Mar 9, 2014, 4:07 am
Last edit by: bhatnasx
The Friends and Family rate is intended to be offered to travellers who are "friend and family members" of a Carlson employee. That could be a hotel employee, a travel agent (Carlson Wagonlit) or restaurant employee (TGIF) (TGIF sold to Sentinel Capital Partners as of July 2014).
When you book the rate, you are supposed to have the basic data on your friend available at check-in for the hotel to verify that you are indeed authorized to use that rate. Generally, if they ask, they ask for:
1) Employee Name
2) Work location
Please consider that, as per T&C, only employee name and location can be requested only at the check in time.
The new code is RHGRFNF
NOTE:
Booking a rate that you're not entitled to book may result in rate adjustments and Club Carlson account freezing.
In general, the rate is €80 per night in Europe.
*These stays post as "Ineligible" - non-qualifying, non-stay, non-points earning ... so, in sum, don't associate a F&F reservation with your Gold Points account, unless elite perks you hope to enjoy are worth the risk.
When you book the rate, you are supposed to have the basic data on your friend available at check-in for the hotel to verify that you are indeed authorized to use that rate. Generally, if they ask, they ask for:
1) Employee Name
2) Work location
Please consider that, as per T&C, only employee name and location can be requested only at the check in time.
The new code is RHGRFNF
NOTE:
Booking a rate that you're not entitled to book may result in rate adjustments and Club Carlson account freezing.
In general, the rate is €80 per night in Europe.
*These stays post as "Ineligible" - non-qualifying, non-stay, non-points earning ... so, in sum, don't associate a F&F reservation with your Gold Points account, unless elite perks you hope to enjoy are worth the risk.
Carlson Hotels (Radisson) Family & Friends Rate - 2009 - 2017 Thread
Sep 7, 2013, 7:16 am
#1576
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London
Posts: 610
No problems at all Radisson Blu Seaside in Helsinki a few days back.
Sep 8, 2013, 10:04 am
#1577
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: TBD
Posts: 840
SF. ~$80/night vs. the insanely expensive rate SF hotels are charging. Let us know how it works if you go!
Sep 13, 2013, 8:50 am
#1578
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Central Florida, US
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 634
Just today, I made a F&F reservation for March of 2014 at the Santiago, Chile Radisson, so maybe other properties are "open" for 2014 reservations too.
Sep 13, 2013, 1:24 pm
#1579
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 53
2014
Yes, many have started to load their 2014 dates particularly in USA. Chicago marathon Saturday already gone (assuming it was offered to begin with). Re: Santiago - I enjoyed the room at the Petra La Dehesa more than downtown but the downtown location was for sure more convenient. As Gold I was upgraded to a suite both times. Breakfast included.
Sep 16, 2013, 3:10 pm
#1580
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LHR
Programs: M&M,HH Gold,Accor Plat.,Priority Club Plat. Ambassador,Club Carlson Gold,Marriott Gold,GHA Plat.
Posts: 1,627
Yes, many have started to load their 2014 dates particularly in USA. Chicago marathon Saturday already gone (assuming it was offered to begin with). Re: Santiago - I enjoyed the room at the Petra La Dehesa more than downtown but the downtown location was for sure more convenient. As Gold I was upgraded to a suite both times. Breakfast included.
Sep 17, 2013, 2:19 am
#1581
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: ANR
Programs: A3*G, OW Sapphire, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 61
Enjoyed 2 stays in Copenhagen, no questions asked. When I asked if there was a better room available the manager on duty denied my request because of the F&F rate.
In Basel I had more success with upgrades so it seems to depend on the hotel in question and their policy.
In Basel I had more success with upgrades so it seems to depend on the hotel in question and their policy.
Sep 17, 2013, 10:38 am
#1582
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,776
Unlikely to be the Royal (hardly any availability for this rate) so was it Scandinavia or Falconer?
Sep 17, 2013, 1:04 pm
#1583
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: ANR
Programs: A3*G, OW Sapphire, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 61
Indeed, the Royal is unfortunately not so easy to book at this rate. I stayed one night in Scandinavia and one night in Falconer 
So I had the chance to test both hotels. Next time I will not stay again at the Falconer hotel however. Even though the location is better compared to the Scandinavia hotel, both are easily connected with the city centre by metro. The Falconer hotel is in urgent need of an renovation if you ask me, the rooms are just "too 90s".
So I had the chance to test both hotels. Next time I will not stay again at the Falconer hotel however. Even though the location is better compared to the Scandinavia hotel, both are easily connected with the city centre by metro. The Falconer hotel is in urgent need of an renovation if you ask me, the rooms are just "too 90s".
