Goldpoints plus, the hotel loyalty program for the Carlson Hotels chain, has jumped on the free night promotion bandwagon for summer hotel stays from June 1 through August 31. Two hotel stays at any Carlson Hotels brand of Radisson, Park Plaza, Park Inn and Country Inn & Suites earns one free night for any of more than 1,000+ hotels in the worldwide Carlson Hotel network.
Goldpoints plus promotion registration is required.
In the USA there are 500 midscale hotels in the Country Inn and Suites and Park Inn hotels to earn free nights with two stays. Around the world there are hundreds more upper upscale Radisson, Radisson Blu and Park Plaza hotels to redeem free nights. Carlson’s Regent Hotels are not listed as a participating brand for this promotion. The luxury Regent brand was sold to Taiwan based Formosa International last month.
The difference in this promotion from the other free night promotions for summer 2010 is the redemption period for using free nights does not overlap with the earning period. You can earn up to seven (7) free nights with June to August hotel stays, but you can only redeem the free nights beginning July 15 with bookings for stays scheduled between September 1 and February 28, 2011.
The six month redemption period is a long window for using free nights. The earning limit of seven free nights may be an unwelcome restriction for some members, but should not affect most members who will not accrue 14 stays at Carlson Hotels over the summer to max out the offer.
Goldpoints plus is offering the easiest qualification for free nights along with Hyatt Gold Passport and the two promotions only overlap in the month of June. Hyatt’s free nights must be used by August 31, so there is no overlap in the free night redemption periods between Hyatt Gold Passport and Carlson goldpoints plus for these two promotions offering a free night after two hotel stays.
Starwood’s free night after three stays ends July 31 and redemption period goes to December 19, 2010.
Goldpoints plus allows free night credits to be earned for stays throughout the summer months. The August period for earning free nights should be a big draw for European travelers.
This hotel stay example shows the leverage opportunity of the two stays earns one free night promotion.
- Richmond, Virginia
- June 4, 2010
- Country Inn & Suites Richmond I-95 South
- $71.60 (AAA rate)
My checks around the country showed many Country Inn & Suites offer rates around $80 per night.
Radisson Hotels in Europe and other regions of the world tend to be more upscale than the typical US Radisson Hotel. One of the major efforts Carlson Hotels revealed in its five year plan at the global summit in March is a major investment to upgrade Radisson Hotels in the USA. The Radisson brand is one of the top brands for its market segment in European consumer ratings.
- London, UK – Â The Mayfair Hotel
- September 6-10, four nights
- 234 £ per night = US$336/night x 4 nights = $1,344.
Stay eight times in Carlson brand hotels from June 1 to August 31 and you will earn four free nights.Â
Assume $80 for a one night stay at a Country Inn & Suites. 8 x $80 = $640.
Hypothetically, you can spend $640 to $800 for 8 stays during summer and redeem your four free nights for a $1,344 hotel room in London.
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Even if you average $150 per night and spend $1,200 for 8 stays, you can potentially redeem your four free nights for an equivalent value at an upper upscale hotel anytime during the six months from September 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011.
Heather Passe, Carlson’s VP directing goldpoints plus told me the loyalty program would launch some high value promotions in 2010. Goldpoints plus “This Way to a Free Stay†summer 2010 offer supports that declaration.Â
This promotion is a 5-key offer (the highest Loyalty Traveler promotion rating).
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