Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points

The HfP chat thread – Monday 27th September

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Comments (472)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Baji Nahid says:

    Hello everyone and many thanks for your suggestions about the IHG hotel compensation, just a bit of context.

    I stayed for a long weekend – FRI-MON – and had free breakfast included in my stay for each day. The fire alarm went off from 1am to 5:30am every 20 minutes or so, to the point that the residents kept congregating outside every time till around 3am where no one showed up afterwards.

    I had a look online and noticed that 20000 worth of points is around £119. So curiously more than happy to take the points, but wondering if the addition of points would increase my status with IHG to the next level.

    • Ikaz says:

      If you are happy for 20,000 points if they earn status, tell them explicitly. Chances are they will be non-status points by default, not sure if they will be able to override.

      • Baji Nahid says:

        you’ve a point there, the fact is that it is the hotel itself offering me the points when i also complained to IHG. So it most likely does make sense that the points will not be counted towards status, which is fair enough.
        You have a point that i should tell them. Thank you for that and for the help!

    • Baji Nahid says:

      Secondly, it was on the last day of my stay that the fire alarm kicked off so I had raised a complaint upon check out. To be honest, im not sure if there is such a thing as a room upgrade at a holiday inn? (happy to be corrected) however i think i will pursue a higher points claim? As the cash refund is for the rate of the last night only and to be honest i get flexibility with cash in the bank.

      Once again appreciate all the help!

    • Aston100 says:

      20k points are normally valued at £80, or they were prior to the current dynamic pricing model.
      Those points will not be elite status points (what is your loyalty status anyway?).
      Some Holiday Inns have executive rooms, which in my experience are hardly worth the price increase.
      You’ll be lucky to get more than 20k out of IHG customer services. In my experience they tend to offer 10k, and then go to 20k if you push them and the issue is serious enough. But give it a go anyway.

  • Phil says:

    Does anyone have any recommendations for a hotel on Miami Beach? Ideally a Hilton or Marriott redemption and a bit quirky. Thx.

    • Will says:

      I stayed at the Hilton Bentley a few years back. It’s right down the end of the beach, little bit out of the action but thought it was a great hotel.
      Excellent service and was a very intimate hotel. Small, nice pool and right on beach

  • Peggerz says:

    I’m passing through LHR T5 very soon and was wanting to check out electronics etc. With Dixon’s gone I was looking for Inmotion (WH Smith by another name) but could only find a store at LBA. Is there a store to shop for Apple or Samsung electronics/phones in T5 these days? The Heathrow website seems to be a basket case too btw.

  • BrotherBear says:

    Tested positive for covid and feel pretty crap. Aches, fever, loss of taste, head cold. Doubled vacced with Astra which doesn’t appear to have done much – friend recently had exactly the same. Mid 30’s and reasonably fit.

    So vaccine either hasn’t done much against this strain, or the strain would leave you feeling absolutely awful without the vaccine.

    • elguiri says:

      I got it after one dose and rarely having contact and always outside and got steadily worse until felt like i wouldn’t make it through the night. Suddenly slept well on day 9 and got taste back, temp down etc within 3 days of that. Colleague just tested positive after 2 doses and seems to have faired much better than I. So from that admittedly small dataset it seems like the vaccines do help prevent you getting the worst of it, and I would hate to not have had a single dose when I caught it.

    • Rob says:

      Sounds like Rhys, I got away with just a runny nose for a day. Given how bad a friend of mine went down last year pre-vaccine, you have to assume you got off lightly. Let’s be honest, you’ve had worse flu in the past.

      • meta says:

        My partner’s boss got it after double vax with Pfizer. Also felt really crap for nearly a week. Still coughing 3 weeks later…But the main thing is no severe breathing problems, not needed to go to the hospital. Few other people I know also got it despite vaccination, but milder. Have you had covid before vaccination? Everyone I know who got it after vaccination hasn’t had covid.

    • ChrisC says:

      If you hadn’t been vaxxed then you would be feeling a heck of a lot worse than you are currently.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        or not…

        its not that simple. OP might not have produced a good response from the vaccine

    • Anna says:

      Mid 30s and reasonably fit, but do you know what your vitamin d status is? More and more evidence emerging that pre-infection levels have a big impact on severity of illness.

      • elguiri says:

        I know I take 100% RDA for Vitamin D and did so pre-infection, although never measured my own “status”

    • HH says:

      I’m curious what vaccine effects you had – strong or mild? Having had AZ (in my 20s), I don’t have much confidence in it anymore. But my body mounted a really strong response (39C+ for days to both doses with almost every side effect…) so I hope that gave me longer-lasting protection.

      • Callum says:

        I’m not sure that would necessarily give you more protection, but why have you lost confidence in it? I haven’t seen anything concerning about it.

      • Tracey says:

        I have antibodies, 6 months past second dose ofAZ with no reaction to either dose.

    • Harry T says:

      The point of the jab is that you feel pretty crap right now instead of sucking on an endotracheal tube 😊

      • Backpacker says:

        Very true Harry!
        Vaccine prevents hospitalisation by over 90% according to stats, imagine how worse you would have felt with no vaccine…

    • BrotherBear says:

      Was aches and pains and tiredness for a couple of days then taste went Saturday and then last 2 nights feverish. No breathing issues or cough. No temp currently and possibly feeling a little better so hopefully past the worst of it. Although my friend I mentioned said after 4 days of same symptoms as me, he then had 4 worse days.

      Haven’t had covid before.

      Had 24 hours of feeling crap after 1st Oxford vaccine.

      Had antibodies when last tested a month or two ago as part of the ONS survey.

      Not sure on vitamin D levels, back a couple of weeks ago from sunny France though.

      Crap as I feel yes proper flu worse when I had that about 20 years ago but obviously that was with no vaccine taken.

      My wife tested negative earlier and we both work from home so around each other all day. Hopefully she stays negative but I’m in spare room for the time being.

    • joe Jordan says:

      “So vaccine either hasn’t done much against this strain, or the strain would leave you feeling absolutely awful without the vaccine.”

      The strain has been known to kill healthy people without the vaccine, so I would not necessarily underestimate the protection the vaccine may have given you. It is widely known tht it does not necessarily stop you getting covid, it does however drastically reduce your chances for being hospitalised, or dying.

    • Barnaby100 says:

      I had cv19 unvaccinated last October, worked through it- 2 afternoons of napping

      Was worse after the first az vaccine

      But still have no smell 10 months later. Or rather I have 1 smell only.

  • Stephan says:

    From the list of London restaurants for the £200 platinum offer, any family friendly recommendations outside the congestion zone? All I am familiar with would be one or the Ivy.

  • elguiri says:

    Am I right that there are no bonuses for adding supp cards on the VA+ CC after applying just for self?

  • Connor says:

    Octopus ref code please. It’s a business as well so we should get £100 each!

  • TGLoyalty says:

    Hi

    share.octopus.energy/mist-goat-44

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