Sep 19, 2013, 1:36 pm
#1584
Join Date: May 2005
Location: munich
Programs: Lufthansa-BA-Ethihad-Turkish Airlines-China Airlines-Oman Air - Hilton - Marriott...
Posts: 65
radisson gewandhaus dresden - saxonia, germany - no question asked upon check in
park inn westminster london this week, booked 2 weeks ago. email from reservation department recieved 2 days bevore arrival asking name and department location of radisson employee - answered prompt no problem at check in
park inn westminster london this week, booked 2 weeks ago. email from reservation department recieved 2 days bevore arrival asking name and department location of radisson employee - answered prompt no problem at check in
Sep 20, 2013, 1:17 am
#1586
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LHR
Programs: M&M,HH Gold,Accor Plat.,Priority Club Plat. Ambassador,Club Carlson Gold,Marriott Gold,GHA Plat.
Posts: 1,627
Sep 20, 2013, 10:30 am
#1587
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,363
Stayed at Radisson Blu MOA, no problems either (stayed a few weeks back).
Sep 27, 2013, 1:51 pm
#1588
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I am finding availability this year at the Radisson Martinique in NYC, but the rate details mention needing employee ID. Strange, as I don't recall ever needing to show employee ID as long as name and work location were provided.
Sep 28, 2013, 6:25 am
#1589
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: 21 mls sw of ABZ
Programs: EK Siver, Dusit Gold, Cycling Proficiency Test, Tufty Club Member and Le Club Accorhotels Platinum
Posts: 312
TLS - no questions asked
Sep 29, 2013, 8:12 am
#1590
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 9
For all of you misusing the F&F benefit
I work as a service manager in radisson and I just want to set the record straight. This rate was never intended for anyone to use whenever they can, that code should only be known to employees - and it should only ever have been booked by someone who currently works for Radisson/Carlson, - this has been open to misuse. It's a staff benefit not a rate for all to use, the same as in all hotel chains.
All off you people who have misused the F&F code and gotten away with it should concider themselfs lucky!
The room is always booked by the employee and all the employees booking the F&F code knows the rules for booking the F&F code. You ALWAYS have to put the email of the hotel you work at and write in the booking your name and what you work as!
If this is not in the booking the hotel has the right to change the price to the best avalible rate.
Alot of you are complaining that the hotel is sending you emails and requiring the correct informasjon. You should just be happy that they are being nice and giving you a second chance to stay at the rate of F&F. If the employee didnt write the correct informasjon in the first place.
The only reason you are getting away with using the F&F benefit is beacuse the person in the reception is new and is not sure of the rules or that the person is lazy and just dosent care.
Where I work we ALWAYS check if the correct informasjon is not in the booking and if you dont respond to the email we will either change the price or wait til you come and always call the hotel and person who is your friend. I have done this many many many times! All the hotels in the same chain nearby do the same thing.
I have heard all different kinds of excuses but I dont care. The employee booking the room knows what will happen if the correct informasjon is not in the booking.
And no employee in their right state of mind would ever book a F&F room without knowing this person well. The employee booking the F&F room is responsible for the person using the room. If anything was to happen and we can not reach the person staying in the room then the employee will be contacted. Say perheps that the room is trashed, the person using the room has broken several things. If we do not get in touch with person who used the room, the employee will have to pay for damages.
The hotel were the employee works will also be contacted and there will be consequences.
All off you people who have misused the F&F code and gotten away with it should concider themselfs lucky!
The room is always booked by the employee and all the employees booking the F&F code knows the rules for booking the F&F code. You ALWAYS have to put the email of the hotel you work at and write in the booking your name and what you work as!
If this is not in the booking the hotel has the right to change the price to the best avalible rate.
Alot of you are complaining that the hotel is sending you emails and requiring the correct informasjon. You should just be happy that they are being nice and giving you a second chance to stay at the rate of F&F. If the employee didnt write the correct informasjon in the first place.
The only reason you are getting away with using the F&F benefit is beacuse the person in the reception is new and is not sure of the rules or that the person is lazy and just dosent care.
Where I work we ALWAYS check if the correct informasjon is not in the booking and if you dont respond to the email we will either change the price or wait til you come and always call the hotel and person who is your friend. I have done this many many many times! All the hotels in the same chain nearby do the same thing.
I have heard all different kinds of excuses but I dont care. The employee booking the room knows what will happen if the correct informasjon is not in the booking.
And no employee in their right state of mind would ever book a F&F room without knowing this person well. The employee booking the F&F room is responsible for the person using the room. If anything was to happen and we can not reach the person staying in the room then the employee will be contacted. Say perheps that the room is trashed, the person using the room has broken several things. If we do not get in touch with person who used the room, the employee will have to pay for damages.
The hotel were the employee works will also be contacted and there will be consequences.
Last edited by planter111; Sep 29, 2013 at 9:57 am
