The new HFP chat thread – Sunday 3rd May

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We have decided to run this new daily chat thread on Head for Points.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the defacto repository for random comments and questions. It is unlikely that the news flow will be so big over the next few weeks that we will need many ‘Bits’ articles, however.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind. At this tricky time, and given that many of you are stuck at home self-isolating, we want the HFP community to have a place to chat.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article. This has long-term benefits as its keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

By default, HFP shows the last page of comments under the article. If you want to see the first page of comments and read them all from beginning to end in order, click here: https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/05/03/the-new-hfp-chat-thread-sunday-3rd-may/comment-page-1 The page will refresh with this article but the comments will now show the first page and not the last page.

We will continue to monitor how this is working. Let’s see how it goes. Take care!

Category

General

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Paul W says:

3 May3 May 06:43

Is anyone seeing any good hotel offers for bookings in 2021? I cannot see any sales/offers or competition between Hilton / Marriott at all. Just standard rack-rates.
I’m looking at Florida in February.
- Anna says:
  
  3 May3 May 08:02
  
  I got the IC Times Square for under $400 per night next Easter (also using the Ambassador certificate so even more of a bargain), but I don’t know if this was just a lucky fluke as prices at other hotels in the IHG chain don’t seem much changed. The CP at JFK on the same weekend is $200 per night!
  - Chrisasaurus says:
    
    3 May3 May 08:53
    
    Theres something about that CP at JFK. It’s so bad but I cant bring myself to book anything else, even after a 40 minute wait to checkin a few stays back. What is it about that place?
    - Craig says:
      
      3 May3 May 09:11
      
      I have something to look forward to then, 2 nights there coming up either side of a flip down to the Caribbean after a few nights in the Big Apple.
    - Anna says:
      
      3 May3 May 10:17
      
      I won’t bother with that one then! I need one night before an early connection to the Caribbean as well, the thought of getting a cab in from Manhattan the same morning makes me hyperventilate!
      - Tony says:
        
        3 May3 May 11:31
        
        What about the hotel in the old TWA building? Not cheap but looks awesome. Re the point about the CP – is it because it’s the only non- mud range brand in the area that it appeals? I was in that position but ended up just getting a cab from Manhattan early. You’re going against the traffic so as long as you’re well placed on the island it’s not too bad.
      - Craig says:
        
        3 May3 May 13:08
        
        For me it’s the 0730 departure from JFK, also I’m trying to book using points or flexible rates and the airport is much cheaper than downtown.
      - Jack says:
        
        3 May3 May 20:29
        
        The TWA hotel is an excellent classy hotel and not just a novelty. We went as a group of 20-somethings and had a great time at the rooftop pool and in the cool bar located inside of an old aircraft. I’m sure it would be even more exciting for anyone who was around when TWA still operated from the building.
      - Chrisasaurus says:
        
        3 May3 May 20:42
        
        I always book a decent room and that itself is great, it’s just an odd place. Small bar, very odd layout. They’re nice enough there though. As with all the hotels you’re boxed in by houses, driving there you’re driving down residential streeets then Boom it’s there.
        
        I didn’t mean to put anyone off, like I say it’s my go-to hotel. Only used the Hampton a couple times due to CP being full.
        
        The Hilton/Hampton 2-in1 is good value and not that far away if you want an alternative. The shuttles work pretty well
- Rob says:
  
  3 May3 May 10:14
  
  To be expected. No point thinking about promos etc until you have an idea on who will be allowed to visit.
Waddle says:

3 May3 May 07:19

Do Marriott day use ZDY stays credit as elite qualifying nights?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  3 May3 May 09:11
  
  Day rate? Earn points but since you didn’t stay the night then T&C’s say not but you never know hotel might make a mistake.
  
  Hilton day rates will qualify as a stay and sometimes night.
  - Chrisasaurus says:
    
    3 May3 May 09:28
    
    What’s the distinction between a stay and a night?
    - Jessiefan says:
      
      3 May3 May 09:36
      
      None. Hilton day bookings in London have always counted as a stay for me
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        3 May3 May 10:37
        
        It’s absolutely not none.
        
        There is a distinction A stay is as described above the act of checking in and out of a hotel regardless of the number of nights you are spending, if it’s over multiple bookings unless you leave the hotel for an overnight period it all counts as one stay.
        
        A night means you stayed overnight.
      - Waddle says:
        
        3 May3 May 14:29
        
        I understand that Hilton day use counts as a stay and a night. I’m curious as to whether day use with Marriott counts as a qualifying elite night towards status.
    - RussellH says:
      
      3 May3 May 10:22
      
      A stay is any number of consecutive nights in one establishement, whether or not the nights were all one booking or several.
      
      eg. 1xnight HIE Salford Quays followed by 1xnight HIE Oxford Road, then 1xnight Salford Quays is 3 night and 3 stays.
      3xnights HIE Salford Quays is just one stay.
    - Lady London says:
      
      3 May3 May 14:29
      
      Th distinction is what you earn on various promotions. Some reward nights, others stays. You always have to work so that you earn enough of whichever to earn on the promo.
      
