The HfP chat thread – Wednesday 8th September

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• mr_jetlag says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:12

  Rob, which wework would you recommend as a trial? using the code posted here the other day for a free day and looking at Monument Eastcheap (close to home) vs Poultry (close to clients).

  • Rob says:

    8 Sep8 September 11:35

    Eastcheap has a huge communal work area so is a good one to use to get a feel for WW. Poultry has a very small communal work area although its a smarter building overall. Eastcheap also has an amazing 9th floor roof terrace with seating which you can use if its a sunny day.

• BP says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:25

  Are there any family All-Inclusive resorts in Europe that HFP’ers recommend? As my daughter gets older, I think this type of holiday will become more attractive as a family than more traditional 5* hotels.

  I don’t know if I’m quite ready to make the transition so was wondering if there’s something that blends the child friendly AI offering with some luxury?

  • KBuffett says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:28

    Ikos are the undisputed king of All Inclusive in Europe.
    I haven’t been, but avid researcher.

    • Simon says:

      8 Sep8 September 10:54

      Amen to that. Ikos is v v good. Have been to all, bar the new one in Marbella area. Hard to beat them – a good variety of restaurants, excellent service, v good modern rooms. Never feels like an AI resort until you dont have to sign any bills….. We went to the new Zafiro Palace in Andratx this summer which feels like its trying to copy the Ikos model – its close, but not as polished.

      • Optimus Prime says:

        8 Sep8 September 11:15

        +1 for Ikos.

      • Jane says:

        8 Sep8 September 12:34

        +1. pricey though, especially in school holidays. got some excellent deals before they started school so don’t get too used to it unless you have a large budget.

  • JDB says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:31

    Some Club Meds offer that combo.

  • Grant says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:33

    Ikos and Sani are worth a look

    • MQ says:

      8 Sep8 September 10:49

      I went to Sani a few years ago. I had half board but it was amazing. The beach was really just out of this world.

      • KBuffett says:

        8 Sep8 September 11:19

        I think Sani and Ikos are in different price brackets.

  • FatherOfFour says:

    8 Sep8 September 11:01

    Enjoyed Bahia Principe Fantasia in Tenerife last year with young kids (2,2,5 and 8 at the time)

    Great facilities, food and entertainment. Not perfect.

    • Anna says:

      8 Sep8 September 11:47

      We stayed near there last month, I was dying to have a look inside! It’s in a bit of a werid location, though, in a built up area on a road opposite a load of shops and bars and no beach.

      Some hotels offer HB and AI packages as add ons during booking. We got HB added for £100 each for 8 nights in Mallorca which was fantastic value as the buffet food was actually very good.

      • Keely says:

        8 Sep8 September 15:43

        Anna I always go inside a hotel I fancy the look of and say I’m thinking of staying, can I just have a quick look around the communal areas? They always say yes !

      • FatherOfFour says:

        8 Sep8 September 17:06

        One good thing about a hotel that is exclusively AI, is you don’t have to queue at the bar waiting for non AI customers to pay!

        You are right, no sandy beach and it was a little windy- but the kids loved it and the entertainment shows in the evening were very professionally done.

• John says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:29

  Thought so had bookmarked the COVID testing place in Chester but can’t find it.
  Anyone have a link please?
  Will just say I do live in Cheshire 😀

  • Harry T says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:31

    Why not pay an extra £20, avoiding fraud and a possible large fine? I hate to sound like JDB but I really think people are starting to take the proverbial.

    • Alex M says:

      8 Sep8 September 11:03

      The government started taking it first, I have paid enough for the tests already…

      • Anna says:

        8 Sep8 September 11:51

        Exactly – your pre-departure test will most likely tell you if you have caught it on holiday. Why do you need one for travelling home, but not for attending a massive rave or something? You can’t travel home if you’re positive, so they could insist on a negative PCR test in those cases.

    • Harry T says:

      8 Sep8 September 11:53

      Oh, I don’t think day 2 testing is rational or sensible at all. It’s a borderline scam to fund the testing companies owned by Tory mates. I just don’t think that it’s wise or ethical to claim you will take a day 2 test that you clearly won’t be picking up.

      • JDB says:

        8 Sep8 September 11:58

        Harry T, I don’t think many of the testing companies are actually making a whole lot of money out of this. The manufacturers of the test kits, lab equipment/products + the couriers are making the money and many/most aren’t even UK owned. I fear also, that there are as many ‘cronies’ on either side of the house.

        • C says:

          8 Sep8 September 13:48

          The wide disparity in pricing suggests to me it is indeed the testing providers themselves that are making the money, not the manufacturers of test kits and other equipment (which should by now be standard across providers).

    • John says:

      8 Sep8 September 13:05

      Say again – I actually live in Cheshire and will attend !!!

  • Kumar says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:40

    https://0044covidtest.com/products/day-2-oc

    • John says:

      8 Sep8 September 13:07

      Thanks

  • Kumar says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:42

    https://www.1010labs.co.uk/day-2-and-8-self-swab-click-collect/

    If you live near Newcastle.

