The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 25th August

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J says:

25 Aug25 August 08:48

Has anyone stayed at the Hilton Kyiv? Going this Friday 🙂
- Algor says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:03
  
  Stayed there 3 years ago, stunning property. Impeccable staff, cleaningness of the property I have never seen in any other property before (maybe Conrad Osaka was on par) and finished to high end.
  
  You won’t see any ‘locals’ staying as the rates are touchable for maybe 1% of Ukraine population so it kind of lose on local experience.
  
  I remember laughing my arse off after I discovered next to safety deposit box in the room … safety gas mask ‘in case of emergency’.
  
  You made me want to take a quick break in Ukraine once again, enjoy!
  - Algor says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 10:07
    
    Now to see me comment it looks a bit cringe, what I wanted to mention is that there were nearly no leasiure guests, all corporate English speaking suits. If there was someone expect from the group it would be some Ukranian celebrity, oligarch or politician with multiple security guards.
  - J says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 10:08
    
    Thank you! Looking forward to it. Makes sense for being quite loose on local experience. I previously stated at the Hotel Ukraine – which was very authentic!
    - His Holyness says:
      
      25 Aug25 August 12:27
      
      What rate did you get? It’s eye-waveringly expensive, more than Paris.
      
      Most recent report on FT says the lounge is replaced by 3 drinks per room, 1.5 per guest, per stay.
      - J says:
        
        25 Aug25 August 13:16
        
        €200 a night at the moment.
  - fivebobbill says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 11:14
    
    Stayed at the very grand “Hotel Rus” about 10 years ago (not sure if it has been rebranded now). However I can assure you, back then, you were never stuck for “local company and experience” in the hotel bar! 😲
  - Tony1 says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 11:33
    
    Dont forget the day trip to Chernobyl ….
    - Pete M says:
      
      25 Aug25 August 12:45
      
      One of the most interesting things I’ve ever done!
      - Tony1 says:
        
        25 Aug25 August 20:36
        
        Agree. Sad and scary at the same time.
Will says:

25 Aug25 August 08:59

Ref BA reduced TP thresholds.

My year ends in March and from what I’ve read the reduced thresholds apply “up to June 2022” but there’s also some confusing reference to “ If you are eligible to renew your Tier under the reduced Tier Point or eligible flight requirement, there is no need to contact us. This will be processed automatically once your Tier Point collection year ends and you will receive an email from the Executive Club team to confirm this.”

Does this mean that if I were to earn 1125 TP and make 4+ BA flights in say April 2022 I would be gold and retain it until March 24?

I don’t understand what that ref to renewing under the reduced tier is and how it applies.
- Graham says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 09:16
  
  When your TP clock resets in March 2022 the 22/23 year would apply on your account and therefore the deadline is March 2023. The reduced threshold only applies to June 2022 so my guess is no, you’ll need 1500. With BA IT though you never know.
- ChrisC says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 09:23
  
  Absent the uncertainty about the number of TPs if you achieved the right number in April 2022 then you would have Gold for
  
  1. The remainder of your 22/23 collection year – i.e until 8th March 2023
  2. The whole of the following 23/24 collection year – till 8th March 2024
  3. Then until the 30th April 2024
- Will says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 09:45
  
  It reads that no matter when your TP year ends, sticking to talking about Gold, it seems that as long as you earn 1125 by June 22 then you’ll be Gold for the Exec Club year you are in, the ambiguity arises around the concept of renewals.
  
  If you renew before June 22 then it’s clear you’ll retain Gold under the reduced threshold, but if you renew after June 22 on 1125TP will you be in a position whereby you are gold for that TP year and then on renewal you drop to silver unless you’ve got 1500TP by then?
YC says:

25 Aug25 August 09:25

Does anyone know if at CDG easyjet do overnight bag drops if your flight is first thing in the morning?
- Jonathan says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:35
  
  Call them for definitive answer but I’d be gobsmacked if a LCC offers this anywhere. It’s a logistical nightmare with almost no revenue benefit. The only places that tend to offer this are major hubs with in-house baggage handlers.
- Lady London says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 11:58
  
  Only ever seen it mentioned, ever, for Gatwick with them.
  
  I’d be as gobsmacked as Jonathan if, of all countries, this was offered in France.
Ant says:

25 Aug25 August 09:33

Need to organise a client event- thinking of hosting about 10 clients in a country house in the Cotswolds or Hampshire? Any suggestions for accommodation & activities?
- Nigel W says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 09:47
  
  Will follow this! Been asked to help organise the work’s Christmas ‘party’ and most likely doing a weekend away in the Cotswolds!
  - Mike says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 10:16
    
    Your work’s Christmas party = a weekend in the cotswolds !! We got to go a harvester for lunch with £50 behind the bar for afterwards ( between 10 of us)
    - Tony1 says:
      
      25 Aug25 August 11:40
      
      Well that will cover the cost of a refillable soft drink each …. nice.
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 09:54
  
  Marriott homes & villas, One fine stay etc…
- Reney says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 09:58
  
