The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 4th November

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• Craig says:

  4 Nov4 November 07:09

  Question for JimBob from yesterday, has there been any mention of the free night certificate from Creation/IHG following the complaint?

• KBuffett says:

  4 Nov4 November 07:14

  I’m increasingly having to chase the credits due on AmEx offers. Some of them just aren’t triggering. I’m evidencing everything and leaving at least three months before chasing. AmEx have so far honoured everything via chat except for two simultaneous Harrods offers that I had on a single card. One was spend £100 get £30 back and the other was spend £100 get £20 back. Initially the chat operator kept saying they couldn’t find the offers. Then they would only honour £30 as I had only spend £100 and not £200.

  Keep a close eye on your offers.

  • JD says:

    4 Nov4 November 14:50

    Yes I have noticed the Made.com I did has not tracked looks like I will have to call their custmer service. A pain in these covid times but hey ho

    Do you know if the companion card qualifies for the same offers. I have just applied for one for my Mrs

    • KBuffett says:

      4 Nov4 November 21:05

      It does if she’s saved the offer in per account on the website or app. It won’t apply if only you’ve saved it

• Tim Rogers says:

  4 Nov4 November 07:16

  BA cancelled my flight from LHR-SKG on Saturday with 4 days notice. Are they paying out EC261 claims for these cases right now? Or are they likely to try to argue exceptional circumstances?

  • roberto says:

    4 Nov4 November 07:33

    Global Pandemic, all leisure flights banned and country on a months lockdown – its exceptional…

  • Anna says:

    4 Nov4 November 07:44

    You’re still entitled to re-routing and duty of care, but the problem might be actually finding an alternative flight just now!

    • Lady London says:

      4 Nov4 November 10:28

      +1
      I’ve even been paying British Airways for flights because no one else is flying even though I hold several credits for flights that were cancelled.

      It comes to something desperate if ‘m giving BA cash money for shorthaul.

  • The real John says:

    4 Nov4 November 07:47

    Thessaloniki airport is closed and travel in and out of Central Macedonia, even to the rest of Greece, is banned except for essential reasons much like the Wales lockdown.

    This was announced 2 days ago so is absolutely an exceptional circumstance.

    • Matty says:

      4 Nov4 November 07:56

      Hmmn. https://fr24.com/BAW2640/25f32a17

      • Anna says:

        4 Nov4 November 09:19

        My bad – I thought SKG was Skiathos, although flight radar does seem to indicate that BA is flying there right now!

        • Nick says:

          4 Nov4 November 11:46

          The UK government announces with 5 days’ notice that leisure travel is (effectively) banned, and you think it’s not an ‘exceptional circumstance’ in terms of avoiding liability for compensation?! Wow. I’d hate to see where your bar is set.

• Peter K says:

  4 Nov4 November 07:22

  Mini Hotel indigo Bath review. Stayed in a Superior Premium room and it was lovely with a rainfall shower and separate roll top bath. Kettle and Nespresso machine and complementary mini-bar (mini fridge really).

  It’s a mix of grade 1 and grade 2 listed buildings so was single glazed. I never felt cold once however and, due to its position, there was not much passing traffic (people or vehicles) to wake you in the night.

  Just a tour of the hotel so saw several rooms (not a suite though) and the basic rooms are very cosy, but quirky.

  The staff are lovely and I’ve never seen anyone move faster than when someone accidently pulled their emergency cord while I was going through reception one day. The staff were literally running to get to help and very coordinated.

  The Elder restaurant was a bit of a let down for me. The food was very good, but just didn’t quite hit the spot to be excellent somehow. 2 people 3 courses and one drink each was £126 with the service charge. Gluten free was limited to 2 starters, 2 mains and one dessert (our cheese) choice but was dealt with well once we got to speak to the chef.

  The cooked breakfast was stingy but worst was that people were sat barely 1m apart from other tables despite there being plenty of other sections of the restaurant they could have used. Having breakfast in your room is the way to go at the moment I feel!

  I would definitely stay here again.

  • Anna says:

    4 Nov4 November 07:47

    Glad you had a good experience over all – hoping that our stay booked for May goes ahead! Did you eat anywhere else locally?

    • Peter K says:

      4 Nov4 November 13:30

      I had an amazing afternoon tea at The Dower House at The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa, the best I’ve ever had.

      Pad Thai from a definitely non-posh Thai Khun (apparently an award winning recipe) which was very tasty and nice not to dress up for.

      Also Cote Brasserie was a safe bet my wife wanted to go to. I had hoped to go to the Pump House as it sounds good or Clayton’s kitchen.

• Tony W says:

  4 Nov4 November 08:10

  My wife and I have booked to Dubai. 5 nights end of Dec.
  Looking to stay in a Hilton property as have plenty points. (If trip goes ahead that is)
  First time in Dubai, will be doing some touring and relaxing.
  Anyone stayed in the
  Waldorf Palm Jumeirah or DoubleTree Jumeirah Beach and would recommend either?
  Many thanks

  • Rob says:

    4 Nov4 November 09:08

    We have reviewed the Waldorf. Not as good as Madinat Jumeirah, and being on the Palm can be an issue, but you won’t be disappointed.