      Plenty of people saw 10 stays got a bonus, did 1 stay lasting 10 nights then oops…. No bonus.
      - Chrisasaurus says:
        
        3 May3 May 20:46
        
        In the context of the post I replied
        To though can you have a stay with 0nights? Honestly assumed that wouldn’t work
      - Lady London says:
        
        3 May3 May 21:33
        
        Hilton defo seen reports like the one here. Not seen reports for others.
        
        FWIW a lot of the time when I’ve checked ‘day’ rates, taking a night works out cheaper provided I can arrange a late checkout. If you’re not arriving till, say, 8am for the ‘night before’, which is earlier than you’d be able to a access a lot of dayrooms, make sure you contact the hotel.do they keep the room and don’t mark you as a ‘no.show’.
        
        You can also become a meeting arranger with some gains apparently. Meant to be your PA but sometimes just booking a small meetings bf room for a few hours can work out ok. Not as good as it was but worth looking into apparently : I think it was Hilton, Accor, IHG. Tends to be promoted only towards US members for some chains but can earn anywhere.
        
        Accoe also seems to be making a thing of offeri g co-working spaces in hotels as a new business line – country-dependent offers. I am keeping an eye on this.
Mac D says:

3 May3 May 07:42

Virgin text and WhatsApp service bother replied at 4am again and then shut down the conservation again that’s both services I had been waiting 4 days on a reply for, how ridiculous!
- Peter says:
  
  3 May3 May 08:16
  
  I’m finding Virgin SMS and WhatsApp responses flaky right now. Got to make the request and confirm it, only then to get an email asking me to verify details again!
- Mac D says:
  
  3 May3 May 08:17
  
  This is the second/third time now, I started contacting last Saturday, I think they are really done for
  - Mr(s) Entitled says:
    
    3 May3 May 08:55
    
    Company A remove points from their balance sheet. Company A then uses cash to purchase points from Company B. If Company B are doing likewise in reverse there may be some netting but I can’t imagine that is the case here.
    
    Reducing liability good. Spending cash bad. I suspect the company does care.
  - Mac D says:
    
    3 May3 May 09:02
    
    Get out of your bubble idiot, I never even mentioned points.
  - Mac D says:
    
    3 May3 May 09:05
    
    Also it still doesn’t make it acceptable for making people wait 5 days and then close their request to wait another 5 days for a response, their system is broke and clearly they are broke that isn’t the question!
    - Mac D says:
      
      3 May3 May 09:49
      
      Yes called took an hour but done now thanks
    - James says:
      
      3 May3 May 12:57
      
      Not quite so broke then, Mac D
- Lev441 says:
  
  3 May3 May 08:21
  
  Same, I sent an identical message to last month requesting the remaining 40,000 miles in my account to transfer out to IHG – after 4 days the message told me to ring up the number as opposed to being completed via text unlike last time where I was cashing out 500,000 and completed via the text service!
  - Dave says:
    
    3 May3 May 08:26
    
    Both my wife and I have successfully used the text service to move IHG points in the Past week. Both times took 2 or 3 days to get a reply but once they replied (late afternoon both times) it was resolved very quickly. I guess keep trying and hope to get lucky like we did.
    - Mac D says:
      
      3 May3 May 08:32
      
      Well I’ve had 3 separate responses at 3-4am then I reply later and it restarts, will phone thanks 🙁
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      3 May3 May 08:32
      
      Dave, did you send all the details over they require in the first SMS? If so, what did they require from you in the 2nd SMS?
      - Dave says:
        
        3 May3 May 08:49
        
        I said I wanted to move my virgin miles to IHG. Selected option 3 then 6 and sent my virgin number. Then heard back a couple of days later asking for my name and address to pass security and my IHG number. Then just a reply to conform and that was it.
        Does seem I’m lucky compared to some people on here. I was only moving 15000 as well…
  - Blindman says:
    
    3 May3 May 08:32
    
    Best bet is to ring up, wait about 1hr to get through and then it’s all sorted in 5 minutes.
- Mr(s) Entitled says:
  
  3 May3 May 08:36
  
  It may be by design or it may not.
  
  If your text goes into a queue you may simply be unlucky that they keep arriving at your text at such an odd hour (although given the +44 number this is no excuse). Perhaps send a few texts today at various times to see if their system is smart enough to ignore the duplicates or if you get multiple spots in the queue a few hours apart in the hope that you are able to then reply to a response.
  
