The HfP chat thread – Sunday 4th April

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

We are running 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.

Chas says:

4 Apr4 April 09:09

There’s been a few comments recently about meal kits from high-end restaurants (prompted, I think, by the BA 1st class meals subscription). Can anyone recommend one where it’s possible to order for four people, including just one veggie option? Of the few I’ve looked at, we’d have to order 2 x veggie and 2 x non-veggie to have food for four incl just one veggie. Keen to give something like this a go, but struggling to make it work for us.
- Oh! Matron! says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 09:24
  
  I’d give Tommy Banks a go: https://tommybanks.co.uk/product-category/foodbox/
  
  (I don’t get anything for the recomendation)
  
  The box I did get was amazing for the two of us. The weekend boxes, which are more expensive will do you for 4 meals. It could work that you order twice with two accounts. As you can book a particular weekend up to a month in advance, that could work out for you
  
  Best meal I’ve ever cooked at home.
  - Chas says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 09:45
    
    Thanks. This was one of the ones that I had looked at based on some reviews I’d read, but the menus each appear to be for 2 people. What I really want to be able to do is order for 1 x veggie and 3 x non-veggie, which is what I’m struggling to find anywhere.
    
    I can’t see the distinction between mid-week and weekend boxes. I’d actually be planning this as a mid-week meal (wife’s birthday), but clicking through further on their boxes, deliveries are only possible on Fridays. Am I missing something?
- Kevin C says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 09:44
  
  We have one vegetarian in the family and Corbin & King home dining works for this as you order individual dishes. We’ve had them a couple of times and they were very good.
  https://www.thewolseley.com/product-category/home-dining/
  - Chas says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 09:48
    
    Oh – thanks, that looks interesting. Particularly as Mrs Chas can be a little picky, so there’s often something on a set menu that’s not quite perfect for her. I’d just have to still the kids from both wanting to order something different – I’m not going to let it turn into a full restaurant experience whereby everyone ends up eating something different!
    - Chas says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 09:54
      
      *stop (not still)
    - Kevin C says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 09:55
      
      Most of the Corbin & King dishes are very easy to prepare so having four different dishes shouldn’t be a deal breaker.
      They deliver Wed to Sat.
- kitten says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 11:06
  
  For cost reasons guessing their standard order Qty is 2.
  
  All the decent restaurant dishes like chateaubriand or proper Chinese duck often work that way in restaurants due to labour and other costs needing an order of 2.
  
  do they offer 3? just in case 2 is a min not a std block size
  
  Alternately it works if you take 8 meals so order 3 of the nonveg plus 1 veg. freeze the rest if you dont want to eat double.
  - Chas says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 16:06
    
    I fully understand why the underlying margins, not to mention the practicalities of portion sizes, would lead to a standard order quantity of 2 (although I think the reasons why chateaubriand is priced for two is because of the size of the cut), but none of the companies I’ve looked at allow portions of 1 or 3 – they’re all “3 course boxes for 2 people”. I was hoping that someone would be able to point me in the direction of a company who’s model is slightly different. Corbin & King whom Kevin C recommended seem like a decent option at the moment.
- Chris Heyes says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 12:30
  
  Chas Do people on here not know how to cook ?
  Order some Steaks or Barnsley Lamb Chops from Donald Russell (plus a vegy option) go and order some fresh veg from local farm delivered or pick up.
  Will beat any meal kit bought from high-end restaurants unless of course Donald Russell is their suppliers pus a good farm lol
  - Navara says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 12:49
    
    +1 Chris
  - Chas says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 16:17
    
    On the same basis Chris, when would anyone go out to eat a restaurant? There are many reasons, which include wanting to do something different from what you normally do. Without wanting to sound too full of myself, I’m a pretty decent cook and virtually always cook from scratch. But the real differentiating factor in making a stand-out meal comes from all the different sauces, garnishes, sides etc, which I’m not going to have the time to do mid-week. Given that we can’t go out to a restaurant to celebrate my veggie wife’s birthday, I was looking at alternative and easy options to help make it special. I’m not sure that she’d react too well if I served her a steak or a lamb chop anyway….. 😉
- M says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 20:36
  
  Would highly recommend https://crockersathome.com was perfect for this – variety of meals and easy to have one or two veggie options.
  - Chas says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 21:48
    
    Thank you M – that looks fantastic!
southlondonphil says:

4 Apr4 April 09:32

Looks like the Radisson/Radisson RED (ex-Park Inn) Heathrow is joining the ‘Hancock Hotels’ collection (or is it Priti’s Palaces?) of quarantine establishments as I’ve just had an email cancelling overnight there in early May. Looking at the Calendar, it is blocked out from Thursday 8th April until the 16th of May.

Both it AND the Radisson Blu, as well as the Novotel T123 which are already being used for red-list quarantine, are showing as bookable from 17th May though, while the Renaissance is bookable from 19th. The St Giles also has a note on its webiste saying they’re ully reopening on 17th May so looks like ‘hotel quarantine’ might be ending?
- blenz101 says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 10:18
  
  I wouldn’t read too much into that. They have just added Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh from next Friday. The list is going only one way only and the proposed traffic light system will still have a ‘red’.
  
