Get a 100% bonus buying Radisson Rewards hotel points – worth it?
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Radisson Rewards, the loyalty scheme for Radisson, Park Plaza and Park Inn, is offering a bonus of up to 100% when you buy points.
This is as big a bonus as you ever get on Radisson Rewards points. We haven’t seen 100% since November 2017 (and that was a one day flash sale).
The link is here. It runs until 30th June.
There is no taper. You receive the 100% bonus on however many points you buy. This makes the deal worthwhile even if you are just topping off your account.
Radisson Rewards has increased the maximum number of points you can purchase in any given year from 80,000 to 120,000. This means that the maximum number of points you can buy is 240,000 (with the 100% bonus) for $840 (£655).
I tend to value Radisson Rewards points at 0.33p. My list of the best American Express Membership Rewards transfer options puts Radisson Rewards near the top. The transfer rate is 1:3 and I value that at 1p per American Express point.
Via this offer, you are paying just 0.27p per point which is far lower than my valuation. This means, in theory, there are deals to be had.
Can you get a good deal paying 0.27p per point?
London:
The problem at the moment is that, with hotel rates all over the place and business travel dead, it is difficult to put a finger on value.
I looked at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, for example, which is usually well over £250 in September and October as it is a popular events venue. I could book it today for September for £130, fully refundable. This makes it poor value for 70,000 points, even at this low price. My review of Park Plaza Westminster Bridge is here.
Radisson’s flagship London hotel is The May Fair. I reviewed The May Fair Hotel here – I wasn’t a big fan but the location, in the heart of Mayfair, is unbeatable and it is certainly funky. The May Fair is still asking high prices, so buying 105,000 points is a far better deal than paying £350-£400 per night for a Premium Room in mid September.
At the cheaper end of the scale, Park Inn hotels start at 15,000 points, so £42-worth of points under this deal. However, they can go a lot higher and the rates are well down at present. Park Inn York, for example, is £75-£85 or 38,000 points for random Autumn dates – cash wins here.
Cape Town:
One classic Radisson Rewards redemption is the Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront in Cape Town. It offers a two-bedroom sea-view suite as a ‘family room’ redemption. It is 110 square metres and usually sells for well over £700. 87,500 points (costing £238 with the 100% bonus) is therefore an outstanding opportunity.
However, with the South African tourist market dead, the room is selling for just £350 in the December / January peak – and this assumes that foreign tourists are allowed back anyway. In February 2021, when tourists should be allowed given the current plans, it is around £500 for cash – so paying £238 for 87,500 points IS a good deal.
New York:
As we wrote in this article, Radisson Rewards is suddenly an option again for New York stays.
The newest hotel, which opened in January, is Radisson Hotel New York Times Square. This is on 8th Avenue. The hotel website is here.
It is a new build, not a conversion, which is generally a good sign in terms of build quality. It is two blocks from both Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, in what is known as Midtown West. It has 320 rooms, of which 70 have Empire State Building views. There is also a seasonal rooftop cocktail bar which takes in the Empire State Building, the Hudson Yards development including The Edge observation deck and the Hudson River.
As a redemption, this is 70,000 points (£190-worth of points in this sale). You normally wouldn’t get a decent New York hotel for this money in peak season, but a quick look at October 2020 shows rooms here for $245 (£191). For pre-Christmas shopping breaks it is below $200. For now, cash wins.
Conclusion – should you buy Radisson Rewards points?
It is very, very rare to see Radisson Rewards points on sale with a 100% bonus. The last similar deal I can find discussed on HFP was a one-day flash sale back in 2017.
In normal times there is real value here. These are not normal times, however, and with rates very low you won’t necessarily get a slam dunk win even buying at 0.27p per point.
If you are willing to sit on the points for a couple of years, I am certain (assuming no devaluation) that you will come out on top. Of course, you may also have specific plans – like a Cape Town trip – where you are guaranteed to get a good deal.
If you’ve got a plan, jump in.
If you have a few Radisson points and want to top them up to get to the right level for an award, this is also a good time to do it.
The link to buy Radisson Rewards points is here.
How to earn Radisson Rewards points and status from UK credit cards (April 2024)
Radisson Rewards does not have a dedicated UK credit card. However, you can earn Radisson Rewards points by converting Membership Rewards points earned from selected UK American Express cards.
These cards earn Membership Rewards points:
- American Express Preferred Rewards Gold (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 20,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 60,000 Radisson Rewards points. This card is FREE for your first year and also comes with four free airport lounge passes.
- The Platinum Card from American Express (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 40,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 120,000 Radisson Rewards points
- American Express Rewards credit card (review here, apply here) – sign-up bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points converts into 30,000 Radisson Rewards points. This card is FREE for life.
Membership Rewards points convert at 1:3 into Radisson Rewards points which is a very attractive rate. The cards above all earn 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on your card, which converts to 3 Radisson Rewards points.
Even better, holders of The Platinum Card receive free Radisson Rewards Premium status for as long as they hold the card. It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold and MeliaRewards Gold status. We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here.
(Want to earn more hotel points? Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)
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