• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Ask Scott
Travel Codex

Travel Codex

Your Resource for Better Travel

  • Subscribe
  • Credit Cards
  • Reviews
  • Guides & Tips
  • Award Travel

Club Carlson Hotel Program Rebrands as Radisson Rewards

by Scott Mackenzie
Last updated March 9, 2018

Although interest in Club Carlson has waned considerably since a massive devaluation (it was once one of the most lucrative programs for free award nights), but the name probably never helped as far as brand recognition goes. None of the hotels include a “Carlson” hotel. Names have become even more awkward over the years with the introduction of brands like “Quorvus Collection” (whatever that means).

Fortunately the original Carlson Rezidor hotel group was sold to HNA — the same owner of Hainan Airlines — and rebranded as the Radisson Hotel Group. Now this morning I received a press release that the loyalty program is also changing to the Radisson Rewards program and Quorvus is being replaced with the Radisson Collection.

New loyalty tiers will follow a very standard naming convention with Club, Silver, Gold, and Platinum status.

Club Carlson (Old) Radisson Rewards (New)
Club Carlson Red Radisson Rewards Club
Club Carlson Silver Radisson Rewards Silver
Club Carlson Gold Radisson Rewards Gold
Club Carlson Concierge Radisson Rewards Platinum

Aside from new tier names, the benefits of the program are not changing much. More of an adjustment to bring them into line with the competition. Remember the devaluation I talked about? One of the things that did was add a ridiculously high requirement of 75 nights for Club Carlson Concierge. I understand it’s the top tier, but the hotels were never that good, in the sense that there was no direct competitor to Waldorf-Astoria or St. Regis. I’m not sure what they were trying to protect by making status so unattainable.

a spiral staircase inside a building
Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Copenhagen / Credit: Radisson Hotel Group

The rates for earning points in each tier will also be adjusted downward. Not as much, though, and in my opinion to someone more understandable levels. Some people have trouble calculating bonus percentages in their head, and it resulted in weird numbers (e.g., a 35% bonus on 20 base points = 27 points total). Now each tier earns a specific number of points that includes the bonus baked in. No math required.

Hyatt Privé: Addition Perks and NEW Discounts
Trending
Hyatt Privé: Addition Perks and NEW Discounts

Tier Former Threshold New Threshold % fewer nights
Club N/A N/A
Silver 15 Nights / 10 Stays 9 Nights / 6 Stays 40%
Gold 35 Nights / 20 Stays 30 Nights / 20 Stays ~15%
Platinum 75 nights / 30 Stays 60 Nights / 30 Stays 20%

None of this will make me move my business back to Radisson Rewards. I was never very enthusiastic to begin with, and the previous devaluation pretty much killed it for me. But at the very least I might actually remember the loyalty program exists now. “Club Carlson” was never front of mind because of the absence of Carlson hotels. I do know the Radisson brand. I’m curious if any of you who used to max out the Club Carlson credit card perks will be motivated (however slightly) to reconnect with the chain.

  • 4shares
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Read This Next

  • Club Carlson Finally Devalues Its Program
  • Free Club Carlson Gold Elite Status from American Express
    Free Club Carlson Gold Elite Status from American Express
  • Get 350 Free Priority Club Points from e-Rewards
    Get 350 Free Priority Club Points from e-Rewards

About Scott Mackenzie

Scott is a former scientist and business student who created Travel Codex to unravel the complexity of travel loyalty programs. After 11 years in Seattle, he now lives in Austin with his wife and flies over 100,000 miles every year.

Primary Sidebar

Over 100K+ Followers

Subscribe to updates from Travel Codex

none

Learn to how to find the cheapest awards.

Search Now

none

Transfer points to get more value.

See Options

none

Compare credit cards to earn more miles.

Explore Offers

Contact

If you have a question or would like to make a press inquiry, please contact:

Scott Mackenzie
Editor in Chief
scott@travelcodex.com

For updates:
Subscribe to RSS
Subscribe to Apple News

Privacy Policy


© Travel Codex, LLC All Rights Reserved.


Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Travel Codex with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.