124 Club Carlson Properties Changing Categories And There’s Good News!

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Club Carlson has followed IHG’s lead and announced a series of category changes for 124 hotels in its portfolio. Where Club Carlson differs from IHG is that the category changes are almost evenly split between the number of properties moving up a category and the number moving down and the results of the changes aren’t actually all that bad.

Club Carlson’s hotel category changes come in to effect for bookings made on or after 1 March 2018. On that date 124 Club Carlson properties are seeing their award night category change and this is what that looks like:

  • 55 properties are seeing the cost of an award night increase
    • 7 properties are going up by 2 categories
    • 48 properties are going up by 1 category
  • 59 properties are seeing the cost of an award night decrease
    • 1 property are going down by 3 categories
    • 22 properties are going down by 2 categories
    • 46 properties are going down by 1 category
  • 7 properties are being elevated to top-tier (category 7 ) status
  • 17 properties are moving down from top-tier status

The full list of changes can be found on this Club Carlson page but here are some of the notable changes.

USA

19 properties are moving categories with 15 properties seeing the price of award nights increase and 4 properties seeing the cost fall.

Two properties are going up by two categories and see the cost of an award night go from 15,000 to 38,000 points – a 153% increase:

  • Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Mishawaka, IN
  • Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Goodlettsville, TN

The only other significant move appears to be that Cassa Hotel NY 45th Street is moving from being a top-tier category 7 hotel (costing 70,000 points/night) to a category 6 hotel (costing 50,000 points/night).

a bedroom with a bed and deskCassa Hotel NY 45th Street – Image courtesy of Club Carlson

Not only is this a nice 29% decrease in the cost of an award night but it’s also significant because it means that New York City has another central property (this one is a short walk from Bryant Park) that can be booked for 50,000 points…and that could be great value during busier times.

Europe, Middle East & Africa

Unsurprisingly, considering these are the regions with the majority of Club Carlson’s properties, this is where most of the changes are to be found – in total 75 properties are moving up or down at least one hotel category.

On the positive side:

  • Park Inn by Radisson Aberdeen (Scotland) moves down 3 categories (award nights go from costing 50,000 points to 28,000 points)
  • 5 properties move from category 7 to category 5 status (award nights go from costing 70,000 points to 44,000 points) with the most notable being the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek

a hallway with plants in potsRadisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek – Image courtesy of Club Carlson

  • 10 properties move from category 7 to category 5 status (award nights go from costing 70,000 points to 50,000 points) with the most notable being:
    • The Radisson Blu Residence, Dubai Marina
    • Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin
    • Hormuz Grand Hotel, Muscat
  • 5 properties in Russia and 4 properties in Turkey move down 2 categories – none are particularly significant properties but the moves themselves are notable.

On the negative side:

  • 5 properties move up 2 categories with the most notable being the Radisson Blu Mountain Resort & Residences, Trysil, Norway moving from category 5 to top-tier category 7.
  • 6 properties move from category 6 to top-tier, category 7 status with the notable ones being:
    • The Radisson Blu Edwardian Grafton Hotel in London – which leaves London with almost no Club Carlson properties costing less than 70,000 points/night.
    • Park Plaza Victoria Amsterdam
    • Radisson Blu Beach Resort, Milatos Crete
    • Radisson Blu Edwardian Manchester Hotel

a bed with a table and chairs in a roomRadisson Blu Edwardian Grafton Hotel – Image courtesy of Club Carlson

Asia Pacific

Just 21 movers in this region and all but one are in either India or China and here are the headlines:

  • 15 properties move down 1 or more categories
  • 6 properties move down two categories – all are in India
  • No properties move up more than 1 category

None of the hotels in this region appear to be particularly significant.

Thoughts

I fully expected this set of changes to be another Club Carlson bloodbath where every hotel anyone wants to visit goes up in price and where the only properties getting cheaper are in regions where you need private security to stay safe…but that’s not the case at all.

While it’s disappointing to see yet another London property move to category 7 and costing 70,000 points per night, there are some definite bonuses here.

Having another central NYC property that costs just 50,000 points/night is very good news and seeing the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek move down two categories and the The Radisson Blu Residence, Dubai Marina moving down one should bring a smile to quite a few people’s faces.

Featured image courtesy of Club Carlson

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