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Get your HfP Christmas Party tickets – with £3,500 of prizes to be won

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As we announced last week, we are pleased to say that we are holding our second Head for Points reader Christmas party on Tuesday 12th December.

Like last year we are taking over the Dry Martini bar at the Melia White House hotel from 6pm to 8pm.  This is situated just a few minutes walk from Warren Street, Regents Park and Great Portland Street tube stations.

This is a great opportunity for you to have a few seasonal drinks and, more importantly, to meet fellow readers and to share your travel hints and tips – and perhaps even learn a few inside secrets that can’t be written about online.

melia-white-house

Qatar Airways is generously sponsoring the party and underwriting the majority of the bill.

And we have a very cool prize draw ….

There will also be a prize draw on the night.  Everyone will be given a free raffle ticket on arrival.

One guest will win a Business Class return flight with Qatar Airways from the UK to any Qatar Airways destination!  (Well, almost anywhere – you can’t backtrack from Doha which means North America is excluded and Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, and Auckland are also excluded.)

Regular readers will know that we rate the Qatar Airways business class product very highly – especially the new Qsuite currently being introduced (photo below) which comes with its own door.  The fact that you can earn Avios and British Airways tier points when you fly with Qatar Airways, due to their membership of the oneworld alliance, is an extra bonus.  If the prize winner books themselves onto a Boeing 777 service from London Heathrow they have an excellent chance of being able to try Qsuite!

Here is the list of all raffle prizes that have generously been offered so far:

The main prize:

  • Qatar Airways:  1 Business Class return ticket from the UK to any Qatar Airways destination (some small print applies, but not much)

And over £1,500-worth of other prizes donated by some of our friends:

There should be another couple of prizes to add before the big night.

We would like to thank everyone above for generously donating the prizes.  As there are only 150 people coming, your chances are good – 1 in 10.  Bring a friend or partner and you’ve got a 1 in 5 chance of winning!

For clarity …. you need to be in the room when the raffle is drawn (probably 7.15 – 7.30) to claim your prize.  Bear this in mind if you think you might have to leave early.

A goody bag for every guest

Whilst we are still working on the final details, we are hoping that that all guests will receive a goody bag on departure.  No promises though.

If your company would like to contribute promotional material (150 sets needed) to the goody bags in return for a contribution towards the bar bill, please email me at anika at headforpoints.com.

How do I get my ticket?

Because we need to ensure that people who ask for tickets turn up, we are charging £20 per ticket.  This price includes VAT.

However, your £20 ticket covers unlimited house wine and beer between 6pm and 8pm.  Soft drinks will also be available.  Spirits etc can be purchased for cash.  We are not making a penny from this and indeed Qatar Airways is footing the bulk of the cost.  After 8pm, the bar will remain open for cash payments for anyone who wants to stay longer.

To give as many people as possible the chance to buy a ticket, we have decided to sell the 150 tickets in two batches this year.

  • Batch One will go on sale on Friday 24th at 10am
  • Batch Two will go on sale on Saturday 25th at 10am

We have set up two ticket sale pages:

If you are buying a ticket on Friday please use this link

If you are buying a ticket on Saturday please use this link

You can buy up to two tickets but please don’t be nervous about coming on your own.  Frequent flyers are a friendly bunch and always happy to share details of their recent trips and miles-earning tips.  There will be name badges this year to make introductions easier.  We would actually recommend that you do not bring a guest if you don’t think that they will want to chat about travel all night, as it might ruin the fun for both of you.

American Express is accepted.

We look forward to seeing you on the 12th.

Category

Qatar Airways and Privilege Club

Comments (233)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Lee says:
    24 Nov24 November 11:50

    I managed to get a ticket and by the sounds of it I was quite lucky. Looking forward to the event.

  • Paul C says:
    24 Nov24 November 11:55

    Just adding a data point.
    I used the Eventbrite app (already a user) and had made the event a favourite beforehand. I had the event open in the app and then at exactly 10:00:01 hit the green button and selected two tickets. They were then in my basket and I although you’re allowed time to complete personal and payment details, but as an existing user mine was pre-filled.
    I did not use a bot or other nefarious means, and I’m a long-time reader, comment-contributor and occasional email correspondent with Rob (although the party will be the first opportunity to meet him), so whilst I appreciate many will feel disappointed to have missed out, it isn’t the case that you have done so at the hands of chancers or the unscrupulous exploiting the internet.

    • Rob says:
      24 Nov24 November 11:57

      I think once they are in the basket you can take all the time you want. They were showing as ‘unavailable’ online whilst Anika was texting me running totals of completed sales, which were running behind.

  • Rob Brown says:
    24 Nov24 November 13:34

    They would if they had a raffle

  • Jon says:
    24 Nov24 November 15:12

    Simple really

    Stop giving out 2hrs of free booze.
    I’m sure 99% of readers would “expense” their drinks.

