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The HfP chat thread – Saturday 13th November

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We are running this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

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Comments (318)

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

  • Optimus Prime says:
    13 Nov13 November 12:09

    SHOP50 and SHOP100 codes back on Monese

    • Nectar Collector says:
      13 Nov13 November 12:37

      Thanks for that!

    • TGLoyalty says:
      13 Nov13 November 12:41

      Nice one.

    • Aston100 says:
      13 Nov13 November 12:49

      Is this working for those who used it a month ago?

      • Aston100 says:
        13 Nov13 November 12:52

        Ah, didn’t realise I already had funds sitting in Monese (hate leaving money in there).
        Can confirm the codes work even for those who used them a month ago.

        Thanks for the heads-up Autobot Leader.

        • ben says:
          13 Nov13 November 15:18

          Me too. I’m wary of leaving funds in these small Fintech “banks”. They have a habit of freezing the account without much justification then you have to navigate their nightmare no-existent customer service to try to get it unfrozen.

      • Nectar Collector says:
        13 Nov13 November 13:13

        Yes…I used the October codes too

      • Chrisasaurus says:
        13 Nov13 November 13:54

        Super annoying when they email to tell you that you can have more but then you actually can’t…

        But just redeemed both – nice spot OP

    • Genghis says:
      13 Nov13 November 13:19

      Now used it 3 times in 7 weeks. Easy £90 profit.

      • Aston100 says:
        13 Nov13 November 14:38

        Have to get them converted within 90 days.
        I’ve just used a couple from more than 2 months ago at Sainsburys as a safe option.
        Hoping Amazon option comes back soon.

    • Youllnever says:
      13 Nov13 November 13:44

      Nice!

    • Hotinnewcastle says:
      13 Nov13 November 18:49

      Any referral code? What do you get? Unless Rob or Rhys have one? Thinking of signing up to take advantage of these offers …..

  • Backpacker says:
    13 Nov13 November 12:10

    Crown Plaza (IHG) Terminal 4
    Anyone stayed here before, is there a lounge you get access to as a Sphire member (do you get anything for Sphire)?
    Looking at a Christmas eve stay due to early flight, but if the place is bad I’ll skip it…

    Recent reviews are all from being used as a quarantine hotel – and the hotel is too incompetatnt to answer the phone (tried 3 times but keeps hanging up)

    • TGLoyalty says:
      13 Nov13 November 12:41

      I’m sure Rob did a review worth a search.

    • John says:
      13 Nov13 November 12:44

      Lounge is not a benefit of spire, some hotels offer it but you won’t get it here.

    • Redeyedonkey says:
      13 Nov13 November 13:17

      I don’t think I’d book there again after my one stay. It’s really just a HIX given the set up. The sep. check in is the only sep. part – every floor is HIX/Crowne mix and as are all the facilities. It’s not the worst hotel I just don’t think it’s worth paying more for it. I got basically nothing for Spire – just the same drink and points or whatever it was that they also give Platinum.

      • Char Char says:
        13 Nov13 November 13:37

        Yep not worth paying much of a premium over the HIX rates and you won’t get lounge access unless you book a club room.

    • Eric the Half a Bee says:
      13 Nov13 November 14:15

      For what it’s worth, I was given lounge access as Spire when I stayed in March last year, just before lockdown. Thought the hotel was good l, although the HIE side would have been better value given the price difference at the time.

      • Rob says:
        13 Nov13 November 14:20

        That’s the issue. As bar and restaurant are shared and you can cross charge, justifying the CP is tricky esp if you want breakfast.

        • TGLoyalty says:
          13 Nov13 November 14:42

          Do you get exactly the same breakfast?

          If you do does that mean the HIX offering is a step up from the usual fair as it would be a CP standard or does a paying CP customer get a sub standard HIX breakfast?

          • Roy says:
            13 Nov13 November 15:09

            AIUI there are separate restaurants, so I assume there are separate breakfast offerings, too. But nothing to stop a HIX guest visiting the CP restaurant (or vice versa) – you can do this and even charge to your the room.

            As for breakfast, the HIX breakfast will be free, the CP one not. No idea if they make any effort to catch CP guests trying to get a sneaky free HIX breakfast….

          • Rob says:
            13 Nov13 November 17:17

            Yes, separate restaurants, albeit 10 seconds walk apart.

      • David says:
        13 Nov13 November 22:06

        Was also given lounge access and free breakfast as spire in December before covid/lockdown.

  • N says:
    13 Nov13 November 12:34

    Any recommendations for cheap fit to fly tests for the US? Ideally in-clinic antigen tests. Thanks!

  • Chelseafi says:
    13 Nov13 November 12:49

    Want to visit one of the London Ivys using Amex dining offer, are they all standard or any worth avoiding? Do any have nice bar area for pre drinks, it’ll be 2 adults. Thanks

    • SteveJ says:
      13 Nov13 November 13:01

      Go to one of the newer ones, I found Covent Garden Market Grill to be quite meh in terms of decor. Soho is meant to be nice.

    • Peter K says:
      13 Nov13 November 13:23

      Here is a view from a family member:

      Re. The Ivy…. Definitely don’t go for the Marylebone one… it’s a bit meh…. The Ivy Victoria however is sooo amazing.

