The HfP chat thread – Sunday 31st January

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• RogerC says:

  31 Jan31 January 11:21

  We were two of the lucky teachers who got ‘free’ flights from Qatar. We managed to find availability to the Seychelles at Whitsun. The flight (or at least the outward leg to Doha) has been cancelled by the airline. Online my only option appears to be a refund, though the email say that I can change date – but subject to fare adjustment, which would obviously mess things up.

  Am I entitled to change the date without paying extra?
  If the former is true, what is the likelihood of Qatar playing ball?
  I’m struggling to find a contact number in the UK. Is it theior Heathrom office?

  • Aston100 says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:26

    03300240125
    Took me about half an hour to get through to an agent earlier this week.

  • Anna says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:39

    Presumably you’re departing UK/EU so you have full EU261 rights for re-routing, however actually getting to Seychelles might be a problem on any airline for the next few months. What about asking to move it to October half term? I was reading about the weather in Seychelles as we’re looking for a future option for autumn travel without hurricane risks and it sounds like October/November is a good time to go. Hopefully by then you won’t have to quarantine on return, which you would do at the moment.

    • Anna says:

      31 Jan31 January 11:41

      For re-routing at a later date, you shouldn’t have to pay any extra. It would be very churlish of QR to provide these discounted flights then penalise you because they cancelled it!

    • ChrisC says:

      31 Jan31 January 11:52

      Depends if the flight was actually free or not as per Article 3.3

      ‘This Regulation shall not apply to passengers travelling free of charge or at a reduced fare not available directly or indirectly to the public. However, it shall apply to passengers having tickets issued under a frequent flyer programme orother commercial programme by an air carrier or tour operator.’

      • Anna says:

        31 Jan31 January 11:58

        Urghh, let’s hope QR aren’t trying to wriggle out of providing these flights on that basis! I thought that proviso was aimed at pax like airline staff who can get very cheap last minute tickets through work.

        • ChrisC says:

          31 Jan31 January 12:45

          Yes cheap staff tickets would be excluded from EU261 as would e.g competition tickets.

          Depends if Roger’s flight is actually free or not. He mentions a deposit so perhaps not free at all ???

      • Super Secret Stuff says:

        31 Jan31 January 12:52

        If memory serves me correctly, it wasn’t actually free tickets?

        I think it was just the taxes, which therefore isn’t free.

        • Aston100 says:

          31 Jan31 January 15:31

          I have a pair of these Qatar ‘teacher promo’ tickets too.
          They aren’t free.
          Worked out to be around 50% of the normal cash price.
          Qatar’s view is that there needs to be availability in the same booking class in order to move dates. Given that the ‘teacher’ tickets are class W, and the ‘+1’ ticket is class N, it is going to be quite difficult to find availability.
          Good news is that Qatar felt there shouldn’t be a need to pay fare difference.

  • Tracey says:

    31 Jan31 January 17:09

    I don’t think you can get into the Seychelles from the UK at the moment, unless you can prove that you have had both your jabs. It may change by Whitsun, or it may not.

    • RogerC says:

      31 Jan31 January 18:53

      As Anna suggests, we were thinking of asking for rebooking for October half term. Is there a fast way to find W class availability?

      • memesweeper says:

        31 Jan31 January 19:00

        If you know how to use it, Matrix flight search can check booking class availability.

• AnotherUser says:

  31 Jan31 January 11:26

  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?

  • Wobly975 says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:35

    Yep. I got mine back -after I rang the hotel(s) direct. I think you’ll find the ‘deposit’ is actually the full amount of the stay. That’s what was charged to my BAPP.

  • Chrisasaurus says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:36

    In my experience no deposit was taken but of course ymmv

    • AnotherUser says:

      31 Jan31 January 17:01

      That’s great – thanks!

• Harry T says:

  31 Jan31 January 11:55

  Has anyone stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia? I have booked it for the summer in case we can’t go abroad. Four nights there seems reasonable for £125 a night. Haven’t visited the area before.

  • PaulW says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:56

    Hasn’t even opened yet. It will be my local when it does, part of surf snowdonia complex.

    • Harry T says:

      31 Jan31 January 12:29

      Whoops, I see it says opening in Spring 2021. Do let me know how it is if you visit.

  • Harry T says:

    31 Jan31 January 11:56

    Also, I’m fairly impressed the HGI Faroe Islands wants £450 a night in late August!

