The HfP chat thread – Thursday 19th August

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• KBuffett says:

  19 Aug19 August 06:48

  Spend £300 get £50 at Google on a few of my AmEx cards.

  • Nigel W says:

    19 Aug19 August 09:10

    Thanks! I need to buy some of the Nest products so this offer is most handy!

    • Tim says:

      19 Aug19 August 09:31

      Seems to only apply to the Pixel handsets

      • Aston100 says:

        19 Aug19 August 10:26

        I’m sure it’ll be fine for the other products, as is the way with previous Google offers.

        By the way, anyone got an opinion on the Nest (battery) doorbell? Wondering if it’s worth getting without signing up to a subscrption.

        • Nigel W says:

          19 Aug19 August 11:18

          I have the wired one at home but pay for a subscription (which covers all nest camera products). I would say it depends if you just want to use it as a video door bell or to also use it as a security camera?

        • R2 says:

          19 Aug19 August 18:31

          Hi Aston,

          The doorbell comes with a 1 month free subscription to help you decide. It’s good if you have a lot of deliveries and you are normally far away from your front door. I would also recommend if you don’t already have CCTV.

          Also, as you are looking at the battery version, have a think about also buying the solar panel add-on, it will prolong you charging the batteries.

          Also check how fast your wifi speed is where you plan to place your doorbell. If a slow speed, then the ring doorbell won’t work.

• Amy C says:

  19 Aug19 August 06:57

  I have the Marriott spend £200 get 5000 avios saved on my card. I assumed it would work on food and beverage and spent £173 on it last month at the Bournemouth Highcliffe on meal and drinks. If I spend another £30 on it at a London hotel this weekend do you think that would work? Has anyone else done this? Read the t’c & c’s and wording says, ‘Book, pay and stay by Aug 31st’ so now worrying (probably unnecessarily) it’s for hotel stays only.

  • Jonathan says:

    19 Aug19 August 07:01

    How did the initial spend appear on your statement? That will give you a good idea if it’s qualifying.

    • Paul says:

      19 Aug19 August 12:51

      OT: Can anyone recommend a restaurant at a London IHG property worth visiting to take advantage of the £50/£200 Amex offer?

  • TGLoyalty says:

    19 Aug19 August 09:32

    It MAY work if the outlet you spend the final £30 on is part of the hotel and bills as the hotels name

    JW Marriott and Edition are most likely to work from past comments.

  • DavidC says:

    19 Aug19 August 09:45

    The food and drink at the Bournemouth Marriott is nothing to do with Marriott. The food and drink facilities belong to Brasserie Blanc..

    • Amy C says:

      19 Aug19 August 17:45

      It was billed by the hotel on check out. To clarify, I wasn’t staying myself but my mother and her partner were and I gave them my card to pay with. Just checked Amex statement and it was billed as Marriott Bournemouth.

  • Harry T says:

    19 Aug19 August 11:21

    The restaurant may bill your card under a separate entity to the actual hotel. There’s always a risk F&B spend won’t be processed in line with your hopes, if you aren’t staying at the hotel and adding the F&B to your folio.

• ChrisWalk83 says:

  19 Aug19 August 07:21

  Hi guys, where are some of the best luxury hotels in the U.K. I seem to remember the four seasons in Hampshire previous mentioned? Are there any others for a U.K. based trip? Thanks

  • Andrew says:

    19 Aug19 August 07:22

    London

  • JDB says:

    19 Aug19 August 07:34

    There are so many and it rather depends what you like and if you are a couple or + children etc, so quite difficult to answer! Near London, Coworth Park, and Cornwall, The Nare are two we like.

  • The Hunter says:

    19 Aug19 August 07:40

    Heckfield Place – esp with the new spar opening 1st November

    • Rob says:

      19 Aug19 August 07:44

      It’s getting a mini mart?!

      • Oh! Matron! says:

        19 Aug19 August 08:42

        Corner shop, Rob, Corner shop. You’ve been watching too much Simpsons.

  • Rob says:

    19 Aug19 August 07:48

    Chewton Glen
    Gleneagles
    Coworth Park (not tried)

    Consider also Monkey Island, Whatley Manor, Beaverbrook, The Newt, Heckfield Place – only tried Whatley from this lot.

    • Sarah says:

      19 Aug19 August 08:08

      The Chewton Glen has appalling service and is rather dated now. Definitely not worth the money. Limewood in the New Forest is far better and the staff are wonderful.

      • Metty says:

        19 Aug19 August 08:41

        You beat me to it! Limewood excellent and a better product comparison to CG.

    • Metty says:

      19 Aug19 August 08:35

      I know we’re all different, but generally most HfPers are broadly of a similar ethos whether wealthy or not and appreciate bargains/gaming as much as a quality hotel. Chewton Glen may classify itself as a luxury hotel but I find the hotel experience consistently awful. Rooms are dated (bring your own broom to sweep the patio of your room), service stuffy, hopeless iPad F&B ordering system…..aaargh. Spa nice. Treehouses – which vloggers (on freebies?) love – good but have little privacy, for £1k/nt I’d expect not to sit in the hot tub and watch my neighbours in theirs. I know Pig Hotels aren’t ‘luxury’ but give me one any day, expensive shabby chic but a better experience and – huge generalisation – better in tune with the HfP readership.

  • JDB says:

    19 Aug19 August 08:26

    Also, if you are happy with 5* accommodation and superb food and service (but none of the other trappings like spa, pool etc) try the Pig hotels. Pig-on-the-Beach is the only one of the group we have tried; very good and wonderful location. Similarly, the Seaside Boarding House near Bridport. Both are essentially restaurants with rooms rather than hotels.

  • Andrew says:

    19 Aug19 August 08:32

    The 6* gWest resort in Perthshire.

