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Name: Radisson Blu Waterfront Antananarivo
City: Antananarivo, Madagascar
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard to a one bedroom (views to the backlot on 6th floor) – good spacious room
Lounge Access: No – they don’t have one.
Breakfast: Yes, standard offer, nothing outstanding
Welcome gift: 6 vanilla pods (used in tea / coffee), 2 bottles of juice
Stay Duration: 2 nights (it was a relief to get to the hotel to have a decent shower and sleep in a comfortable bed, after 10 days on the very bumpy pothole roads getting to national parks and remote reserves)
We will be staying at more Radisson hotels in Norway next month, and later this year in Sri Lanka – to make good use of VIP status.Name: Radisson Blu Hotel at Porsche Design Tower
City: Stuttgart
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard to a Corner Premium Room (the best non-suite room category)
Lounge Access: No – they don’t have one.
Breakfast: Yes, a good selection available
Welcome gift: A bag of branded fruit sweets
Stay Duration: 4 nightsName: Radisson Blu St. Helen’s Hotel
City: Dublin
Status – VIP status recognised at check in
Upgraded? Yes and no – booked a family room for 2 adults and 2 kids. Was told they have upgraded me, didn’t bother asking to what room type. It was essentially a family room that we were given. Room was in very bad shape, broken bath panel, stained bath tub, shower screen rod coming off. Went back to reception with pics, they agreed room was not fit for purpose. Asked if I had indeed been upgraded, was told they gave me a superior version of a family room (whatever that meant)! Later upgraded to a junior suite. Charming period property but rooms badly in need of refurb. Won’t be staying here next time.
Lounge Access: No – they don’t have one.
Breakfast: Yes
Welcome gift: Fruit platter
Stay Duration: 3 nightsFor the upgrade do you call beforehand or just ask for it on arrival?
When I tried this for the first time staying at Park Plaza Nottingham, I called a couple of days beforehand to ask how it worked and if I can upgrade on arrival, and they did it over the phone. So I never found out whether you just ask at the desk on arrival.
For the upgrade do you call beforehand or just ask for it on arrival?
When I tried this for the first time staying at Park Plaza Nottingham, I called a couple of days beforehand to ask how it worked and if I can upgrade on arrival, and they did it over the phone. So I never found out whether you just ask at the desk on arrival.
It should just happen automatically on arrival, at least that’s how I think it’s supposed to work, and how it worked for me a week or do in Krakow… speaking of which…
Hotel: Radisson RED Hotel Krakow
City: Krakow, Poland
Room Booked: 2 x Standard room – 1 King
Duration: 4 nights (Mon – Fri)
Upgraded: Both rooms upgraded to (I think) a Corner Premium Room. Not the top room available as far as I could tell. They have a special Radisson Rewards floor which the upgraded room was on.
Breakfast: Yes, for both rooms (4 people in total)
Lounge Access: N/A – No lounge available
Welcome Gift: Small plate of macarons in both roomsBreakfast was decent, but the space was a little cramped when it was busy. Overall the hotel, being a new build, was fresh and comfortable. Water pressure was not great though – only just tolerable – and it might put me off staying here again.
The hotel has two parts, the hotel and the apartments. I think they’re in different buildings, and I wouldn’t have expected to be upgraded from a hotel room to an apartment but I think there were more premium rooms in the hotel side available for our stay. I was pretty happy either way!
Hotel: Park Plaza Westminster Bridge (second stay since obtaining VIP status)
City: London
Room Booked: 1 x Standard room – 1 King
Duration: 1 nights (Tues)
Upgraded: Upgraded to double studio, the same category of upgrade as last time I stayed here
Breakfast: Yes
Lounge Access: And what a lovely lounge it is
Welcome Gift: Large box of chocolate covered liquorice (yuck!)
Asked for and received a late check outName: Radisson Blu Airport Hotel Oslo Gardermoen
City: Oslo
Room booked: Standard
Duration: 1 night
Upgrade? Technically yes. Was upgraded to a Premium room with airport view the day before in the app. The Premium room has a mini bar and a Nespresso machine. Had the former (which wasn’t interested in) but no Nespresso machine just the kettle as in a Standard room. So more like a semi upgrade. Airport view was mostly terminal building not runway
Lounge: Don’t think so but it wasn’t clear
Breakfast: Yes, extensive buffet and plenty of Scandi options
Welcome gift: No
Other comments: Restaurant and communal areas stylish and modern but the room decor was a bit of an odd contrast, modern in parts but oddly dated in others.
