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Hope everyone has entered this BT competition:
www.businesstraveller.com/competitions/Win-a-stay-for-two-at-the-Holiday-Inn-London-Heathrow-M4J4
Nothing but the most exclusive locations for BT prizes these days ;)
While the winner gets a one night stay, we can only postulate what the second prize might be.
Two nights, perhaps?
Perhaps a repeat of the stay I had a little while ago in Manchester.
Went to bed at about 10.30pm after a day of meetings.
1100 - Loud group of women scream their way down the corridor - one of those things, not the end of the world
Midnight - Loud women perform 'conga' down corridor while knocking on every door along the way
1210 - return of conga, self and others along corridor go out and explain facts of life to them.
1230 - Every door in corridor gets a loud bang on it
1am - Fire alarm goes off, join drunken women and 40 or so very unhappy people in carpark
2am Get back to bed
3am Fire alarm goes off again, back to carpark - police called. Fat, ugly, drunken sluts warned in carpark in full hearing of everybody - some chastened looks, some giggling, some drunken falling over.
4am Police return with sirens and blue lights - reason unknown but can suspect
4.30 am - Woken by very drunk woman who is in tears demanding I open the door as I "don't love her any more and she wants her ring back"
6.30am Breakfast surrounded by some of the '40 or so very unhappy people' from night before.
7.00am Checkout - "Did you have a pleasant stay with us Sir?"
Charles
Very similar thing (but only one instance and no fire alarm - or wanting ring back) happened to me on Tuesday.
When asked same question and I said unfortunately not, hotel receptionist offered a no quibble refund of the room price.
Although much appreciated, I didn't take it as I had not reported the incident.
VK, the third prize is really special.......BT have really excelled this time....it's an gourmet meal with one of the aviaton industry's leaders....yes, you've got it:
A sandwich and coffee with Michael O'Leary on board one of his 737s.
Now don't all rush forward to the gate...you have to pay he check-in fee first!
What annoyed me was this was not a cheap hotel with some poor minimum wage night porter on his own, this was a quality five star hotel. I think it's unfair to name it as the fault of course lays with the women mentioned but this is an area where hotels need to do more.
I must also say that I find it much more difficult to know how to handle a drunken aggresive woman than I do a drunk man. My wifes' suggestion that they deserved "a good slap" would have probably seen me spend the night in a different room altogether however if I had done that to a drunk man hammering on my door it would have been different.
Yes I understand that BT is hoping you will enter, win and then take 'Airpocket' for a romantic weekend :-)
Could be my only Holiday this year.....me and the six kids are keeping our fingers crossed that we win the Competition !
Maybe you could go all out and use the win as an opportunity to marry their Dads that weekend, if the caravan will make it that far....
So, with the deadline now passed, which poor soul "won" this competition?
I can only hope for a Trip Report....
Folks you shouldnt really knock this competition. For those of us on limited budgets a free stay in hotel close to the airport where you have a very early flight the next day would be most welcome, even it is the Holiday Inn J4 M4. All you really need is a place to rest, you can either eat at home before you leave and have breakie in the terminal or on your flight.
And no i DIDNT win this comp... ;)
Tripadvisor reviewers would beg to differ:
"Probably the poorest service ever received"
"Four stars, who is kidding who?"
"A Huge Disappointment"
"A very disappointing night in a hotel we have liked in the past"
Is a selection of the latest 10 reviews on the site:
In the interests of fairness, 63% of Tripadvisor visitors recommend the hotel, and among the latest review there were also these comments:
“Great for the airport”
“Good overnighter for Heathrow”
“Good stopping point near Heathrow”
“Excellent value, perfect location”
VK - the winner is not paying to stay there and besides they may be lucky and enjoy there stay. I am sure there are a lot more worse hotels in the Heathrow area.
Granted, given the choice it would not be my preffered hotel to stay at, however if it is free you really shouldnt complain.
Also you shouldnt forget not everyone can afford to stay or travel in luxary. I am now fortunate to work for one of the worlds leading technology companies, however they have the most worst and cheapest travel expense policies imaginable, where premium class travel is never allowed even for senior executives attending customer facing emergency meetings on the otherside of the world at the last minute. Trips requiring flights or hotel stays regarless of cost or length of stay needs approval to be granted by the senior VP of EMEA (like they dont have anything better to do.
BT Editorial Team - do you have any comment on your choice of prize?
It looks like all the promo money has been lavishly spent in January as there is no Competition this month !
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