  • Anna says:

    31 Jan31 January 12:12

    I’ve booked a weekend in July when the price was even lower – £104 pn I think. Looked at a points booking but cash prices (plus free breakfast as gold) were so good it wasn’t worth it.
    We know North Wales very well, I’ve been visiting the region my whole life. The weather is unpredictable but you’re spoilt for choice for walking, and visiting castles and other historic spots. Caernarfon is well worth a visit, and also Anglesey if you have time for exploring further out.

    • Anna says:

      31 Jan31 January 12:16

      If you’ve time for a boat trip from Menai or Beaumaris you can go dolphin and seal spotting and there are also a couple of puffin colonies if you’re into wildlife!

    • Harry T says:

      31 Jan31 January 12:28

      Thank you very much, Anna. I will look into your recommendations. How many nights would you visit Snowdonia for on the first go?

      • Genghis says:

        31 Jan31 January 12:32

        Thanks for reminder. I think it appeared on HfP a while back. Worth a provisional 5 night booking in case cannot get abroad in August. Cheers.

        • Harry T says:

          31 Jan31 January 13:06

          @Genghis
          Yes, it was in a list of new Hiltons article! That’s how I recalled it. You using points or cash? I reckon cash is better value for most dates.

        • Genghis says:

          31 Jan31 January 13:22

          @Harry T. Points. When you’ve got seven figures you need to use them up somehow! 0.4p / point anyway which I’m happy with.

          I had some good holidays as a kid in a caravan at Porthmadog so know the area. There’s loads of good stuff to do, assuming it’ll be open.

        • Harry T says:

          31 Jan31 January 13:35

          @Genghis fair enough, it’s not a bad redemption at all. I have used most of my stash on the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam in August/September for a five nights for four – 76,000 points a night is a bit better than €650+ a night! Let’s hope I can actually visit…

        • Genghis says:

          31 Jan31 January 13:47

          @Harry T. Nice one Harry T. Non premium redemptions at WA Amsterdam are as rare as hen’s teeth.

          We’re booked at the Amstel in April (was meant to be for Keukenhof) but not hopeful tbh.

        • Harry T says:

          31 Jan31 January 14:08

          @Genghis
          I had a stay at the Amstel booked for April too but I’ve cancelled it to use the points elsewhere – sadly didn’t think it was feasible.

          Non premium redemptions seem a lot more common this summer at the WA Amsterdam – May be worth you having a look in august, where I found multiple dates with five nights available when I last looked.

      • Anna says:

        31 Jan31 January 12:40

        It depends what you want to do – it’s an ideal weekend break but you could easy spend a week or two and not run out of things to do. The new HGI is well situated for exploring the wider area as it’s not far from the A55 (though be aware that road gets VERY busy with traffic in summer and often has roadworks!) If you love driving through mountain scenery you could do a day trip to Harlech which is another lovely spot.
        Hopefully it will be safe enough that we’ll be able to enter Wales by the summer!

        • Harry T says:

          31 Jan31 January 13:33

          Thanks, Anna, all duly noted 🙂

        • kitten says:

          31 Jan31 January 16:44

          Is that anywhere near Chepstow? I remember an excellent foodie weekendbin Chepstow, I think we ate in 2 or 3 multi-starred restaurants not all expensive.

          Then when it wouldn’t stop raining (this was summer) we dropped down to the Bath Spa Hotel for the rest of the weekend.

      • Ken says:

        31 Jan31 January 14:00

        Depends on how much of a walker / outdoor activity person you are.
        If walking 7 hours with total ascent of say 1500m is your thing then the skies the limit.
        Brilliant walking and climbing, good sailing & a great place to learn to surf.

        If it’s sightseeing, castles, beach strolls etc then 3 or 4 nights.

        I like North Wales but it ain’t say the Lake District for restaurants and pubs.

        Personally It’s a place I’d stay a week renting a house rather than 3 nights in a hotel, whereas in the Lakes or Yorkshire dales or Cornwall I’d do either – if I that’s any help.

        • Harry T says:

          31 Jan31 January 14:07

          @Ken thanks, greatly appreciated!

        • Charlieface says:

          31 Jan31 January 14:29

          WHY OH WHY are there no chain hotels in the Lakes?

        • Ken says:

          31 Jan31 January 15:28

          I’d find it hugely disappointing to have chain hotels in the Lakes and other than say Premier Inn where would the demand be ?

          If you want top end hotels you go to somewhere like The Samling and if you are a foodie L’enclume. There is a vast range below these.

          If you are a serious walker (and perhaps past YHA and bunkhouses !) you want a B&B with a proper breakfast and a packed lunch, with pints of cask in a pub at the end of the day rather than a smart bar.

          In fairness the Wetherspoons in Keswick has been done brilliantly in the old magistrate courts and attracts good mix of locals and walkers not willing to pay tourist prices!