Stay again: Very convenient location, decent enough price, and breakfast good so yes overall, though would probably rate it a 7/10One thing, does anyone know if you apply the discount booster to your account does it apply to any existing bookings? It showed up in the booking but then wasn’t applied to my bill. As it was 0100 after a delayed flight from LHR and there was a queue of people, I didn’t query it as just wanted to get to sleep
Hotel: Radisson Blu East Midlands Airport (first stay since obtaining VIP status)
City: Castle Donnington
Room Booked: 1 x Standard room – 1 King
Duration: 1 nights (Saturday)
Upgraded: Upgraded one category to Superior room. Hotel was very busy with all Premium rooms
and suites sold out.
Breakfast: Yes
Lounge Access: N/A
Welcome Gift: None.
Asked for and received a late check out with quite late notice. Solid hotel and great soundproofing with good gym and pool but a lot of small details such as empty toiletries needing work.Name: Radisson Blu St. Helen’s Hotel
City: Dublin, Ireland
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard Room (cheapest) to Suite with Balcony (5 categories upgrade)
Lounge Access: No
Breakfast: Yes
Welcome gift: Plate with water and fruits
Late checkout: Didn’t ask
Stay duration: 1 nightName: Henrieta House, Radisson collection
City: Bath
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard Room to “the best room in the hotel”. It was pretty small, so standard rooms must be tiny
Lounge Access: No
Breakfast: Yes, a la carte only, needed to pre book a timeslot
Welcome gift: no
Late checkout: Didn’t ask, also no early check in, told to come back at 3pm
Stay duration: 2 nightsName: Radisson Blu Aldstadt
City: Salzburg, Austria
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard Room to huge one bedroom suite
Lounge Access: No
Breakfast: Yes
Welcome gift: Plate with water and fruits
Late checkout: Didn’t ask
Stay duration: 2 nightsOff to Kenya this week and booked into two of the three Nairobi properties during my stay so will report back. I’ve also stayed in the Milan hotel and gotten one of the suites with the frankly ludicrous shower that you can do shuttle runs inside that others have reported
Hotel: Radisson Collection Hotel Tallinn
City: Tallinn, Estonia
Room Booked: 1 Collectionroom – 1 King
Duration: 7 nights (Thu – Thu)
Upgraded: Upgraded to (I think) a Collection Superior Room on a higher floor (floor 20)
Breakfast: Yes, for 2 people
Lounge Access: N/A – No lounge available
Welcome Gift: Small box of six chocolate truffles.Late check out asked for and granted to 15:00
Hotel: Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Helsinki
City: Helsinki, Finland
Room Booked: 1 Standard room – 1 King
Durationb: 2 nights (Sun – Tue)
Upgraded: Room upgraded to Business Class not the top room available.
Breakfast: Yes, for two people
Lounge Access: Yes – but we didn’t take it up
Welcome Gift: noneSmall claustrophobic rooms. I wouldn’t go back here.
Hotel: Radisson Blu Hotel Birmingham
City: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Room Booked: 1 Standard Room (King Bed)
Duration: 1 night
Upgraded: Room upgraded to Suite – City View.
Breakfast: Yes, for two people
Lounge Access: No Lounge as this Hotel
Welcome Gift: Yes 2 bottles of water and a Chocolate BarVip was recognised and late checkout was offered only negative is the showerhead attached to bathtub in room 1603 has hose leaks so expect a lot of splashback or wet floor but offers a nice hot shower for those of us who like it hot.
Been skewing towards Radisson this year with my status match and have had a few leisure stays since Jan. Per the OP I have always booked the cheapest room and just waited to see what happened when I arrived. Not been offered lounge access anywhere, but tbh I hadn’t known to ask and assume in retrospect that there wasn’t one. Got free breakfast at all after booking room only.
