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Bits: £100 Korean Air cashback, Hilton opens in Portrush, SAS launches Mumbai

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News in brief:

£100 Korean Air cashback launched by American Express

Something a little different has turned up as a cashback offer on selected American Express cards.

For the first time, Korean Air is offering a deal. You will receive £100 cashback when you spend £900 on Korean Air flights departing from the UK.

Bookings must be made by 4th August although the flight can be at any time.

Only online bookings count, not telephone bookings. Cumulative spend is OK.

It appears that the Virgin Atlantic flights to Seoul, which launch on 29th March 2026, are not available to book as codeshares via the Korean Air website.

The Korean Air website is here.

Marcus Portrush hotel Hilton

Hilton opens a Tapesty Collection hotel in Portrush

Just ahead of the 153rd Open Golf tournament, which will be held at Royal Portrush this year, Hilton has opened The Marcus Portrush, Tapestry Collection by Hilton.

Tapestry Collection is (simplistically) a four star version of Curio Collection, which generally contains five star hotels. Both brands allow independent hotels to join the Hilton ‘system’ whilst keeping their own branding and retaining flexibility in what they offer without strict brand standards.

Portush sits on the North Atlantic coast and is known for its scenic beaches. The hotel is set in a converted Victorian building on the main street and has 80 rooms.

To quote:

“The hotel invites guests to step into a world of whimsical design, coastal charm, and curated experiences – inspired by the fictional character Marcus, a comic-book-style adventurer. Illustrations from Marcus’s journeys adorn the walls, while displays of treasures collected during his daring exploits bring the story to life. Younger guests can enjoy a complimentary storybook, ‘The Adventures of Marcus,’ adding a playful touch to their stay. From the logo to the interiors, every detail connects back to Marcus’s adventurous spirit, creating an immersive atmosphere that echoes the town’s seafaring past.”

The building was a hotel for 85 years until the 1980s and many historical features have been restored. The restaurant, Nemesis, is described as Asian fusion. Nearby sites include the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery and the Giant’s Causeway, which is a World Heritage Site.

You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

Marcus Portrush hotel Hilton bedroom

SAS launches flights to Mumbai

SAS, which is now a member of the SkyTeam alliance alongside Virgin Atlantic, has announced flights to Mumbai.

Services between Copenhagen and Mumbai will launch on 2nd June 2026.

The route will operate five days per week, year-round. It will be the first time in 17 years that SAS has flown to India.

Flights will leave Copenhagen at 13:10, arriving in Mumbai at 01:30 (+1). It will operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

The return leaves Mumbai at 06:00, arriving in Copenhagen at 11:45. It will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

It will use an older A330, not the newer A350 SAS aircraft which we reviewed here in business class, although it features the same business class seat.

The timings are good for connections to and from the UK. Tickets go on sale on 1st July and should be available as redemptions with Virgin Points via Virgin Flying Club, or indeed any other SkyTeam mileage currency.

Comments (14)

  • G says:

    Fly Economy to South Korea – get your APD back!

  • Bobby says:

    Is Tapestry not more of a 3 star experience?
    Where Curio is 4 star and LXR is 5 star?

    • Rob says:

      Curio was developed as a five star brand and LXR is being forced on top of it. The bar for a 5 star is relatively low to be fair, the gap between a Four Seasons and a low end five star is huge.

      • JDB says:

        Haha, that’s a bit ambiguous about Four Seasons! These days, FSHR is at the mid to lower end of the five star category save on price. So many cost cuts, prioritisation of profit over quality etc. as so many rows with owners leading to properties coming and going. Some properties totally ruined by FS. Hotels in the US particularly poor. There are odd exceptions/hold outs across the group that maintain standards.

        They just aren’t remotely in the same league as Aman, Como, Peninsula, Dorchester etc. Mandarin is slipping a bit too.

        FS is now more aligned with the big chain premium brands – RC, WA, St R etc. Rather sad when it was once at the cutting edge.

    • Pat says:

      There’s plenty of four star Curio’s and three star Tapestry. The only consistency is that what few LXR are left are 5* and always have been.

  • PGR says:

    Great to have a Hilton on the beautiful north coast

    • Michael says:

      +1

      And Derry city, just a little further to the west, is getting a Hilton Doubletree this year

  • HampshireHog says:

    Virgin flights to Seoul no bookable full stop.

    • r* says:

      Virgin pulling a flight before its even started? Surely that couldnt happen!

    • john says:

      Their website says

      “We’re gearing up to launch new flights to Seoul from 29th March 2026

      While we’re putting the final touches in place, sales are on pause. We’ll be up and running again soon, and can’t wait to welcome you onboard.”

  • Dominic Barrington says:

    Do we have any reviews of Korean?

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    Nemesis seems an unfortunate name for a restaurant.
    Especially in the UK where the name is probably mainly associated with throwing up after riding it at Alton Towers 😀

    • john says:

      Presumably its the nautical reference ‘Nemesis was the first British ocean-going iron warship.’

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