  I stayed at the Fish Hotel recently, part of SLH. There is an entire estate with three hotels one of them might work for you?
- Zoe says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:05
  
  Try speaking to Jayne at Walder Events, she can arrange exactly what you are looking for.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:26
  
  lygon Arms
  Dormy House, The Fish, Foxhill Manor (Broadway is a nice village)
  Hampton Manor (restaurant with rooms) near Solihull.
  No 131 in Cheltenham, but it’s right in a town centre.
  Whatley Manor
  Cowley Manor
  
  Not strictly cotswolds but Soho Farmhouse near Oxford is very good but not sure if you have to be a member these days?
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 11:03
  
  Not near your places of choice, but Monkey Island Estate manages some cottages and houses in Bray.
- Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 11:09
  
  I suspect it might be the wrong bit of Hampshire for you, but Lime Wood is pretty well set up for that sort of thing.
  - AL says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 14:38
    
    Double Red Duke
    The Rectory
    The Frogmill
    The Feathered Nest Inn
    Elenborough Park
    The Ebrington Arms
    Blenheim Palace
DZOO says:

25 Aug25 August 09:42

Does anyone have any recommendations for Valencia please? Seemed like the most cost effective option for some sun this weekend…
- Richie says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 09:50
  
  There’s a lhw hotel at the beach https://www.hotelvalencialasarenas.com/en/ Rob did an article in July about membership https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/07/09/leading-hotels-of-the-world-leaders-club-now-free/
  - DZOO says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 10:01
    
    Thanks vm, looking at this one too: Palacio Santa Clara, Autograph Collection. Any F&B reccs also welcome! (The weather looks less nice than expected having checked again!)
    - stevenhp1987 says:
      
      25 Aug25 August 10:09
      
      Don’t jinx the weather for me! I’m booked for Alicante this weekend!
- Andrew says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:25
  
  Looking for cost effective?
  
  We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, Valencia-Ciudad las Ciencias a few years back. It’s not central, but definitely walkable. Right next door to a shopping mall, some attractions, park and fairly convenient for the beach EUR100 a night this weekend.
  - Tony1 says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 11:39
    
    The Ibis red(s) near the airport are good on a budget. Next to shopping centre and a short bus ride to centre. Don’t forget that most things may be closed on the Sunday. If you have a car, ( free park at the Ibis ) a day out to the lake on the south side is good , and you can have an authentic paella – there is a whole village that serves almost nothing else ! well worth it. Weather not looking good though. YMMV.
Mrs_Fussy says:

25 Aug25 August 10:13

Hope nowhere here has Alitalia miles as it looks to shut down operations be replaced by a new airline, on thepointsguy this morning
- Rhys says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:35
  
  Been a long time coming, no surprise to anyone 🙂
- Sean says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:43
  
  noted in comments here yesterday
Ls says:

25 Aug25 August 10:19

Anyone have any thoughts on when we’ll have an update on a U.K.-US air corridor? Are there any timeframes for an update (even if negative)?
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:23
  
  Given that Biden has lost political capital on the Kabul debacle, I’d be surprised if he opened up borders to Europeans.
  Also not helping is most republicans refusing vaccine and ending up in hospitals.
  Can’t see much happening in next 3 months.
  - Andrew says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 10:30
    
    The Pfizer Jag has had FDA approval, and Moderna won’t be far behind so the Republican Anti-Vaxxers will need a new excuse now.
    
    But Scotland is in a “fragile and pivotal” state with record Covid cases (the schools are all back)- not something that will be helpful
    - IanM says:
      
      25 Aug25 August 10:42
      
      UK nation governments have all but given up on restrictions so all the data is largely irrelevant, what countries should be doing is looking at individual passengers and making sure they are vaccinated and negative. The state of the departure country is largely irrelevant except for political reasons
- CarpalTravel says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 13:09
  
  Booked our flight out to MCO back in November last year thinking it’d easily be back to normal by October this year. How foolish I look now. 🙁
  Just hoping the corridor stays shut for another 4 weeks so I can get an easy, full refund.
- Arran says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 13:37
  
  Aer Lingus recently announced their new flights to the US will be postponed to December; https://amp.rte.ie/amp/1242778/
FFoxSake says:

25 Aug25 August 10:26

Return flight from Sofia to LHR in Sep has been moved 3 hours 50 minutes earlier than previously scheduled.
Does that mean I can’t rebook for later dates next year because it’s under 4 hours different?.
- AJA says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:35
  
  Unfortunately I think you are stuffed. The change needs to be over 4 hours.
- ChrisC says:
  
  25 Aug25 August 10:53
  
  Has the flight number changed?
  
  If it has then that counts as a cancellation and all that entails.
  - FFoxSake says:
    
    25 Aug25 August 11:25
    
    Unfortunately same flight number. Very crafty of them to keep it under 4 hours.
    - Lady London says:
      
      25 Aug25 August 12:04
      
      Especially as the leeway on flight scheduling could mean realistically on the day it will be pushed back from the gate (technical departure) 4hours+5min from the original departure time