    And as you have said the prizes are not that great if you do not live in London (80% of the population?) or if you fly with a partner.

    Oh and i came last year and did not meet you-I got over it 🙂

    Great site, though getting more biased “reviews” now IMHO.

    • Rob says:
      24 Nov24 November 15:35

      I was at the top of the steps for at least the first 45 minutes, so if I didn’t stop you as you came past it was because I was talking to someone else.

      The reviews are not biased, we simply do not review places or flights which we know will not be good, because frankly why would we want to? Life’s too short. If the place or airline has a bad reputation we don’t bother. I’m not leaving my kids for 3 days to stay somewhere rubbish and neither am I going to do without Anika for 3 days if I don’t think she will come back with something positive.

      • Jon says:
        24 Nov24 November 16:14

        I said I got over not meeting you:-not my (nor I suspect others) first priority with all that free booze time.

        As I said, Cut the booze, get a larger venue simple:

        So all your Reviews are actually biased “we simply do not review places or flights which we know will not be good, ”

        So paid for flights with Qatar will always bee good then ?

        Oh dear.

        • Polly says:
          24 Nov24 November 16:33

          Hey Jon,
          What’s with the attitude. We take your point regarding a bigger venue and pay bar. Am sure it will be considered next year when planning the event.
          Perhaps you have benefitted from Robs opinion on various flights, hotels etc in the past. Just leave it at that and stop mentioning biased etc. Of course people have favourites. And they are quite entitled to review and travel when it suits them.

        • TripRep says:
          24 Nov24 November 16:42

          Jon – When Rob says that he simply means he likes to review aspiration travel opportunities, he’s mentioned this approach loads of times…

          Biased? as in anti BA? or Pro BA?

          Rob regularly plugs the BA Amex 241 as one of the best cards for Avios collectors but he also is critical of BA’s tendency to downgrade pax on a redemption booking.

          I see that as balanced.

          And I for one want to keep seeing the Qatar offers, would love to fly on Q-Suite at somepoint, it’s a world leading product by some margin.

          Grateful if you could advise for a better UK based website for us all to follow…

        • Polly says:
          25 Nov25 November 05:20

          Trip rep…absolutely agree with you there.

  • Tina says:
    24 Nov24 November 15:29

    Loys of disappointed people. Maybe a larger venue with a pay bar rather than 2 hours of free booze next year?

    • Rob says:
      24 Nov24 November 15:31

      Yes, possibly. I think we could do 300 people, especially if we can get a good selection of raffle prizes again. It would also remove the need to spend time hustling for sponsorship, although Qatar are being fantastic.

  • Nick says:
    24 Nov24 November 16:32

    Damn – missed it due to BA. Was flying on the BA33 to Kuala Lumpur which was 4 hours and 2 minutes late so didn’t get in until 1927 which was 1127 UK time which completely screwed my plan to buy a ticket for the party at 1800 Malaysian time. Only saving grace is the delay creeping over the 4 hour threshold by 2 minutes doubled the EU compensation to Euro 600. I made sure I got screenshots of the BA app showing the arrival time of 1927 which concurred exactly with the arrival time on my watch.

    • TripRep says:
      24 Nov24 November 16:45

      Winner, easy money, well played, tbh, BA can be reasonable when its clear cut delay, hope you phone and speak to a decent Geordie at their call centre.

    • Lady London says:
      24 Nov24 November 20:43

      @Nick I guess you know the official landing time is at the point when the front door of the aircraft is opened? I always think of this when I hear over the intercom as the wheels touch the ground… “Welcome to…. [landing city]. Then a further 15 minutes taxiing, quite often. After which the door of the aircraft is opened and your flight has officially landed at that point.

      This works on takeoff also. Your aircraft takes off officially as soon as it is pushed back from the gate. Even if you then taxi for a long time or if the plane sits on the tarmac in a queue to takeoff for hours. Your flight actually departed when the aircraft was pushed back from the gate even if the wheels leave the ground 3 hours later.

      • the real harry1 says:
        24 Nov24 November 20:48

        takeoff/ departure time: it’s irrelevant when the plane actually takes off

        the only thing that matters for compo is scheduled takeoff time vs actual arrival time

  • Nick Burch says:
    24 Nov24 November 16:55

    For those thinking of coming to the Amex lounge meetup tonight, there seems to be rather a queue….

    • Genghis says:
      24 Nov24 November 16:58

      All HfP readers no doubt? 🙂

      • Rob says:
        24 Nov24 November 17:11

        Biggest Amex screw up. Capacity is 75. At 6 there is a lecture on snow globe making (or whatever) for 60 so only 15 civilians allowed in! On a Fri night. F#ckwits.

    • Rob says:
      24 Nov24 November 17:10

      You are not getting in. If you are in the building come to the 2nd floor bar (stairs then lift), we are there. Pretend you are a member.

