The new HFP chat thread – Wednesday 29th July

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• Vit says:

  29 Jul29 July 08:34

  Anyone here flew Widerøe and able to credit miles to star alliance member? Or does it allow you to only credit miles to Euro bonus (SAS FF programme)? Thanks in advanced.

  • guesswho2000 says:

    29 Jul29 July 12:06

    SK only, WF aren’t members of Star Alliance and don’t have any other partners that I’m aware of.

    • Vit says:

      29 Jul29 July 12:49

      Ah bummer! I was booked on SK this afternoon but then our boat got hit quite hard with a very bad weather system, hence long delay + another night and change of flight. Urghhh!

      • Charlieface says:

        29 Jul29 July 14:27

        Some of their flights are SK codeshares IIRC, maybe then you can credit elsewhere.

        • Vit says:

          30 Jul30 July 05:46

          Yes, actually had to go via BGO and the first flight from SVG is SK so basically I can credit mile through to preferred star alliance partner. 😊

• Lottie says:

  29 Jul29 July 08:39

  Does anyone know if the BA bag drop At T5 is still open the night before for early flights? I couldn’t see any up to date info on line or on my BA email this morning. Ideally don’t want to drive there the night before to find it’s shut but it would be a lot easier in the morning.

• krys_k says:

  29 Jul29 July 09:10

  Hotel in Malta recommendation please.
  Was going to go to Dubai in October but the covid tests on entry and exit add too much work into the mix. Usually my wife and I grab a backpack and just go somewhere new (74 countries and counting) but this time round will have five month daughter so want to just chill this time. Will probably hire a car so location isn’t too much of an issue. Would like somewhere with pool, child friendly (not sure what that means to be honest as first trip with child), more on the quality / luxury scale than small B&B. Thanks

  • S says:

    29 Jul29 July 10:18

    Hilton for me.

    • Tocsin says:

      29 Jul29 July 14:00

      And another for the Hilton – assuming the Exec Lounge is operating. Even without that, the staff are great!

  • AJA says:

    29 Jul29 July 10:28

    Don’t have any recommendations for hotels although there was a review of one in the readers favourite hotel series. When in October are you going? Latter half of the month is much cooler (closer to 20c) than the first half (Up to 25c) so beware pools may be a bit cool.

    • Rhys says:

      29 Jul29 July 10:34

      https://headforpoints.com/2020/05/17/review-hotel-1926-sliema-malta/

  • Alan S says:

    29 Jul29 July 20:55

    Intercontinental is good if you book into the highline suites. It’s essentially an average hotel with a less average 3/4 floors built on top…

    Rooftop pool is great.

    • Paul74 says:

      29 Jul29 July 23:46

      Yes, I stayed there once, similar experience. Got upgraded to a suite which was a positive. As for the other aspects of the hotel ie service, not so good.

      • krys_k says:

        30 Jul30 July 00:20

        Thanks all for recommends !

• Louise says:

  29 Jul29 July 09:32

  Anyone recommend a hotel for a halfway-ish stop from Essex to Newcastle? I was contemplating a stop in York but open to any suggestions if anyone has any!

  • Anna says:

    29 Jul29 July 10:34

    You’re nearly all the way once you get to York! Think Sheffield/Peak District are more like half way. Some lovely places in the Peak District but it depends what’s open. Or Manchester for a city stop? The Kimpton Clocktower looks great, the Hilton Deansgate is also very nice but pricing can be all over the place depending on how busy they are. They do treat status pax well though, as gold last time we stayed we were upgraded from a standard room to Club Lounge access which is (or was then) in the amazing Sky Bar on one of the top floors.

    • tony says:

      29 Jul29 July 11:24

      I’m going to wager it would take almost as long to drive from Essex to Manchester as it would to Newcastle.

      Suspect the route will be up the M11, A14 then onto the A1.

      Pre-COVID, I was very impressed with Harrogate. We stayed at the Timble Inn in a one street hamlet about 10 miles further West, but again by the time you get off the motorway and across, you’d almost be in Newcastle.

    • Yorkieflyer says:

      29 Jul29 July 13:29

      Now what was it Mark Twain said about Manchester? When you could stay in York why on earth would you go to Manchester? 😄

      • Anna says:

        29 Jul29 July 16:59

        People tend to be spilt between hating it and finding it alluringly trendy. I’m not hugely keen these days but it was where I grew up and hung around in my teenage years so I still have a soft spot for it.

        • John says:

          29 Jul29 July 18:38

          Yes but it’s… on the wrong side of the pennines

  • Andrew says:

    29 Jul29 July 11:53

    Is it worth stopping? Depends on where you are in Essex, but you’re only talking 4h 00m to 4h30m to drive from Essex to Newcastle.

