Hotel Elite Status Series: Club Carlson

Posted by Noob Master on Feb 14, 2013 in Club Carlson, Hotels, Uncategorized | 0 comments

I like having hotel status because it can make my stay more comfortable, save me $$$, make me feel like a VIP, and impress my wife (most importantly). Plus, there are easy ways to achieve hotel status. You can either sign up for a hotel rewards card (gasp), status match, accumulate paid stays (what?), or through rewards card spending.

Today, I’m continuing the series with Club Carlson. Club Carlson has been like a “new kid on the block,” but lately, it’s more like the other Walberg brother in The Departed. Through all of their lucrative promotions, and now – new rewards cards, they are shooting for customers and it’s working. They have caused me to try out their hotels and even lust after Gold Points.

Hotel Elite Status Series

• Hyatt GoldPassport 
• Hilton HHonors
• Starwood Preferred Guest
• Marriott
• Club Carlson

Status Levels/Requirements

Club Carlson properties consist of Radisson Blu, Radisson^®, Park Plaza^®, Park Inn by Radisson, and Country Inns & Suites. Here are basics you will receive by being a member of the Club Carlson loyalty group:

• 20 Gold Points^® per U.S. dollar spent on eligible hotel nights, as well as meals and beverages charged to your room, at participating hotels
• Free nights faster starting at 9,000 Gold Points
• No blackout dates for award nights on standard rooms
• Free Internet for Club Carlson members at Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide
• A collection of first-class redemption options
• Elite status starting at 15 nights or 10 stays per year

I like the free Interent option even though some locations may charge for the “premium” Internet service. Club Carlson made it easy on me by listing the elite status tiers in an organized and easy-to-read way. Check them out.

Earning 20 points per $1 spent on rooms and food/beverages is a great perk and is extended to all members. You do receive a 25% point bonus if you have Silver status, 50% for Gold, and 75% for Concierge. Plus, if you book your room online, you will receive additional point bonuses starting at 1,000 to 3,000. Nice.

It’s easy to rack up some Gold Points on stays. Gotta like that. I have Gold Status with Club Carlson and I’ve been upgraded to the next level of room on each of my stays, which is greatly appreciated. The in-room welcome gift I received was nothing special. I believe a bottle of water and granola bar were my last gift. I’ll take it, but it’s nothing to get excited about.

Rewards Cards

A couple of months ago, Club Carlson came out with their co-branded rewards cards issued by US Bank.  I have to be honest – since writing about thinking through Jordan’s next app party, I have had second thoughts. Many readers have shared their troubles in getting approved although they have a great credit score. US Bank is a stickler about “too many recent inquiries.” I will let you know how Jordan’s application goes. She has less inquiries than me, so I think I will roll the dice (even though I know there’s a chance she won’t get approved, or be approved for a lesser card). Hate that.

There are 3 Club Carlson rewards card options, but only 2 worth applying for.

The Premier Rewards Visa comes with a sign-up bonus of 85,000 Gold Points. I like a big number like that. You will receive 50,000 on first spend and 35,000 more after spending $2,500 in 90 days.

You also receive instant Gold status after activating your card. You know how much I love receiving status through rewards credit cards. But the real perk here is the “Bonus Award Night.”

When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free. That’s a 50% savings!! This enables you to really stretch out your miles & points. This is one of the best perks a hotel rewards card can give you. I love this feature. Ok, I’ll stop gushing.

There’s also a business version that you can apply for. I don’t know how stingy US Bank is on business reward card applications, though.

Links: Club Carlson Visa Cards

(I don’t receive a referral for the Club Carlson cards, but don’t let that stop you from applying.)

Status Matching

There are status matching opportunities with Club Carlson. Yippee. Last year, I was to get Gold status by sending in proof my Hyatt Diamond and Priority Club Platinum status. I inquired and sent in my screenshots to prove my current status in other programs to goldpointsplus@carlson.com.  Eazy breezy.

Award Chart

You can redeem Gold Points for hotels starting at 9,000 points for a category 1 hotel, all the way up to 50,000 points for a category 6. In some cases, you can even redeem more points for a higher quality room or added benefits, such as breakfast. Below is the complete award chart for standard rooms.

