Hotel International

Advantages: Location, breakfasts
Disadvantages: Poor rooms

...I recently went on a cultural girlie trip with a friend to Paris. I was left to do all the booking. I was looking for a reasonable hotel, near a metro stop, which included breakfast. I came across the Hotel International on various travel sites and it seemed fairly highly rated so I booked us in for three nights. LOCATION: The hotel is located 6 Rue Auguste Barbier in the 11th Arrondissement. The nearest Metro stop is Garcourt which was a two minute walk away and it was a five minute walk to Republique which gives good links to other lines. It's not really central enough to avoid the Metro and walk to the attractions but it was located so close to a stop that it seemed ideal. PRICE: Prices vary depending on size of room and season. There are singles, doubles and triples available. We paid Euro254 for the whole time...

tartlette83 17.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Hotel International, Paris

::::VISA ELECTRON CARD::::

Advantages: You don't need to carry cash!
Disadvantages: Many places don't accept it!

...I was reading my guestbook when I noticed a note from lilkayb telling me to get writing, so here goes: ::::VISA ELECTRON CARD:::: I have had an account at Lloyds TSB since I was about eleven years old, this was then known as a Young Savers Account, When you get to 16, it changes to a Current Account. All I had to go with the account was a paying in book and a cashpoint card. When I was fifteen I damaged my Cashpoint card and requested a new one, a few days later I recieved a letter from the bank containing my new card, only it wasn't the card I'd wanted. They had sent me a cheque guarantee card, only problem was I didn't have a cheque book! I rang later that day to tell them what i'd requested and what i'd recieved, the lady on the phone was very helpful and assured that my cashpoint card would be through the post very shortly...

JADELOUISESILVA 24.07.2003 · Read review
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Review of VISA Electron

Visa Electron

Advantages: One of the only debit cards available to under 18s
Disadvantages: Not accepted everywhere

...There are only two debit cards that I know of which are available to under 18's, one being Visa Electron and the other being Solo. I decided when I was 17 that I wanted a debit card, as they are so much easier than carrying cash around with me - and much safer too. My bank account at the time was with Lloyds TSB, but they could not offer me any type of debit card because of my age. After finding out that Halifax would be able to give me an account with a Visa Electron card I quickly accepted and opened a new account with them. My card arrived, and I hit the shops! It was so easy to be able to walk around town with my Visa Electron in my wallet and just a small sum of cash for the places which don't take it. I felt safer, knowing that if my purse was stolen I didn't have any cash in there to lose, and that my debit card could...

gem412 20.01.2006 · Read review
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Review of VISA Electron

Indian visas - Don't Panic!

Advantages: Fast, effective, not bad value
Disadvantages: must be done online, more expensive than before, no same day service

...NOTE - this advice applies only for UK nationals applying for tourist visas. For non-nationals or other types of visas (business, student etc) there may be some differences. However, I hope that most people will find this of some use. --------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- My husband is a very calm man. With the exception of IKEA flat pack furniture and the annihilation of 'old labour', there's not a lot that makes him lose his cool, so I was taken aback when I raised the topic of getting visas for our forthcoming holiday to India and he practically exploded. Don't mention the words 'Indian' and 'Visa' around him or you'd better make sure you have a comfy seat and a cup of tea because the tirade that follows may take some time. So why's he so worked up about the topic? Approximately 2...

koshkha 02.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of VFS Online Indian Visa Service

.:: Visa Electron ::.

Advantages: Use abroad and in UK, accepted in most retail outlets
Disadvantages: Not many online retailers accept

...Yep, now at the age of 11 you can claim your own debit card from both Natwest (Solo) and Barclays (Visa Electron). As usual with most banks you get a cash point card, but it is not to useful if you want to use it abroad. So, eventually I got myself an Electron one, and found it extremely handy. Virtually every shop in Europe will accept Electron and most high street shops too. This is because of major card merchant services like Barclaycard and Streamline enable this. But here is where the disappointment comes in. Electron is fine for those who prefer high-street shopping instead of using the Internet, but for the internet, electron is lousy. I could say this about solo - online shops such as Tesco and Sainsbury does will not accept this card, but they will do so in stores. This is no doubt taken as a precaution against under...

tnet9202 16.07.2005 · Read review
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Review of VISA Electron

Travcour - the easy way to get your travel visas.

Advantages: Great communication throughout the process, really know their stuff
Disadvantages: Can get expensive if you need lots of visas.

