The HfP chat thread – Monday 21st June

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Gavin says:

21 Jun21 June 09:32

Just spotted two of my Hilton redemptions for September have dropped by 1k since last week – maybe a currency fluctuation?

May be worth checking and rebooking. 2k points saved
- Andrew says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 09:38
  
  It’s not currency fluctuations it’s dynamic redemption pricing – happens even more with IHG.
  - John says:
    
    21 Jun21 June 13:15
    
    It is definitely currency fluctuation when the drop is by 1000 points at the same time that GBPUSD has fallen from 1.41 to 1.38
    - Gavin says:
      
      21 Jun21 June 14:30
      
      Either way 2k points saved.
      - Munch says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 20:39
        
        Cheers Gavin – just check one of my bookings saved 7000 points
Anna says:

21 Jun21 June 09:32

Trying to get things clear in my head!
If we fly to an amber country at the end of July, and the government changes the self-isolation requirement from August 1st, is it the rule in place when we return which we have to follow, or the one when we left?
Just wondering whether to lock in a trip to Tenerife (before prices go up), where I can get top-end accommodation for peanuts, and where we would still be insured even of FCDO advice doesn’t change.
- meta says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 09:44
  
  The current rule is that if you have spent the last 10 (or 11 days) in the amber/red country then you have to self-isolate even if turns amber/green while you’re away. This is entirely different from last year where if the country was placed on the travel corridor while you were away, you did not have to isolate.
  
  However, in reality how likely are they going to spot it at the border? Unless PLF is so sophisticated and they check rigorously, I doubt it.
  - Anna says:
    
    21 Jun21 June 10:02
    
    Yes, but the rules seem to be about to change …
    - Anna says:
      
      21 Jun21 June 10:06
      
      What I’m saying is – e.g. Boris announces next week that self-isolation rules will be lifted from August 1st (not a change from amber to green, just to the requirement on return). I fly, say, to Spain on July 30th. When I get home on, say August 15th, would I have to isolate as the rules were still in place when I arrived in Spain?
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 10:17
        
        @rob. You can no longer end the isolation early because it goes green you have to see out the 10 days.
      - meta says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 10:17
        
        Depends on what the new rules say, so we don’t know that yet.
      - John says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 13:16
        
        It’s based on where you were in the 10 days before you entered the UK at the time you enter the UK
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    21 Jun21 June 10:16
    
    I may be reading your msg incorrectly but if you were in an amber country
    
    And it goes green before you return you are subject to the rules for a green arrival
    
    If it goes green / red in the 10 days after you returned nothing changes and you must continue with the amber rules.
    - Anna says:
      
      21 Jun21 June 10:21
      
      This isn’t about changing colours, it’s about the proposals to exempt vaccinated travellers from quarantine on their return!
      - Anna says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 10:22
        
        So you’d still be returning from am amber country, but you wouldn’t have to self-isolate on return. This has been the biggest story discussed on here over the weekend!
      - meta says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 10:26
        
        We don’t know that as it is still just a speculation based on a few statements and leaks.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 10:38
        
        Ok then that’s all just speculation so no one knows what the rule will be
    - meta says:
      
      21 Jun21 June 10:24
      
      Say you fly to Spain on 29th July while it’s amber and on 1st August it turns green, you fly back to UK on 3rd August. You were in amber country in the past 10 days, you need to self-isolate. If you fly back to UK on 11th August then, you don’t need to self-isolate.
      
      However, I have doubts this would be properly checked.
      
      The travel corridor rules last year were that the moment a country was placed on travel corridor list, you were no longer subject to isolation rules.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 10:39
        
        That’s simply not the case. It’s about the colour the country is the moment you land.
      - meta says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 10:54
        
        @TGLoyalty can you provide a link to a definite legal basis for that? I asked the question here when the traffic light system was first announced and I was told what I said above. The wording on the gov website is not clear on this.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        21 Jun21 June 11:53
        
        gov.uk always refer to “the list”. The list is what colour the country is on that particular day. Ie if you landed from Portugal after on 4:00am on Monday 17th May you didn’t have to isolate regardless of the fact it was amber for the 10 days before that.
- Craig says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:27
  
  Gut feeling Anna would be the rules in place for your return date. Imagine if someone went to India now but came back in 3 months when hopefully they are on top of things, hotel quarantine based on the rules now would be ludicrous?
  - Anna says:
    
    21 Jun21 June 11:40
    
    You would think, but a lot of the restrictions are already ludicrous!
- Shub says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 15:20
  
  Interested in the accommodation available in Tenerife, I’m planning a trip next year (hopefully). Could you share if there’s any great bargain available in Tenerife?
Sina says:

21 Jun21 June 09:41

Has anyone stayed in Watton House? Photos look nice but not sure what brand is this?
- Mr. AC says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 09:52
  
  It’s weird – it’s in IHG, but not branded by anything. We stayed in a “family room” it was meh. No status recognition or upgrade (was Spire). The restaurant was meh – “pub” down the road superior’s.
  Grounds and the building itself were beautiful. Spa was ok-ish, nothing to write home about.
  The focus of the hotel seems to be weddings – we saw a number of couples being given the tour when we stayed.
  - Rob says:
    