Oslo: Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre (airport): Reception didn’t mention any upgrade but I think I had a superior room. I don’t think there were many different room types to get upgraded to. Did get juice and petit-fours in the room. Great breakfast.
Liverpool Radisson Blu (2 nights): arrived mid-morning hoping for early check-in but receptionist didn’t ask my name or check if the room was ready even when I asked, and just told me to come back at 3. Left luggage and returned after check-in time, greeted effusively by same agent (!), upgraded to a premium river view room. Plate of patisserie and fruit delivered to the room.
Radisson Hotel & Spa Tuzla (Istanbul): unfortunately didn’t get to use this room as I had to cancel last-minute but could see in advance that I had been allocated a sauna suite with terrace. Sad times.
Radisson Collection Bilbao (2 nights): Junior suite upgrade. Favourite so far, good location with rooftop bar/restaurant and the reception staff were super-friendly and helpful. Welcome gift of local chocolate. Breakfast included à la carte orders for eggs, pancakes etc as well as a buffet.
Radisson Blu Lyon: upgraded to one room category higher (old city view) even though I could see non-suite higher category rooms available to book that night. Cursory welcome with nothing in the room, though later they brought some bottled juice, chocolate, and gifts of playing cards and a cloth washbag. 15% bar/restaurant discount seemingly did not apply to drinks. The hotel is on the highest floors of Le Crayon, a big round 1970s skyscraper, so incredible views from all rooms. Bar food and breakfast were nothing to write home about.
Have a couple of other European short stays booked in so will update after those. Thinking of switching my cheapo Berlin IHG redemption for the Park Inn after an earlier review on this thread!
I am interested to know whether checking in online means you still get the upgrade, as the original room type still seems to show online (apart from the one in Istanbul). Does anyone know?
I’m curious to know if there are any lounges in the UK, as I’d like to experience one. Also, how can I search for hotels that have lounges, or how can I find out if a hotel offers that option?
Name: Radisson Collection Royal Hotel
City: Copenhagen, Denmark
Upgraded? Yes, from Individual Room to Signature Suite (highest possible upgrade I believe)
Lounge Access: No – not aware of one and wasn’t told about if one exists. Didn’t chase it up as room was very comfortable.
Breakfast: Yes, was great though busy from 9am onwards at weekends. Note – better to ask for jug of filter coffee than queue at the single coffee machine.
Welcome gift: Small chocolates, handwritten note from general manager. Complimentary water topped up throughout stay.
Stay Duration: 3 nights
Really enjoyed my stay, also had 2 hours free late check-out which I had to request. Initially upgraded to Suite day before arrival, then Signature Suite on arrival.I’m curious to know if there are any lounges in the UK, as I’d like to experience one. Also, how can I search for hotels that have lounges, or how can I find out if a hotel offers that option?
Some hotels specifically mention types of room with lounge access, so that’s one way.
Also, if you read through the reviews here that will tell you of any UK ones e.g. the Park Plaza Westmister Bridge does. But I don’t think you can filter results to show only those with lounges
Name: Radisson Blu Leeds
City: Leeds
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard to a Premium Room on a prepaid rate
Lounge Access: No lounge
Breakfast: Yes, breakfast for 2, which was very good, but service terrible
Welcome gift: None
Stay Duration: 2 nightsThe hotel said that while there were still Junior suites available at check-in they do not upgrade VIP members to suites. While the hotel accommodation was great some really awful service in the restaurant for breakfast, slow housekeeping which had not cleaned the room by 6pm and no bulbs in the cubicles in the gents toilets in reception. Hotel offered 15,000 rewards points for these issues.
I’m curious to know if there are any lounges in the UK, as I’d like to experience one. Also, how can I search for hotels that have lounges, or how can I find out if a hotel offers that option?
Some hotels specifically mention types of room with lounge access, so that’s one way.
Also, if you read through the reviews here that will tell you of any UK ones e.g. the Park Plaza Westmister Bridge does. But I don’t think you can filter results to show only those with lounges
On the Radisson website, once you have searched for the city you would like to stay in, you can scroll down the page and on the lefthand side under ‘Services’ click on ‘Executive business lounge’. That will then show you the hotels with lounges. If the ‘Executive business lounge’ option isn’t listed under services it is because there are no hotels with lounges in that city. As far as I am aware, in the UK there are only three London properties, plus the Blu in Cardiff (a section of the main bar) and the Blu at Manchester airport that have lounges. Cardiff is the only one we have used and whilst fine it isn’t anything to get excited about.
