The HfP chat thread – Saturday 5th June

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MD says:

5 Jun5 June 18:42

I don’t read OMAAT much at all as Rob generally satisfies my needs – ☺️ – but I’ve been following this saga, hilarious. In my opinion he’s perfectly entitled to be making a big deal about it, sounds like he was treated appallingly. I’m not one for complaining in hotels much either tbh, but I would have complained a fair bit more than it sounds like he did.
- Anna says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 18:43
  
  This sounds interesting – where can I find it on the blog?
  - Optimus Prime says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 18:44
    
    https://onemileatatime.com/insights/aegon-mykonos-tripadvisor/
    - Lady London says:
      
      5 Jun5 June 22:13
      
      The hotel added insult to injury by first guaranteeing a suite they had no intention of providing. Looks like they do this over and over, as a plan. (Today’s poster who had the bath-missing-in-the-suite problem at Hilton St Anne’s Manor near Bracknell is a mini-example of same practice by hotel, it would seem).
      
      The problem was, after they did it, uh-oh the Greek hotel realised it was Ben Schlappig. Fearing they would be exposed the hotel accused Ben of blackmail etc. That’s clearly how this hotel’s mind works. ie their standards are in the gutter.
      
      I haven’t read OMAAT for ages but FWIW I am absolutely certain Ben never made any such threat or demands. The hot knew they deserved it though, but Ben:s got too much class.
      
      Only read the last post of Ben summarising it be all but hope this hotel gets what they deserve. A pity Mykonos seems to be overtouristed and overdeveloped now, IIRC Greeks told me it was origjnally a quiet haven for LBG.
      - bafan says:
        
        5 Jun5 June 23:20
        
        +1 Ben doesn’t seem that type at all. Br*an K*lly on the other hand…
- MD says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 18:44
  
  That was supposed to be a reply to Tom H above. The threading of replies since the redesign really is terrible, sorry Rob.
- Harry T says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 18:44
  
  I would have booted off!
  - MD says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 18:47
    
    Yeah me too Harry. When the (probably) owner basically threatened him 😂😳🤪
  - meta says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 19:29
    
    I would actually call them and ask them to cancel the stay even before arrival and not engage via email/text. It’s a better effect and when you hear them interacting with you without having time to think, you can really tell whether they’re honest or not.
    
    I had a similar issue (downgrade, no SNA) before arrival on a prepaid cash booking at a Domes property in Crete, but they sorted it out when I said I’ll go elsewhere. On arrival they threw in half-board, freebie drinks and treated us really well…
    - Harry T says:
      
      5 Jun5 June 19:50
      
      Agreed, Meta!
- Anna says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:01
  
  I love a good drama! There’s a series on Netflix (I think) about the Lindsay Lohan beach club, I watched it last year to help with my thwarted beach cravings 🤣
- Anna says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:20
  
  Marriott has got form for misrepresenting beach facilities – it shows the Grand Cayman Marriott resort as enjoying a wide stretch of tropical white sand, but in reality this has been eroded over the years by storms to the point where they can only fit 3 rows of beach chairs on the remaining sand and front row guests often find the waves lapping around them!
Anna says:

5 Jun5 June 19:06

Amex Platinum experts – I’ve booked a hire car at AGP with partial insurance cover (i.e. there would be an excess to pay. Full insurance would be an extra 273 euros which is another 50% on top of the rental cost. The car hire company doesn’t take Amex, according to the website. I would normally buy a separate policy to cover the excess (normally about £50 for a year), but as I understand it, Platinum would cover this (thereby also justifying the card fee for that month I guess?). Just wanted to make sure we’re quite risk averse in these matters!
- Aristeides says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:27
  
  Plat covers the excess and you do need to pay with it. It’s a truly excellent benefit and I rely on it the whole time. Claiming is an absolute doodle and the last time I did so they weren’t anyway near as bureaucratic as normal excess insurance companies are with the paperwork.
- Aristeides says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:28
  
  Plat covers the excess and you do not need to pay with it. It’s a truly excellent benefit and I rely on it the whole time. Claiming is an absolute doodle and the last time I did so they weren’t anyway near as bureaucratic as normal excess insurance companies are with the paperwork.
  - Anna says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 19:58
    
    Thanks Aristeides, I will go with your second reply! I’m sure I’ve seen previous posts saying that you don’t have to have paid with Amex if they don’t accept it.
    - Andrew says:
      
      5 Jun5 June 20:03
      
      That’s for the travel inconvenience and cancellation/curtailment benefits, but other insurances such as medical cover, you’re always covered regardless of how you pay, even if the company does take Amex. If they don’t take Amex then you’re covered for inconvenience and cancellation/curtailment benefits – just screenshot that they didn’t take Amex at the time of booking (in case they suddenly start by the time you claim!).
      - Anna says:
        
        5 Jun5 June 20:06
        
        Thanks Andrew, we actually have much better travel insurance through OH’s work, I just need the car hire cover from the Amex.
    - Anna says:
      
      5 Jun5 June 20:05
      
      Though on the booking confirmation it says they do accept Amex so I guess we’ll have to see which one is right when we get there!
      - Lord Doncaster says:
        
        6 Jun6 June 00:10
        
        I use Record Go in Alicante (not been to Malaga yet) and luckily not needed to use the Plat car hire excess cover… but have always heard good claim experiences when people have claimed.
KZ says:

5 Jun5 June 19:14

Hi all,

Do we know if the book with confidence scheme from BA applies if we book through travel agencies, specifically amex travel?
- Anna says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:21
  
  Someone mentioned this recently, I think the answer was that you can get a FTV but it remains with Amex travel and needs to be re-booked via them.
stevenhp1987 says:

5 Jun5 June 19:35

I leave for Malta on 20th June (with any luck).