There’s also the option to couple points and cash for stays, but I have no personal experience doing so. Here’s the cash & points chart.

I always love the option to stretch out my points by using some of my cash. However, with SPG, I usually burn all my points and keep my hard-earned cash.

In Summary

I’m beginning to like Club Carlson more and more. It’s an acquired taste – like dark chocolate or coconut. If they have the same promotions that they had in the last two years, then I will really be a fan – especially with the release of their new rewards cards. The “bonus award night” is an extremely valuable perk.

I also love how easy it is to transfer or combine Gold Points with other people or accounts.

Overall, Club Carlson is a hotel group that I would try for elite status through stays, but I definitely also would try through status matching or signing up for their rewards card.

If all goes as planned, I’ll be killing some Radisson Blu properties in the upcoming year. I’m thinking a St. Martin trip is going to be in the works. I prefer to only use my Gold Points for stays at Radisson Blu properties out of the States. That’s my style.

— Noob Master

Combining or Transferring Club Carlson Gold Points

Posted by Noob Master on Jan 11, 2013 in Club Carlson, Hotels, Points, Uncategorized | 2 comments

Club Carlson has been dropping grenades lately.

There have been Radisson Big Night Giveaways, new rewards cards, and now a newly released hotel stay promo. There are a multitude of ways to earn Club Carlson Gold Points! Jordan and I have both taken advantage of some of these offers, and since I have Gold status (via status match) with Club Carlson, it makes sense for me to book any Club Carlson properties under my profile. Plus, it’s just easier and better organized.

Here’s how to combine or transfer Club Carlson Gold Points.

Call them you at 1-888-288-8889, and then press 4 to reach a human. Yeah, it’s that simple. What did you expect, a 10 step process? There are definitely some programs that make combining or transferring points hard, but Club Carlson isn’t one of them.

I spent about 3 minutes on the phone confirming Jordan’s account info (I can get away with that since Jordan is a unisex name), and then the transferee’s account info (a mister Geoooff, a.k.a. me). After that, it was goodbye.

After hanging up the phone, I instantly went over to AwardWallet to check our balances. The balances had already been updated! Winning.

You can even transfer your points out to anyone. Anyone! Even if they don’t share your address or last name. Awesome sauce.

The Club Carlson chain consists of Radisson, Country Inns & Suites, Park Inn, Park Plaza, and Radisson Blu properties. Their award chart is below:

The release of the new Club Carlson rewards cards has brought even more value to their award chart, especially with the Bonus Award night feature.

Jordan and I try to only use our Gold Points at Radisson Blu locations, like the Le Metropolitan in Paris. We had a great stay there last September.

I’m starting to see the value in Club Carlson more and more. I like all their recent promos, and now that they have rewards cards, the hotel group is even more appealing. I might be combining and transferring points often with Club Carlson, so I’m happy that it’s a seamless process.

— Noob Master

New Club Carlson Rewards Cards – 85,000 Sign-Up Offers

Posted by Noob Master on Dec 4, 2012 in Business class, Club Carlson, Credit Cards, Hotels, Uncategorized | 2 comments

US Bank has released a new Club Carlson rewards card with an 85,000 sign-up bonus.

I don’t receive a referral for the Club Carlson rewards cards, but don’t let that stop you from applying for one. 

Club Carlson Visa Rewards Card

Who’s Club Carlson? Club Carlson is a hotel chain that includes Radisson Blu, Radisson, Country Inn, Park Plaza, and Park Inn hotels. You may remember Club Carlson from their Big Night Giveaways that they’ve done the last couple of years. During the Big Night Giveaway, you were given 50,000 Club Carlson points for one paid stay. Essentially, you could buy 50,000 Club Carlson points for $60-$80. Smokinnng.

