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@WaynedP … it wouldn’t stress me out tbh flights on points hotel on points. If it gets cancelled it gets cancelled. We’re going 1/4-4/4 only time we could find with other commitments. My loses would be £150 to cancel 3 reward saver flights. Would I claim on my insurance no I think the excess is £100. My main problem is getting around as I can’t walk far unless I take wheelchair which I may have to do. Or as I’ve been before I could stay in my nice hotel go to the spa and the family can go off sightseeing, I like that idea.

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After reading all these suggestions I’ve decided to change my booking and stay at the WA next April. My grandson is well pleased he now has swimming pools. A great use of 240k points I thought.

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If you do go to Mass, they used to do a service sheet in several languages so you can follow. Even if you’re not religious or Roman Catholic it’s centuries of tradition to watch.

As for the undesirable elements of the city, when I went must be 10 years or more ago if you go to buy train tickets from station there used to be young girls beggars gypsies offering to “ help” buy your ticket. Don’t engage. Also watch out for moped thefts make sure any handbags or cameras are worn across body and make sure you have good strong zips, never underestimate how quick these thieves are!

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Rome PopOut Map (PopOut Maps): Popout Double https://amzn.eu/d/fVlGRQy

Get one of these. They fit in your pocket.

Maybe spend sometime researching your destination or even buy a guide book. You say you want a relaxing time but Rome isn’t exactly a relaxing place. It’s full of must sees and dos. Be careful of pickpockets and scams like any other place in the world.

If you’re renting a scooter 😱 make sure you have proper travel insurance. Ask at WA for recommendations.

You will get a wealth of info on Rome trip advisor forum.

Just get a taxi from airport or ask WA to arrange an airport pickup sometimes more money than getting taxi direct, advantages being they will know when you are arriving and if early flight they might have room ready early.

YouTube also has loads of videos of hotel, area, attractions etc.

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“Then there is riding elephants….don’t get me started ”

Think it’s a bit late, you’ve gone on one, as my grandson would say. 🤣

People don’t research or think they just think what a “ cool” insta pic it will make. 😡

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I know someone who lives there and they said they drug the lions so people can do these walks.

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We went in 2014, loved the trip to the races we booked a private box with food and drink all included.
https://mauritiusattractions.com/horse-racing-mauritius-p-98.html

Did helicopter trip hotel arranged that , also hired a catamaran for a day trip that was expensive as only my Son and I but we loved that. But there’s loads of party boats if that’s your thing.

Booked speed boat trip through hotel to feed the monkeys, we didn’t know that’s what we were going to do we just fancied a speed boat trip.

My biggest tip is take shoes to wear on beach and sea as it’s surrounded by coral reef and that is sharp!

Son played golf at Shangri-La Le Touessrok Mauritius
We stayed there before it was taken over and green fees were included in room rate.Lovely course and although I don’t play I enjoyed going round in the buggy, didn’t enjoy my Son’s driving so much tho!

It was one of our best trips and enjoyed the island immensely.

Have a great time.

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NorthernLass wrote:

Thought I would resurrect this rather than start a new thread. I’m going for 5 nights next June and was looking at Hilton hotels for a cash booking as I think prices are pretty reasonable at that time of year. Has anyone stayed at the WA? I’ve seen reviews saying it’s quiet at night which is appealing as we’re beyond the all night partying stage but the standard rooms look quite small and don’t seem to have fridges, which I would prefer in 40 degree heat! Otherwise thinking to book one of the Hilton Grand vacations resorts for the kitchen facilities and extra space.
There doesn’t seem any way to escape the dreaded resort fees on cash bookings but I did read a couple of reviews where people booked through Virtuoso and got those benefits plus their HH credits etc, which made it slightly less painful!

I’ve stayed at WA when it was mandarin oriental.
We liked it as small hotel, no casino no smoke!

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Green Plastic wrote:

Update: BA have emailed to say they will process my refund.

Well done, I’ll try again tomorrow with the ticking no box who knows 🤷‍♀️

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Green plastic … same thing happening to me same message. I’m going to leave it a couple of days see if it sorts itself out if not I’ll have to call.

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John wrote:

I am still waiting for my avios to be refunded from a flight cancelled by BA, although the taxes and charges were refunded 3 weeks ago.

I don’t urgently need the avios so will wait, but in April(?) I called BA after a similar situation and they were able to complete the refund instantly on the phone. (Waited 15 mins at 3pm)

Same time frame as John for me. Cash is back but still waiting on points and 241 voucher.

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If you go to the Heathrow App and go to Map type in special assistance it will show you all info you need there.

• This reply was modified 55 years, 7 months ago by .