    • Tony W says:

      4 Nov4 November 13:04

      Thanks Rob. I will check out the review

  • fivebobbill says:

    4 Nov4 November 10:31

    Stayed at Hilton Jumeirah Beach over the past New Year and took a stroll through DoubleTree Jumeirah Beach to check it out. Lovely hotel, and very nice pool area leading directly to waterfront… BUT, there is a HUGE construction development, “The Address”, immediately to the left of the hotel looking out to sea, and asides the constant noise, the entire pool area is now in virtual shadow all day long!
    A real shame, it would have been delightful otherwise, and must have been before they started building…

    • Tony W says:

      4 Nov4 November 13:03

      Thanks for that

  • JM says:

    4 Nov4 November 19:25

    We stayed in a 3 bed apartment at the DoubleTree Jumeirah Beach in 2018 which was lovely. 2017 we were at an apartment at Hilton The Walk which was also nice but looking a bit tired. Both have nice pools but Hilton is largely shaded. First time in Dubai I would recommend staying on Jumeirah Beach either of the above. Le Royal Meridien JB is still my favourite hotel but of course is not a Hilton!

• Oli says:

  4 Nov4 November 08:34

  Advice please: We’ve been downgraded from First to Club World on the outbound leg of an Avios booking to Dubai in mid Dec due to equipment change. Booked during the half price Avios deal with companion voucher. Spoke to the agent and have offered the Avios difference of the two classes (9k) back if we accept the change. Am I right in thinking EC261 applies and I should be getting 75% of the avios back rather than only the difference or does this not apply because its an avios booking, or for any other reason eg length of notice (over a month)

  • TGLoyalty says:

    4 Nov4 November 09:05

    Yes EC261 applies.

    • JM says:

      4 Nov4 November 19:24

      We stayed in a 3 bed apartment at the DoubleTree Jumeirah Beach in 2018 which was lovely. 2017 we were at an apartment at Hilton The Walk which was also nice but looking a bit tired. Both have nice pools but Hilton is largely shaded. First time in Dubai I would recommend staying on Jumeirah Beach either of the above. Le Royal Meridien JB is still my favourite hotel but of course is not a Hilton!

  • Rob says:

    4 Nov4 November 09:06

    I think it still applies, yes. I thought only bit relating to cancellations had changed?

  • Lady London says:

    4 Nov4 November 10:32

    plus 75% of the socalled taxes you paid as most of it is not tax at all but just a surcharge the airline keeps. you have to have flown in the lower class before you can claim.

  • ChrisC says:

    4 Nov4 November 12:40

    Have a look at yesterdays chat thread.

    Some very detailed replies on this very issue there.

    • Oli says:

      4 Nov4 November 16:26

      Thanks all, just to be clear, they have given me over a months notice – some of the comments yesterday suggest a <14 day notice period to be eligible for the compo but I couldn’t see that anywhere on CAA guidance – is there a 14 day notice period that would rule me out for compo?

• Jane says:

  4 Nov4 November 08:49

  Morning all. I bit the bullet and called Barclaycard about the missing Hilton points. 30 mins mostly on hold with someone who actually works for Barclays but was trying to help out the Barclaycard staff, so not much knowledge but did her best co-ordinating between Barclaycard India and Hilton the out come is…. there is an issue between the two companies involved (assume Barclaycard and Hilton but it wasn’t particularly clear) and they are trying to sort it out but have only just become aware of it and it may take some time. It could take up to 8 weeks but that it will sort it self out eventually.

  • Anna says:

    4 Nov4 November 09:22

    Many thanks for this Jane, hopefully it will sort itself out though it’s a it bit worrying that they’ve suddenly got this issue after all this time AND they haven’t bothered telling their customers!

    • Jane says:

      4 Nov4 November 09:31

      Perhaps they’ll give us double points this month as a bonus apology – I do hope so as I had a bumper month 🙂

      • roberto says:

        4 Nov4 November 09:51

        Oh , I hope so – I am missing 22,238 from last months spending…

  • Lee says:

    4 Nov4 November 09:30

    The statement clearly says 4-6 weeks from statement date. It’s 5th week for me, a complaint will be filed if no points next week.

  • Lady London says:

    4 Nov4 November 10:34

    8 weeks on a process that worked earlier….. you’ve been fed a line of flannel. Something else is going on.

    Is Hilton paying its bills?

    • Jane says:

      4 Nov4 November 10:36

      Possibly flannel but they weren’t going to say much else. at least we know they are aware of it & will hopefully fix.

    • Chrisasaurus says:

      4 Nov4 November 10:57

      Flannel indeed but in the case one assumes that Hilton is the party being paid, not vice versa

      Am in same boat so it does appear to be across the board – wonder what the monthly HH transfer is across all account holders. Fair to say it wouldn’t honestly have gone unnoticed that it didn’t happen but had been expected to

      • Crafty says:

        4 Nov4 November 22:03

        It sounds to me as if Barclaycard purchased a huge chunk of Honors points a while ago, has run out, and forgot / didn’t budget to buy more.

• Rob says:

  4 Nov4 November 09:10

  I made a similar screw up on a Hilton promo once. One London hotel had opted out (the one near Westfield) and I did a mattress run there!

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