    I often drive Perth to Oxford in 6 hours without stopping.

  • Lady London says:

    29 Jul29 July 12:20

    There’s a Days Inn in a service area on the A1 not far after you would turn off for LBA and before Thirsk. That route doesnt go too far from the Metro Centre which has a couple of HIX-like hotels near IIRC.

    But by then you are so close you might as well take a hotel in Newcastle. Wasnt the NCL airport Doubletree very popular with posters at one time? There’s a country-house style McDonalds hotel at Guisborough but again that’s ?45 min? from Newcastle.

    • Sandra says:

      29 Jul29 July 13:05

      A1 Days Inn is Wetherby services on southbound side (easy access from Northbound exit, turn right over A1). But by the time you get here, as long as there are no hold ups, you are only an hour and a half from Newcastle

      • Lady London says:

        29 Jul29 July 13:30

        That’s the one. It’s quite popular always has cars outside it.

        In that service area, as in many, prices of food outlets are bumped up but IIRC your AA membership got you the 10% back on the main ones.

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    29 Jul29 July 13:49

    York is a significant diversion from the A1 (but well worth it of course – although as I live near there I’m biased).

    Centre has almost infinite options. The Grand is newish and good.

    If you don’t want to get snagged with city centre traffic then the hotels near the Knavesmire/racecourse are easily accessible and range from a HI or Marriott (just OK but points-friendly) to Middlethorpe Hall.

    Convenient and interesting option right off the A1 at the A64->York junction would be Hazlewood Castle. Rates reasonable ATM of course and about 1000% more enticing than a Days Inn!

    • Yorkieflyer says:

      29 Jul29 July 17:31

      To be fair, only 20 minutes off the A1 and a pleasant evening wandering the snickleways would beckon? Disclaimer, As a York resident obviously also biased, but it’s a great stopover nonetheless

    • John says:

      29 Jul29 July 18:40

      The A64 is very pleasant to drive and you can always take the A19 north from York

  • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

    29 Jul29 July 15:44

    Doubletree Nottingham is a decent shout if you are taking the M1 rather than the A1. <5min detour from the motorway,you have Sherwood Forest or some National Trust properties if you want to see some sights and a short walk to the bus/tram if you want to go into the city centre.

    • Yorkieflyer says:

      29 Jul29 July 17:33

      or Leicester 😳

  • Benj says:

    29 Jul29 July 16:03

    We stayed at the Principal York for a night recently, and were pretty impressed. I think we paid around 20k IHG points.

  • dezbez says:

    29 Jul29 July 21:15

    @Louise – not sure whether you are just after something cheap and cheerful to break up the journey or whether you want a longer stop-off in a swisher venue? If the latter, maybe have a look at Langar Hall midway between Nottingham and Grantham. Not quite half way but still under three hours from Newcastle

• Steve R says:

  29 Jul29 July 09:36

  Does anyone know what is going on with Tesco’s & Hotels.com? You put in the dates (next Easter) and get the tick which says “Enter coupon code from Tesco”.

  But when you get t the actual payment section There is a message cannot redeem coupons.

  Tesco’s say speak to Hotels.com & they say can only use online

  • Rob says:

    29 Jul29 July 09:41

    It could be linked to the massive fraud recently uncovered (search HFP).

    More likely, under the rules your Tesco vouchers are forfeited if your stay is cancelled. It is likely that, in the current circumstances, letting people use vouchers at Hotels.com is seen as more trouble than its worth.

  • Connor says:

    29 Jul29 July 12:25

    Did you use the link on the Clubcard Hotels.com voucher page? They don’t tend to work unless you do.

  • the_real_a says:

    29 Jul29 July 12:42

    You must click through to hotels.com from the link in the voucher – effectively an affiliate link to themselves otherwise it doesn’t work. And sorry to ask a dumb question, but have you converted your tesco voucher number to hotels.com vouchers?

• Keith says:

  29 Jul29 July 09:42

  I was planning to Ibiza this weekend but am now changinh plans. Can someone please advise how long the Easyjet travel voucher lasts for (think this may be easier than booking an alternative flight to change again later). Also my return is an avios flight is it still possible to cancel online? Thanks.

• Steve R says:

  29 Jul29 July 09:48

  @Rob

  Checked yesterday & then converted

• Sam says:

  29 Jul29 July 10:17

  Hi I was considering applying for a Radisson Rewards status match (I believe my Hilton Diamond would match to Radisson Gold)..

  If the status match is approved, can anyone advise when my matched status with Radisson would run until?

  Thanks

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