The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 6th July

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Aston100 says:

6 Jul6 July 13:14

Aston100’s daily Bali question – Number 3.

A choice between a pool villa in Six Senses Bali vs a pool villa in Conrad Nusa Dua.
Forgetting any considerations around cost, are there any downsides to the Six Senses?
I note it isn’t on a beach – this may or may not be a good thing actually.
It looks to be remote, so would I be practically forced to eat on-site at outrageous prices?

As I’m looking to combine this with a stay elsewhere in Indonesia, I may get my beach and cultural experiences elsewhere.
Appreciate any input about the Six Senses and the locality.

Thanks.
- Sam G says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 13:31
  
  Six senses is a bit more of a “go there and don’t leave the room” kinda place whereas Nusa Dua has few more options nearby to get out and eat.
  Personally I’d do a couple of nights at Six Senses and then move to Seminyak for beach / more dining options. A couple of key sites of Ubud can be done in a day trip from Seminyak easily
  - Aston100 says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 14:40
    
    Thanks guys.
    Currently considering combining a week at the Six Senses or Conrad with a week at the Westin in Ubud.
    
    Not sure I like the idea of being holed up in one resort with nothing around within walking distance. So perhaps I may lean towards the Conrad.
    
    @marcw – English Schools summer holiday 2022.
    - The cyclist says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 14:50
      
      Don’t go in English school summer holidays. I expect the other holiday makers wouldn’t like to be holed up with you either!! 🙁
    - David says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 15:03
      
      Go to the W in seminyak or stay at Uma Sapna ( loads cheaper and lovely ) if you stay in Nusa Dua you could be anywhere and you will have to eat hotel food. Seminyak has an amazing choice of restaurants. Stay at the new W in ubud.
      If you really need to stay in Nusa dua the RC or the St Regis but be aware any form of transport in the south of Bali takes forever so not great for exploring the rest of the island.
      - Aston100 says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 15:19
        
        David, I can’t find a W in Ubud, even on the Marriott site.
      - J says:
        
        7 Jul7 July 03:10
        
        Seconded re Uma Sapna – fantastic place (and walkable to local cafes, town centre etc). The Conrad is very nice in itself, but Nusa Dua beach is… meh – ok, but not great, and prone to get windy / not as warm as you might expect, at certain times. As David says, Nusa Dua is a bit “pick any purpose-built resort area” and is actually quite far from the stuff you might actually want to see in Bali. Personally I wouldn’t do more than about three days in the beach/coast areas (or 3+2 at, say, Seminyak and Candi Dasa), then I’d spend 3-4 days in/around Ubud.
        
        Not sure two weeks in Bali might not be a bit much – I’d probably look at popping over to Lombok for some of that time. Very different feel to Bali – much less over-developed. I can highly recommend Jeeva Klui Resort resort – had a lovely stay there a couple of years ago. Get a driver and do an island tour if you do go – there are some stunning (and deserted) beaches in the south.
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 13:38
  
  There’s nothing much in uluwatu except the famous temple. You can head to other beaches or elsewhere in a car, but you’ll be stuck in traffic. As Sam says it’s best if you don’t to leave the hotel.
  Personally I would spend more time in Ubud as everything else is touristy (Thailand has better beaches).
  - Sam G says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 13:41
    
    If you do Six Senses then some of the local bars like Sundays beach club, Ulu Cliffhouse, the rock etc are nearby if you want to get out for a drink or food
    
    Its pretty easy to move around, you can try using Grab app but you’ll probably be hassled, any major bar or beach will have the local taxi “mafia” to take you back, negotiate a little and it’s still tiny money and keeps everyone happy!
    
    In Seminyak its easier to use Grab or Gojek or use Bluebird taxis from their app. Try not to use the fake taxis from the street, I lost my iPhone in one and never got it back.
    
    If you are doing a day or half day trip out then get a car and driver, Klook has many options with 10000s of reviews. Same for airport pick up / drop off
    
    I personally find parts of Ubud very very touristy now and wouldnt stay there again but I hope that is something that has reversed somewhat since covid. And definitely avoid Kuta, the magaluf for Aussies!
- marcw says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:15
  
  When are you planning to go?
- Paul says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 15:23
  
  I did not like the Conrad. The beach is sharp sand and they had very noisy and very frequent jet skis going up and down.
  My choice is the Bali Intercontinental and their club rooms. A haven of peace and tranquility with the most fabulous sandy beach, stunning sunsets and great places to eat out on the beach, in the hotel and around.
  
  Cathay just cancelled my flights this morning and I am rather upset by it. 2nd year in a row and I can only go late July and August 🙁
  - David says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 15:44
    
    The W is coming in ubud ! Says 2021 probably been put back to 2022
  - marcw says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 19:21
    
    Bali is definitely not opening this summer, unfortunately. They´ve just been placed in lockdown.
    - Aston100 says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 20:48
      
      Indeed, which is why I mentioned summer 2022 up thread.
- David S says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 17:09
  
  Stay in Nusa Dua and pop across to Bali Collection for evening meal, shopping, etc
TGLoyalty says:

6 Jul6 July 13:21

So isolation after contact with a positive case within England for those with both jabs+2 weeks won’t end until August 16th.

