Get ATP tennis tickets for London’s O2 with your Marriott Bonvoy points

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• Boi says:

  21 Oct21 October 06:18

  Sorry to start with OT:
  1. is it possible to get exit row seats at check in on BA or are they blocked off? Yesterday when I looked they were still available for £93. Check in opens today.

  2. What options do I have for lounge in LHR terminal 3 with priority pass? Can I get in without advance reservation (tomorrow)?

  • roberto says:

    21 Oct21 October 07:51

    Exit seats should be available at checkin, if you cant get one dont print/download your boarding pass just select a seat and then try again at the airport.

    There is as Aspire Lounge at T£ and that works with a PP.

    • Shoestring says:

      21 Oct21 October 08:14

      or No1 Lounge T3 with PP – best to reserve for £5 to secure access (both PP lounges get very busy but you can’t reserve Club Aspire)

      a very good lounge, see HFP reviews of No1 and Club Aspire

  • N says:

    21 Oct21 October 12:12

    Let us know if you find a way to get exit row at airport – didn’t work for me last time at T5

    • Boi says:

      21 Oct21 October 18:23

      So what do I do at airport? Just checked in online and couldn’t get exit seat for free. I would like to give it a try tomorrow at Dublin

      • Shoestring says:

        21 Oct21 October 18:32

        1, check in online T-24 but don’t print BP or get pdf – at airport do self check in again at the machines and in the past you could choose any seat in your fare class for free incl Exits

        2. ask the check in agents to move you

• Peter Hodson says:

  21 Oct21 October 06:19

  Can you still get a gold guest list card? I only have gold
  Peter

  • Chris says:

    21 Oct21 October 07:39

    It definitely still exists; mine renews at the end of the month. Its 5000tp to get into the GGL club the first year and 3000tp to renew it.

• Mr. AC says:

  21 Oct21 October 07:32

  OT: short review of voco Oxford (IHG) which Rob wrote about in August. It’s a new hotel (in a very historic building), redemption is half-price until November 7th (20k IHG points vs 40k).
  It’s a nice hotel. Breakfast is reasonable with good buffet options and some à la carte options, price is 12£ pp. We have an infant kid, and it’s not particularly kid-friendly nor unfriendly. Only the Deluxe rooms and up can fit a cot, and you can only book standard ones on points, but I called to book and got an instant upgrade (I’m Spire). This was on the day, so YMMV. There’s not a lot of “park” around to walk in, but there’s a good playground just outside of the hotel grounds.
  The “spa” is disappointing. It’s a fitness centre (small-ish pool, sauna, gym) that serves both the hotel and the local town. It’s pretty tired-looking and likely wasn’t refreshed as part of the hotel being rebuilt. Kids can use the pool from 8 to 11AM and from 3 to 6PM,
  The hotel caters to weddings, so on the weekend it’s a bit of a pandemonium – the main restaurant is closed (since the wedding is happening there), parts of the lobby are closed off, breakfast staff are a bit overwhelmed – but nothing catastrophic.

  • chris says:

    21 Oct21 October 07:40

    Thanks for this; im booked this weekend coming. Time to decide if I should switch to the principal…

    • JohnT says:

      21 Oct21 October 08:37

      We really liked it (as a couple). Nice touches like fresh milk and real coffee sachets in the room.

  • Bloomers says:

    21 Oct21 October 08:51

    Whilst I don’t disagree with any of your review I think a big shout out to the staff is required. During our stay I found there was a attitude of ‘nothing is too much trouble’ from every member of staff we encountered, they ran a tight and well executed ship. At the current 20k redemption it’s an absolute bargain!

  • Andrew says:

    21 Oct21 October 09:03

    A decent review. I’ve used the hotel under various guises (Four Pillars etc) for conferencing and functions for about 20 years. The staff are always helpful.

    The leisure centre doesn’t really serve the local town though. There’s a gym & pool at the Football Stadium & cinema complex a short walk away alongside the Science Park, and the local Council leisure centre and pool a slightly longer walk away. There’s a Pure & David Lloyd less than a 5 minute drive away if you are a member.

    If you come out the pedestrian side entrance onto Church Road, you can walk down to the lock, cross the river and walk or cycle the towpath into Oxford. From there it’s 3 miles into the City Centre on a safe, flat and popular walking route.

