News: Turnberry to leave Marriott, £300 easyJet Holidays and £100 Mandarin Oriental cashback

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• Gary Sharp says:

  1 Dec1 December 05:15

  Not surprised at the Turnberry news. I used to enjoy an occasional stay at Turnberry, but wouldn’t go near it while the orange eejit has his name on it.

  • Rob says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:15

    I’m sure all the local businesses that supply it, and the local people for whom it is a major local employer, are grateful to you.

    • Mr(s) Entitled says:

      1 Dec1 December 08:22

      So where do you draw the line Rob? Every dubious business or corrupt regime will have ‘ordinary’ people associated with it somewhere in the food chain.

      Not to say that Trump falls into that category. That depends upon ones view of the man.

      • Rob says:

        1 Dec1 December 08:30

        Draw your own line, but the only people you hurt by not going are the locals.

        What’s the difference between staying there and one of the MANY luxury hotels in the UK owned by the Qatar state, for example? Or the Dorchester Group, Brunei owned? Bit rich even flying BA on this basis, given Qatar’s major stake – Trump has a million faults but alleged human rights abuses are not among them, for example.

        • Mr(s) Entitled says:

          1 Dec1 December 08:48

          I don’t disagree but that was my point. Gary had drawn his own line, which you then appeared to challenge based on your line.

          With scrutiny I doubt any of us are paragons of virtue living a clean life without harm or supporting those that do harm.

        • patrick C says:

          1 Dec1 December 09:23

          Actually human rights absues are very much among them, like his favoured abortion laws in the us etc. Let’s remind ourselves that he basically behaved like a dictator and tried to stage a coup. There is really no difference between him and qatar. And it’s time to wake up that hus party has nothing in common with democracy with election policies that are really not that different from Russia.
          Also, it does hurt him. He lost millions of dollars in failed hotel deals (and is definitely not a billionaire)
          Btw the same really applies tonthe Dorchester chain, in which I don’t stay fir the exact same reason (+ the groping scandal a few years ago)
          And yes this excludes quute a few luxury properties around the globe.
          As for the local people, in thus case they elected corrupted officials permitting trump to built his golf courses and hotels in the first place, so you need to accept the consequences sometimes as well…

        • Ian says:

          1 Dec1 December 09:24

          Clearly many businesses have shady owners and business practices. But this is the former President of the US, who incited a deadly insurrection, has no regard for democracy, and has tried (and is still trying) to become a dictator of the strongest power of the Western world. He is a highly dangerous individual, and one that could impact all our lives in a number of ways were he to be elected again.

          There’s no way I could contribute to his re-election through staying in one of his propoerties.

          Of course I feel for the local businesses, suppliers, etc. But to be honest, if I was the owner of one of these businesses, I couldn’t in all good consciousness continue to supply the hotel owned by Trump, so I would have cut ties many years ago.

        • ken says:

          1 Dec1 December 09:39

          Classic Whataboutery.

          Whataboutery, best described by some Irish Cardinal as “the commonest form of moral evasion today”.

    • Alan says:

      1 Dec1 December 08:42

      They would have been better deflagging the Trump name as has happened in Chicago and I think some of the other US hotels. Marriott is a pretty uninspiring programme though – I find it like Hyatt, lots of overly priced properties in London, not great options elsewhere. I mainly convert the points to airline miles now.

      • Will says:

        1 Dec1 December 08:48

        Prior to the SPG merger I agree, nowadays though they have some incredible properties (outside of U.K.) and while redemptions are not linked to the nightly fee they can be outstanding value.

      • BuildBackBetter says:

        1 Dec1 December 09:22

        Suspect it has something to do with branding and contracts. They cannot just remove Trump and continue in Marriott as if nothing happened.

      • patrick C says:

        1 Dec1 December 09:25

        I disagree here, marriott has a really good upper end portfolio and great cheap options to maintain status. Not perfect, but definitely ahead of hyatt where outside the us the portfolio is just too small and points too hard to earn.
        Though the new cash price based redemption might change my mind

      • ChrisC says:

        1 Dec1 December 12:26

        Re Chicago given that he owns the hotel (well until the banks foreclose on it) he’s not going to remove the sign. The city council did try and pass an ordinance to remove the sign but it’s a first amendment issue.

        It’s still on sale via expedia under the Trump name.

        Some other properties (including residential) have taken his name off but they were licensing the use of his name.

        The Old Post Office in DC is due to become a Waldorf-Astoria Hilton when the sale of his lease on it completes

    • ken says:

      1 Dec1 December 10:48

      Are there alternative golf courses in Scotland where people could play and spend money ?

  • Andy says:

    1 Dec1 December 10:13

    The hotel and golf course are loss making, so what you are doing at most is helping Trump reduce his losses. The benefit to the local community is undeniable though

  • Mike says:

    1 Dec1 December 11:47

    Yawn, orange man bad, it’s 2021 get over it. He managed to start no new wars, which is a bit of an achievement for recent US presidents and compared to Biden he was a massive success. See it this way, assuming you disliked him for his policies, you don’t need to have worried because he achieved practically none of them, that’s why he lost votes in only one demographic, white men who voted for him the first time round and didn’t vote for him again as he didn’t fulfill his promises (he gained votes with everyone else; black people, Latinos, women). If you didn’t like him because of his personality then why would you care, he’s not your boyfriend.