  It seems from the comments below that it is still working for some.
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    3 May3 May 09:01
    
    Very strange, few weeks back we SMS them, 1st SMS just requesting to transfer balance. 3 hours later reply received and all details send. 5 hours later confirmation SMS all completed.
- anttelli says:
  
  3 May3 May 09:49
  
  I messaged Virgin via the online contact form on the website on 20th April, didn’t get a reply email until 0421 on 1st May but they did not ask for any further verification and confirmed my points had been deducted from my account and the transfer to Hilton would be made within 30 days.
Anna says:

3 May3 May 08:04

Outside London in general the picture is more like that in Germany or Scandinavia, I think.
- ChrisA says:
  
  3 May3 May 08:25
  
  Not at all – the Birmingham area alone has only seen only a couple of thousand deaths less than the whole of Germany. And the north west of England is not too far behind.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    3 May3 May 08:48
    
    It’s all too early statisticians will look at age adjusted deaths over a longer period to find out where was worst hit.
    
    Midlands were hit hard when you look at deaths per 1m capita. Just as an absolute London c5k deaths for about 9m residents and midlands c4K deaths for 10m so both hot very hard compared to the rest of the uk.
  - Anna says:
    
    3 May3 May 10:25
    
    UK overall, 23 deaths per million, Norway 38, the BMJ reports that Germany’s lower death rate is due to very high levels of testing which affects their figures. But I agree that probably every country is collecting their data slightly differently so you’ll have apples, oranges, grapes, bananas and so on!
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      3 May3 May 10:32
      
      You’re way off with your number for UK c28000 deaths for c70m population is c400/1m population.
      
      And agree just looking at headline numbers Doesn’t really tell you much. Population density’s, ease and willingness to travel between cities, local demographics, data collection practices etc etc
    - Anna says:
      
      3 May3 May 10:41
      
      Apologies, UK outside London!
    - ChrisBCN says:
      
      3 May3 May 10:46
      
      Totally wrong numbers Anna!
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      3 May3 May 11:08
      
      You’re still way off Anna. If you take out London and midlands from the 21k deaths in England you’re looking at about 12k deaths in 35m population it’s still about 340/1m
    - ChrisA says:
      
      3 May3 May 11:28
      
      Hi Anna, I think your original point was that death rates outside of London were comparable to the likes of Germany.
      I take your point about the various different ways in which data is collected, but a quick glance at the graph right at the bottom of this article would suggest that the death rate outside of London is in no way comparable to Germany etc.
      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274
Secret Squirrel says:

3 May3 May 08:21

I read he was ridiculed by locals in his village or town as his main residence is in London but one of his family live in the house in Cornwall permanently so it was ok to relocate?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  3 May3 May 09:08
  
  Sounds like Small minded nosey gits who should be minding their own business.
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    3 May3 May 09:52
    
    Agree, there is a certain small minded attitude in some Cornwall towns towards visitors. Tourism makes these places thrive & produce employment for the local community.
  - Secret Squirrel says:
    
    3 May3 May 10:05
    
    But he has been spotted x2 travelling to another holiday home 25 miles from the one he reportedly was staying at in March 20th so he was making unessential journeys.
    Not good for a celebrity – Stay Safe, Stay at Home!
  - Lady London says:
    
    4 May4 May 15:30
    
    “bumpkins”, Lockdown Larry? You try living in a place that gets besieged by tourists.
TonyG says:

3 May3 May 09:35

Is the Virgin Atlantic website working?
Anyone else having problems accessing it?
Also Hilton Honours does not work.
Something fishy going on?
- ChrisA says:
  
  3 May3 May 09:38
  
  I can access both fine.
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  3 May3 May 09:38
  
  Both accessible for me using the apps?
- James says:
  
  3 May3 May 13:00
  
  ignore TonyG, he has posted this rubbish before in the hope of stirring up panic.
  - TonyG says:
    
    3 May3 May 16:57
    
    Why would I do that?
    I had issues with both sites.
    - TonyG says:
      
      3 May3 May 16:58
      
      and you can see later others mention virgin site down
Jumble Tales says:

3 May3 May 09:47

Has anyone else had their Hilton tier status match downgraded by email last night, despite their email in March offering to extend the tier expiry dates due to the current circumstances? I’ve emailed them to query this.
- Anna says:
  
  3 May3 May 10:27
  
  Have you checked your status though? The downgrading email might just be an automated one which would have been sent out anyway.
  - Jumble Tales says:
    
    3 May3 May 11:59
    
    Yes, unfortunately downgraded by one tier.
Secret Squirrel says:

3 May3 May 09:50

He has two holiday homes in Cornwall & has been spotted twice last week in Fowei. 25 miles from his other holiday home where he is supposed to be holed up outside of his London main residence!