Turns out the Club Carlson Double Points promotion I analyzed two days ago was not the actual Club Carlson Double Points worldwide promotion that rolled out yesterday. An email I received today reveals a very different offer with favorable terms and conditions for Club Carlson members to earn 40 points/$1 for hotel stays worldwide from July 27 through September 15, 2011 on any normally eligible rate for earning Club Carlson points including AAA rates, senior rates and advance purchase rates.
I apologize to Club Carlson and my readers for the previous post. The earlier post was based on analysis of Double Points hotel rates that required a higher rate than otherwise available. I am leaving the previous post up since I think it does illustrate that paying higher rates may negate the value of double points. Fortunately, the current Club Carlson Double Points promotion does not require paying higher rates.
Club Carlson Double Points Promotion registration link: https://www.clubcarlson.com/secure/offers/4340574.
- Promotion registration is required before stay is completed to earn double points for hotel stays from July 27 to September 15, 2011.
- Non-members may join Club Carlson and register for Double Points promotion for immediate eligibility.
- Check-in and check-out must occur during promotion period dates to be eligible for double points.
- Radisson, Country Inn & Suites, Park Inn and Park Plaza hotels worldwide participate.
- Member earns double points (40 points/$1) on any eligible rate that normally earns Club Carlson points. Double points does not require a higher rate. AAA, senior and other eligible points-earning rates apply.
- Member earns double points (40 points/$1) on food and beverage charged to the room.
- Member may earn double points credit for up to three hotel rooms at a time applied to member’s Club Carlson account.
Loyalty Traveler Analysis:
In my previous post I showed the higher cost of a Double Points hotel rate canceled out the value of Club Carlson double points. Since the Double Points promotion offer running July 27 to September 15 is applicable on any eligible points-earning rate, then there is no higher cost to earn double points. Club Carlson members earn 40 points per US$1 on rates including AAA and senior rates.
Another way to look at this Double Points offer and illustrate the high value of 40 points per US$1 on stays at Radisson, Country Inn & Suites, Park Inn and Park Plaza is to compare the base earn rate of points to the cost for award nights in Club Carlson and other major hotel loyalty programs.
The highest category hotel in Club Carlson is 50,000 points per night for a Category 6 hotel like the Radisson Martinique on Broadway, New York City. This hotel for August 16, 2011 has a AAA discount rate of $327.20 or $375.49 after tax.
The current double points promotion makes the cost of earning 50,000 points only $1,250 in hotel spend. Getting $375 future value out of $1,250 in hotel spend is a decent 30% return on your hotel travel dollars.
Club Carlson spend needed to earn free nights during Double Points promotion (July 27-September 15)
- Free Club Carlson category 1 Hotel night = 9,000 points = $225 in hotel spend earning 40 points/$1.
- Club Carlson Category 2 Hotel night = 15,000 points = $375.
- Club Carlson Category 3 Hotel Night = 28,000 points = $700.
- Club Carlson Category 4 Hotel Night = 38,000 points = $950.
- Club Carlson Category 5 Hotel night = 44,000 points = $1,100.
- Club Carlson Category 6 Hotel night = 50,000 points = $1,250.
Now compare the Club Carlson base hotel spend above to the cost to earn a free night in some other hotel loyalty programs.
Lowest tier Hyatt Category 1 = 5,000 points = $1,000 at 5 points/$1.
Highest tier Hyatt Category 6 = 22,000 points = $4,400 at 5 points/$1.
Hyatt Gold Passport does not have any lucrative bonus points offers currently, but maybe something coming August 4?
Lowest tier Starwood Preferred Guest category 1 = 3,000 points (weekday) = $1,000 in hotel spend.
High tier Starwood Preferred Guest category 5 = 12,000 points (weekday) = $4,000 in hotel spend for an upper upscale property. Starwood hotels in the luxury category tend to be 20,000 to 30,000 points per night.
Hilton HHonors Tier 3 hotel = 25,000 points = $1,667 in hotel spend for Points & Points earner. HHonors Category 3 is near the bottom of Hilton tiers in practical terms since so few hotels are actually located in category 1 or 2 for HHonors. The current double points promotion with HHonors means 25 points/$1 and reduces the hotel spend to $1,000. In contrast a Club Carlson category 3 hotel, likely a comparable hotel class, takes only $700 in spend to earn 28,000 points.
Marriott Rewards Category 5 = 25,000 points = $2,500 in hotel spend. These hotels are typical Marriott and Renaissance hotels in secondary cities and some major cities. Club Carlson members can earn two free Category 6 nights for the same amount of spend as earning one night for a comparable Marriott reward night.
Loyalty Travler conclusion:
Club Carlson double points promotion is a 4-key offer out of five keys. Double points is a high value rebate on future hotel stays with Carlson properties. This is a good opportunity to branch out to another program if you find a Carlson property is in your area at a reasonable price. The ability to earn sufficient points for a free night with relatively little hotel spend is something to keep in mind when searching hotels for your upcoming trips.
Country Inn & Suites are positioned throughout the U.S. and Radisson hotels are worldwide. This is a good promotional offer since double points is applicable when paying lowest rates like AAA, senior and advance purchase rates.
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