The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 20th July

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• John says:

  20 Jul20 July 19:49

  Probably inevitable. Checks = heat exhaustion = collapses in this weather.

  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/20/border-officials-told-not-to-make-covid-checks-on-green-and-amber-list-arrivals

  • Richie says:

    20 Jul20 July 20:04

    I was astonished the e gates opened for us at LHR on Monday morning.

  • Anuj says:

    20 Jul20 July 20:49

    Whatever you think of this development, it makes a mockery of the whole set of rules. The only thing all the travel testing requirements will be doing is making minister’s friends lots of money.

    • Sandgrounder says:

      20 Jul20 July 21:13

      They have just passed the requirement on to the carriers. Makes sense to me, they were checking anyway.

      • Rob says:

        20 Jul20 July 21:44

        This is what Dubai was doing at Christmas when we went. SWISS was all over our paperwork in Zurich, no-one asked for it in Dubai.

• Bigmaggot says:

  20 Jul20 July 20:03

  Any recommendations for airport hotel (2 adults + 2 young kids) and parking at Birmingham, will be first time using this airport after TUI cancelled on me earlier for Sunday? Also have an EV car that needs charging to get home, any experience of airport charging or rapid charger nearby?

  I was thinking Novotel, parking at car park 4 which is walking to the terminal apparently? A quick charge of my EV at Premium Set Down car park is £2 + ecotricity rates.

  Thanks

  • Grant says:

    20 Jul20 July 20:15

    Car park 4 is walkable but is the furthest from the terminal. Not so bad on the way out as you can drop off kids and other half with bags at the Novotel before you go and park. Think there is / was a shuttle bus but probs quicker to walk if you are on your own. Novotel is staggering distance to the terminal which is handy for an early start.

    • Bigmaggot says:

      20 Jul20 July 20:24

      Thanks Grant, 6am flight so that is handy.

      Do you think walking to airport at 4.30am would be fine to checkin, drop bags, security etc with 2 kids or is that pushing it?

      • TGLoyalty says:

        20 Jul20 July 20:44

        Novotel is literally 2 mins walk from the terminal. I think you would be fine in normal times.

        There was a 50kw charger in the drop off area and it charges a reduced rate for parking £2 for an hour.

        Check Zap-map for a better idea of what’s available on your route to/from the airport.

      • Grant says:

        20 Jul20 July 20:58

        Apologies, I assumed you’d be staying overnight the night prior to your flight, hence my suggestion to drop bags etc and Novotel before parking the car and walking back in your own.

        Depends how old your kids are, but if they are young or grumpy teens then I’d drop them first at premium set down and then go back and park. It’s only 5 or so mins walk on your own without bags, but add heavy bags and grumpy kids and it fast becomes a crappy start to the holiday!

        • Grant says:

          20 Jul20 July 21:01

          Sorry, I’ve re read your question now. Yes, walking from Novotel to terminal at 4:30am with kids and bags is perfectly doable, even at that time of day.

        • Bigmaggot says:

          20 Jul20 July 21:12

          Thanks again Grant and TGLoyalty.

          No need to be sorry, thanks for your advice.

          Just checked Novotel breakfast starts at 5, guess I’ll grab something quick at airport.

          Would you recommend a different hotel for a family room or stick with Novotel? Have status with Hilton and IHG

        • Grant says:

          20 Jul20 July 21:48

          There is a Hilton now which is new, but for one night, and short night at that, you can’t argue with the convenience of the Novotel. The walk from the Hilton would be comparable with the walk from car park 4, maybe a bit longer because of the route they make you use. Fine on your own, but at 4:30am with kids? No thanks.

        • Grant says:

          20 Jul20 July 21:58

          In any event it, the Hilton (actually a Hilton garden inn) may be a quarantine hotel because it not showing any availability throughout July and August.

        • MKB says:

          20 Jul20 July 23:58

          Check reviews to see if the Ibis Budget (in the same building as the Novotel) is actually operating. Last summer, if you booked Ibis Budget, you got a free upgrade to the Novotel.

• Jake says:

  20 Jul20 July 20:12

  Not sure if this is a go-er or if there are any data points..

  Have a two night stay in IC Park Lane at the end of the month (thank you IHG Credit Card certificate!), and was debating about whether to avail of the Ambassador offer for 40k points. Can do a paid stay in Kimpton Clocktower for reasonable rates to get the free night voucher but would a IHG Luxury Collection rate via Emyr be eligible for that?

  • ChrisC says:

    20 Jul20 July 21:54

    Yes it would

  • Anna says:

    20 Jul20 July 22:09

    Emyr’s rate is fantastic value for money at the Kimpton Clocktower, the $100 credit pays for a very nice meal in The Refuge restaurant and breakfast was £18 pp when I was there recently so well worth having it thrown in.
    The only reservation I would have is that 40k IHG points doesn’t get you very far at the moment with the insane award pricing!

  • BP says:

    20 Jul20 July 23:55

    Did the hotel give you any special upgrade for purchasing ambassador at the hotel?

    • Ikaz says:

      21 Jul21 July 11:49

      They gave me an upgrade, I am not sure how many levels but it was a nice room.

• Richie says:

  20 Jul20 July 22:10

  Daily Mail highlighting the UK PLF hadn’t been updated https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9805659/Hell-Heathrow-2-000-arrivals-queue-90-minutes-Terminal-5-e-gates-close.html

• Bill says:

  20 Jul20 July 22:15

  Does anyone have any experience of making an advance booking with Addison Lee in Liverpool? Did it go smoothly?

  • Aaron C says:

    20 Jul20 July 23:35

    They’ve not got much presence in Liverpool. When I lived up there it was Delta as the main firm and maybe Alpha as a competitor (mostly in south Liverpool).

    • Bill says:

      20 Jul20 July 23:41

      With my amex offer they’re slightly cheaper than delta, Uber, village & alpha

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