Bits: eTA mandatory when travelling to Canada, our £100 winner

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• roberto says:

  18 Nov18 November 03:55

  This hilton sale is slightly dubious with all of the dates I need to decide on going up in price.. it’s a swizz ….

  • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

    18 Nov18 November 06:17

    The ASA love hearing about this sort of thing – takes under five minutes to complain online. You’ll get a case worker who will investigate (require Hilton to substantiate the savings) and keep you up to speed and ultimately Hilton get a rather public telling off if the ‘savings’ are found to be misleading.

  • Ed says:

    18 Nov18 November 06:37

    The Hilton 30% sales are generally a joke. I’m sure there are some bargains but I bet in general prices are more or less the same today as they were last week.

    • Anon says:

      18 Nov18 November 06:42

      The last sale that was on I got a cheaper room later a few weeks after it’d finished for the same date next Spring. I guess they have a room booking release system like airline seats, + so many different advanced rates vs “sale” rates

      • Anon says:

        18 Nov18 November 06:44

        Also might be a better sale coming in Jan, maybe 50% off ???

• James67 says:

  18 Nov18 November 05:42

  Does anybody know the rate code for the hilton sale so we can use it via the app for triple points and 5000 visa bonus? Thanks.

  • Brian says:

    18 Nov18 November 07:48

    In my experience, you don’t need a special code for Hilton sales – the rates tend to appear on the normal booking page as an option, unlike with IHG or Accor. Not sure if that applies this time – check it out on the app and see.

    • James67 says:

      18 Nov18 November 15:19

      Thanks Brian, now that you mention it, I’ve noticed that too.

• Gilly says:

  18 Nov18 November 05:55

  …slightly OT: any idea if there will be an IHG winter sale? – there’s usually a ‘flash sale’ at the beginning of Nov.

  • Leo says:

    18 Nov18 November 08:38

    That’s only Europe 🙁

• Anon says:

  18 Nov18 November 06:38

  As this is Bits…Very off topic, but it will impact probs 20% of readers or spouses, assuming you’ve all seen the 3 – Three Mobile hack?

  Nothing on their own website or FB page, not a great day to work in their Customer Services…

  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/17/three-mobile-cyber-hack–six-million-customers-private-data-at-r/

  • John says:

    18 Nov18 November 09:41

    Fortunately, in the UK you don’t need to give lots of personal information to get a mobile phone… but I bet Mrs May wants to change this.

• James Ward says:

  18 Nov18 November 08:04

  Does this stack with the ‘5000 points for paying by Visa’ promo? The terms for that promo state:

  “This offer may not be combined with other select promotions, offer or discounts…”

  Somewhat vague.

  • Alan says:

    18 Nov18 November 19:04

    Can’t see it being an issue TBH, as long as you pre-register for the Visa one and use the app I can’t see them minding which rate you pick. It’s not like there’s a special promo code for the sale.

• Wally1976 says:

  18 Nov18 November 08:34

  OT – anyone any thoughts on when/if Amex might do another Holiday Extras statement credit (usually 15%)? I’m waiting to book some airport parking! Thanks

  • the real harry says:

    18 Nov18 November 09:41

    my guess: yes they will, within a couple of months, maybe in time for late bookers @ Xmas parking?

    • Wally1976 says:

      18 Nov18 November 10:12

      Fingers crossed!

• Georges Pharand says:

  18 Nov18 November 08:36

  A word of warning to people who hold dual nationality (UK-Canada), you will NOT be able to obtain an eTA on your British passport if you also hold Canadian citizenship. Those people can only enter Canada with their Canadian passport. Therefore if you happen to have an expired Canadian passport and think you can travel on your British passport, you’d be stuck here.

  • the real harry says:

    18 Nov18 November 09:43

    how do they know you have an expired Canadian passport? if there is a nationality question you could presumably truthfully just put down UK

    • Alan says:

      18 Nov18 November 19:11

      It specifically asks if you have any other nationalities and gets you to list them so you’d still have to tell them!

      • the real harry says:

        18 Nov18 November 19:20

        perhaps you forgot you were born in Ottawa?

        • Alan says:

          18 Nov18 November 19:22

          Lol personally I tend not to take risks forgetting key details for immigration. Although when Aussie visa folk wanted to know everywhere I’d visited in the last 10 years I did probably miss out a few European countries but that’s because without stamps in the passport it can be difficult to quite remember!

        • the real harry says:

          18 Nov18 November 19:31

          anybody got a good reason why UKBA doesn’t check us all in & out? just the cost?

        • Alan says:

          18 Nov18 November 19:40

          Dunno, they’re slow enough on the way back in so glad that’s the only time. Given most places seem to need you to add your passport number to your booking I’m not sure it would add much though anyway…

  • John says:

    18 Nov18 November 09:46

    Well, it’s not true that you must use a valid Canadian passport to enter Canada – you can still use a different passport plus an expired Canadian passport, citizen card, or even your old PR card to enter Canada – but airlines will not let you fly to Canada without an eTA which you rightly say citizens cannot get.

    If you don’t want to renew your Canadian passport then the only option would be to fly to the USA with your VWP-eligible passport and travel overland.

• mark2 says:

  18 Nov18 November 09:33

  OT
  We have an Amex statement credit offer for Whole Food Market, mostly in London but there is one in Cheltenham. Excellent food etc. so expensive but £10 back when you spend £40.

  I also notice that Gloucester Service on M5 (Southbound only?) is on Shop Small. Nothing like any other motorway services. High quality food and other goods if you are in that area especially if, like me, you have got a bundle of cards to use.

  • RussellH says:

    18 Nov18 November 11:18

    Gloucester Services on M5 is owned by Tebay Services on the northern M6, north of Kendal, roughly where the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales meet.

    Long-established family firm who also farm the area and have run the services at Tebay ever since they opened. They recently branched out onto the M5.

    Lost of gourmet stuff. Note that the offerings northbound and southbound are rather different. Southbound seels a lot of high class Scottish produce, for the benefit of those driving south from Scotland who have forgotten to buy Scottish goodies to take home.
    🙂

    And yes, Tebay Services are on shop small.

    • James67 says:

      18 Nov18 November 15:09

      Is this the same as Tebay truck stop? I have not been in for years but have fond memories of awesone food there, could not pass it. We planned our trips times around a stop there to avoid the horrendous fare on offer at the mzjor service centres.

      • RussellH says:

        19 Nov19 November 21:22

        No, I do not think so.

        IIRC the Tebay Truck Stop is just off the M6 by the Tebay exit, Tebay Services are apparently a typical motorway service area, run by Westmoreland Ltd. . You only notice the difference once you are inside. Gloucester Services is described on the latter website.

        • RussellH says:

          19 Nov19 November 21:53

          Just checked – the Tebay Truck Stop is now under the same ownership and named J38 Services.

          The family have also just taken over Cairn Lodge Services in Douglas on the M74. I must check it out next time I pass – it used not to be somewhere to recommend!

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