The HfP chat thread – Friday 29th October

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AnotherUser says:

29 Oct29 October 12:47

Any recommendations for Michelin star (or similar) places in Madrid, ideally with good value lunch/midweek/other menus? Budget maybe 50-100 euros a head, with one or two drinks. Have booked Clos.

Also, recommendations for more casual places near Hotel Villa Real are welcome – been a good while since we’ve been! Particularly like seafood, but will eat most things
- Biki says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 12:52
  
  We had a great meal at Amazonico in 2019
- MinR says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 15:23
  
  Ten Con Ten or Lena by Dani Garcia. Not Michelin star but decent food and prices
- Justas says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 15:53
  
  Restaurant at Totem hotel is beautiful.
  - AnotherUser says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 22:47
    
    Thanks for the suggestions!
Lee says:

29 Oct29 October 13:03

Anyone got UK Marriott contact number? Thanks
- George K says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 13:18
  
  try 020 3564 6335
Simon says:

29 Oct29 October 13:03

Anyone know what’s happening with the Hilton @ Mauritius after then end of August? It’s just showing as ‘sold out’ from then onwards? Contact them but the response is very cryptic! Thanks
- Peter K says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 13:10
  
  Don’t know about that hotel specifically, but the Hilton Dalaman has not released availability (either paid or reward) until maybe 5-6 months before the season starts in the past.
  - Simon says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 13:13
    
    Thanks Peter, most seem to be approx 350 days out but good to know there are others within Hilton that work on that basis.
- Rhys says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 13:25
  
  Could be refurb/rebrand?
  - Simon says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 13:28
    
    Thanks Rhys,
    Keeping my fingers crossed it’s not as hoping to book using HH points.
BuildBackBetter says:

29 Oct29 October 13:31

Bulb energy could collapse as soon as next week. Sky news.
- Sarah says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 13:47
  
  Thanks, hopefully that won’t be the case but I’d better take a meter reading when I get home.
  - SteveJ says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 14:04
    
    And a screenshot of your account and download bills!
- Youllnever says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:23
  
  Is it me or does Sky News always have the breaking news first?
  - SteveJ says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 14:49
    
    I think as a news agency they’re more willing to put speculative news out there, whereas the Beeb etc will often wait for something to be officially announced.
LC says:

29 Oct29 October 13:48

Hi – anything to stop me referring my partner for gold card, then referring them for the BA premier plus card a day later? Will partner get the current bonus offers on offer with applications done so close together? Thanks
- Aston100 says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:09
  
  I’ve done a bunch of referrals to Player 2 within a fortnight (all from one card).
  They weren’t due a SUB anyway.
- SteveJ says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:16
  
  You need to make sure the Gold card application is accepted and processed before you do the BAPP. Holding the BAPP will make them ineligible for Gold SUB, but the other way around as you propose will be fine.
  
  Remember they’ll need to hit the spend targets within xx months to get the SUBs, so also keep that in mind
  - LC says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 14:42
    
    Thanks
LEE says:

29 Oct29 October 13:58

Hi does anyone know if Randox Heathrow testing has any parking while your getting tested ? Cant find any info and no replies to my email .
- Paasan69 says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 15:41
  
  Last time I got tested there, the test center was in the car park behind Radisson BLU Edwardian hotel on Bath Road. Plenty of parking available there. Not sure if it has moved.
  - lee says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 19:59
    
    thanks
Ant says:

29 Oct29 October 14:06

Hi was due to go to Italy tomorrow but tested positive yesterday so need to rebook. Italy require a lateral test but I guess there is a chance i will test positive for a while now. I cannot see any reference to recovering from Covid.
Thoughts?
- SteveJ says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:18
  
  Until you have a clear test you can’t go. If still positive on a LFT long after recovered maybe a PCR will more accurately show you as negative sooner?
  - Roy says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 15:54
    
    I think PCR tests are more prone to testing positive after recovery than LFT. LFT is not that sensitive, so unlikely you will test positive long after you’ve recovered.
    - Polly says:
      
      30 Oct30 October 07:39
      
      PCRs can still show positive up to 90 days unfortunately
- Andy says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:26
  
  If you’re travelling from the UK, you must have a valid test result – this will not change until at least December 15th when they will revisit the rules based on the latest situation over here.
  
  Simplistically speaking one could also argue that if you don’t test negative, you haven’t recovered
- Phil W says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:28
  
  On positive note, I tested positive on 17th October. Tested positive again on 24th October. But tested negative on 28th October. YMMV
- Rhys says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:52
  
  I stopped testing positive on LFT and PCR about 2-3 weeks after first symptoms. YMMV but the cases of testing positive long after being infected are few and far between as far as I can tell.
  - Yuff says:
    
    29 Oct29 October 15:12
    
    My wife’s pcr fit to fly test at east Mids on 14th oct was positive, her rapid pcr fit to fly test at stansted on 16th October was negative, the 5 lateral flow tests incl 2 after the positive pcr test were all negative ……..
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      29 Oct29 October 15:20
      
      LFTs look for signs of higher viral load where PCR tests are extremely sensitive and will pick up the smallest of infections even when you are recovered.
      
      Surely shouldn’t be flying until 10 days after a positive PCR yet took a FtF LFT 2 days later …
      - Yuff says:
        
        29 Oct29 October 15:42
        
        She took a FtF rapid PCR test 2 days later which was negative.
      - Peter K says:
        
        29 Oct29 October 19:10
        
        @Yuff
        PCR tests rarely say you are positive unless you are.
        They 30% of the time say you are negative when you’re actually positive.
        
        Chances are she was positive the 2nd test as well but it didn’t pick it up…
Mart says:

29 Oct29 October 14:23

Expecting to spend a fair bit at JD Sports in the build up to Christmas, any tips on maxing points accrual through amex/offers on other cards? Thanks
- SteveJ says:
  
  29 Oct29 October 14:25
  
  Gift cards purchased from Morrisons / Boots, i.e. wherever you have a current Amex, Airtime, Perks at work, Virgin miles portal, LBG, Santander offer. You should also me able to stack those.