Was originally returning on 26th June but BA have just cancelled the flight back and pushed me onto 27th June.

Do BA have to cover the additional day hotel room/food etc. as they cancelled the flight or does the fact I’m not stranded there effect that?

I booked a BA Holiday (Flight + Car) so I would need to check they are extending the car too…
- ChrisC says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:55
  
  They still have duty of care
  
  Speak to BA hols about that. Should be easier and cheaper for them to book an extra night that for you to do it.
  - stevenhp1987 says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 20:00
    
    Thanks.
    
    That’s what I thought. Just wanted to double check my rights before speaking with BA in case they didn’t want to play ball.
    - Lady London says:
      
      5 Jun5 June 21:40
      
      BA Hols is less problem Reports here are good. Unlike for flights enforcement of consumer rights is draconian for holidays and good providers know it.
      
      I’d want car as well as hotel for the extra day.
      - stevenhp1987 says:
        
        5 Jun5 June 21:55
        
        Oh,
        
        I will be requesting that, naturally.
        
        Ringing BA and sorting out extended airport parking etc tomorrow. Currently in Wales for a weekend away!
DAJ says:

5 Jun5 June 19:37

Hi all. Quick question re cancelling a BA holiday. I jumped at the CDG to HNL deal the other day (lucky to get 4 seats for family over Easter hols).

If I need to cancel this for a FTV can I do so via the UK number? Also, I paid the deposit in Euros and I guess that the FTV would also be in Euros. If that is the case, would I need to apply this to another booking departing EU or could I apply the voucher to a UK booking in £’s?

Apologies for the questions but just wanted to know where I stood in case I needed to cancel.

Cheers
- ChrisC says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:59
  
  You can cancel it online. No need to phone,
  
  Yes the FTV will be in euros. No restriction on using it to pay for a ££ new booking as BA will convert it. Just as they converted a ££ FTV of mine into euros when I made an ex Dub booking,
  
  Given Easter is relatively late this year if your booking extends into May even by one day BWC does not apply.
  - DAJ says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 20:10
    
    Thanks for the info and good to know the voucher can be converted if needed.
    
    I tried to dummy cancel on MMB to see if it was possible but it gave me the UK number to call stating that the booking couldn’t be cancelled online.
    
    Thanks for the tip re April 22 – we return 21/4 so will be ok.
    
    Thanks again.
    - ChrisC says:
      
      5 Jun5 June 21:04
      
      Don’t use MMB.
      
      Use the link on the Covid page on the BA website to request a voucher if / when you need one .
      - DAJ says:
        
        5 Jun5 June 21:24
        
        Noted – thanks for that.
Muhammad Abdullah says:

5 Jun5 June 19:44

It’s been so long since I redeemed/earned Avios, I am not getting RFS pricing. What’s the easiest way to get some activity to get that back? Would a future booking and then cancelled in 24h according to cooling off work?
- Anna says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 19:55
  
  No, you’ve got to earn avios so you could make a small purchase from somewhere which posts quickly (ebay?) or possibly buying a few might work.
  - Anna says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 19:55
    
    Or transfer MR points?
    - stevenhp1987 says:
      
      5 Jun5 June 20:05
      
      Transfer Nectar might also work?
- Steve S says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 20:11
  
  Convert some nectar points that’s instant
  - Muhammad Abdullah says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 20:28
    
    Merci!
- Rob says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 20:49
  
  Transfer some Amex points in, will credit overnight.
AnotherUser says:

5 Jun5 June 20:16

Anyone know if the amex Hilton offer – £50 off £200 spend – counts cumulative spend or needs to be done in one transaction?
- Muhammad Abdullah says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 20:28
  
  Cumulative
  - AnotherUser says:
    
    5 Jun5 June 20:49
    
    Thanks 🙂
Mike1 says:

5 Jun5 June 20:25

Any recommendations for hotels in Edinburgh? Something cheap-ish maybe below £80/night later this month on weekdays.
- AnotherUser says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 20:45
  
  Been in the Hampton West End recently – well ran budget-ish hotel near the Meadows and canal, and Haymarket. Ibis South Bridge St was nice enough pre-Covid, too. Depending on the dates, you might find something more ‘upscale’ seeming too
- Sandgrounder says:
  
  5 Jun5 June 21:01
  
  There are some very good rates available for Ten Hill Place, for an example I just had a look for the last week of the month on Amex travel, 57pn from Tues to Friday. I was there a couple of weekends ago, great location, solid 4 star accom and a good restaurant.