...staff, Travcour aims to understand what makes the work of a clerk in a visa office easier and which bits of information are absolutely essential to get right. They also specialise in the adventure travel market and employ an international staff who can communicate effectively with the embassies. They carefully check each customer's paperwork before they submit it to reduce the risk of rejection and will inform travellers of any changes that may need to be made. ** Are they cost competitive? They have to be! They do a lot of research on what their competitors are charging and also give a more cost effective service by giving customers real people to talk to without forcing them to go through premium or national rate phone numbers. They also save users time for their customers by making the visa application forms available on line...

koshkha 22.10.2006 · Read review
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Review of Travcour Visa Agency

Visa Electron: I want one even here!

Advantages: is accepted worldwide, spend what you have, no fee at Ryanair and Easyjet
Disadvantages: some internet and normal stores don't accept it

...Since I have joined this community, I was taken aback from how many of you people don't like Visa Electron. I do agree that they have limitations, but they DO have good traits. I'm Italian and have moved to England a few years ago. It's useless to let you know what difficulties I had when I first arrived, but something that really helped me out was my Italian "postepay" card, a pre-paid credit card issued by the Italian post office. You can charge it with up to ?3000 euros and works pretty well on the Internet and in the shops. Visa Electron prepaid credit cards were introduced in Italy in November 2003, by the Post Office. I signed up for mine in December 2003 and it has only recently (December 2007) sadly expired. I won't renew it, but only because now I have better accounts. One of my accounts, though, has a Visa Electron card...

Kagomesama 24.09.2004 (12.02.2008) · Read review
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Review of VISA Electron

Power Off... The Visa Electron

Advantages: Increased Online Security, Will Eventually Replace The Visa, Excellent And Fast Customer Service, Usually A Good Account Package (From My Experience With Barclays And The Abbey National)
Disadvantages: 7.5 million outlets in the UK accept the card. 11.8 million do not, and most smaller shops havent even heard of it. Online usage is still very difficult as most sites still dont accept it.

...The Falcon writes... Whilst the Visa Electron, the new 'Electronic Use Only' card from Visa, seems like a fantastic idea since it offers increased security for internet transactions, and a long needed update to the Visa system, and a host of other things your 'Personal Banker' will speil off at you, the card has one quite major flaw. Unlike its father the Visa, which has become the global electronic currency, the fledgling Electron is not accepted in very many places at all. In fact, apart from your large chain stores like Woolworths and Tesco, it's hardly accepted anywhere at all. And on the internet, which, as the name suggests, is the main area your card is meant to be used, it is hardly accepted anywhere! I do alot of internet surfing and consequently alot of shopping too, at the major sites like amazon...

the_midnight_falcon 14.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of VISA Electron

Belfast International Airport

Advantages: Internet, Cheap car parking
Disadvantages: Can get boring after 18 hours

...Belfast International Airport (Belfast Aiport) I flew out of belfast airport around four years ago, when I did fly out of the airport it was a bad time to fly out. The day before we where to depart to orlando the shoe bomber came on the scene! So the airport secuirty was put up. But the airline I was travelling with most of their planes had Technical difficuilties. So I was delayed for 30 hours and had to stay in the Hilton over night. So I should be able to tell you enough about it as I was in it for 24 hours. Area... The Belfast airport isn't in belfast, it is closer to Antrim a city near belfast. The airport is around 12 or 13 miles away from Belfast. So I don't know why they called it Belfast International Airport. But there is a hotel beside the airport. So if you have a early flight and you coudn't be bothered to get up...

Deoborahkelly196 05.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Belfast International Airport

Visa Electron - Time for an update!

Advantages: Accepted most shops,
Disadvantages: Can have problems online.

...- the use is kinda limited. When I asked Lloyds TSB about this - I was told the card isnt designed to be used online - and websites who do accept it have chose to accept it anyway. Place Ive used my electron card online include: Play.com CDwow (Even tho they dont display the logo) BlahDVD Amazon UK MSN Music eBay/Paypal OD2 (MyCoke Music, Oxfam Music etc..) I was also told, that just cos a website doesnt show the Electron logo -dont mean they wont accept it. I was adviced to try buying something and when asked for a payment method, to select VISA. and woo - it worked. But this is only the case on some sites - and not usually instore. Would I recommend the card.. yea, its a safe and easy way to manage your money. If the bank believe you have looked after your account ok -once your 18 you will be offered a normal VISA debit card...

Luke702 07.12.2005 · Read review
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Review of VISA Electron