The New Club Carlson Cards

Club Carlson and US Bank have unleashed 3 new cards: The Club Carlson “Premier” Rewards Visa, the lower-level Club Carlson Visa, and the Business Club Carlson Rewards Visa. I like options. (Thanks to FlyerTalk for breaking this news.) Here are the details for the three cards…

Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa 

• 10 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases at participating Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide
• 5 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases everywhere else
• 85,000 Bonus Gold Points to start - Receive 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase.  Plus 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 on your card within the first 90 days
• Bonus Award Night - When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free. Exclusively for cardmembers!
• Club Carlson Gold Status is yours after you activate and use your card

Club Carlson Rewards Visa 

• 6 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases at participating Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide
• 3 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases everywhere else
• 60,000 Bonus Gold Points to start - Receive 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase. Plus 10,000 points once you spend $1,500 on your card within the first 90 days
• Bonus Award Night - When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free. Exclusively for cardmembers!
• Club Carlson Silver Status

Club Carlson Business Rewards Visa 

• 10 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases at participating Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide
• 5 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases everywhere else
• 85,000 Bonus Gold Points to start - Receive 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase. Plus 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 on your card within the first 90 days
• Bonus Award Night - When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free.
• Club Carlson Gold Status is yours after you activate and use your card

Sign-up Bonuses

At first glance – your jaw may have dropped when you saw the 85,000 sign-up bonus. Be cool. While the 85,000 sign up bonuses on the Premier Visa and the Business card are good, know that Club Carlson points aren’t as valuable as some other hotel chains.

I only use my Club Carlson points for Radisson Blu locations, and those are mostly internationally. Radisson Blu locations are 44,000- 50,000 Club Carlson points a night, so the sign-up bonuses wouldn’t even be enough for two nights.

Here’s the full award chart for Club Carlson.

Club Carlson Award Chart

I do like how the minimum spending requirements are very manageable. You will receive 50,000 Club Carlson points on first purchase. Then, 35,000 more points after spending $2,500 (in 90 days) with the Premier & Business Visas. Bang Bang.

Club Carlson Gold Status

You will receive Gold Status instantly when you hold the Premier Visa or Business Visa!

I was able to get Gold Status with Club Carlson by sending in an email asking for a status match. 

Gold Status with Club Carlson will give you these benefits:

• 50% Point Bonus
• 2,000 bonus points for online booking
• Late Check-out (based on availability)
• Early Check-in (based on availability)
• Best Available Room in the category booked
• 72- hour availability guarantee
• Special points plus cash offers
• Priority full-service Member Services telephone number

And if you already have Gold Status with Club Carlson, then you’re cool like me. But you will also get 15 qualifying nights towards Elite Concierge Status – the next level of status with Club Carlson. It takes 75 nights to qualify for Elite Concierge, so there.

You will only receive instant Gold Status on the Premier and Business Club Carlson cards.

Bonus Award Night

This is probably the most exciting feature of the Club Carlson cards. When you redeem your Gold Passport points for two consecutive award nights, you get your last night free. That’s just balling.

So, if you were to make two reservations at the Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan in Paris (like I did a couple of months ago), it would cost you 50,000 Club Carlson points a night, or 100,000 total. But, if you held a Club Carlson Visa, you would get your second night FREE. Meaning, you save a s@#$ load of Club Carlson points. 50,000, to be exact. 

Warning

There is a warning that needs to be issued for anyone wanting to apply for a rewards card backed by US Bank. Like Bank of America and Barclays, US Bank will approve you for a “lower-level” card if you don’t meet their particular standards. And sometimes having a good credit score isn’t enough.

US Bank has a history of approving people who have “too many recent inquiries” for a lower-level version of the card. Since I apply for rewards cards regularly, this makes me hesitate on the Club Carlson Visas.

However, if I apply for them first during an app party, I should be ok. I need to decide if the reward is worth the risk. I do love to diversify.

Endings

I love that Club Carlson has launched 3 new rewards cards! When major banks and hotels compete, it’s usually good for the consumer. I still have 100,000 Club Carlson points, so adding another 85,000 is very appealing.

But I think the real win here is the bonus award nights. Cutting the price in half on award stays at a Radisson Blu property is killer.

Below is the link for the Club Carlson Visas. I don’t receive a referral credit for them, but don’t let that stop you from applying.

Club Carlson Visa’s 

— Noob Master