The HfP chat thread – Monday 8th February

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• David says:

  8 Feb8 February 09:57

  Does anyone know if IHG ambassador will extend the validity of the weekend voucher ? Can’t see me using mine by 1.9.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    8 Feb8 February 10:02

    I hope it’s not a blanket extension as I used mine last summer.

    Btw It can be used in Kimpton hotels any day of the week.

• Lula says:

  8 Feb8 February 10:21

  Hi All. My IHG ambassador membership expires on 1 March, following last year’s extension. Given there’s very little possibility of travel for some months, is there any benefit to renewing as opposed to letting it lapse and rejoining later?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    8 Feb8 February 10:24

    Nothing I can see now the 10% rebate has gone.

    You can even book AMB stays then join a few days before your stay.

    • kitten says:

      8 Feb8 February 10:46

      I have seen reports hotels get some incentive if they sell you AMB…. As and when I go AMB I am going to look into this.
      Thinking they might be more inclined to land you in a nicer room and AMB will cost the same so why not help the hotel.

      • Aston100 says:

        8 Feb8 February 10:52

        Would you contact the hotel beforehand to confirm they’ll sell you ambassador? or would you chance it at check-in and possibly lose out?

        • kitten says:

          8 Feb8 February 11:16

          I think once I had made my reservation with the 1- night AMB free I would call the hotel around 4 -3 weeks ahead and ask can they sell it to me and can it be on day of arrival, day or two before or is longer time needed etc. Call in office hours Wed-Thur midmorning or midpm if you get the choice depending on the location although that’s a refined refinement and quite likely other times fine too.

        • James says:

          8 Feb8 February 12:09

          And what do you think is the incentive you’ll benefit from for this? If you’ve booked an Amb rate you’re clearly going to need to be a member, so you’re a sitting duck from that perspective and I don’t see why the hotel would offer you anything ‘extra’?

        • TGLoyalty says:

          8 Feb8 February 12:29

          Agree with James here. Perhaps on a one night points stay where you don’t need 4pm checkout but I don’t see the incentive once you’ve booked an amb rate.

        • kitten says:

          8 Feb8 February 23:50

          James and TG.
          Of course you’re calling ahead and your reservation can still be cancelled.
          I am pretty sure if you can buy it at a hotel then they will ve earning some sort of commission or at least getting some form of brownie points within the chain.

          This never occurred to me until I purchased one of the Accor membership packages over the phone from a hotel manager. The manager kindly said they would leave a note for me to be upgraded at checkin without any prompting from me. It could just have been due to my charm of course. S*d’s law I ended up changing my plans and didn’t stay after all but used the card elsewhere. Also seen signs in other receptions promoting the card so why else would a hotel sell it rather than leave it to head office?

          So if it costs the same why not help the hotel?

  • Tiff says:

    8 Feb8 February 12:45

    Does it still extend your Spire status, even without stays?

    • Lula says:

      8 Feb8 February 13:01

      Good point. Not sure, but I have spire anyway, so am not too worried about that.

• Oh! Matron! says:

  8 Feb8 February 10:26

  So, for when things get back to normal, I’ve a question: Now that the UK is no longer part of the EU, does this mean that we are now eligible for Tax back for tourists? I didn’t see anything that would prohibit this here: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/individuals/travelling/travellers-leaving-eu/guide-vat-refund-visitors-eu_en

  • Baji Nahid says:

    8 Feb8 February 10:27

    Yes I believe so we are. We’re eligible to claim tax back from items

  • kitten says:

    8 Feb8 February 10:43

    Yes if flying outside the EU.

    Calling Dixons at Heathrow for your duty free items ahead of your flight if flying outside of EU used to be a worthwhe way of offsetting some of your other costs. Ensure you do it soon enough and make sure you keep following up to ensure it’s actioned and comes in ready for your pickup on leaving. I believe you wouldn’t be importing the item subsequently in principle these days?

    I believe travelling inwards from the EU now gives you same allowance value for general goods free of tax as incoming from other places? IIRC it was about 360.

    If the EU has kept its retail taxfree scheme unlike the UK then it looks I might now end up paying less for some things I have always bought retail in Germany and Austria. Happy days!

