Save up to 25% at Hilton hotels in South East Asia, Australasia, Japan, Korea and Greater China

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• Anon says:

  30 Jul30 July 09:50

  OT – how do you receive your IHG credit card free night voucher?

  • Genghis says:

    30 Jul30 July 10:03

    It shows up in your IHG account and as “1 free night” on the dashboard

• Spaghetti Town says:

  30 Jul30 July 09:59

  OT: Will amex move a balance from a gold to a green for me?

• Olly says:

  30 Jul30 July 10:19

  Re: IHG Accelerate, something I didn’t pick up on which others may have missed is that rewards nights, whether part pay or full pay with points do not count towards your goals. I presumed a stay was a stay regardless of how it was payed for but CS assures me it is in the terms, just not the ones I read.

  • Rob says:

    30 Jul30 July 10:21

    That is correct. Gets confusing though, because sometimes you DO get a target which involves booking a reward, but that stay does not count towards any other target.

  • Olly says:

    30 Jul30 July 10:24

    Re: IHG Accelerate, something I didn’t pick up on which others may have missed is that rewards nights, whether part pay or full pay with points do not count towards your goals. I presumed a stay was a stay regardless of how it was paid for but CS assures me it is in the terms, just not the ones I read.

• Spaghetti Town says:

  30 Jul30 July 10:36

  I’m going to Indonesia in October which has a currency not covered by Curve – what Currency cards I can load up with amex or Virgin Mastercard would people recommend?

  • the_real_a says:

    30 Jul30 July 11:26

    Starling Bank is currently the best. You get the perfect mastercard Fx rates without any loading, and importantly in Asia it has zero ATM fees or limits. Both Revolut and Monzo have quite low ATM limits which is inconvenient in cash countries. (the ATM provider will charge a fee for use). You can also think aabout Halifax clarity which although is a credit card, does not charge Cash advance fees so if you pay off your balance each week your interest payments will be pennies.

  • pauldb says:

    30 Jul30 July 14:57

    What do you mean – “not covered by Curve”? I know you can only use an underlying card in certain currencies, but I don’t think there are limits on where (in what currency) you can spend or use ATMs, converted back by Curve to your card’s currency.

    • pauldb says:

      30 Jul30 July 16:24

      Yes but that link says: “You make purchases in every currency with Curve. However, Curve can only charge your underlying cards in one of the following currencies:”
      You’re talking about using the Curve card in Indonesia right, which is fine? (Not about trying to connect your curve to an Indonesian credit card?)

      • Spaghetti Town says:

        30 Jul30 July 16:31

        You’re right, the underlying card will be charged in GBP, which will be fine. Apologies, I initially thought my curve card would only work in those currencies.

        Curve it is then.

  • Axel Heyst says:

    30 Jul30 July 17:34

    Curve is fine to use in Indonesia, cards can be used virtually anywhere these days. Occasionally a 3% charge is requested but point out your curve card is a debit card, then there will be no surcharge.

    I use Curve and Transferwise (£300 ATM fee free monthly). Also insist on using your PIN at all times, smile and say “mau paki PIN”

    For ATMs look on the cover and make sure it dispenses 100 000 Rupiah notes, not Rp 50,000 as the machines only dispense 30 paper notes e.g Rp3m. Maybank and BCA are best for ATM’s. Mandiri more hit than miss.

    The currency these days is Rupiah, the Dutch Duit and Spanish Dollar are no longer acceptable.

    • Spaghetti Town says:

      30 Jul30 July 21:46

      Appreciate that advice – thanks!

• Scallder says:

  30 Jul30 July 10:36

  OT: IHG removing all miniature toiletries from all of its hotels by 2021… https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49163456

  • Russ says:

    30 Jul30 July 10:44

    Bold move.

  • RussellH says:

    30 Jul30 July 10:48

    Ironically, that will be (small) blow to the country’s food banks. We now make a point of collecting as many toiletry bottles as possible and I take the to our local food bank, unless passing through NCL, where there is a bin in arrivals asking for donations of toiletries brought back from holiday. And the small bottles can be recycled (a lot of them are made from recycled PET anyway), though I accept that food bank users are probably not great at recycling as they have too many other things to worry about.

    More concerning to me is the vast quantity of single use plates, cups and cutlery got through in USA HIEs, though I do note that the CEO of IHG says that he wants to tackle that too.

  • Olly says:

    30 Jul30 July 13:42

    If the potions are too nice people will take their empty bottles and empty the dispenser on every visit.

    • John says:

      31 Jul31 July 05:16

      Then have small dispensers

  • TGLoyalty says:

    30 Jul30 July 19:54

    Voco use large bottles of Aveda toiletries. Wouldn’t say they are cheap.

    My real concern is that they are cleaned/wiped by housekeeping between guests. The washes/shampoos etc are fine but moisturisers could be grim.

• Dave says:

  30 Jul30 July 10:38

  OT – Anyone know what the likelihood of Monday and Tuesdays Hetahrow strikes going ahead? Looks like an outcome on the new pay deal isn’t expected untl Friday at the earliest.

  • V says:

    30 Jul30 July 12:43

    I have spoken to BA at length re the LHR (non-BA) staff strike. The outcome of the ballot will be known sometime on 2/8. The strikes are definitely set for 5/8 and 6/8 unless the latest deal is accepted under the ballot or if they agree to suspend the strike again in the event that the deal is rejected. As to the impact on BA flights, well they have zero to say on that and I assume that anyone flying on those dates may need to react with little or virtually no notice.

• roberto says:

  30 Jul30 July 10:55

  OT.. RE BA STRIKES

  If you bored and want to watch a live feed for the BALPA court appeal its on you tube

  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFFIKTKW32WJ-xzfesJ4t8w/live

  Appoliges if its mentioned elsewhere.

• Lyn says:

  30 Jul30 July 11:21

  O/T question re train ticket from Gatwick.

  Sorry I can’t find the relevant post. Flying back in to Gatwick instead of Heathrow and will take the Southern train to Victoria. Can I just use my Oyster card instead of buying an actual ticket? Thanks .

  • Neil Donoghue says:

    30 Jul30 July 11:42

    Yes

  • Lev441 says:

    30 Jul30 July 11:43

    Yes you can, although a paper ticket may be cheaper if traveling in the peak.

  • Rich says:

    30 Jul30 July 11:45

    Yep. Oyster is fine on Southern – £8.50.

    You might find cheaper ticket/ combination of tickets, depending on where else you’re travelling/ when/ railcards etc, but £8.50 is fine. Expensive if use it on the Gatwick Express!

    https://www.londontoolkit.com/travel/gatwick_thameslink.htm

    • Lyn says:

      30 Jul30 July 12:37

      Thanks everyone. Oyster card it is. Just Southern from Gatwick to Victoria on Sunday morning plus bus to Green Park Station then only walking for the rest of the day.

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