The HfP chat thread – Monday 4th January

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

We have decided to run this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions. With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

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 at home, 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 it keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

Old chat threads are hidden from the HfP home page. If you want to look for something in an old thread, click here. This brings up all the articles in our ‘General’ category which includes the chat threads.

Category

General

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

Aston100 says:

4 Jan4 January 17:54

Member Benefits section of my IHG account is indicating the original targets for status (e.g. 75k for Spire).
- Andrew says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 18:11
  
  Mine is showing 55,000 required for the 2021 year to keep my Spire in 2022
  - ChrisC says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 18:34
    
    mine is showing the full rates so 75k for spire, 55k for Plat and 10k for Gold.
  - Chas says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 18:38
    
    Mine is also telling me that I need 55k to earn Spire (currently Platinum Ambassador)
    - Andrew says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 18:41
      
      My app says 55, website says 75. So check both – I would imagine it’s just some IT issue for the discrepancy.
mutley says:

4 Jan4 January 18:02

Evening all,

Regarding buying membership rewards. Is it 10000 MR per12 month period or per Calendar Year?
- Roostee123 says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 18:31
  
  Per 12 months I just bought 10K and i can’t buy anymore until Jan 2021
  - mutley says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 18:45
    
    OK, thanks Roostee123.
  - Manny_D says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 19:44
    
    Out of curiosity what was the cost for 10K points?
    - BJ says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 20:20
      
      £150.
  - Chrisasaurus says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 19:53
    
    I’m not sure that answers the question at all since that satisfies both?
  - Adam says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 20:06
    
    You are already in Jan 2021.
Crafty says:

4 Jan4 January 18:09

10 nights on points booked at Conrad Algarve. Emailed ahead to ensure enough space for a 4-year-old and a 6-month-old; I’m a Diamond member, so would usually expect decent treatment here.

They want 260 euros per night supplement to upgrade us to a “Deluxe Suite”.

Can anyone with experience of the hotel advise how I should handle this – are they taking the proverbial (so I should cancel and holiday elsewhere), or is this actually a decent value opportunity for a good large suite?
- old bob says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 18:25
  
  Don’t pay it, when you show up they will give you a cot for the 6 month old. The 4 year old can either get a roll a way or sleep on the sofa (ask for extra pillows) Most family orientated countries ( Spain , Italy, Portugal Greece) will be fine with it.
- Anna says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 18:28
  
  What type of room did you book? Would your usual upgrade as Diamond get you a family -sized room? I would usually expect them to quote me the difference between the price of the room I would get as an upgrade and the room I actually needed, unless they were really quiet. You don’t say when you’re travelling but they might be anticipating that they can sell the suites anyway.
  I’ve got a Hilton booking in Dubai at Easter. I’ve opted for 2 rooms, using 75% points and 25% cash as I know it will be very busy at Easter and I’m not guaranteed an upgrade which would give us the amount of space we want.
- Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 18:33
  
  If it’s high season, that’s probably the difference in rate between the two room categories – i.e. other customers are paying that. They are usually at capacity in the summer so wouldn’t necessarily expect a massive upgrade free of charge. On a stay of that length might be worth seeing if you can negotiate a complimentary dinner or something like that as part of the upgrade.
  - Crafty says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 19:38
    
    It’s early April. On a standard room reward one can only book the basic room (and in Hilton there is no point doing a premium room reward, it’s equivalent to cash).
    
    They are stating that because of Covid they are being strict about the published room occupancies, but that seems a bit fishy to me. A bit put off the place by this really, as most hotels do the decent thing and let you stay in a points room with 2 children recognising that there are no proper options on points for families.
    
    A note that I didn’t make clear in my original post here. I wasn’t asking for an upgrade. I was simply asking for bedding/cot for 2 small children.
    - Chrisasaurus says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 19:55
      
      I think April is optimistic, sadly…
    - Anna says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 20:13
      
      Early April is Easter, anywhere that’s allowing Brits in is going to be rammed.
    - Anna says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 20:16
      
      But the next category of room might genuinely accommodate you all (I don’t know the hotel), staff don’t always realise what benefits you’re entitled to (though you would hope they would at a Conrad). It’s worth looking at the hotel website – all permutations of room might be listed so you may be able to argue for an upgrade to a room with 2 double beds, for example.
- Tarmohamed says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 18:34
  
  I never put for our 2 year old. Always put down 2 adults. Always been lucky with upgrades or sofa bed etc.
- BJ says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 20:31
  
  No experience of that hotel but I have never paid for any upgrades and I already forgot the last time I failed to get an upgrade as Diamond from Hilton. See what you get at check in, if you’re not happy then check what’s available and see if they will deal. The problem you have is length of stsy, they are not going to want to give you a high end room for 10 nights thst they could sell a day or two later.
- The Savage Squirrel says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 21:53
  
  I don’t have anything useful to add. Just to say that I was looking at the same hotel, and considering the exact same issue, just today (my 2 children are a bit older), and would be interested to learn how this issue plays out, and also your general experience of this hotel as a family destination if/when you do go.
  - The Savage Squirrel says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 21:55
    
    Also, I spotted that even if you book interconnecting rooms, then as well as the price of both rooms there was an additional nightly fee (60Euro I think?) if you wanted them to connect to each other!
- Pid says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 21:55
  
  When I tried to do a reward booking at the Conrad Algarve last year they stated I would have to book a Grand Deluxe Room. They stated this normally has a capacity of 3 but would exceptionally allow 2 small children in they were in cots. However as this meant booking a premium rewards I did not book.
  