    I do think it was a massive own goal for the UK to drop its retail VATfree export scheme that brought so many highspending tourists to the UK. London shops, hotels, restaurants and entertainment seembto be going to lose massive business due to this.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      8 Feb8 February 13:41

      FYI Duty and VAT are two different things

      There is still a duty exemption alcohol and cigarettes are high duty items but there is duty on some imported luxury goods where the value is mostly made outside the UK/EU (since we have a duty deal)

• Liz says:

  8 Feb8 February 10:28

  HI, does anyone have a phone number for Curve. Brand new card received about 2 wks ago and this morning I’ve had 3 fraud transactions totalling £5829.10. I spotted the emails on the first 2 and immediately locked the card but another had gone through. They subsequently tried another 4 transactions totalling £11770 which declined. I’ve messaged Curve and phoned IHG which is the underlying card.

  • Harrier25 says:

    8 Feb8 February 10:46

    In the first instance I strongly recommend locking the card which can be done in the app while waiting for CS to get back to you. Curve are not the quickest at responding! If you haven’t locked the card then they may hold you responsible.

    • Harrier25 says:

      8 Feb8 February 10:47

      Sorry, just noticed that you have already locked the card.

  • Dr C says:

    8 Feb8 February 11:15

    Have you tried the number on the back of the card?

    • Liz says:

      8 Feb8 February 11:23

      Good thinking! I’ll do that.

      • Liz says:

        8 Feb8 February 11:27

        3 beeps then nothing – so that emergency number doesn’t do anything

        • Liz says:

          8 Feb8 February 11:34

          Curve have now responded and reversed the 3 offending transactions – gee it’s stressful when that happens.

        • Anna says:

          8 Feb8 February 12:20

          Glad you’ve got it sorted Liz – any idea how the fraudsters managed to do?!

        • Mr. AC says:

          8 Feb8 February 12:30

          That’s weird, I’ve been able to get through to someone every time I called that number, even on weekends and in the middle of the night…

        • Liz says:

          8 Feb8 February 12:46

          No idea! I only had the card for 2 wks as it was a reissued card although the long number was the same as my original number. Tried the tel number a few times and it didn’t work. But all resolved now. Glad I had set up email alerts for transactions.

  • Chris Heyes says:

    8 Feb8 February 21:20

    Liz Happened to me once (not with Curve though) they hacked my Lloyds Account,
    took £5 out then £500.
    I reported it to my son first then Lloyds fraud dept.
    Within 1 hour my son sent Lloyds the ip address and current location were it was used (Peckham)
    Good when son is a wiz kid (well 40 year old wiz kid lol)
    I asked Lloyds for info, but they refused to give me any information
    So I don’t even know if the police acted on it
    (son was gifted £1000 though, but he didn’t get to keep it, firm he works for have a charity gift fund were stuff like that go into)

    • Liz says:

      8 Feb8 February 21:56

      The transactions listed as Il Duomo Srl which seems to be a church in Florence. That was good your son was able to track it. Just relieved Curve came back to me quickly and even Creation was helpful!

• Martyn Ford says:

  8 Feb8 February 10:37

  My second and third Priority Pass cards have arrived today, all have the same number which seems odd.

  • John w says:

    8 Feb8 February 11:53

    I also have recieved two with same numbers ? . Is it for the supp card holder or errors?

• Harry T says:

  8 Feb8 February 11:05

  Irritating data point:
  Booked a couple of Mr and Mrs Smith hotels speculatively for a trip to Florence this weekend, via the IHG app, paying cash. Despite the rates saying they were refundable and cancellable up to 48 hours prior to check in, and giving no indication they were prepaid, I have been charged the full amount in euros already. The rate rules even say a payment card should be presented upon check-in at the hotel, which implies this is a standard flexible rate that requires payment at the hotel. The cancellation button in the app also does not allow you to cancel the reservations; you must contact customer service.

  • kitten says:

    8 Feb8 February 11:28

    I would complain to hotel and IHG.

    On principle I would now cancel the hotels due to “dirty dealing” as that does not give me confidence for future dealings with them. The problem is that Italy also had a lot of hotels refusing to refund people when the hotel had actually closed etc….and I believe legislation was made in Italy supporting those abuses. So cancelling might make even more of a mess.

    I think I would call the hotels and if they won’t return the money then I would threaten them with a chargeback and do it. Yoy have the t’s abd c’s to support you and the hotel should know chargebacks ding their records with the card companies and probably cost them a fee. Being Italy though this may not feed through soon enough to make the hotel know they will feel immediate pain. Could be worth mentioning as a medic you don’t know you are sure to travel until shortly before and that’s why you chose the flexible rate and dont want it billed earlier.