  • Rui N. says:

    21 Oct21 October 11:56

    I was there a few weeks ago as well, and like the hotel quite a lot. Used the pool and it was quite crowded, but they all seemed to be hotel guests (had robes and the like). For 20k points was a steal.
    But the service at the restaurant, both during dinner and during breakfast, was atrocious. Wrong drinks, starters not arriving, they when we asked for them they sent the starter and 2 min later the mains. During breakfast they sat us and didn’t mention that we had to order coffee/tea, then when we realised that was the case we had to chase someone to get it.

• J H says:

  21 Oct21 October 08:34

  What’s the advantage of First on the HEX?

  • Rob says:

    21 Oct21 October 08:49

    Bigger seat, very few other members of the general public 🙂

    • The Original David says:

      21 Oct21 October 10:41

      Also a shorter walk at Paddington, and a couple of newspapers provided. On the advance purchase fares it’s sometimes available for £2-£3 more, which I sometimes take to pretend I’m rich and important, before getting on the Bakerloo line.

      • Jill (Kinkell) says:

        21 Oct21 October 13:18

        I sat in one yesterday only because the train was chokka due to the previous Hex being cancelled and I fancied a seat for all of 20 minutes! Personally, don’t think it’s worth shelling out for

• Mark says:

  21 Oct21 October 08:37

  Does anybody know if the Marriott and hand picked hotels offers on Amex are cumulative or not as I have spend £200 get £50 back but can’t do it in one hit.

  Thanks

  • TGLoyalty says:

    21 Oct21 October 09:13

    Marriot is cumulative

    • Cat says:

      21 Oct21 October 09:16

      Good to know, I’m heading to Hanbury Manor this afternoon, and hoped I might get the £50 off!

      • Chrisasaurus says:

        21 Oct21 October 17:20

        Enjoy – that place is great, it generally punches well above its weight service wise for a Marriott…

        • Cat says:

          21 Oct21 October 17:35

          It’s really quite lovely, for a cheeky spa break! My OH was put up in this hotel for pretty much the whole summer of 2012 (he ran one of the teams in the lab for the Olympics, the lab was close to Ware), so I spent the summer there too! Not a bad place to spend some time!

        • TGLoyalty says:

          21 Oct21 October 19:11

          Surprising pictures make is seem a little tired and dumpy.

        • Cat says:

          21 Oct21 October 19:59

          It’s huge, some of the rooms are a little tired, yes, but my current room is beautiful, with a lovely view out over the golf course and a huuuuuge, very comfy bed. The spa is marvellous, the pool is great, and theres a decent gym, so I’m happy!

        • TGLoyalty says:

          21 Oct21 October 21:18

          Cool enjoy. Will reconsider next time.

• MikeL says:

  21 Oct21 October 09:08

  Could be doing with a USA sale covering February. Hotel prices are very high at that time of the year. Seriously considering buying 170 k points to top up the account and secure a 3 night stay at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale beach resort (70k per night) v $371 per night plus taxes & resort fees.

• Cat says:

  21 Oct21 October 09:20

  Sorry, O/T. I’m planning to cancel my Plat at some point soon, but want to maintain my hotel status for as long as possible, especially Hilton Gold. Does anyone have a rough idea of what date I would still need to hold the card until, in order to retain Gold for another year?
  Thanks all!

  • marcw says:

    21 Oct21 October 09:50

    April or May.

    • Cat says:

      21 Oct21 October 12:17

      Thanks MarcW, perhaps not worth keeping it until then!

  • Travel Strong says:

    21 Oct21 October 12:38

    You’ll keep Hilton until end of March, in my experience.
    If you cancel, signing up again at the end of March would time nicely.

    • fivebobbill says:

      21 Oct21 October 12:47

      Yes 31st March year end I believe

• N says:

  21 Oct21 October 09:28

  Wildly OT – I used to have Avis Presidents Club, but no idea where I got it from (Amex Plat? A hotel status?). I’ve been downgraded to Avis Preferred and trying to work out how I can get myself upgraded back up. Any ideas?

  • Rash says:

    21 Oct21 October 09:32

    If you have Hertz Presidents circle they will status match

  • Andrew says:

    21 Oct21 October 09:54

    Did you own shares in Avis when they were brought to the market about 20 years ago?

    Think it was originally called “Founder’s Club” then members migrated onto President’s Club when it went private again.

  • Jen T says:

    21 Oct21 October 10:52

    We do it by putting most of our business to Avis – 2000EUR per year and at least 10 rentals does it. Not seen anywhere that gets you it another way. Hertz proving expensive in some places for us so have never tried to get top tier with them and then status match.

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