  Instead we booked at the Hilton Vilamoura who confirmed as we were gold they would upgrade us to a superior room that would take the children for free. Obviously we ended up cancelling the whole booking so I can not say hat they hotels are like!
- Michael C says:
  
  5 Jan5 January 07:30
  
  Crafty, if it’s of any use, also on the Algarve, Pine Cliffs (Bonvoy) is v child-oriented. Great kids’ club/pirate ship/small pool/beach, etc. etc., and spacious rooms.
  - Crafty says:
    
    5 Jan5 January 08:00
    
    Thanks everyone. Useful food for thought. I’ll look into the suite suggested, and see if I can haggle with the staff. Otherwise, we may be booking elsewhere.
Bill says:

4 Jan4 January 18:15

I’ve got one night hotel booked in Tenerife in February. I didnt realise when I booked, but using a Tesco generated Hotels.com voucher made the reservation not changeable.

Is there any chance of a policy change with Hotels.com or workaround ?
- Tracey says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 20:08
  
  Contact hotels.com, they usually say they will cancel and refund if the hotel agrees.
  - bill says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 20:10
    
    ok thanks
    - Nick says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 21:34
      
      Even with a Tesco voucher? I thought they weren’t refunding those in any circumstances?
      - tom1 says:
        
        4 Jan4 January 22:50
        
        Back in lockdown 1, I was refunded by both hotels.com and Tesco!
ScienceTeacher says:

4 Jan4 January 18:58

Now the Tesco Mastercard is a dead duck for Avios, should I put my spend through the Virgin Card?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 19:06
  
  I’m not sure what you were using it for before but 1 clubcard is still 2.5 virgin points. Which is better than the virgin+ If you were using it somewhere that earned 1 clubcard/£1, if you weren’t then the V+ was always better.
Paul says:

4 Jan4 January 19:18

6 week lockdown like in march. Fantastic.
- BJ says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 20:36
  
  Yeah, you’ll feel fantastic if you need a bed and they have none!
- babyg says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 20:58
  
  thats because everybody was making excuses why Tier4 didnt apply to them…
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 21:37
  
  All the virtue signallers are out.
  - James says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 22:09
    
    What are you on about (or, indeed, on)?
  - Simon says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 22:57
    
    Of course! Virtually salivating at the thoughts of another national lockdown 😂.
Ross Parker says:

4 Jan4 January 19:40

Could somebody with the UK AmEx Platinum please do me a favour? I do not currently have Plat, although I have held it in the past. I am thinking about getting it again, partly for the travel insurance benefits. However, the section of the policy I can access (as a non-member) tells me that the details of included/excluded pre-existing conditions are at the American Express Travel Insurance Portal. Which they are… but only for Platinum members. When I log in, I just get the details of the (limited but welcome) purchase protection insurance that the BAPP card offers. Can anyone point me in the direction of any pre-existing condition list? The AmEx travel insurance hotline is closed… it tells me after a six-menu selection process and five minutes on the line.
- bill says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 19:59
  
  Ross, I think this is what you are looking for:
  
  https://origin-gem2.americanexpress.com/content/dam/amex/uk/benefits/UK_Platinum_Accepted_Conditions_and_Sports_Activities_list.pdf?extlink=em-uk-pushchannel
  - Ross Parker says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 21:17
    
    Bill – that is exactly what I was after. Thank you very much, I appreciate it.
    - Bill says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 22:52
      
      Good stuff
Alex says:

4 Jan4 January 19:44

Just seen on Twitter — Breaking: Saudi Arabia agree to open its airspace to Qatar (as well as its land and sea borders) – tonight – following the #GulfCrisis blockade that started back in 2017

Be interesting to see how this affects Qatar airways and prices etc in region and going through it
- Doc says:
  
  4 Jan4 January 19:58
  
  More of a problem is UAE since all Qatar flight going East have to go around UAE which increases flying time and fuel. If UAE removes the blockade, then we may see some potential QR sale (although with COVID around, I doubt it)
  - BJ says:
    
    4 Jan4 January 20:43
    
    Wonder if the change in some way reflects the change about to occur in USA. Normal relations may resume soon.
    - Andrew says:
      
      4 Jan4 January 20:49
      
      Let’s hope so. And El Al now fly to Dubai.