The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 28th July

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TheInsiderFly says:

28 Jul28 July 20:53

Marble Arch Mound: ‘I wouldn’t pay £4 to walk up a hill’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58001770
For those talking about the new Marble Arch ‘attraction’ yesterday.
- BJ says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 21:20
  
  Come and walk up the real Mound in Edinburgh for free … good exercise.
  - MM says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 22:32
    
    I miss watching up the mound!
- SteveJ says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 21:21
  
  Northolt Hills for free, for those that like a man made hill with view of London
- Bazza says:
  
  29 Jul29 July 00:21
  
  One of the best free views in London and more than likely you will be the only one there!
  
  https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d14136827-Reviews-Stave_Hill_Ecological_Park-London_England.html
AndyS says:

28 Jul28 July 22:04

Just a FYI – I had a stay booked in the Crowne Plaza Kings Cross in October, today IHG have emailed me saying they’ve had to cancel booking because the Govt have “requisitioned” the entire hotel until 31st Oct. Presumably a new red-list quarantine establishment. Annoying as it was only 25k points, needing to be in the same area the best I could find was HI Bloomsbury for 27k points!!
- Rob says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 22:58
  
  It hasn’t been ‘requisitioned’, the hotel was given the chance to bid to become a quarantine hotel. It was basically a competition and they won. It’s like telling your boss that the Government of Barbados is forcing you to take a holiday there against your will so you need two weeks off.
Super Secret Stuff says:

28 Jul28 July 22:08

Hilton offer update: just had the email! Credits should hopefully land soon
- BJ says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 22:13
  
  I think it was Kai who replied to you yesterday that charge was fine, I guess you missed it and stewed an unnecessary night but all’s we’ll that ends well 🙂
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    29 Jul29 July 07:09
    
    I saw it but just thought I’d update everyone with another data point
- Harry T says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 22:35
  
  Any suggestions for a decent luxury UK Hilton hotel to use the offers? Marriott and Hyatt seem much better value with their healthcare rates!
  - Super Secret Stuff says:
    
    29 Jul29 July 07:10
    
    Conrad st james is where we are going. Booked via Emry on 3 for 2 with all the usual benefits
Publius says:

28 Jul28 July 22:15

A week back someone posted a link to a review/analysis somebody had done on the true cost to offer pcr tests.
I cant find it anywhere. Does anybody have the link?
- Tim says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 22:21
  
  https://www.gridpoint.consulting ?
  - Publius says:
    
    28 Jul28 July 22:58
    
    Brilliant thanks!
    https://www.gridpoint.consulting/blog/the-true-cost-of-travel-test-packages
- Harry T says:
  
  28 Jul28 July 22:34
  
  It was Rob – sadly I don’t have the link.
Chris says:

28 Jul28 July 22:41

I didn’t realise it was called manufactured spending at the time but going back to the early 2000s I used to find holiday autos very useful.
I would pay for a very expensive car hire with free cancellation insurance. Then cancel months later, explain that I no longer had the credit card and they would just pay it back in cash. Did that quite a few times.
- cinereus says:
  
  29 Jul29 July 11:33
  
  Zero chance of that happening now.