It’s hard to think the travel change will be from July 19th.
- meta says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 13:27
  
  I think more likely from 16 August then, but you never know.
  - Anna says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 13:29
    
    Dilemma – book 3 extra days in Tenerife or fall back on Plan B to Gibraltar?!
  - Optimus Prime says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 13:34
    
    Yeah. This is about plebs going back to the office from 19th July – but MP’s won’t until 6th September.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 13:31
  
  I should’ve said applies to all under 18’s too from that date so possibly the same for amber arrivals with fully jabbed parents.
  - meta says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 13:33
    
    They might throw a carrot to travel industry and put many more countries on the green list.
    - Anna says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 13:38
      
      I hope so – after all l, the damage to the travel industry will presumably be worth more than people working from home for a few more weeks.
      Let’s see if the Johnsons are scheduled to get back from their honeymoon to Barbados on August 16th 😂
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 13:49
        
        Carrie probably wouldn’t be double jabbed …
      - Anna says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 13:58
        
        TG – she’s probably booked in for her 2nd one 2 weeks before they depart. The nanny as well, I’ll wager.
      - BJ says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 14:04
        
        Seriously doubt that Carrie will want the nanny tagging along.
      - Anna says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 14:16
        
        But who’s going to look after Wilf?!
      - Optimus Prime says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 16:14
        
        Stanley will look after his grandson.
  - Anna says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 13:43
    
    That may be more about kids not having to isolate once the schools go back, there’s no point in making separate provision for them when the dates are only 3 weeks apart.
    - mutley says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 15:03
      
      Anyone named Wilf would be an immediate target in the comprehensive that I went to. Same as fat kids, kids with ginger hair, kids with glasses, oddballs , theatrical types, teachers pets, and swots. Think Rudge Park Comp but ten times worse.
      
      If you were half decent at sport and/or you were funny you got along fine.
      
      Wilf however, will be going to Eton, and will fit right in.
      - JDB says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 15:09
        
        May I ask what you know about Eton?
      - mutley says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 15:15
        
        JDB, More than you would imagine, I have 4 boys, one went through prep and is currently at St Albans public school, one went to Bedford and has now finished Uni, one went to a grammar school and the other to a comp, I have been a school governor for over a decade, and yes I have visited Eton more out of curiosity, than intent. Over to you…..
      - JDB says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 15:28
        
        I asked simply because of the blind prejudice of suggesting that a very small child that you don’t know would “fit right in” to a school that you know very little about. When you now add in to the mix that you are a school governor, your comment is all the more surprising. I also raised the issue because Eton, more than any other public school, has pupils from an extraordinary range of backgrounds as the school will fund all of the fees (and uniform, fees and extras if required) for anyone who passes the entrance test that absolutely anyone can take. Over 25% of pupils have some or all of their fees paid. You would be totally amazed by the lack of flash cars at sports day; it is all rather different than you imagine. If you have something against these schools, you really are picking on the wrong one!
      - Mouse says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 16:14
        
        @JDB the other way to express you statistic is that 75% of pupils pay over £40k a year…
      - mutley says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 16:38
        
        I hardly have anything against public schools as two of my sons have attended them! All public schools have to offer bursaries, as part of their charitable status, so I’m not surprised. I’m sure Wilf will be fine wherever he goes, suffice to say it won’t be Rudge park 🙂
      - Lady London says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 21:37
        
        And there was me thinking you were so posh Mutley
- Tariq says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 17:02
  
  As I predicted previously, mid to end of August most likely in my view.
  - The Savage Squirrel says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 17:41
    
    Once upon a time there was a fantastic Assisted Place scheme where nearly all private schools would have a proportion of government funded places. This meant that they were not posh enclaves with no idea of the real world of hardship and working class problems (despite me going to a fee paying grammar school, my best mate lived in a council house) and gave some clever kids from deprived backgrounds a fantastic opportunity to make the most of their potential. Both highly desirable outcomes I’d say. Sadly scrapped by Labour after 97.
    - Anna says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 18:51
      
      Yes, my siblings and I all benefited from the reduced fees afforded by the Assisted Place scheme. My mum was actually a teacher at the school we attended (shows how little teachers are paid!), and attests to the fact that after the scheme was abolished the students were noticeably more entitled and often less able!
  - Crafty says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 23:28
    
    St Albans School is a private school, not a public school. There is a world of difference between it and some of the other schools named here.
MKB says:

6 Jul6 July 13:33

I’m afraid I’ve sullied my hands by checking out that Spectator article that Rob referenced in the comments of the BA litigation article. However, much as I despise that organ, I couldn’t help but admire the description by Cummings’s wife of the Gove-Cummings coterie as “Brokeback Brexiteers”. Had me snorting my tea with laughter.
MattB says:

6 Jul6 July 13:35

What’s the consensus of me as a Gold making a booking for my parents at a Hilton so they could get the free breakfast? Likely to go unnoticed or are they wise to these things?
- meta says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 13:40
  
  Will they play game? If a UK hotel, then it should be fine as long as one pretends to be you. Also make sure to give them one of your credit cards. If you don’t want to mess and gamble, call Hilton and book over the phone from your account. They may or may not get your benefits.
- Karl says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 13:55
  
  It’s worked fine for me before as long as the hotel doesn’t ask for ID (which is pretty rare, albeit not unheard of the the UK). They normally only ever ask for a reservation name upon check-in. AFAIK the hotel doesn’t have access to your DOB on their file.
  If your parents are rumbled just give the hotel a call and explain that you wanted to book them the room as a Christmas present and just act daft and say you presumed it would be OK. Doubt they’d get the benefits but unlikely to get chucked out of the hotel either.
  - Aaron says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 14:44
    
    If they ask for ID the classic is “He is coming later”. Works well when you put the other person’s name on the booking but a bit harder if they turn up together.
- Mr. AC says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:54
  
  Really depends on the country. In some there are quite strict laws on verifying the identity of the person staying, so no games can be played.
- Peter K says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:58
  
  Try ringing the hotel in advance. Every time in the UK I’ve done this with a Hilton they have said they will honour the status benefits. You don’t need to say who you are when calling just in case they say no. Make a note of the person on the phone’s name but it’s always been fine for me.
  I then book the room and put the guests turning up in the extra info section and why then not me (eg anniversary present).
- John says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 18:08
  
  Get them to download Hilton app, check in on phone, bypass reception completely, and use Bluetooth to open room (which has always worked for me over past 18 months, but obviously not 100% guaranteed).
  
  Or email hotel and ask nicely.
Duster says:

6 Jul6 July 13:48

Does anyone know how soon I could get a digital Priority Pass if I apply for an Amex Gold card today?
- MW says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 13:53
  
  You need to get an activation code which arrives by post with the physical card, so will take around a week to arrive.
  
  If you are travelling sooner than this, you could look into booking a one-off visit instead?
  - Simon Schus says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 14:04
    
    I once got the code from Priority Pass by emailing them, when I was trying to get the card set up for my wife whilst away. This was several years ago. You could also try calling.
- Duster says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:23
  
  Thanks both, much appreciated.
- Rob says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 16:47
  
  Possibly 2 weeks, could be less. Depends how fast Collinson is working. Sometimes they come faster than the Gold card itself.
Anuj says:

6 Jul6 July 13:53

Can you not pay off Amex bills with revolut?
- VerdantBacon says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:02
  
  I paid Amex from Revolut about two weeks ago, not sure if anything has changed since then though
- Reney says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:02
  
  I have done it plenty of time.
- Jane says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:08
  
  I can’t get it to work, rejected ever time.
  - Reney says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 14:24
    
    In case helpful: What I do is, choose make a payment and stick in the card details. I NEVER save the card, I seem to recall ages ago it causes me problem if I save the card.
  - Anuj says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 14:55
    
    Yep same it doesn’t even try it, just rejects it on Amex’s website before it even tries to attempt a charge
    - Reney says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 15:35
      
      Just trying to be helpful, which browser are you using?
Alex B says:

6 Jul6 July 14:33

Can anyone see any Arsenal tickets via Emirates? It says I’m not eligible for Arsenal but shows me (incredibly expensive) F1 tickets. Don’t know if that’s because I’m genuinely not eligible or they just have nothing available.
- The cyclist says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 14:48
  
  Or, buy a season ticket, a novel approach I’m sure you’ll agree.
  - Paul says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 14:56
    
    clearly not a football fan with that comment.. 30 year waiting list for season ticket.
    - MKB says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 14:59
      
      +1
      
      I’ve been on Liverpool’s season ticket waiting list for 20 years. At the rate they become available, I’ll be eligible in a few thousand years.
    - The cyclist says:
      
      6 Jul6 July 15:09
      
      I’ve had a season ticket for over 30 years at the club I support. Long before you started watching the anodyne product called the Premier League. You do know that football existed before 1992 Right.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        6 Jul6 July 15:30
        
        most 25-35 year olds had little to no chance of watching football before 1992
  - DT says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 15:05
    
    After 6 years on the Arsenal season ticket waitlist, I’m in position ~38,000 after starting at ~75,000. So probably not the quickest approach
  - Alex B says:
    
    6 Jul6 July 15:07
    
    Might make more sense if I cared more about Arsenal matches more than twice a season (occasionally 3 times with a cup draw).
- whiskerxx says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 17:51
  
  I can’t see anything for Arsenal and it says I’m not eligible, but last week I could’t see anything at all on those pages , so I think its work in progress.
Luke says:

6 Jul6 July 14:59

Looks like the amber travel announcement is tomorrow… but when does it start from? August 16th would be my guess.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 15:32
  
  September 13th would be funnier
- Anna says:
  
  6 Jul6 July 16:04
  
  Hopefully as it’s a separate announcement, it will be a different date (an earlier one, obviously).