        • Charlieface says:

          31 Jan31 January 15:41

          Let’s put it this way: I any case bring my own food for dietary reasons, and even if I would eat local then I would much rather have a good hotel and restaurant than some grotty B&B.

          Obviously it would need to cater to walkers, but that is not difficult.

          I don’t want (or have the money for) a top-end hotel, I’ve just had enough of staying in filthy, dingy B&Bs. And I want to use my points.

        • The real John says:

          31 Jan31 January 15:56

          Hampton Blackpool works if you don’t mind driving a bit every day. I stayed in 2019 as I had some business in the area but brought my wife and son along, as it turned out it rained in Blackpool for most of the stay but it was sunny in the Lakes, so we went there instead

        • Charlieface says:

          31 Jan31 January 16:01

          Hilton Blackpool is absolutely miles away. I once did HI Lancaster, which wasn’t too bad, but really I want to actually be *in* the mountains. If it can be done in Europe why not in the UK?
          Why does every Lakes hotel have to be some falling-apart dump?

  • Aston100 says:

    31 Jan31 January 15:34

    ***Has anyone stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia? I have booked it for the summer in case we can’t go abroad. ***
    Oh for goodness sake.
    I was planning on booking that this summer too.
    Now it’s guaranteed to be cancelled or go awry somehow.

    Thanks a lot Harry.

    • Ken says:

      31 Jan31 January 16:56

      It’s an hour to Kendal from Blackpool.

      I honestly just don’t see the demand for chain hotels in the Lake District.
      Little business demand & I don’t know anyone who walks who wants a mid range hotel with a crappy restaurant attached. Plus a big part of the market is weekly holiday home rentals.
      Similar reasons to why there are few chain hotels in alpine skiing resorts.

      • Aston100 says:

        31 Jan31 January 17:31

        There are a few Premier Inns in the lakes area.

      • Rob says:

        31 Jan31 January 17:35

        Hilton has just opened in Kitzbuhel, Four Seasons now has a Swiss resort and Hyatt has just announced a resort. The US ski market is almost entirely branded.

        I am pretty sure that there are lots of people who WOULD go there to walk if they didn’t think that all of the hotels were overpriced firetraps run by amateurs who insist you have breakfast between 7.00 and 7.10 and eat dinner between 6.00 and 6.15, except for the ones charging £300 per night. Clearly they are not all like that but it is the overriding impression. Such guests will welcome a Hilton with open arms. I get a feeling that minorities are especially put off from these Royston Vasey-style establishments – no-one can ever claim that the Lake District attracts a fair spectrum of the UK population.

        Last time we stayed at such a place in Derbyshire, we were presented with a glass of (carton) orange juice as the ‘take it or leave it’ starter for our 3-course dinner ….

        • Mike says:

          31 Jan31 January 18:10

          There was a Hilton in the LD, Keswick Lodore. It was a dump and is now Lodore Falls hotel under a local hotelier chain.

        • Kevin C says:

          1 Feb1 February 00:35

          Must have been 40 years ago that I remember orange juice being offered as a starter. I always chose a slice of melon with a glacé cherry over that.

      • Chef says:

        31 Jan31 January 20:30

        The Marriott at Preston is only 30 minutes from the South Lakes

        • Charlieface says:

          31 Jan31 January 23:21

          HI Lancaster is nearer. Any case not much point if you live in Manchester, might as well stay home, you’re still further from the Lakes than you are from home.

      • Charlieface says:

        31 Jan31 January 23:19

        Business demand is not there mainly because there are no chain hotels so it’s a vicious circle (also because of very poor transport, less of an issue in the Kendal/Windermere corner).

        I walk and I’d love such a thing for a two day break.

        Weekly home rentals: I actually do this every year, but they’re all dumps, unless you go to £1500 a week.

    • Anna says:

      31 Jan31 January 21:26

      I’ve booked it as well so we’re pretty much guaranteed to be banned from Wales 😂

• jil says:

  31 Jan31 January 12:09

  question about topping up revolut by IHG card via curve, normally creation charges an interest for doing this, but I read if I immediately pay off the balance this fee can be avoided, so if I have existing 3000 balance and then top up 1000 on revolut, do I need to immediately pay back 4000 or just 1000?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:08

    Why bother via curve you can do it direct.

    You need to pay back 4000

  • Peter K says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:13

    £4000.
    No need to use curve.

    • Alex D says:

      31 Jan31 January 14:26

      you can also avoid any fees if you run a credit balance on iHG. So for example you pay off £3K and then do another amount so lets say £3K straight away before its cleared and then you’re in credit by that amount for rev top-ups.