    Please post what you do in the end.

    • Harry T says:

      8 Feb8 February 11:33

      Thanks, kitten. I have sent an email to the Ambassadors services in the first instance, expressing my surprise and disappointment, as I have positive experiences of their customer service (helps I’m still Platinum Ambassador). If they don’t cancel and refund me quickly, I will charge back on my Amex, which thankfully I paid with. if I don’t hear back soon, I will ring IHG and complain.

      I have made it clear that I thought the process was misleading and I didn’t intend to pay up front. I agree about the “dirty dealing” – there is nothing to say these rates are prepaid and the rate rules heavily imply you pay at the hotel. I think that the flexible rates directly with Mr and Mrs Smith at the same price point are non pre paid, so this seems rather shady. The charges on my Amex are showing as “MR&MRSSMITH* IHG HOTELLONDON* rather than the hotels, so I am chasing IHG in the first instance. I’m fairly confident Amex will side with me should the worst happen. At the very least, the rates say that they are refundable up to 48 hours before the stay, so if I am not refunded it is a breach of their own terms.

  • James says:

    8 Feb8 February 12:19

    I’m sorry Harry, if the rates you booked are described as REFUNDABLE and CANCELLABLE, why would you think you wouldn’t be charged? It’s pretty clear to me that you’re going to be charged.

    • Harry T says:

      8 Feb8 February 15:25

      Respectfully, James, every other prepaid rate I’ve ever seen in the IHG app has specifically outlined there needs to be a deposit that is paid at time of booking – this is usually explicitly detailed underneath the rate and in the rate rules. Any other rate I’ve seen that is marked as refundable has been a pay at checkout rate. Even the Ambassador services are now telling me this rate shouldn’t require a deposit. I see what you’re saying but this doesn’t match my previous experience of using the IHG app for numerous bookings over some time.

  • Anna says:

    8 Feb8 February 12:22

    Harry T – there was a chat a couple of months ago about Mr & Mrs Smith stays not being cancellable online, however, I have managed to do it by just clicking through to the cancellation page. I got the message to contact customer service but I didn’t actually have to, the cancellation went through as normal and I got the usual confirmation.

    • meta says:

      8 Feb8 February 12:44

      Yes. Cancelling Mr&Mrs Smith on the app is a bit hit and miss. Just do it on the desktop site.

    • Harry T says:

      8 Feb8 February 15:29

      @Anna thanks, I will check the desktop site as can’t cancel on the app. Tbh I think I want it in writing that IHG will refund me as I don’t trust I will get a refund if I find a way to cancel online.

  • Genghis says:

    8 Feb8 February 14:07

    I had a look into this. The website notes, “Full pre-payment is required to confirm this reservation.” but this doesn’t appear anywhere on the app. I think you’re well within your rights to complain.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      8 Feb8 February 14:34

      Well that’s madness when the Mr and Mrs Smith website lets you book with no prepayment.

      • Harry T says:

        8 Feb8 February 15:27

        @TG yep, I have checked Mr and Mrs Smith’s own website and the same price is available as a pay at checkout rate – they explicitly outline you pay nothing at time of booking. I think IHG shouldn’t be offering us the chance to book the rate to earn their points, if they can’t even guarantee the same rate rules and deposit requirements as Mr & Mrs Smith directly. In future, why would I book through IHG rather than M&MS – I’m essentially being penalised for doing so!

    • Harry T says:

      8 Feb8 February 15:22

      Thanks, Genghis. I was using the app. I have complained to ambassador services, who have said the rates shouldn’t even need a deposit. So that’s strange.

      • Anna says:

        8 Feb8 February 17:52

        Hotels can be sneaky at an individual level. I made a very expensive booking at the GCM Westin (for last Easter, which didn’t happen!), supposedly “pay later” and they charged $2.5k immediately to my Amex. I put in a complaint and it was refunded but I’ll just say that that card is now cancelled but still attached to my Bonvoy account …

      • Pangolin says:

        8 Feb8 February 17:54

        Try SLH next time 😉

• John W says:

  8 Feb8 February 11:07

  Ex- EU business class flights to BKK / SIN . Considering booking a cheap one for December this year out of AMS / CDG.
  The prices direct out of Heathrow are higher, but not as high as they normally are – Is it too much of a risk to fly EX EU this year ?? I am insure if to be certain I should stick with LHR !

