Carlson and Rezidor Merge: New Redemption Opportunities?

TPG reader Mike pointed out that Carlson Hotels merged with Rezidor Hotels last month to create the new Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, though the two hotel groups will legally remain separate entities.

Altogether, the new chain will have over 1,300 hotels in 80 countries Most of those are Carlson properties including Radisson, Country Inns and Suites, Park Plaza and Park Inn by Radisson, while Rezidor’s 400 or so properties include Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as the Hotel Missoni brand.

Though you can already use your Carlson points for free nights at Rezidor properties like the Radisson Blu Le Dokhan’s Hotel in Paris, and the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Capetown, perhaps this will streamline the use of points to redeem for awards at such properties, ease elite status qualifications, and open up award availability across the globe, plus lead to more promotions like December’s Radisson Big Night Giveaway of 50,000 Carlson points, and the current Carlson triple points promotion, and status-matching.

My personal hope is that one day even Rezidor’s ultra-swank Hotel Missoni properties like the ones in Edinburgh and Kuwait, plus future ones in Qatar, Brazil, Turkey and Mauritius become available for award redemption. They’re currently not even listed in the free night award redemption categories, but maybe that will change as the merger develops and the two groups become more closely aligned.

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