Club Carlson Becomes Radisson Rewards

As this press release from Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group announced the change of its corporate identity to Radisson Hotel Group at the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin effective as of Thursday, March 5, 2018, so has the Club Carlson frequent guest loyalty program been renamed Radisson Rewards to reflect the newly rebranded lodging company with a new global brand architecture.

Club Carlson Becomes Radisson Rewards

The “refreshed” loyalty program is meant for members to more easily associate their benefits with all brands and initiatives — and although changes have been introduced to the updated frequent guest loyalty program, all of the account numbers and point balances of current members remain the same.

Also, Quorvus Collection has been rebranded as Radisson Collection; and Country Inns & Suites by Carlson has been rebranded as Country Inns & Suites by Radisson.

As the eleventh largest lodging company in the world with greater than 1,400 hotel and resort properties in operation worldwide, members of the Radisson Rewards program enjoy access to benefits across these brands of Radisson Hotel Group:

• Radisson Collection
• Radisson Blu
• Radisson RED
• Radisson
• Park Plaza
• Park Inn by Radisson
• Country Inns & Suites By Radisson

Details of Radisson Rewards

The elite status tier names of the Radisson Rewards program have changed to not only reflect the new name of the frequent guest loyalty program; but it is also for easier understanding of the elite status tier structure “and new thresholds for a faster and more accessible path to elite status.”

This chart reflects the elite status tiers of both the former Club Carlson and the new Radisson Rewards, with reduced minimum qualifications for easier accessibility to earn elite status:

You will continue to earn points on eligible stays and food and drink charged to your room.

Radisson Rewards also has a new digital home. Members can book direct and access their membership data at radissonhotels.com/rewards and with the Radisson Rewards mobile software application program, which is available for Apple and Google devices. Radisson Rewards Platinum guests will also have dedicated access to call center agents 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Radisson Rewards Visa cardholders in the United States can now earn up to three free award nights upon renewal — in addition to the normal earning of base points — based on spend.

The update also aligns the three Business to Business programs of Radisson Hotel Group — Look to Book, Club Carlson for Planner and Club Carlson for Travel Arrangers — under one umbrella program known as Radisson Rewards for Business. The new name provides a simplified message that is closely aligned to the consumer program so that meeting and event planners, travel agents and executive assistants realize the full benefits of the program when booking with the Radisson Hotel Group. Radisson Rewards for Business members will continue to earn points as before, as there are no changes to the current structure.

For a full overview of all program changes, please visit www.radissonhotels.com/rewards/newradissonrewards.

List of Benefits For Members of Radisson Rewards

All members of Radisson Rewards will receive two bottles of water per room, per stay at participating locations in the Americas.

Other benefits which are offered to you by Radisson Rewards — based on the elite status tier which you have earned — include:

Radisson Rewards Member Benefits vary by participating hotel and brand; are subject to availability; and are subject to change at any time. Certain member benefits are available only when the member is the registered guest for an Eligible Stay. All Radisson Rewards Terms and Conditions apply. Void where prohibited by law.

1. Discounts on Food and Beverages: participating hotel restaurants are subject to change. In North America, please visit www.radissonrewards.com/fooddrinkoffer to determine if a hotel’s restaurant is participating. In Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, please contact the hotel directly to determine if the hotel’s restaurant is participating. Discount does not apply to tax or tip, alcoholic beverages, room service or in-room dining, catering or banquets, or groups or parties of six or more. Member must be present, must provide Radisson Rewards member number and proof of Elite status, and must request discount at or prior to settling the bill. Discount cannot be applied at the hotel’s front desk. Discount may not be combined with other offers or promotions.
2. Available at select Country Inn & Suites by Radisson and Park Inn by Radisson hotels.
3. Rollover Nights are Eligible Nights earned during a calendar year in excess of those required to qualify for Elite status. Rollover Nights are automatically applied toward maintaining or increasing Elite status for the next year. Rollover Nights only carry forward for one year and expire thereafter.
4. Complimentary Room Upgrade is available only when the Elite member is the registered guest. One complimentary room upgrade per Elite member per Eligible Stay. Room upgrade is determined by the participating hotel depending on availability at time of check-in. Room upgrades vary by property and by room category, and may include a room in a preferred location, a room with a preferred view, or a recently renovated room. Platinum members may be eligible for an upgrade to the next room category or to a standard suite, if available.
5. Early Check-In and Late Check-Out is available only when the Elite member is the registered guest. Early check-in and late check-out means two hours prior to or later than the hotel’s published check-in and check-out time. Hotels may require a credit card number on file for the reservation.
6. Room Availability Guarantee is available only when the Elite member is the registered guest. Room availability guarantee is offered up to 72 hours prior to check-in for an Eligible Stay, calculated from noon local hotel time, subject to availability. Room Availability Guarantee is for Elite member’s personal guestroom only, for a standard room at standard rates, and is subject to the hotel’s standard guarantee and cancellation policy. Room Availability Guarantee is not available for reservations for Award Nights or Points + Cash nights, is not available at the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, or when a nationally or internationally recognized event is occurring within fifty miles of a participating hotel (as determined by Radisson Rewards).
7. Free Breakfast is available only when the Elite member is the registered guest: one per Platinum member each night of an Eligible Stay. In North America, continental breakfast is available and in Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific buffet breakfast is available. Not available for room service or in-room dining.

Summary

Some members of Radisson Rewards who have already earned elite tier status through the old Club Carlson program may object to having the minimum thresholds lowered — which could translate to more people vying for limited benefits such as upgraded rooms — but a bright side could be that they suddenly found themselves at the next elite status tier if they had already earned it under the revised program.

The skeptic might wonder what exactly will be the tradeoff for the reduced minimum requirements to earn elite status; and the answer at this time is not definitively known — if it will happen at all — especially when remembering just how aggressive Club Carlson was when it was new prior to significant devaluations.

Only time will tell…

Photograph ©2017 by Brian Cohen.