The HfP chat thread – Saturday 30th January

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• John says:

  30 Jan30 January 15:37

  Trying to get a first reward flight from Miami to Lhr in November/December – nothing available from first checking when business became available.
  Tried to route through New York. Nothing in first available from September onwards.
  Usually easy – anyone know why?

  • Anna says:

    30 Jan30 January 16:18

    Obviously there’s no guarantee of F seats being released, but I know what you mean about good availability. I think F has been pulled altogether from quite a lot of services which is going to have an impact on avios availability, and also I imagine any F seats released will be getting snapped up very quickly as so many people are deferring travel until next winter. There might be someone on here with inside info on this as well though!

    • memesweeper says:

      30 Jan30 January 17:02

      This has happened before (F just not available anywhere for award travel). Last time I remember was in January a few years back. It may sort itself out.

      • kitten says:

        30 Jan30 January 18:06

        Always worth trying from somewhere that’s not London if London is m
        not showing up. Married segments.

        • kitten says:

          30 Jan30 January 18:07

          from.,or to.. dependingon your direction. Try Manchester, Edi, Paris, Amsterdam

• Anuj says:

  30 Jan30 January 15:53

  Does the ba companion voucher apply to your whole journey? In which case could you book more than one connection on the same ticket and as part of the same journey and benefit from it?

  • Anna says:

    30 Jan30 January 16:20

    You can start your journey from a UK regional airport, if that’s what you mean, though sometimes you need to spend some time on a booking to get the dates and times you want to match up. I think that if you’re using a companion voucher, the system won’t show availability where BA use other airlines as part of the journey, but I may be wrong.

  • Stu N says:

    30 Jan30 January 16:23

    Yes in theory – but you have to start and finish in the UK or Jersey and can only use the voucher on BA metal so in practice you’re restricted to adding on a domestic flight.

• Super Secret Stuff says:

  30 Jan30 January 16:30

  Just saw some BA branding in my local Sainsburys, im not surprised they chose Sainsbury if this is the kind of deal they got!

• Venturelog says:

  30 Jan30 January 16:38

  Rob I saw you mentioned the Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh is “OK”
  I had to cancel mine in October hoping for it to be a special treat. Is it not the best Hilton in the UK? Comparable to the Conrad? (which I have stayed in)

  • E says:

    30 Jan30 January 17:34

    I think some people have liked the hotel. We have stayed occasionally if it’s been a good rate but our last stay, 2 years ago, was poor. For example, one curtain was hanging off the rail, and the TV remote had no back and the batteries were held in with sellotape. Our bill was wrong, and our dinner booking in the restaurant was cancelled 2 days out because they ‘forgot’ they had a corporate booking that night. The staff weren’t that helpful to us but if you were American it appeared that they fell over themselves trying to offer help. We are unlikely to return.

    • Rob says:

      30 Jan30 January 18:01

      It is an old Victorian building and, at the end of the day, there is only so much you can do with them. Floors will creak, rooms will be odd shapes and sizes, bad glazing etc. Unfortunately I didn’t review our stay a couple of years ago – we didn’t eat there though as it was August and the signature place was closed. It certainly isn’t bad but they are operating within constraints.

      • Colin MacKinnon says:

        30 Jan30 January 18:11

        Glasshouse would be my favourite hotel – one of the rooms at the top overlooking the courtyard to Calton Hill.

        Agree The Caley – ie WA – is past its best.

        • A says:

          30 Jan30 January 18:14

          Glasshouse much much nicer than WA! I quite like the Kimpton on Charlotte Square too

        • TGLoyalty says:

          30 Jan30 January 18:44

          Unfortunately glasshouse was closed when I visited last year but I’d recommend the Kimpton too.

    • A says:

      30 Jan30 January 18:07

      Agree with Rob on all of this – it’s always had these issues, even in the pre-WA days when it was merely “The Caledonian”

    • kitten says:

      30 Jan30 January 18:11

      Fawlty Towers.
      ‘Forgot’ they had a corporate booking. They bounced you.

      Would you seriously stay somewhere like that again?

  • John says:

    30 Jan30 January 19:42

    We stayed there a while ago, as Diamond, I certainly would not call it the best Hilton in the UK. We’ve stayed at several WA branded hotels, this is the only one to disappoint.

    Room was bland, tired and cold (in April). Had to ask for a heater, this was delivered fast, I suspect we weren’t the only ones who asked.

    Staff were all good, the Peacock Alley was pleasant, concierge helpful, location great as we wanted to explore the centre.