Name: Radisson Blu Ottomare
City: Istanbul
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard to a Junior Suite with Balcony Sea View (5 categories up)
Lounge Access: No lounge
Breakfast: Yes, but it was disappointing
Welcome gift: None
Stay Duration: 1 nightWe tried to check in early but the room wasn’t ready, so we opted for an expensive poolside beer instead. We discovered afterwards that it was actually quite lucky to be able to sit by the pool as both the DoubleTree Moda and Conrad had their outdoor pools closed to the public, despite the sunny weather (“Sorry sir, it isn’t summer yet.”)
VIP status was not acknowledged (apart from mentioning breakfast was covered), so walking into a Junior Suite was a nice surprise. The breakfast spread was quite large, plenty of cold vegetables, but the bread wasn’t as good as it normally is in Radisson hotels and the hot options weren’t that plentiful or appealing.
Whilst the hotel is quite a way out of the city, it is about a 15-minute walk from the Marmaray train line which gets you central quickly and it is also only a few minutes walk from Fişekhane which has plenty of good eating options. We liked it there. Also, the hotel looks very impressive and massive, but it actually only takes up five floors of the building it is in. The rest of the building is private suites and nothing to do with the hotel. Certainly one of the better Radissons we have stayed in (breakfast aside).
Hotel: Art’otel London Hoxton (first stay since obtaining VIP status)
City: London
Room Booked: 1 x Art room – 1 King with City View
Duration: 1 nights (Wed)
Upgraded: Upgraded to Art studio King
Breakfast: Yes
Lounge Access: No exclusive lounge available Just a public lounge/bar above main restaurant
Welcome Gift: None (Just complimentary water)
Asked for and received a late check out. VIP status was not explicitly recognised but said you have top tier status so upgrade and breakfast was givenName: Radisson Hotel & Suites
City: Zurich, Switzerland
Upgraded? Yes, from Standard Room (cheapest) to Studio Apartment (6 categories upgrade)
Lounge Access: No
Breakfast: Yes
Welcome gift: Nothing
Late checkout: Didn’t ask
Stay duration: 2 nightGood location and nice room. I would stay here again.
Name: Radisson Blu Nairobi Upper Hill
City: Nairobi, Kenya
Upgraded: Yes, both times from a “premium room”, the cheapest to an “executive room with lounge access”. Only about £20 difference in the cash price. The next level up is about £300 more expensive
Lounge access: yes. Only went in once as it was dead. Free meal from the bar menu
Welcome gift: two macaroons, chocolate brownie and soft toffees. This turned up later on my second stay. Welcome letter.
Late checkout: didn’t ask
Day duration: 3 nights and 1 nightAfter spending some time in Nairobi, I think the other two hotels are better located than this one, if you want to venture out. Two nights having a solo drink in the bar a local lady sat near to offer “massage” services. Seems a bit odd for a high end hotel (celebrity hangout according to the Lonely Planet guidebook) to allow this quite blatantly.
Name: Radisson Blu Nairobi Upper Hill
City: Nairobi, Kenya
Upgraded: Yes, both times from a “premium room”, the cheapest to an “executive room with lounge access”. Only about £20 difference in the cash price. The next level up is about £300 more expensive
Lounge access: yes. Only went in once as it was dead. Free meal from the bar menu
Welcome gift: two macaroons, chocolate brownie and soft toffees. This turned up later on my second stay. Welcome letter.
Late checkout: didn’t ask
Day duration: 3 nights and 1 nightAfter spending some time in Nairobi, I think the other two hotels are better located than this one, if you want to venture out. Two nights having a solo drink in the bar a local lady sat near to offer “massage” services. Seems a bit odd for a high end hotel (celebrity hangout according to the Lonely Planet guidebook) to allow this quite blatantly.
Can you review the massage service? Did you get VIP treatment? 😉
Can you review the massage service? Did you get VIP treatment? 😉
I was trying to concentrate on the play off semi finals between Sunderland and Coventry!
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