    • Tracey says:
      13 Nov13 November 13:31

      The granary square brasserie (st Pancras) is an ivy brasserie and has a good atmosphere and a bar area.

      • Lady London says:
        13 Nov13 November 17:06

        Rammed though every time we’ve walked over there with the idea of eating there.

  • kpk1981 says:
    13 Nov13 November 13:14

    Looking at a December booking using either Expedia or Booking.com for the Maldives. The resorts says fully refundable up to a certain date – how good/reliable/quick are the refunds using these sites?

    • Sam G says:
      13 Nov13 November 14:48

      Expedia/hotels.com are vv quick if you pay via the site. originally. No experience of booking.com

    • Mirp says:
      13 Nov13 November 17:19

      I’m in same situation. Have booked multiple hotels for Maldives for December. I have cancelled 1 with Agoda and got refund in about 48 hours. Also cancelled a Hilton points redemption and got points back immediately.

  • Traveller says:
    13 Nov13 November 13:39

    I do have a similar situation regarding travel insurance query similar to @Roger on page 2 of today’s chat.

    If my return is cancelled by the airline and if they failed to provide alternative travel arrangements within 24hours , I can use my HSBC premier travel insurance to book tickets upto 7500GBP per person.I need to have this amount recovered from Airline/ Travel agent alternatively I can recoup this costs from HSBC cover to book return tickets.
    I believe this also applies when flights are cancelled in the last 14 day window when airline cant provide onward travel within a 24hr window.

    As India is restricting the scheduled flights , I am more concerned that my travel insurance covers all eventualities.

    I would not be able to contact HSBC/Aviva till Monday for general insurance related query.

    Am i correct that i can recoup the amount from airline or the HSBC .We are talking of an average 2k per passenger in economy from India to UK.

    • Blenz101 says:
      13 Nov13 November 16:55

      From India to the U.K.? This won’t be covered by almost any insurance unless the trip is starting and ending in the U.K.

      • Roger says:
        13 Nov13 November 18:15

        I believe @Traveller is talking about cancelled return trip due to Indian Government flight ban or reduction in December.
        Saw few posts already in FT BA forum for the same.

        Of course like me if the flight itself got cancelled before leaving UK you have less bother but once you are overseas and then stuck for few days before your return flights could be arranged you could be seriously out of pocket

        • Traveller says:
          13 Nov13 November 18:52

          My journey starts in UK to India ,my return flight tickets are currently not being sold on skyscanner or on virgin atlantic website but shows the flight as operational on expert flyer.
          Onward journey tickets are still being sold but not for return leg.

          In case of cancellation whilst on holiday my HSBC premier travel insurance does say it covers to book return flight in case my original airline doesn’t arrange upto 7500GBP per passenger.It’s on page 25 of the full text policy.

          • Blenz101 says:
            13 Nov13 November 19:09

            So the flights are with Virgin in which case UK261 applies and they will reroute you back to the UK.

            Easiest is just to let them reroute you and claim back the cost of any food and accommodation depending on the length of the delay. If you end up self sourcing a route flight back you can claim from the airline the cost of that flight. Your insurance will expect you to do this in the first instance.

            In the event for some reason the airline doesn’t cover your cost then you can claim on your insurance (only for those covered by it) upto the claim limits in the policy. They can then either recover from the airline or take the hit.

          • Traveller says:
            13 Nov13 November 20:05

            Thanks Blenz101.

  • James says:
    13 Nov13 November 13:41

    On my way to Austin today, via Atlanta. Can’t believe how quiet Terminal 3 and every check in counter was. Security dead, duty free empty, lots of spare seating in the clubhouse. Sad in a way, this can’t be the USA revival that was talked about. Fingers crossed for VS. Love their product, Virgin redhead is highly recommended!

    • Worksop Dave says:
      13 Nov13 November 14:22

      Bookings to the US are only up around 20% versus last year (for December) even though last year tourism was essentially banned for people flying directly from the U.K. There is no revival yet.

      The late announcement of opening won’t have helped of course

      • Rob says:
        13 Nov13 November 17:20

        November is not a great time to visit NY – I imagine there will be some pre-Christmas shopping boom but November is just grey and grim.

  • Gustavo says:
    13 Nov13 November 13:52

    Hi we are due to go to Vienna in December and we’ll go to the opera house for a performance there. We have just received an email saying that even with proof of full vaccination we’ll still need to take a PCR test max 48 hours before the show and we’ll be in Vienna by then. So does anyone know any providers for Vienna for a PCR test? Thanks in advance.

    • Harry T says:
      13 Nov13 November 14:00

      There’s a good chance they will be in lockdown by then, so I wouldn’t worry.

      • Gustavo says:
        13 Nov13 November 14:30

        That’s not very reassuring haha. Funny thing is that we were meant to have gone there back in March 2020 around the first lock down. We do have travel insurance so worst case we’ll claim it back there.

        I have found some links and emailed them but if anyone has had any PCR test in Vienna and could recommend it that would be great.

      • Lady London says:
        13 Nov13 November 17:09

        Why, Harry T? Will you just have left? 🙂

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