gold Cup Day on Friday.

The Club Enclosure is £118 on Gold Cup Day.

A pint of Guinness is £7 on track and a Hot Pork Roll from a fast food stand will cost you a further £14. If you want to push the boat out and opt for a full hospitality package for a day at the races you can be looking at a four figure sum.

The Core On Course premium hospitality package will set you back a cool £1,750 per person for the Gold Cup Day. This package, which according to the official Cheltenham Racecourse website is ‘selling fast,’ includes a Dom Perignon reception and a 6-course tasting menu with wine pairings themed on the 3 Michelin Star Core by Clare Smyth. There is a free bar of wine and beers throughout the day with afternoon snacks and treats and Clare will make a personal appearance during the event.

Four day trip to Cheltenham 2023

irishracing.com have taken a look at what a four-day trip to the 2023 Cheltenham Festival will set back an average racegoer.

First of all you have to get to and from Cheltenham and here are some of the options available:

Travel Costs

• Train from London Paddington - £88 standard return ticket + £8 for feeder bus to racecourse

• Driving a car - this is not going to work any cheaper than a train with rising fuel prices and an additional £30 to park the car near the racecourse per day

• Flying from Ireland - Those coming from Ireland will have fuel costs and Airport parking to contend with + €127 return Ryanair flight to Birmingham (without a bag) + train or coach to Cheltenham, return fare €57

• Travelling from Scotland - Edinburgh to Cheltenham Spa with return (train) - from £182 off peak return - £380 any time return.

  Edinburgh to Birmingham with return (flight) - from £80 + coach to Cheltenham, return fare £50.

Accommodation Costs

• Hotels - as previously mentioned hotel rooms in Cheltenham jump in price for the Festival. An average hotel room midweek at any other time of the year is £105 but during the Festival it will set you back around £1,000 per night bed and breakfast. This is for a twin room so if you have a travelling companion the cost per person is £500 per night or £2,000 for the entire Festival

• Airbnb - An average one bed studio apartment in Cheltenham is £80 per night outside of race week, but come the Festival that price shoots up to £380 per night. You could squeeze two in the room so the cost per person is £190 per night or £760 for the entire Festival

Racecourse Admission & Hospitality

• Admission Tickets - The Best Mate Enclosure tickets are £50 on the first three days and £70 on Gold Cup Day, A total of £220 for the four days. The mid-range Tattersalls enclosure is priced at £72 for each of the first three days of Cheltenham Festival and rises to £92 for Gold Cup on the Friday, giving a total ticket price of £308. The Club Enclosure for the four days works out at £427 for one adult.

• Hospitality Packages vary considerably, but even taking into account two pints and takeaway food each day at the races a punter will spend around a further £100 at the racecourse. Some more drinks and dinner each evening in the town will add at least another £200 to the cost of the trip.

Total Cost of 4-day trip to Cheltenham

• An average racegoer sharing a room in a 3-star hotel for the four nights can expect to outlay £2,728 on their trip to the Cheltenham Festival and that’s before they even place a bet.

Travel (by Train) £120 + Hotel £2,000 + Admission Tickets (Tattersalls Enclosure) £308 + Food & Drink £300 = Total £2,728

14 Night Holiday including Caribbean Cruise

An average punter will spend over £2,700 on their four day trip to Cheltenham 2023, but how does this compare to other holiday options around the same time?

For a shade less than £2,000, £1,999 to be exact, the same punter could book an all-inclusive Caribbean Cruise. This package with Galaxy Cruises departing in early February 2023 includes:

• Return flights from the UK

• 2 nights stay in Memphis

• A tour of Graceland

• 4 nights stay in New Orleans during Mardi Gras

• 7 nights Caribbean cruise

• Full board on cruise

• All drinks included on cruise

Cheltenham £2,700 Versus £2,000 Caribbean Cruise

When does Cheltenham 2023 take place?

Cheltenham 2023 takes place from Tuesday 14 March through to Gold Cup Day on Friday 17 March.