News: the Emirates T3 lounge reopens, Hilton opening a 37-room hotel in Santorini

News in brief:

Emirates reopens its lounge in Heathrow Terminal 3

The Emirates lounge in London Heathrow Terminal 3 reopened yesterday.

It will be open from 5.30am to 10pm. The ‘premium seasonal buffet’ is back – no table ordering here – alongside a complimentary bar. Showers are available.

Our last review of the Emirates lounge in Heathrow T3 is here. It is a good size and the 2015 refurbishment made it feel less like a Holiday Inn lobby, but it doesn’t aim for the premium experience delivered by the Qatar Airways lounge in Terminal 4. There is no dedicated First Class area and no facilities for children.

That said, the wine selection was always exceptionally good and you get direct boarding from the lounge, which is a novelty at Heathrow.

The Emirates lounge is quite a walk from the Terminal 3 shopping area, so it is best to get any purchases done before you head down there.

Hilton announces a Curio boutique hotel in Santorini

Hilton is continuing to pick up new independent hotels for its Curio Collection brand.

This one sounds especially interesting, and the good news is that it is due to open in Spring 2022.

The Sea Breeze Santorini Beach Resort has its own private beach. At just 37 rooms, it definitely falls into the category of ’boutique’.

Each room will have its own private terrace as well as a private hot tub or swimming pool. Despite having just 37 rooms, the hotel will have two restaurants and two bars, two of which will be on the private beach. There will also be two communal swimming pools and a spa.

I don’t know the geography of Santorini, but it is described as being on the southern tip, less than 2km from Vlichada.

The hotel isn’t listed on hilton.com yet, and the only image released is the one above. It does sound very promising, however.

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How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (April 2025)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit and debit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

There are two dedicated Hilton Honors debit cards. These are especially attractive when spending abroad due to the 0% or 0.5% FX fee, depending on card.

You also receive FREE Hilton Honors status for as long as you hold the debit cards – Gold status with the Plus card and Silver status with the basic card. This is a great reason to apply even if you rarely use it.

We reviewed the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card here and the Hilton Honors Debit Card here.

You can apply for either card here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 30th April 2025, the annual fee on the basic Hilton Honors debit card is halved from £60 to £30. The sign-up bonus is also easier to earn – you need to spend £1,000 either in the UK or abroad within three months. The usual bonus rule requires you to spend the full £1,000 outside the UK.

NEW: Hilton Honors Plus Debit

10,000 bonus points, Hilton Gold status and NO FX fees Read our full review

NEW: Hilton Honors Debit

2,500 bonus points, Hilton Silver status and 0.5% FX fees Read our full review

There is another way of getting Hilton Honors status, and earning Hilton Honors points, from a payment card.

Holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card.  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.

We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (50,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton Honors points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points.