    21 Jun21 June 10:17
    
    It came into IHG with the Principal acquisition I think but they can’t decide what to do with it.
- Jek says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 09:59
  
  We have just been there. Good location for exploring Surrey Hills, Silent Pool Gin and Denbies Vineyard. Rooms ok, but stuffy due to no AC. Breakfast bad, but great places in Dorking. Pool was open!
- Lula says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:07
  
  Have stayed a couple of times on mega cheap rates (like £60 per night). Building and grounds are lovely. Nice walking nearby and some nice pubs. Staff generally very good, except in the bar, where service (pre covid) was beyond weird. Pool and spa very mediocre but nice to have. Rooms both times were nice but nothing amazing. If you get a good price I’d say its worth it
- Sina says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:23
  
  Thanks All! I’ve booked it for 32k points, it’s completely booked for the weekend! it seems we should spend more time outside the hotel rather than staying in!
Reney says:

21 Jun21 June 09:42

Hi, I am going to stay at a Small Luxury Hotels of the World (Tylney Hall), room is already paid for with points. I have at least 2 meals planned there and maybe another one. I have the spend £300 get back £100 offer on one of my amex, of which its property is included.

Does anyone know if the spend is accumulative? Is the best thing to do to charge all the meals to the room and paid for it at the end?Anyone know if they will let me do that? Not sure if the restaurant comes up different to the hotel on the amex system.

If anyone else has stayed, tips welcome on what there is to do etc.
- Stu N says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 09:52
  
  Just charge everything to your room and pay on check-out – that’s the safest way to do this to ensure it all goes through reception rather than individual bars/ restaurants.
Pete M says:

21 Jun21 June 09:44

Morning all! Just a quick thank you for all the Belfast tips some weeks back. We had glorious weather all weekend and the Hilton was very good, including a serve-yourself buffet breakfast! It was also very, very busy which was brilliant to see. The city was also very busy and impossible to get dinner bookings at short notice.

We did the black cab tour of the city, a full day tour to the Giant’s Causeway and Game of Thrones filming locations as well as the Titanic Experience – all of which were very good. Definitely a good option for a long weekend, although we did move our flight back from the 8pm to the 5pm on Sunday as we’d run out of things to do.
meta says:

21 Jun21 June 09:46

Just arrived with HSBC connect email, 50% off Economist subscription with any HSBC card, don’t think it’s stackable with Avios offer.
DJ says:

21 Jun21 June 09:49

Hi,

Looking for a weekend stay in mid July.

Any additional benefits on booking via Emyr for IC Park Lane, or Kimpton Fitzroy?

Thanks
- ChrisC says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:15
  
  Yes. The standard ones he offers,
  
  See the posts about the IHG Luxury and Lifestyle offers
- Anna says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:15
  
  Yes you would get the usual benefits for either of these. We had an amazing 3 night stay at the Kimpton last month, got upgraded to a junior suite and loads of free drinks. There was a 3 nights for 2 offer on when we stayed plus I got 2 x Amex Platinum credit so the whole stay came in at under £500!
- Rob says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:18
  
  Guaranteed club lounge access on all rooms booked via Emyr at IC Park Lane (and Paris, and a few others). Lounge is shut BUT they are giving people who would have lounge access vouchers for free drinks, free snacks etc.
  
  Fitzroy you’ll get the IHG Luxury & Lifestyle programme benefits (free brekky, room credit etc).
ChasP says:

21 Jun21 June 10:10

Virgin have stopped selling all direct return flights to Orlando up to middle August so expect cancellation e mails soon
I have Virgin flights booked via Air France for the family – does anyone have experience of what mght get offered ?
- Mart says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:34
  
  Had out Vegas flights cancelled yesterday 4th August.
  if I could get a bet on for USA travel it would be middle of September onwards
  - LS says:
    
    21 Jun21 June 13:05
    
    I would be very surprised if US is opened to UK before the end of the year – the delta variant clearly is causing havoc.
    - blenz101 says:
      
      21 Jun21 June 13:23
      
      With the EU well organised with their covid passport scheme and having already lifted the travel ban on the US travel from the continent is no doubt going to resume well before the UK.
      
      The situation with German tourists flocking to southern Europe passed with very little notice. I suspect more will be made given the ‘special relationship’ when Brits are forced to watch jet after jet flying above their heads to Orlando, Vegas and NYC from the EU whilst the UK remains a covid leper colony.
- Travel Strong says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:38
  
  Virgin direct to LAS has also just been pushed back. Previously bookable from 18th July, now not bookable until 5th August.
  
  I am coincidentally booked on the 5th of August so now I would be on the first flight out, in the unlikely event USA opens in time and it doesn’t get pushed back further!
- Travel Strong says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:40
  
  I’m booked with 50% miles fares that I would like to move, but to 12-13 months time.
  Do Virgin offer FTV type things for miles bookings if they cancel the flight not you?
  I’ve heard of such things for cash bookings, but not heard much about keeping miles bookings open for future travel.
- Travel Strong says:
  
  21 Jun21 June 10:43
  
  @ChasP in your situation last year I was offered refund or rerouting, chose rerouting from what I could see via virgin partners and they were happy to oblige with any routing I found….. but after the rerouted options were also cancelled I took refunds!