I found myself following in the slipstream of socialite Paris Hilton when staying overnight at Silverstone, the home of motor racing.

During this summer’s British Grand Prix, the famous ‘It Girl’ performed a dj set at the Hilton Garden Inn’s rooftop bar, then posed for photos on the balcony of one of its track-facing rooms.
Three weeks later, my family and I were at the same bar for a Belgium Grand Prix viewing party, before checking into a similar room overlooking the starting grid on the Hamilton Straight.
Sadly, the dj spinning tunes before the Formula One action unfolded on a giant screen looked nothing like Paris, who is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels.
But that didn’t detract from a high-octane afternoon on the covered rooftop where numerous light bites and Belgium-inspired booze (for grown-ups) kept us fully fuelled.

There were also F1 simulators to test our driving skills (round the Spa track in Belgium, naturally) which were great fun (I won’t reveal who won our family challenge as I don’t like to boast).
As we watched the Belgium Grand Prix, racing cars were also roaring around the Silverstone track, giving the on-screen action the ultimate surround sound feel.
For us, these cars – of different shapes and sizes – became the main attraction, especially when it became clear that Max Verstappen was cruising towards yet another win (yawn!).
The Hilton Garden Inn is Silverstone’s first and only trackside hotel and 75 of its 197 rooms overlook the iconic start / finish straight, most having balconies.
They can be turned into money-spinning hospitality suites during big race events.
We were allocated two swish interconnecting rooms – a twin and a junior suite.

Lucky for us, the twin was on the corner of the hotel and had a wrap-around balcony.
We left the six-hour rooftop party early to excitedly check into the rooms and catch more of the ‘live’ track, which continued throughout the afternoon.
The kids’ rooms featured a 55-inch TV, a mini-fridge and a work desk with an ergonomic chair.
Mum and Dad’s had all these plus a coffee machine, a sofa-bed and a second huge TV in the living area.
As you’d expect, the TVs included a subscription for Sky’s Formula One channel.
The beds guaranteed a restful sleep, although with the cars whizzing past an afternoon nap was out of the question!
The following morning, a Monday, the track action before our 11am check-out was confined to JCBs moving crash barriers and men painting chevrons as Silverstone prepared for the British Moto GP.
We enjoyed breakfast at the BOX Bar & Kitchen restaurant, taking our coffees onto its terrace overlooking the grid (we just couldn’t get enough of the view).

Before leaving, I gave into the demands of our car-crazy nine-year-old son to visit the Silverstone Store, next to the lobby, where he bought a little replica of Lewis Hamilton’s car. 
Real petrolheads can combine a stay with a visit to the Silverstone Museum (adults £22.50 / children 13.50) which is just a short walk away.
But for us, it was time to put our foot on the gas and head for home after an exhilarating 24 hours.

Travel facts

Track-facing rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Silverstone cost from £99 per night, with non-track facing rooms from £87. Children up to 18 years old stay free (with existing bedding) when sharing a room with a paying adult on a room only rate. The Belgium Grand Prix Viewing Party cost £65 for adults and £32 for under-14s. See www.hilton.com

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