Club Carlson Visa and Why It’s Awesome

Club Carlson Visa credit card

And why it’s awesome…

So I wrote about our stay at the Club Carlson Visa, I realized that it would be a valuable card for us to have.

So why did we get the Club Carlson Visa card?

We have the Club Carlson Visa Rewards Signature Cards (there are different versions). We first got the card(s) when we were planning a trip to Europe. Club Carlson has lots of hotels overseas, and many of those in Europe (London and Paris specifically) seemed like they would work for us. I did plan and book hotels in London and Paris using these points, but that trip was cancelled, and I ended up using the points in other (just as exciting for us) ways.

Here are the details about the card from their website:

  • 10 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases at participating Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide
  • 5 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases everywhere else
  • 85,000 Bonus Gold Points to start - Receive 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase.  Plus 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 on your card within the first 90 days
  • Bonus Award Night - When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free.  Exclusively for cardmembers!
  • Club Carlson Gold Status is yours after you activate and use your card

I have found all of these benefits to be very valuable. My favorite is probably the bonus award night, and I will show you how we have used this benefit for some great trips. The bonus points for signing up for the card are pretty great as well, especially considering that they can go further with the “buy one get one” on a 2 night stay. I also like that I can get 5 points per dollar for all spending.

My husband and I each have a card, which means double the bonus (and double the $75 annual fee as well). What it also means is that we can get every other night free on an even numbered night stay. With one account, you get the last night free. So on a 6 night stay, you would use points for 5 nights and get 1 free. With 2 cards though, you would use points for 3 and get 3 free. What we have done (for an upcoming stay) is book like this:

Night 1 – my account

Night 2 (free) – my account

Night 3 – his account

Night 4 (free) – his account

Night 5 – my account

Night 6 (free) – my account

 

How are we using our Club Carlson points?

           1. Radisson Blu Aqua Chicago -

we stayed for 3 nights in a Club Lounge room (review here)

75,000 in Club room

50,000 in standard room

2. Radisson Blu Warwick Philadelphia

We have a 2 night stay booked at a very expensive time of year, so it was a great redemption value (Buy one Get one)

We booked it at 44,000 points per night (went up after we booked)

3. Radisson Aruba Resort

We have 6 nights booked at this hotel during high season when rooms are going for $600+ a night…very excited!

50,000 points per night

 

4. Radisson Martinique on Broadway – New York City

We have 2 nights booked in a Club Lounge room (75,000)

50,000 points per night

 

We still have some points left after these redemptions (and can get more by using our Club Carlson Visa). There are some Country Inn & Suites hotels that are an excellent points value in certain locations that generally have high prices at certain times of year (like HersheyPark, where we have stayed in the past).

How have you used your Club Carlson points?