Club Carlson launched March 31, 2011 as the redesigned hotel loyalty program for Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. The loyalty program includes over 1,100 hotels globally in the hotel brands of Radisson Blu, Radisson, Park Plaza, Park Inn and Country Inns & Suites.
Hotel Missoni, a luxury brand of the hotel chain has only two properties currently open in Edinburgh and Kuwait. Hotel Missoni is not yet participating in Club Carlson.
Club Carlson is a split personality that has unified into one hotel loyalty program. The American side of Club Carlson is one of extremely generous promotions over the past two years, a program heavily populated with Country Inns & Suites hotels in the eastern half of the country and the midwest states around its Carlson HQ city of Minneapolis. Radisson (green) had a bad rap in the USA with older hotels. Intensive property improvement plans and the shedding of dozens of Radisson Hotels in the past four years has improved the average Radisson in the USA.
Radisson Blu, prominent in Europe and other global regions are upper-upscale hotels on par with Marriott, Hilton, Westin and Hyatt Regency. Typical room rates are far higher in Radisson Blu hotels than Radisson Hotels in the USA. Club Carlson points tend to have better value in Europe for high end market hotels in major cities like London, Amsterdam and Paris. London in particular has a large network of Radisson Blu and Park Plaza hotels.
Six Carlson Rezidor Hotel Brands
- Radisson Blu – upper upscale hotel market segment with 275 hotels globally.
- Radisson (green) – upscale with 150 hotels.
- Park Plaza – upscale (41 hotels, with 40 outside USA)
- Country Inns & Suites – upper midscale (around 470 hotels, mostly USA, also India, Canada and Mexico)
- Park Inn – Upper midscale (140 hotels)
- Hotel Missoni – luxury (2 hotels)
Carlson Rezidor Global Hotel Directory pdf link (January 2014)
Hotel market segment for chain brands is from Smith Travel Research/ STR Global hotel industry room rate data. economy, midscale, upper midscale, upscale, upper upscale, luxury.
Most hotel chain brands in big programs with 1,000+ hotels like Hilton 4,000+ hotels), InterContinental Hotels Group (4,600 hotels) and Marriott (3,900 hotels) fall in the upper midscale, upscale, upper upscale and luxury segments.
Similar to the profile of Accor Hotels, this post shows how Club Carlson defines their own brands as a way to examine their marketing pitch to consumers.
Radisson Blu Hotels
Radisson Blu – Hotels Designed To Say Yes!
One of the world’s leading hotel brands, Radisson Blu is iconic and contemporary with leading-edge style where the delight is in the detail. The brand’s innovative design-inspired rooms, superb meeting and event facilities, fitness and spas, very own restaurants and bars and Yes I Can! ethos delivers a guest experience that is truly unique in the world of hotels today.
Radissonblu.com.
A bit of marketing pitch to me. I have liked the Radisson Blu hotels where I have stayed and there is style. Like an aquarium in the lobby of Radisson Blu Berlin.
Cylinder aquarium in lobby of Radisson Blu Berlin. This architectural wonder of the atrium lobby is also seen from elevators and interior facing rooms of the hotel. Visits inside the aquarium are handled by a concession and not run by the Radisson Blu hotel. I stayed in Berlin and Oslo at Radisson Blu hotels. Loved both of them and they ranked high for hotel location and quality.
Chicago, Philadelphia and Mall of America, Bloomington, MN are only three Radisson Blu hotels in USA at this time.
Radisson Hotels
Radisson® – Caring. Sharing. Daring.
Radisson is contemporary by attitude, socially responsible and service-driven. A brand that is caring, sharing and daring at its heart and core, Radisson understands guests as real people with very real wants and needs, is truly committed to building meaningful, personal relationships and has a passion for Yes I Can! hospitality. Radisson.com
Does not tell me much about the rooms or market segment. The Radisson hotels where I have stayed in California had nicely furnished lobbies and tended to be comparable quality as neighboring properties of other hotel brands in the same location. Rooms are functional. The hotels have mostly been good experiences and the bonus offers for hotel stays have put me into most of the USA Radisson hotels.
Radisson Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
Country Inns & Suites
Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM – I love this Country
Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM is an upper midscale brand focused on delivering caring, consistent and comfortable hospitality with a touch of home. From our complimentary hot breakfast served on classic diningware, to how guests are treated like family whether they are staying with us for business or leisure, Country Inns & Suites delivers unexpected value at each stay. It’s for these reasons and more, our guests say, “I love this Country.”
Countryinns.com
I would have more to say about Country Inns & Suites if there were more properties in the western USA. My local hotels in the Silicon Valley south of San Francisco command outrageous rates from the tech world visitors and I have never stayed locally.
Complimentary hot cooked breakfast is a great feature of the few Country Inns & Suites where I have stayed in the USA.
Park Plaza Hotels
Park Plaza® – Smart, Spirited Service
With smart, engaging service, Park Plaza hotels’ trend-setting designs capture the energy and style of each individual location. An upscale hotel brand for business and leisure travelers, Park Plaza offers stylish guestrooms, outstanding meeting spaces and dedicated staff who offer reliable service that is flawlessly delivered. Park Plaza hotels go out of their way to show appreciation to their guests.
Parkplaza.com
There are currently 41 Park Plaza hotels with one hotel in the USA at Bloomington, MN. There are 11 hotels in the UK, mostly in London. Croatia (3), Germany (3), The Netherlands (5), Israel (1) and Brazil (2) have Park Plaza Hotels. China (3), India (10) and Thailand (2) are emerging markets.
Park Plaza Westminster in London is located directly across the bridge from the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
My room view from Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London (March 2013).
Park Inn
Park Inn by Radisson – Adding Color To Life
Park Inn by Radisson is a fresh and energetic, full-service upper midscale brand, focused on the essentials of a great hotel experience. Park Inn delivers on what really matters: comfortable beds, spotlessly clean rooms and hassle-free service in a vibrant, friendly environment. Add some color into your next stay and see how Park Inn is different by looks, different by attitude.
Parkinn.com
Park Inn is an upper midscale brand with 140 hotels, mostly outside the USA, although growing in the states.
— complimentary internet.
— complimentary lite and go breakfast.
Follow-up posts will cover earning and burning Club Carlson points. Club Carlson has earned a reputation for high value promotions and a credit card benefit offering one free night on every award stay of 2 or more nights.
*****
Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
Loyalty Traveler shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
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