The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 2nd November

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Dubious says:

2 Nov2 November 04:58

I see that Expedia have released some initial details on how their Expedia Rewards will change. Might give an indication of how this will affect Hotels.com

https://www.expedia.co.uk/lp/b/exp-rewards-faq
- Amy C says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 06:04
  
  Yes that was a concerning email to wake up to this morning. Not good news.
  - Jonathan says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 07:01
    
    4% rebate on hotel bookings as a (top tier) Gold is awful! Better hope this can be topped up via the portals.
- Rob says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 08:22
  
  Thanks
- memesweeper says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 14:41
  
  Good grief that’s rubbish. Alarmingly I’ve hotels.com bookings already that I won’t take until April, after this scheme launches. It better not be an immediate and wholesale replacement for hotels.com!
Can says:

2 Nov2 November 06:07

Any news or update about the upcoming new Hilton resort in Maldives?
- Ali M says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:10
  
  would be keen to know about this
- Rhys says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:48
  
  Haven’t heard anything yet.
  - DorsetFlyer says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 08:38
    
    Reported on business traveller:
    https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2021/06/21/hilton-to-open-new-hotel-in-maldives/
    - Can says:
      
      2 Nov2 November 08:53
      
      Dated June
      - DorsetFlyer says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 09:11
        
        Agreed – not bookable on Hilton yet and no more press releases, so it may be that the “late 2021” opening date is being delayed.
  - DeB20 says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 10:45
    
    A friend of mine is the new Commercial Director of the Hilton Maldives Amangiri Resort and Spa. She told me recently that the hotel is going to open in early 2022.
    - Can says:
      
      2 Nov2 November 11:25
      
      That I call a real network 🙂 Thanks
    - Rob says:
      
      2 Nov2 November 12:32
      
      Rhys will be happy to do a review on opening …..
      - ankomonkey says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 13:31
        
        So will I!
Mark says:

2 Nov2 November 06:11

We had a room booked at the clermont Victoria for this coming weekend owing to a family wedding in the area, but yesterday out of nowhere we got an email saying the hotel was closing for a period owing to Covid with effect from 1 nov. checking the website however it looks like the hotel will be closed until spring 2022 which feels more like for a light refurbishment than due to Covid. We have managed luckily to get a room at the doubletree but does anyone here have experience of short term hotel cancellations and whether any compensation (on top of a refund) should be due given the short notice?
- blenz101 says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 06:30
  
  Nothing is due. Your booking falls under standard UK contract law which just entitles you to a refund in the event the hotel is unable to fulfil your booking. No provision is made for the amount of notice you were given.
  
  You can of course ask the hotel for some kind of goodwill gesture but they don’t have any obligation to provide it.
  - A says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 07:10
    
    …unless you paid more for your replacement hotel in which ordinary English law damages for breach of contract would entitle to the additional cost too.
    - blenz101 says:
      
      2 Nov2 November 07:36
      
      But the contract terms state “Very occasionally we may need to cancel your Booking. In such circumstances you will be given a full refund but we shall have no further liability to you arising out of such cancellation.”
      
      Good luck trying to enforce anything in terms of a loss. Plenty of hotels rooms in London would price up less than the Clermont in any event.
      - A says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 07:50
        
        Have successfully claimed additional replacement cost a number of times notwithstanding those terms – what’s written there is not the end of the story. Easiest way is to to claim from credit card company. I’d probably push this if you do have additional losses as hotels sometimes take the piss with this stuff.
        
        As you likely know that sort of one-sided term is very likely unenforceable against a consumer under English law as otherwise your confirmed booking is just a one-sided option for the hotel – abs given it is the hotel who has all the info about capacity they’re best-placed to bear the risk of having to cancel.
        
        Cheaper hotel rooms in London not the point – it’s cost of equivalent performance so hotel with same facilities etc, as you likely also already know.
      - blenz101 says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 08:10
        
        Well we don’t know if a room at Charing Cross was offered or only a refund. We also don’t know if the room booked on a flexible rate giving either party the right to cancel so not entirely one way.
        
        The question asked was about compensation and none is due. If Mark wants to try and make a claim back for a consequential loss as a result of the change then he better be pretty certain there were no other 4* hotels for sale for less on his dates in London.
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 08:14
        
        I’m London? Surely only in a comparable location.
        