    Uber exclusive, invitation only though.

    https://goo.gl/maps/NYEJs9LMADoJqMB17

  • ChrisWalk83 says:

    19 Aug19 August 08:54

    Thanks all! I will be travelling with our 7month old daughter. We should have been abroad twice but cancelled due to various covid restrictions. So felt a few days in a nice U.K. hotel might be better. We are off to London this weekend for a long weekend so probably looking for something outside of London.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      19 Aug19 August 09:34

      The Gilpin up north near Windemere
      Dormy House / The Fish Broadway

      Check out Small Luxury Hotels they have lots of the nicer properties in the U.K. on their books.

  • Michael G says:

    19 Aug19 August 21:04

    Grantley Hall, here are some of their recent awards.

    https://www.grantleyhall.co.uk/about-the-hotel/awards

    • Rob says:

      19 Aug19 August 21:56

      Keep meaning to try this. I used to work with Lord Grantley when I first started in banking (he got booted out of the House of Lords under the Blair reforms) and then, five years later, I moved into a house two doors down from him so we became friendly again. His brother had the hall as the elder son. Not seem him for a number of years now though.

• Carol says:

  19 Aug19 August 08:05

  I have just cancelled 2 CW seats to Barbados – June 27 and July 6 if anyone wants to try and nab them. They are showing on the BA website at the moment.

  • Harry T says:

    19 Aug19 August 11:22

    Decent of you to announce this 😊

• Carol says:

  19 Aug19 August 08:06

  That was an Avios booking

  • Memesweeper says:

    19 Aug19 August 09:09

    Many thanks @Carol

• Pete M says:

  19 Aug19 August 08:08

  So this is a bit sad, but given the conversation the other day about rating a hotel’s quality based on how mould-free their bathroom sealant is, I thought some on here could appreciate it.

  I got Mould Magic advertised to me on IG and, to please my OCD, decided to give it a try, fully expecting to return it. You know what – it really works! You can thank me later! 😊

  https://musthaveideas.co.uk/pages/mould-magic-web

  • N says:

    19 Aug19 August 08:23

    This is the content we’re here for

  • Andrew says:

    19 Aug19 August 08:34

    There’s a £5 off £50 at Toolstation on my BA Blue Amex if that’s helpful.

    • Phil W says:

      19 Aug19 August 08:43

      How much mould magic does one lucky person need in their life 🤣

      • Pete M says:

        19 Aug19 August 08:52

        Toolstation don’t sell Mould Magic though 🙁

    • John says:

      19 Aug19 August 12:06

      Toolstation posts me £5 off £40 vouchers every 3 months having bought something from them once in 2018 and not using them since

• Waddle says:

  19 Aug19 August 08:17

  Need 4 nights to maintain Marriott Platinum for next year. OH isn’t keen on travelling abroad at the moment. What are some good staycation properties in the UK for long weekend that readers would recommend? We live quite close to London so not considering any properties in the capital. Already stayed at The Langley this year.

  • Rob says:

    19 Aug19 August 08:37

    Turnberry, University Arms Cambridge are the two best options. Highcliffe Bournemouth overlooks the sea but not exactly 5-star.

  • N says:

    19 Aug19 August 08:50

    Or Moxy Slough if you just want the nights without the weekend away element

  • Harry T says:

    19 Aug19 August 09:11

    Agree with Rob. I also like the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh – not as up to date refurbishment wise as the others, but the staff are friendly, they always give me a suite (Platinum or Titanium), and it has a lovely spa and pool. Thee new lounge is really nice too and they serve decent drinks and snacks. Plus it’s in Edinburgh 😊

    • Memesweeper says:

      19 Aug19 August 10:54

      Courtyard Edinburgh is a decent lower cost option for four days.

      I loved the University Arms if Cambridge isn’t too close to home.

  • Blair says:

    19 Aug19 August 11:18

    Marriott Plats get suite upgrades IME at Marriott V&A Manchester

• YC says:

  19 Aug19 August 08:19

  any paris restaurant recs? does not have to be michelin * but just good food that u will repeatedly return

  • Genghis says:

    19 Aug19 August 09:50

    I constantly go back to Bar Izumi. Best sushi I’ve had outside Japan.

    • Lyn says:

      19 Aug19 August 10:12

      Thank you for this, Genghis. It looks very interesting, and not too far from Parc Monceau and the Musee Jacquemart-Andre if I have found the right place?

      • Genghis says:

        19 Aug19 August 12:10

        That’s the one. Our office is close by. If you’re looking for a reasonably priced hotel in the area, I normally stay at Idol hotel. Nothing too fancy, very quirky, but always clean and tidy.

    • YC says:

      19 Aug19 August 10:58

      Thanks genghis. Have booked!

      • Ikaz says:

        19 Aug19 August 12:59

        If you are a meat eater, my go-to in Paris is hugo desnoyer on Rue Dr Blanche, a really good butcher that has a few seats to eat in. (Feedback is mixed on the other venue(s), so stick with the main one)

  • The Original David says:

    19 Aug19 August 13:04

    “food that you will repeatedly return” doesn’t sound like a great restaurant tbh.

  • Matthew says:

    19 Aug19 August 13:36

    I just got back a couple weeks ago and would highly recommend Vaudeville (not sure where you’re staying but it’s near the Opera / IC Paris Le Grand and Kimpton) and Grand Coeur. Both seemed to get quite busy even on the weeknights I went so I would recommend making a booking.

    • chabuddy geezy says:

      19 Aug19 August 21:13

      To continue the Japanese theme I recommend restaurant Montee

  • Michael G says:

    19 Aug19 August 21:07

    If you prefer modern french cuisine then definitely worth a trip Frederic simonin

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