    • ken says:

      1 Dec1 December 12:03

      “because he achieved practically none of them.”

      He stacked the Supreme Court with 3 appointees, the legacy of which will last for 20 years and is highly unlikely to be good for civil rights.

      • Mike says:

        1 Dec1 December 12:23

        Nominees who voted against his agenda and didn’t overturn Roe Vs Wade or anything else the hysterical left said would happen. Screaming the sky is falling when the slight thing happens you disagree with is why politics and the media has become so toxic. There’s people out there with different views on what is best, whether that be taxation, social policy etc. The left has no monopoly on being correct, in fact, reality has proven Socialism to be a failure every time.

        • ChrisC says:

          1 Dec1 December 12:30

          Well Roe v Wade hasn’t been overturned yet simply because SCOTUS hasn’t considerted a case involving it

          But it is holding a hearing today in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

        • ken says:

          1 Dec1 December 14:17

          Be interested in which Supreme Court judges you would call socialists.

        • Amy C says:

          1 Dec1 December 14:34

          Mike I love you a little bit!

        • Bazza says:

          1 Dec1 December 14:44

          Exactly!

        • Ian says:

          2 Dec2 December 12:51

          They’re about to overturn Roe v Wade…!!

• Sean Docherty says:

  1 Dec1 December 05:39

  Shame about Turnberry. Was always a very good redemption deal and my go to hotel for a special break. Treating my wife has just become more expensive!

• 80 says:

  1 Dec1 December 06:11

  Would the easyJet holidays offer be triggered if paying of an outstanding holiday balance?

  • Rob says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:14

    Should do, how would Amex know otherwise?

  • Tom says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:48

    That worked for me back in the summer when the reward was £200 cash back.

• MrIO says:

  1 Dec1 December 06:55

  A bug loss and a steal redemption at category 5. I stayed in the Norman suite a few months back with a suite night award using a Level 5 certificate. The room was normally over £1000!

  • MrIO says:

    1 Dec1 December 06:56

    Big loss*

• Will says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:00

  Any way to make two easyjet flights over a week plus one night in a hotel into a easyjet holiday?(like ba)

  • Cat says:

    1 Dec1 December 07:38

    I’m curious about this too!

• Mr(s) Entitled says:

  1 Dec1 December 07:46

  In my mind, this begs the questions, what are the non London aspiration hotels by brand (i.e. Hilton, IHG etc) for those special occasions? It might make for a good article.

  • Tony Hart says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:39

    Agreed! Would be interested in that article.

  • Andrew says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:45

    For Accor it’s got to be Gleneagles.

    Highland Spring’s owners have got their invitation only 6-Star hotel and resort just over the fence from Gleneagles too.

    • Chris says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:28

      sorry this has totally passed me by if it’s the case. How can you access Gleneagles via Accor??

      • Rob says:

        1 Dec1 December 09:30

        Accor bought it*

        May not be integrated into ALL yet though.

        *I know that this is a gross simplification of a very complex transaction, but this is the net result

    • Michael says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:48

      Pretty sure G West has been mothballed no? At least the golf course has.

      • Andy says:

        1 Dec1 December 09:52

        No the golf course is open, just not for external visitors. There is a green keeping team which keeps it running even if it only gets played on a few times a year, it looked in great shape a couple of weeks ago from the nearby Gleneagles course

    • Andy says:

      1 Dec1 December 09:51

      The gWest resort is half open for guests though – the golf course is kept operational, the clubhouse is still half built

    • Susan says:

      1 Dec1 December 14:55

      Accor also has the Fairmont St Andrews

  • Mr(s) Entitled says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:52

    I’m struggling to think of a Hilton one. They have some good places based on location, but the hotel itself may not be a destination in its own right. In my mind, there is no Gleneagles equivalent but I would welcome education otherwise.

  • Gareth says:

    1 Dec1 December 08:55

    This would be a good idea for an article for HfP imo!

• Mark says:

  1 Dec1 December 08:13

  It seems that EZY Holidays only takes a deposit at time of booking, and full payment 28 days before. Given that the card offer requires billing by December 31 it is pretty useless unless you are planning a last minute Christmas break.

  • Sukes says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:43

    You can make as many instalments as you want of whatever value as soon as you have booked & paid deposit; or you can choose to pay the balance in full at the time of booking. Only requirement is that your balance has been paid off 28d prior to departure. I made booking y’day for a March 2022 departure, deposit only paid y’day, and intend to pay the balance split over 3 Amex by end of Dec 2021.

• Boycotter says:

  1 Dec1 December 08:28

  If they are leaving Marriott due to lack of bookings, perhaps consider changing their owner first?

  • Cranzle says:

    1 Dec1 December 09:27

    You may want to read that back to yourself

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