      • memesweeper says:

        31 Jan31 January 19:20

        Running a large credit balance can see your card blocked.

• BrianSW says:

  31 Jan31 January 12:14

  Hi I know some people have had issues with receiving the IHG credit card free night voucher. Has anyone had any recent interactions with Creation re this and what did they say? My card year finished in Sep20 and still not received the voucher. Thanks

  • reds says:

    31 Jan31 January 14:26

    I am still owed my free night from March 2020! Have contacted both IHG and Creation on a regular basis but got no where. Emailed Creation’s CEO eventually around Oct and it was raised as a formal complaint. They said it was due to the ‘pandemic’ and gave me £100 as goodwill gesture and stated that I was still due the free night. Had a call from IHG around Dec and a nice chap said it was still being ‘looked into’ from their end but told me I could book a free night up to 40k points atm. So happy enough with £100 and 40k points and just booked Kimpton Paris for 40k points. Lets see what happens when my annual Virgin CC year ends again in March this year.

    • Lol says:

      31 Jan31 January 15:44

      My anniversary date for the free IHG hotel night was 25 May and despite numerous emails I got nowhere and so submitted a formal complaint on 10 December. I got a reply saying it will be looked into and they aim to get back to me by 11 February.

      • kitten says:

        31 Jan31 January 16:47

        hmmm is IHG generally not paying things ATM?

        • BrianSW says:

          31 Jan31 January 16:57

          My partner received her free night voucher immediately the other day. Her card year just ended. So the issues appear to be random/timing related.

          Thanks for the replies. Will chase it up again then move to complaint stage. Creation are a very frustrating company to deal with.

• Aliks says:

  31 Jan31 January 12:16

  Is there a blocker on transferring points from Amex Gold to Virgin?

  I was offered 6000 points if I didnt cancel my Amex Gold and spent £1000.

  The points arrived already but for some reason I can’t register my Virgin account and do a transfer.

  • Super Secret Stuff says:

    31 Jan31 January 12:55

    Probably an IT glitch unless you’ve done manufactured spending, in which case they have flagged it up

  • Rob says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:00

    No, should be fine. Chat can do it if the website is playing up.

    • Aliks says:

      31 Jan31 January 15:00

      Thanks – Amex chat sorted it out.

      Now I’m trying to decide if its worth rescuing my final 56 Amex points with a transfer to Radisson. I have never succeeded in registering my Radisson account and I suspect its because Amex demands an entry for “Address Line 2” which for me should be blank.

      Maybe chat can sort this out as well, after all, in these difficult times, we can’t leave 56p of value on the table!

      • Wally1976 says:

        31 Jan31 January 17:44

        When entering your Radisson number, you need to drop the first 6 digits (just enter the remaining 10 digits). If it insists on an address line 2 just enter line 1 again!

  • Peter K says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:15

    If you’ve had a different amex at any point in the past connected to Virgin it seems to play up. Call or do online chat to resolve.

• KBuffett says:

  31 Jan31 January 12:31

  Is anyone here staying at hotels in UK during this current lockdown? Are any nice places in London open?

  • Craig says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:06

    A Holiday Inn in Yorkshire, 4 nights in Jan and planned for 7 in Feb. All work related, with the bar and restaurant closed it’s even duller than normal. I did enjoy a glass of red whilst sat on my balcony watching the M62!

  • Anna says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:07

    I think a few are open for business stays but a lot of the nicer ones (e.g. Conrad St James, IC x 2 and Kimpton Fitzroy) seem to be closed until at least the end of Feb, even though some of them did stay open during the last lockdown.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    31 Jan31 January 13:10

    Corinthia keeps Sending me emails Saying they are open for allowed reasons … business stays etc

    • Hotelier says:

      31 Jan31 January 14:08

      Quite a few luxury hotels remain open, although experience definitely not the same with current occupancies. Corinthia indeed open 😉

  • Lumma says:

    31 Jan31 January 18:48

    Not this time but the November lockdown I went up to Liverpool to assist with the mass testing trial and we got put in a Mercure near Haydock Park racecourse which was only used for testing staff. Hot breakfast sandwiches in the morning, packed lunches and sub Weatherspoons food for dinner. Gym closed and forced to eat meals in bedroom. Boring

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      31 Jan31 January 20:25

      The poor squaddies got Pontins Southport. Still, did lead to some very funny Tripadvisor reviews 😀

• Martha says:

  31 Jan31 January 14:29

  Is it worth asking to increase my 4.5k daily limit to 9k or better not ask…

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