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I booked a room at Heathrow garden Hilton last week for my Son and wife as they had an early morning flight I added him to booking no problem checking in. My booking was with points.

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I got my points, can’t recall how long they took. I also go 20k points for life insurance now they did post after 5 payments.

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Lady London wrote:

Should we offer BA a training course?

This ! I said on Tuesday in my post about this that both agents were woefully undertrained.

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I used BA online complaint form.

You could always do exactly what you did, book outgoing using voucher then book returns when they became available. You still can I just think that some staff are badly trained have no idea what’s going on. Which doesn’t help us getting our points refunded. I was told I had to use 2 vouchers … no I don’t. Then different agent told me to cancel points booking and book with cash, with that completely wrong and terrible advice I ended the call.

I’m only grateful it was for a relatively small amount of points if it was for a long haul booking and 100k worth of points I would be dedicating my week to getting those returned.

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I had something similar happen on Tuesday, tried through chat and a phone call to get my 17,750 avois points returned. The CS agents just seemed completely untrained and had no idea what to do. I gave up in the end and have put in a complaint. I’m points and vouchers rich but it’s the principle of the matter.

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NorthernLass wrote:

But if you know they don’t merge bookings, why is your post entitled “BA phone staff not merging two 2-4-1 bookings”?!

Actually Anna that wasn’t my heading my heading was
“ BA email?” So maybe ask Rob/ Rhys why they changed it?

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Mick S wrote:

To dare is to do wrote:

I don’t do Twitter, I know they don’t merge bookings. I’ve sent a complaint enough time wasted.Anna I made it very clear even worked out the amount of avois I’m due back they both were completely hopeless. It’s never been a problem before not my first rodeo doing this so to speak, but my patience and indeed my blood pressure has had enough.

Got through to bronze line in 12 minutes don’t press any choices and you will get a human then another 40 mins messing about waiting on agent who clearly had no idea. That was after trying on chat for 40 mins with another badly trained agent. It’s so frustrating.

in my experience, anyone responding to social media or online chat are usually buffoons – and the whole process in lengthy, wastes too much time, you dont get the result you need, and end up stressed and frustrated. Just get on the phone from the start, despite the wait, more often than not the person is not a buffoon.

Normally I would agree with you but todays phone
Agent was just as bad as online one.

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I don’t do Twitter, I know they don’t merge bookings. I’ve sent a complaint enough time wasted.Anna I made it very clear even worked out the amount of avois I’m due back they both were completely hopeless. It’s never been a problem before not my first rodeo doing this so to speak, but my patience and indeed my blood pressure has had enough.

Got through to bronze line in 12 minutes don’t press any choices and you will get a human then another 40 mins messing about waiting on agent who clearly had no idea. That was after trying on chat for 40 mins with another badly trained agent. It’s so frustrating.

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masaccio wrote:

Booked a return with Avios without a 241 and now I have a 241 from a cancellation that I want to add to the booking. I don’t want to cancel and rebook as I’ve paid BA for the hotels now and it’s a very popular week so high risk of losing the reward seats

You can’t add a 241 retrospectively. Some people managed to swap out vouchers that had already been applied for ones that had been returned with dates that were expiring sooner or they had simple used wrong voucher, but that’s not the norm.
You’ve never been able to add 241 after you’ve already booked. Can you just imagine people would be booking flights before they had earned voucher then phoning up weeks/months later and trying to get them applied. Just be happy you have flights and be optimistic you won’t be cancelled.

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To dare is to do wrote:

Yuff wrote:

Frankie wrote:

Thanks ChrisC. I just tried that but still got the error.

I cannot see one CW seat on any flight from LHR to DXB with, or without, the new voucher.
This has only happened the last 2 days.
I find it hard to believe this isn’t a BA issue.

There is a thread on FT about this, the general consensus is there’s about to be a sale so inventory has been pulled but I don’t know how true that is. I am also watching this.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1945958-no-avios-availability-dubai-club-first.html

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Yuff wrote:

Frankie wrote:

Thanks ChrisC. I just tried that but still got the error.

I cannot see one CW seat on any flight from LHR to DXB with, or without, the new voucher.
This has only happened the last 2 days.
I find it hard to believe this isn’t a BA issue.

There is a thread on FT about this, the general consensus is there’s about to be a sale so inventory has been pulled but I don’t know how true that is. I am also watching this.

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pbcold wrote:

My pleasure. It is 50 euros and about 45 minutes from LCA in a taxi if you don`t want to hire a car.

Thanks I hate driving so that is useful info.

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I’d happily spend 40k points a night to stay here. Even at height of summer holidays it’s still 40k. Thanks for review it made me go and look at the hotel.unfortunately these days sitting, reading and swimming is about all my body is up to so perfect for me.