    If you are looking for ‘special’ in Edinburgh, I recommend the Witchery, aside from the suites it has an excellent restaurant.

  • BJ says:

    30 Jan30 January 21:33

    “Is it not the best Hilton in the UK?” … no, far from it, that would be Craigendarroch IMO.

    • Rob says:

      30 Jan30 January 22:48

      It is definitely not the best Hilton in the UK.

    • avstar says:

      1 Feb1 February 11:27

      +1 for Craigendarroch 🙂

  • Peggerz says:

    30 Jan30 January 23:10

    I realise you are asking about Hilton hotels, but as a 5* in Edinburgh there are a lot better choices. The staff are professional and approachable (though I’ve been disappointed in the concierge’s) and Mark Greenaway’s restaurant is excellent. Peacock Alley is fine (especially with a bit of background lounge lizard jazz!). But I just think it’s living off it’s old reputation.
    I agree that the Glasshouse is more fun (when open), the IHG’s 4* Kimpton Charlotte is v good as is the 5* Rocco Forte Balmoral and has been said here, try the rooms from the Witchery or the 5* Prestonfield Hotel for that special stay.

    • BP says:

      30 Jan30 January 23:36

      Kimpton rooms are almost as good as the Balmoral.

• Freddy says:

  30 Jan30 January 16:40

  Does anyone have any real life experience on how long Amex MR to marriott points takes?

  • Charlieface says:

    30 Jan30 January 19:26

    2 days/
    See also https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2019/09/28/american-express-membership-rewards-points-transfer-times-2/

• Flamingpenguin says:

  30 Jan30 January 17:00

  I have an IHG free night certificate which has a book by date of 8 Feb. Obv. I don’t know where I’d like to go yet. Any tactics for maintaining value and flexibility – Can I book an expensive night somewhere that would be good use of the free night and then change later?

  • Anna says:

    30 Jan30 January 17:29

    As I recall, if you cancel a booking after the free night cert expires, you lose it. Have you contacted IHG to ask if they can extend it (was it extended already, I’m sure mine got an extra 6 months?!). You’ve got another 12 months to complete the stay after you book, and hopefully travel will be on the cards again by then!

    • Anna says:

      30 Jan30 January 17:31

      You could always ask if a hotel can move a booking but from my experience, they will say any award-type night has to be cancelled and re-booked by you. I don’t know if this is actually true, or whether they a) can’t be bothered or b) want you to book at a higher rate (if using points) if the price for your new date is higher.

      • Matt says:

        30 Jan30 January 19:43

        I thought I remembered a comment earlier in the month that all free night vouchers had been extended again? Clearly not for @Flamingpenguin… Afraid I don’t have a data point on this as I made a booking with my voucher which was expiring in December to take advantage of the unexpected extra voucher which appeared.

        • flamingpenguin says:

          31 Jan31 January 10:09

          Yes – No sign of an extension on mine. Have emailed IHG customer service to see if they’ll extend it but not holding my breath… Males the card fee for the premium card more questionable if they don’t

• kitten says:

  30 Jan30 January 18:04

  Ah… just seen it was 50% avios so ftv or refund would lose you.

  I am pretty sure they would let you abandon the outward…. and just use the return since it was their cancellation unless they are being pedantic. But I am doubtful they would allow you to split it or reverse it and keep both halves still at the 50% cost overall.

  Interesting one. Could you try to call them perhaps around 8.30 or 7pm when people reported good results when everything got so difficult initially with Covid, ask them what’s possible and let us know?

  If you are lucky I have a feeling that, starting from the fact that their cancellation has made it a bit difficult for you, a kind agent might pass the whole thing through an FTV and reissue it the other way round at the 50%. But I dont believe they have to so be nice and HUACA one more time before giving up (and telling us).

  • kitten says:

    30 Jan30 January 18:26

    above for: mco ref : his query page 2

    Wordpress may possibly have a parameter that can be set to elongate the time Wordpress will retain its memory of which exact post a draft reply attaches to.

    Currently that parameter seems to be set at about 30 seconds. I type 100wpm but not with one finger on a phone which is how I’m doing it mostly till my computer gets replaced.

  • Mco says:

    30 Jan30 January 20:57

    Thanks Kitten

• AnotherUser says:

  30 Jan30 January 18:23

  Hilton’s Stay Longer and Save rate says it’s cancellable, but also asks for a 1 night deposit. Anyone know if I get the deposit refunded if I cancel within the cancellation window?

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