  • Aston100 says:

    8 Feb8 February 13:23

    Well in my case, I wouldn’t risk it if I had family with me.
    Less risk averse if it is just me and the wife.

    That said, I have no intention of doing ex-Eu until sometime next year unless it was a particularly hot deal, or Brexit/Covid/Vaccine related circumstances change significantly for the better this year.

• Jody says:

  8 Feb8 February 11:18

  Someone mentioned on the end of yesterdays thread about their strategy of booking cheap flights with easyjet to Athens in March in the hope they’d be cancelled, then changing these to very expensive flights in October half term, saving themselves a fortune. Looking on easyjet’s site, they seem to have most routes up and running from the last week of March, but do people actually think this will happen? Just wondering about a similar strategy.

  We have flights to Tenerife booked for a week over Easter, these were moved in a similar way from last year, however, I have zero expectation they will go. Assuming they are cancelled (hope so), wondering whether to move them again, maybe over New Year, or go for a refund. Really tricky to know what to do regarding travel and when things might start up again.

  • Harry T says:

    8 Feb8 February 11:25

    The policy used to be better, as you could move cancelled flights to any alternative flights rather than just the same country. I’ve had flights to Barcelona cancelled (I didn’t want them to be) and I can actually change those to Palma, Ibiza or Tenerife too, as they count as Spain.

    If you do want to try and game it, the best thing to do is to book very cheap flights on a route that Easyjet are likely to pull (Newcastle is their favourite airport to cut down on at the moment) but it can be a fruitless game.

    • Jody says:

      8 Feb8 February 13:17

      Yes, I had 3 trips cancelled last year that I was able to move to any destination at any time, it was a great policy. Shame it’s limited to the same country now! One of those moved flights has already been cancelled and I took a refund for that. I do really want to go to Tenerife, and I’m pretty sure my Easter flights will be cancelled, so I’ll probably move them again.

      Just pondering whether to make a speculative booking for somewhere else to try and beat the system so to speak. As you say, it can be a fruitless game so it’s whether I decide the risk is worth the reward!

  • Matthew says:

    8 Feb8 February 12:09

    Yes it was me. Booked Athens return for mid March and it was cancelled about a week later. Changed to Crete for half term. As you say, most routes look to restart end of March but I doubt they’ll be running anything like the frequency of flights that are currently listed. Your free change is upto 14 days before departure so if it doesn’t get cancelled, simply move it (plus fare difference) to another date or even the date you want. Just make a note in your diary. They do normally cancel >14days out so you should know in time. As Harry says. Make sure you book for a city in the same country that you want for your actual flight. I got the choice from any UK airport to any Greek airport when LGW-ATH was cancelled. Good luck!

    • Jody says:

      8 Feb8 February 13:20

      Thanks Matthew. I’ve had numerous flights cancelled from last year that I’ve moved to this year (and some of these have also been cancelled!). I’m assuming our Easter flights for Tenerife will be cancelled, if not I’ll do the free fare change up to 14 days before I guess.

      I could actually do with booking a trip to Greece, I could do with re-stocking on some thyroid medication that you can buy over the counter there but struggle to get prescribed here, never mind buy privately. Will ponder a bit more and decide whether to make a speculative booking that I hope gets cancelled or not!

      • kitten says:

        9 Feb9 February 00:00

        OT Jody does that medication contain T3? I am wondering what aspect of it makes it difficult to get a scrip for in thr UK

    • Colin says:

      8 Feb8 February 15:15

      Yes – that easyjet policy is still good (any airport in originating country to any airport in destination country) although was previously very generous (foolishly so, commercially) in letting you change for free to ANY alternative country/airport available on their schedule. Just be careful though as they might change their policy again to just allowing a free change solely from/to the SAME originating/destination airport – the t&cs will be applicable at the time of policy change (as per last time much to the chagrin of many) rather than applicable `at the time of booking`.

  • Anna says:

    8 Feb8 February 12:26

    I’m having the same dilemma, wondering whether to book cheap flights to Madrid or Bilbao and then swap them for half term Canaries or Malaga!
    I can’t see Spain opening up before Easter at the earliest and probably more like May/June but of course it’s a gamble!

    • Anna says:

      8 Feb8 February 12:27

      But I’ve just seen Matthew’s comment that you don’t need the flight to be cancelled to make a change so maybe not a gamble then?!

      • Anna says:

        8 Feb8 February 12:28

        Scrap that – fare difference!

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