    Please check on the gov website before purchasing.

    • Harry T says:

      8 Sep8 September 11:53

      Thanks!

• Kumar says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:48

  Travelling to Abu dhabi , so need a PCR test within 48 hrs. As I am travelling on Friday evening would like to book for a test on Thursday morning .Which airport is going to process the samples faster (Having a lab on site). London city is nearest to me , followed by Gatwick and Luton . Keen to avoid Heathrow because of traffic. But please suggest including Heathrow which site processes quicker for a same day result .Be it express test or collison.

  • Blenz101 says:

    8 Sep8 September 10:50

    Only speaking from personal knowledge but LHR offers Collinson tests via onsite lab with 3 hour return for PCR tests.

    • Kumar says:

      8 Sep8 September 11:01

      Earlier I couldn’t find the 3 hr option , now found it .Thanks

    • N says:

      8 Sep8 September 14:18

      Got ours back in 2 hours earlier this week

• bafan says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:51

  Did we conclude Collinson’s with the Amex discount is the cheapest in person Fit to Fly PCR test? Randox don’t have any appts in the near future and I don’t fancy doing a mail in. I’m London if there are any options that are local…

• Toby says:

  8 Sep8 September 10:51

  Has anyone got an idea how often Germany updates it’s entry rules? Specifically for young children.

  The reason is I’m planning a trip to Germany with family and our toddler for December (moved from last year).

  I have noticed the FCDO entry advice says:
  Unvaccinated children under 12 years of age are allowed to enter Germany without a negative test as long as they travel with at least one fully vaccinated parent. These children are not obliged to provide any kind of evidence (no COVID test, etc.), but have to quarantine on arrival. For them, quarantine ends automatically 5 days after entry.

  The German embassy confirms this is correct.

  I can’t imagine keeping a toddler in quarantine for 5 days will be in any way restful, so if this rule remains the same the trip is off.

  Has anyone got any advice or calming thoughts? I think we just need to keep an eye on this, and cancel closer to the time if nothing changes.

  • Harry T says:

    8 Sep8 September 11:10

    I don’t think there’s any particular pattern to how they update things. I think it is dynamic based on the Robert Koch team’s ongoing assessment.

    • Toby says:

      8 Sep8 September 13:59

      Ok thanks. In a funny way I prefer that to our chaotic approach!

  • Rob says:

    8 Sep8 September 11:32

    Yes, it’s crap. It means my daughter can’t visit her grandparents. My wife is now planning to go on her own for a week to see her parents for the first time in 2 years, which will also cause me issues of course.

    • Pete M says:

      8 Sep8 September 12:01

      I said it yesterday – there is no enforcement of quarantine in Germany – there is simply no capacity for this.

      • Toby says:

        8 Sep8 September 14:00

        Ok thanks both.

        Rob, good luck! Sounds like a sensible outcome but challenging for you.

        Pete, I missed that an will take a look now. Even then, I think we’d want to obey the rules.

• Thomas Shelby says:

  8 Sep8 September 11:05

  Anyone having issues with the Outnet offer not posting £250 credit on £750 spend, its been over a week since the spend cleared on my account, doesn’t usually take this long.

  Is there a mr porter offer going around too?

  • Andrew says:

    8 Sep8 September 11:57

    Yes there’s a Mr Porter spend £500, get £100 on my BAPP

    • AL says:

      8 Sep8 September 14:26

      By comparison the Zoox/NAP offers on AX Gold are spend £600, get £100, so your PP membership fee is doing you a favour here 🙂

• Peter Taysum says:

  8 Sep8 September 11:07

  Nectar are advertising that points can be exchanged “both ways” and are instantaneous. Mine are still taking ten days… Taken from Avios when J do it; arrive ten days later. Anyone had “instantaneous” as advertised?

  • Reney says:

    8 Sep8 September 11:14

    I think my Nector to avios transfer was instantaneous.

    • Andrew says:

      8 Sep8 September 11:59

      Yes it’s only instant nectar to avios; Avios to nectar is is 10 days.

      • sportgt says:

        8 Sep8 September 12:38

        Nectar to Avios: is it the case that you need to be the account holder of both accounts to link the two accounts or can swap within friends and family – otherwise why would they allow up to 4 link changes a year? it it within T&C to link gf’s/mother’s/brother’s BA account to your own nectar?

        • Rob says:

          8 Sep8 September 12:58

          There is no name check so, yes, this is a sneaky way to combine Avios across a family for free. A link and unlink counts as two changes though.

    • sportgt says:

      8 Sep8 September 12:07

      is it still the case that you can connect you nectar to an avios account not in your name (sister, brother, gf, husband)? is this within the T&C or is there a risk by doing this? ie. my Nectar, my gf’s Avios account etc

      • sportgt says:

        8 Sep8 September 13:04

        Thanks Rob, sorry for the duplicate, please feel free to remove one post

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