Overview

Fantastic, an offer you will truly love, everything for the days trip to the races is included on their hospitality offer, free parking, entrance fee, a seat in the Panoramic restaurant which is yours for the whole day, with outstanding views over the whole race course, which you can see live, or on a TV screen on your own table, a five course excellent meal, with an overall pleasant choice on the menu, drinks brought to your seat, hot drinks throughout your day, disabled toilet right in the restaurant itself, and to cap it all, a full afternoon Tea is given towards the end of the race day. Although expensive, £220.00 each (for the April 2023 meeting) it is more than worth the experience, a treat we wholeheartedly recommend as a special treat. This is racing at its best. OUR REVIEW After climbing the steep ramp (photo 1) walk into lift facing you (photo 2) on level 2 The board will indicate all the floors for you (photo 3) and take the lift to level 5 and enter the Panoramic Restaurant (photo 4). What a pleasant surprise, the tables are laid on three levels, but a disabled person who cannot get out of their chair will need to have pre-booked a table of six and be willing to share the table. We advise that you let the team know you are disabled when booking in advance, and making the full payment two months before the actual race day you will be attending. If you feel you could manage a few steps, then try to book a table for two on the lower of the three levels, as these tables have uninterrupted views of the whole race course, but if their are only two of you, be ready to have to share the table (photo 5) As soon as seated, waitress will come to take your drinks order which will be delivered to your table (photo 6) and a menu will be presented (photo 7) You will start with biscuits and coffee, canapés, and house baked bread. These were really nice, small, but tempting, and with what’s to come, more than enough. Then you choose your starter, Dennis had the Charcuterie, with pickles and chutney (Photo 8) a selection of meats and very nice, while Veronica chose the Salmon. A Racecard will have been presented to you, and you find what you hope will be the winner, and there will be no need to leave your seat to make a bet, it can be done from your seat, by presenting your horses number and a credit card to cover the bet. At least you will not need to go down to the bookies outside, although these are situated in a nice spot right next to the rails (photo 9) The next and main course will be brought to you, we both chose the Root vegetable Filo Pastry and cashew cream (photo 10) really delightful, and enough to please us. As we ate, the sun shone brightly on the Cheltenham hills, and the crowds started to arrive on the main concourse (photo 11). Each race passed by, and after three exciting events in which our fellow guests around the restaurant whooped and shouted their choice on, we joined in with their excitement, but again remind you all that we do not personally gamble at all, there is no need, it’s just as interesting to pretend to find the winner, and join in the atmosphere. Now our deserts arrived, and all four of us chose the same ( we shared our table with a lovely couple ) and the Lemon Posset was a light cream dish, with a rhubarb topping over a ginger nut crumb base ( photo 12). By now we are both pleasantly full, the wine has been good, and we have found winners, although no bet on them. The disabled toilet is on the top level inside restaurant, opposite the bar, but up a flight of steps if you have a table on the lower levels (photo 13) it is clean and tidy, a bit overcrowded but enough room for your wheelchair (photo 14) Just after 4.00pm, afternoon Tea was presented, and what a delightful treat, all the trimmings, lovely fresh home made scones and cream, and a selection of small but very tasty cakes, just enough to fill any gaps you may have had (photo 15) Racing is near ending now, and our fellow guests have just had a winner, many punters turning away disappointed however (photo 16) but delighted to share their excitement (photo 17) while watching the horses return to the winners enclosure (photo 18) but now it’s thinking caps on again for the last race today (photo 19) while many tried to finish their afternoon Tea for today (photo 20). A truly wonderful experience, more than worth the money we paid, and something we will always remember, and we would recommend you giving it a try one day.

Transport & Parking

Parking is a bit of a let down, it’s quite a bit of a push for your carer, but getting to the course was a pleasant trip through open countryside, colour coded ticket directions will show you the way, and the car park was quite large enough to avoid problems.

Access

Leaving the car park the walk to the Panoramic Restaurant is quite an effort for your carer, especially if it’s raining, but there are two lifts available to get you up to the fifth floor for the Panoramic Restaurant, which is a delight, it’s nice and airy, comfortable seating with fantastic view of the whole course, the main floor being all on the level, although you will have to share your table with others, which is selected for you by the company itself, but you will see everything from your seat. If you have mobility enough to cope with steps, then tables for four can be had down below the top level (as our photo will show) but whichever you get, it’s a treat you will not forget.

Toilets

On the top level of restaurant, clean and tidy, big enough to get a wheelchair into. Grab rails and pull cords are there, easy enough to get to the toilets.

Staff

Hard working, friendly and willing, although many are new and used just occasionally, but they know what to do.

Photos