        Also having terms does not mean those terms are fair to the consumer. Also while flexible terms are offered at a premium by the hotel that doesn’t mean it’s flexible FOR BOTH.
      - Mark says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 09:24
        
        Thanks for your comments, will take this on board when I speak to them
- Sukes says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 09:28
  
  Contract terms aside, I’d be asking why they left it so long to contact you. See chat of 21 Oct 2021 p5 with comment from memesweeper near end of page. The planned hotel closure has been in place since at least 21 Oct as, following the comments in that chat, I checked the official website and booking availability was greyed out for the full calendar months Nov to Mar.
  
  https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/2021/10/21/the-hfp-chat-thread-wednesday-20th-october/comment-page-5/
FCP says:

2 Nov2 November 06:37

Sorry, Randox Fit to Fly express discount code anybody?
- Cats are best says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 08:55
  
  If you use https://fly.randox.com/ it automatically gives a discounted rate.
Yuff says:

2 Nov2 November 06:58

Thinking of booking a flight on Qatar to Doha and then flyDubai to DXB
Are there any extra PCR tests required travelling via Doha apart from the 72hr pcr to get into Dubai?
- Jonathan says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:03
  
  Is it not much cheaper to book Qatar all the way to Dubai? Generally flying to Doha is one of their most expensive routes as they have almost no competition.
  - Yuff says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 07:07
    
    Using Avios and not showing any availability, Doha- DXB
    I’ll check cash rates as I’d like to earn some TPs
- Andrew says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:35
  
  As you’ll be travelling on a different airline and ticket you’ll need to be granted entry to Qatar (and then check in for your FlyDubai flight) so check FCDO website for entry requirements to Qatar – I’m not sure if UK arrivals who aren’t residents can arrive without quarantine.
  - John says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 07:40
    
    Yes with a negative test done after arrival
- blenz101 says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:41
  
  You can’t reuse a PCR test to enter Dubai if you have already used it to enter another country. From Emirates “Certificates that have already been presented for travel to another destination can’t be used for re‑entry even if they are still within the validity period.”
  
  Not sure how they would actually know but potentially flydubai in Doha would not accept a UK PCR test and would require something locally issued. Just some words of caution about your plan.
  - Yuff says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 08:48
    
    Thanks Guys.
    Won’t be going via Doha then 🤪
Paul pogba says:

2 Nov2 November 07:01

I’m sure someone (maybe Lady London) posted a reminder stating Tesco Clubcard reward conversions made before 1 November would be issued with 12 month validity. A conversion I made has come back with 6 months and I can’t find any proof it should have been longer – was it all a (bizarre) dream?
- meta says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:21
  
  It had to be before 1 Nov. So if you made it yesterday, it would have come with 6 months validity. I did it on Sunday ans got 12 months.
Ayearinmx says:

2 Nov2 November 07:18

Just received a 10000 Avios bonus on my BAPP…
“BAPP Consumer Avios Bonus4″… Anyone know what this is for?
- Graham C says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:23
  
  There was a spend £5k and get 10k points offer if completed by the end of Nov.
- Iain says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:25
  
  Sounds like the spend £5k get 10k Avios offer
  - Ayearinmx says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 07:31
    
    Ahh yes… I really couldn’t remember specifics but I knew I’d signed up to some spend target offer. Thanks!
- Hugh says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 08:41
  
  I think I have just triggered this award but not sure how it will be confirmed. Do I need to wait for my statement or was this visible on the app or in your ba account?
  - Neil says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 08:51
    
    I think someone said you can see it in the Avios to be transferred when you look at your amex account
    - Rob says:
      
      2 Nov2 November 08:59
      
      Mine was.
    - Hugh says:
      
      2 Nov2 November 09:03
      
      Thanks!
- Whisper says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 09:25
  
  I was hoping to get this, but it hasn’t triggered. Does spend on the supplemental card count? I had presumed it would as it does for the other Avios bonus signups, but now I am wondering.
  - Scott says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 17:29
    
    No, it’s a card offer (i.e. particular to the card to which it is saved, just as with the other shopping offers) rather than an account bonus (where, as you say, spend on the supp card would count.)
Munch says:

2 Nov2 November 07:20

Is the Morrisons 10% Amex offer on multiple transactions. Completed two transactions on the 23rd, only the first has shown a 10% credit?
- Yuff says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:27
  
  That’s what the t&cs say
  - Rich says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 07:37
    
    Yep Yuff, some people are too lazy these days to check simple stuff for themselves. I blame their parents for silver spooning them when they were kids.
    - Munch says:
      
      2 Nov2 November 18:10
      
      Thanks Yuff and Rich for your kind response, maybe I should have added what testing / entry requirements is required for a specific country so you could “feed” me more wise words.
      
      TGLoyality, Peter K and Brian W – I completed two transactions on the same day but only one showing a credit so far. Hoping the credit appears as the T&C’s so I don’t need to chase Amex.
      - Pete1968 says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 18:29
        
        I think Yuff was just confirming that yes, it’s for multiple transactions. Hang in there a couple more days as Amex don’t usually get this one wrong.
      - Munch says:
        
        2 Nov2 November 20:31
        
        Peter1968 you’re right. Apologies Yuff for associating you to the trolling.
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:29
  
  Mine says every time. What does yours say?
  - Peter K says:
    
    2 Nov2 November 07:41
    
    Mine also says every time.
- Brian W says:
  
  2 Nov2 November 07:59
  
  Every time although I’m still waiting for mine to credit for spend on 23 Oct! V slow.