  The justification is also a nonsense and is more about keeping people in the UK at home than keeping the virus out. In the UAE 85 per 100 people have had the vaccine with pretty much next day availability of your brand of choice for anybody over 16.
  France on the other hand is in the deep in the middle of a third wave and has managed just 17 doses per 100 people yet no restrictions apply. UK is on 53 per 100 for comparison. Confirmed cases are many many times higher in both the UK and France. The numbers don’t support the political decisions being made. If the decision is to prevent long haul for those who can afford it by stopping direct flights to hub airports and making the return to the UK as expensive and impractical as difficult then fine, but trying to say its driven by science is not right.
  
  The contract with these hotels will either be extended or the hotels think they stand a better chance of making money with public bookings given there may be a rush to the borders for shorthaul to Spain from May 17th onwards when foreign travel becomes legal again.
  - Paul pogba says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 11:17
    
    It’s impractical to stop entry from France, it’s the key transit route for the majority of our imported fresh food (and lots of other finished goods from Europe), UAE is not.
    - blenz101 says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 12:18
      
      It is hardly that impractical to restrict entries via France to freight only or close the border with France and route via other European ports.
      
      The Middle East is also a key transit route for fresh goods via air freight from Asia to the UK. Hence why the routes from the region have continued inbound with zero passengers.
      
      My point still stands that anybody can just head to France directly from the UK to ‘view property’ whilst they are deep in the middle of a severe third wave and little vaccination protection and then head back into the UK general population (with a promise to stay at home).
      
      By having a red list which contains countries with substantially lower risk factors than those nearer to home makes it not one based on ‘the evidence’ or ‘science’. If it is just to stop fully vaccinated Brits heading to the beaches of Dubai, The Seychelles and Thailand until vaccines are made available for all or they want to get some short-haul corridors agreed first then just say so. But saying restrictions are somehow evidence based doesn’t wash.
      - Sandra says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 13:45
        
        @blenz101 Do those figures quoted for the UAE vaccinations include the bottom layer of foreign workers, who are in the main from countries like Pakistan, living in the huge work camps (where I imagine covid spread fairly fast given the mostly poor, overcrowded living conditions) or is 85 per 100 their own citizens and the more affluent ex pats from Europe?
      - Pau Pogba says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 14:03
        
        I would agree its currently more lax than it needs to be but I would guess/hope that will change if/when France is added to the red list but I think there will always need to be practical work arounds for France, Netherlands (and any other key trade routes) because of the extent our supply chains are integrated.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 16:02
        
        Yes
        
        They have given millions of shots to citizens, residents and workers
      - Navara says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 16:58
        
        https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/united-arab-emirates/
  - Tariq says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 16:51
    
    Do you know if foreigners can get vaccinated in UAE Blenz? Presumably essential medical treatment is still an allowed reason to travel? If so a trip to Dubai for vaccination tourism might be on the cards. 🤣.
    - Navara says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 17:01
      
      You could get the Chinese or Russian one
      - Blenz101 says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 19:44
        
        Or Pfizer or AstraZeneca. You pick which brand you want at the vaccination centre.
    - Blenz101 says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 19:41
      
      You need to be a citizen or resident to be vaccinated. Vaccination is linked to Emirates ID. Residence visa and Emirates ID can be pretty easily obtained if you are prepared to pay to set up in a free zone.
      
      Vaccination is free and you have the choice of which brand. I had Pfizer with 2 weeks between initial jab and second dose. My appointment was next day when I called and asked for one a few months ago.
      
      And of course they have mass vaccinated manual labourers. The figure quoted are as a % of the population (citizen and residents). The UAE knows who is in the country due to national ID cards and visa entry/exit requirements.
- Andrew says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 10:42
  
  I prefer Boris-Beds or Sturg-Inns.
  - Tariq says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 16:52
    
    Comes with a free pint of p1ss to wet the bed just like them!
- kitten says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 11:13
  
  not sure how the hotels would be clean enough after quarantine without a gap so I wouldn’t read that into it.
  - blenz101 says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 12:46
    
    By definition won’t anybody checking out of those hotels be clear of Covid having been tested multiple times?
    - Lady London says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 13:41
      
      er…. nope. many stories of people catching it from others in same hotel towards the end of qtine then going out and spreading it
      - Yuff says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 18:58
        
        I find that hard to believe, even if they mixed, tested prior to arriving tested on day 2 and 8, any positives quarantined longer and tested again later. There may be the odd one or 2 just like there is in Australia.
        I suspect these stories are fictional.
Harley says:

4 Apr4 April 09:33

I cancelled Gold MR card in Jan 2020, made the mistake of getting BAPP last month : Mar 2021 ( hence i believe resetting the clock). Does this mean when i cancel BAPP i cant get a platinum bonus till Mar 2023?
- Steve says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 09:37
  
  Platinum only requires six month gap from another MR card
  - Steve says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 10:08
    
    I’m wrong, ignore this comment!
  - BuildBackBetter says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 12:31
    
    That’s for Business plat
- Harry T says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 09:41
  
  You’ve only reset your clock for a BAPP bonus by getting a BAPP. You need 24 months between closing all your Membership Reward cards and being eligible for a Platinum Card bonus though.
  
  https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2020/12/28/what-amex-sign-up-bonuses-are-you-still-eligible-for/
  - Harley says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 10:04
    
    So Jan 2022 to be safe for platinum?
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 10:54
      
      Yes.
DJ says:

4 Apr4 April 09:53

IHG Black Premium Card:

Just had a look at the latest statement, I paid my IHG AMB renewal in USD, but the transaction no longer earns 4 points per £.

