The HfP chat thread – Thursday 1st July

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• YC says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:21

  Anyone experience the Natwest Reward Platinum travel insurance? Are they generally hassle free? Any idea on Covid policy?

  • Tracey says:

    1 Jul1 July 16:44

    We use it. A reasonable extra charge to add medical conditions. They answer the phone quickly from UK call centres. Haven’t had a claim so can’t comment on that. They did have an odd view on booking against FCDO advice at the time of booking rather than the time of flight, but they then relaxed it.

• ash says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:26

  Just stayed at the Langley, lovely stay once again, bit tight on the upgrades for plat as only got a delux in main house (2019 was upgraded to Jr suite as gold) free breakfast with no additional charge for hot breakfast. No Pens have mostly dried up #cut backs 🙂

  • MJ says:

    1 Jul1 July 16:34

    I stayed at the weekend. Platinum elite upgraded to junior suite in the main house. Beautiful. I went and got a pen from reception 🙂

    • meta says:

      1 Jul1 July 17:04

      I stayed last year on Amex Marriott offer and was upgraded to a huge one-bedroom suite called Balfour suite which is just one below their top Duke of Malborough suite. I’m Bonvoy Plat.

      Top tip: You should always contact any Marriott hotel in advance on the morning of the stay (via app if possible) and casually enquire about the upgrade so that they can reserve it for you.

• Yuff says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:32

  Etihad 20% bonus from HSBC this weekend, 40% from Accor……

  • Yuff says:

    1 Jul1 July 15:34

    It includes Amex as well

  • Rahaney says:

    1 Jul1 July 18:28

    Where do you find this?

    • Rob says:

      1 Jul1 July 18:53

      Email from Etihad this afternoon.

  • Ali M says:

    1 Jul1 July 21:46

    Oh I haven’t received the email.so hsbc to etihad you mean ?

• James says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:39

  Wonder if we’ll see any improvements to the Amex Platinum Card here in the UK after news of changes in the US.

  • Liam says:

    1 Jul1 July 16:59

    A quick glance (I have a US Platinum card) suggests the new benefits are going to struggle to outweigh the additional $145/year fee (it’s going up to $695 total). I can’t complain too much—I got a $500 discount on my current year’s $550 fee as a retention offer—and thanks to all the offers, including a $200 Amex Travel credit, I am making money off the card this year, but the new benefits either aren’t that interesting or are pretty restricted.

    The UK Platinum fee did go up relatively recently, I guess, so probably nothing to be too concerned about in the near future on that front.

• Travel Strong says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:43

  Datapoint: Flying out of gatwick is actually quite pleasant when it’s not full of people!

  Fly to Gibraltar in 1hr. Fully vaxed, cert uploaded to Gibraltar gov PLF, free arrival test booked plus additional 30 for cert for pre-return test (1 test 2 purposes at staying <72hrs).
  … keep thinking i'm missing something – will be a relief to be the other side of security on the rock!

  • Anna says:

    1 Jul1 July 15:50

    Tell us all about it! I’m considering moving our stay to the end of August as with our current travel dates it’s just too tight to get PCR results for the teenagers before heading off to LCY.

    • Marie says:

      1 Jul1 July 16:25

      I am stabbing mine at 5pm , Friday. Wont get to the randox drop box until 8pm Friday asits miles away. Result Saturday for Sunday am flight. I HOPE

• M says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:45

  Is there any clever way to get the “Two Together” railcard?

  • Harry T says:

    1 Jul1 July 16:08

    You can use clubcard points to get a discount.

    • M says:

      1 Jul1 July 16:54

      Good shout, thanks!

• Swiss Jim says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:48

  Anyone else finding payments from (ordinary…) bank account to Creation (IHG card) taking ages to show up. Used to be quick, but most recent from 28 Jun still not showing on App…..

  • Jane says:

    1 Jul1 July 15:52

    Did you use the auto-fill function for the card you were using to pay with details ? that overrides your creation card number and causes confusion as they can’t tell where the money is supposed to go. you need to call to sort it out if you did.

    • Aston100 says:

      1 Jul1 July 15:58

      I find it has been taking a couple of days or more, since at least last year.
      No matter the route taken to get funds into Creation.

      • Memesweeper says:

        1 Jul1 July 16:17

        Yup, it’s always slow, or slower.

        • Yuff says:

          1 Jul1 July 17:14

          +1

    • Chrisasaurus says:

      1 Jul1 July 19:47

      Haven’t had this but will make a note to watch out for it – but OP’s question looked like was a bank transfer not an online payment

      • Aston100 says:

        1 Jul1 July 20:20

        Pushing a Bank Transfer to Creation from my bank’s app/website is just as slow as pulling it in from the Creation app/website.

  • DK says:

    1 Jul1 July 18:27

    Used to be next day but my payment from June 28th is still not there. Will be calling tomorrow as advise is 5 working days apparently

• Rob says:

  1 Jul1 July 15:55

  All the same till at Waitrose.

  They don’t do JL vouchers technically – they are combined Waitrose / JL vouchers which can be used at either.

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