      • Nick Burch says:
        24 Nov24 November 17:36

        Just after you and Anika walked past they let a bunch of us in! In there now

        • Cat says:
          24 Nov24 November 18:39

          Hey, how’s the queue looking now?

        • Rob says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:17

          You should have grabbed us!

        • Nick Burch says:
          24 Nov24 November 22:31

          I found a few HFP folks inside, was a fun evening once you were in! They were really apologetic about the queue, and even took drinks orders to bring to people waiting in the queue! (Eventually got inside before the drink came though…)

          Once inside, they had beer and wine at the bar, prosecco most of the time, spirits and mixers most of the time, and cocktails + snacks coming out periodically. They seemed overwhelmed with the numbers, and were constantly saying sorry for the waits

          When I saw Rob and Anika walk passed, I assumed they’d been inside and had nipped out to the loo, otherwise would’ve said something…

      • Don says:
        24 Nov24 November 18:54

        Drat – just seen this. Am on my way home now. I only wanted to stay until 6pm – so spent an hour at the front of the line waiting to get in, presuming you were inside. Finally let in at 6pm walked around and saw you weren’t there. Tried to get a cocktail but they weren’t serving any (!) so had a sparkling water and left.

        Had my alarm set this morning (at work – not in bed) for 9:59. Hit the link at 10:00am – no tickets available. Kept on refreshing until message changed to sold out. Not having a great day today.

        • Cat says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:02

          No cocktails??? How is it inside? I’m in the queue now.
          Do they have Champagne? More to the point, is it self pour?

        • Cat says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:29

          I’m in! Are there any other HfP people who want to chat about airmiles?

        • Clive says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:32

          Spent hours in there until 6. Had a nice time – cakes and coffee, then nibbles and two types of cocktail. Lots of people were glugging wine and beer all day.
          Was surprised on leaving to see a queue outside because it wasn’t very full…
          Would be quite happy if they made it a regular thing 🙂

        • Cat says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:50

          Rob – if you book in for the influenza talks or the other events, apparently they give you priority…

        • the real harry1 says:
          24 Nov24 November 20:05

          @ Cat – found an Avios buddy yet?

          Shop Small – start them talking about Shop Small, starts in 1 week 🙂

          didn’t make 8 cards this years as wife not co-operative – but I’ll go out there with 6 cards & try to beat my personal record £750

        • Cat says:
          24 Nov24 November 20:06

          No the real Harry (absolutely not the fake), about to leave. The wine was nice though…

        • Clive says:
          24 Nov24 November 20:07

          It is possible that this site suggesting a crowd descend at 5pm would inspire them to put up a roadblock.

          • Rob says:
            24 Nov24 November 21:07

            No, the lecture had already been arranged – if I’d received the original newsletter I would presumably have seen it.

        • Waribai says:
          24 Nov24 November 20:50

          I thought you couldn’t book the Influencer talks, santas brunch etc. I thought it was just turn up on the day?

  • ee says:
    24 Nov24 November 18:34

    I took a few minutes out at work before 10am and got a ticket. My tips for tomorrow:

    Just before 10am keep refreshing (F5) your browser every second.
    Have some key details written out in word or notepad ready to copy and paste:
    First name
    Last name
    Street
    Town
    Postcode
    Email address (there are two email field to complete, only one can be copied and pasted)
    Credit card number with no spaces.

    Looking forward to attending again!

    • the real harry1 says:
      24 Nov24 November 18:40

      I might get one or two then sell them to the highest bidder

      proceeds to chaaridee of course 🙂

      • ee says:
        24 Nov24 November 18:58

        It sounds like someone did that earlier x50. How many people in the comments have actually got tickets? We just flew to Luxembourg after a nice Moët fuelled visit to the Cathay lounge at lunchtime. My eyes feel a bit wonky!

        • the real harry1 says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:02

          I guess once a year you need to check that safe deposit box is OK 🙂

          I doubt very much if anybody got more than 2, what’s the point? and HFP is cute enough to prevent multiple same credit cards, multiple same addresses, multiple orders to same person

          I figure it’s just silent/ invisible users getting tickets – as Raffles says, 99% of members never post anything as they’re working

        • the real harry1 says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:06

          are you ee from TMF?

        • Cate says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:25

          ‘99% of members never post anything as they’re working’ @the real harry1′:

          I work, I post, I contribute. It isn’t about just turning up for the Xmas party.

        • the real harry1 says:
          24 Nov24 November 19:33

          @ Cate ah but it’s a false assumption: ie I’m not saying if you work hard, you can’t have time to post

          I guess that a lot of HFP readership have fairly big things on the daily agenda & will just scan the HFP emails & get on with their jobs/ lives

          I admit as retired @ 36 I am not in that category

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