I thought the following announcement on the December 2020 statement was a mistake?

“
We’d like to remind you that as an IHG Rewards Club Premium Credit Card holder you earn:
2 IHG Rewards Club points for every £1 you spend in the UK
4 IHG Rewards Club points for every £1 you spend at any IHG family of hotels
2 IHG Rewards Club points for every £1 you spend abroad
“
- Genghis says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 10:32
  
  I didn’t think it ever earned double points though given it’s an online transaction and not actually “abroad”. It was never non-GBP spend. I’m still getting double points FX transactions coming through even though online.
- Pid says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 14:14
  
  I had a leaflet with my statement about the same time that people reported the revised rates in their statements. The leaflet still stated the double points for FX transactions.
Michael C says:

4 Apr4 April 09:55

I know the answer is No, but…the supp card holder (OH) on my 241 Amex can’t travel as the main passenger without me, right¿!
- Polly says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 10:13
  
  Sadly, no
  - Michael C says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 14:57
    
    Thanks, Polly – as there are 3 of us, cunning plan was to get my cash ticket separately in the company’s name!
    - Jonathan says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 17:51
      
      If you’re suggesting what I think you are then be careful. Putting a plane ticket through company books when you’re travelling with family members won’t survive even a cursory glance from HMRC as it clearly fails the “wholly & exclusively” test.
Secret Squirrel says:

4 Apr4 April 09:57

IHG redeeming points 4th night free not applicable to U.K. premium card holders?
I read an article on how to redeem points for the 4th night free on a travel blog site with U.K. at the end.
- Blair says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 10:15
  
  I’ve never known this to be the case for UK cardholders. What we do gain is our free night cert works anywhere whereas US is I believe limited to a certain threshold.
  - Rob says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 10:41
    
    Not the case. Stop wasting your time on sites that spout nonsense 🙂
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 10:45
      
      @Rob: you probably know which site with U.K. at the end I read this on. 😂
      Problem is, they have a U.S version of the site but still put it on the U.K version?
      - Rob says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 11:05
        
        Do you seriously believe they care? You’ve been badly fooled if you do.
      - Steve says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 11:16
        
        Ouch, claws are out today Rob!
  - Doug M says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 12:07
    
    Almost all of us have to make a living, including the people behind many websites. But I think it’s reasonably easy to spot the informational sites that promote products, from the advertising factories that pretend to offer information.
    - Secret Squirrel says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 13:02
      
      This article I highlighted did not really advertise a product anymore than other blogs / sites in the U.K. What I do find wrong is to write an advise article on a U.K blog that does not apply to people based in the U.K.
      - David D says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 14:09
        
        Best thing to do is write to the Advertising Standards Agency, as it is really an advertorial and have action taken against.
      - Doug M says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 18:10
        
        If it’s the site I’m assuming it is I just think everything about it says advert/product placement. The articles that have a couple of hundred words but say nothing are all pointers to the quality.
        But regardless I agree with your point regarding .co.uk
idontfly says:

4 Apr4 April 10:32

Morning, as anyone had any luck using Bendy with Wise? Thanks
James. says:

4 Apr4 April 10:44

This was raised a few days back up the reward night point hikes from IHG makes the use of their CC and reward night worthless.

This doesn’t look to be a glitch as they are still in place.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 10:57
  
  Why does it make it useless?
  
  I’m still seeing lots of very cheap points redemptions across Europe
  - Anna says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 11:11
    
    It actually makes the cc free night more valuable!
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 11:41
      
      Exactly. Don’t understand the rational.
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 12:10
        
        Eh? Something goes up in price & you get it for free makes it worth more or more valuable in my books!
    - James. says:
      
      4 Apr4 April 15:30
      
      I must be looking at this wrong?
      
      £100 room used to be 17,500 points now 32,500 so not sure how that makes it more valuable? Price of the rooms haven’t changed just you have to use more points to get them as a reward so devalues the point in my books.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 16:03
        
        Then you don’t use points pay cash.
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 16:49
        
        The value is still there & always will be if you get it for free.
      - Secret Squirrel says:
        
        4 Apr4 April 20:20
        
        If the points required per night goes up & you have a free night CC voucher, then this makes the voucher more valuable, not worthless!
  - Steve says:
    
    4 Apr4 April 11:17
    
    And Solihull are ripe for MS, easy points earning potential.
- Jonathan says:
  
  4 Apr4 April 11:21
  
  Eh? Makes the free night voucher worth more as it’s valid anywhere.
  
  It’s also far too early to be saying changes are permanent when it’s been a few days with a long weekend included.