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
Jun 12, 2014, 11:24 am
#1906
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: uk
Programs: Accor Silver, HHonours Silver, Carlson Gold, BA Blue
Posts: 290
Jun 13, 2014, 3:11 am
#1907
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: London, England
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 3,772
We are family of 5 with 3 small kids . I had some. after a some brief research I had this guys brief details from Google. Name email:. phone number is
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
Jun 15, 2014, 9:11 am
#1908
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: The sky is my home
Programs: Concorde Mach 2 -UAMM- First to Fly A380/B787/B747-8i/FlyingHonu
Posts: 3,029
Looking to use FaF rate at the Radisson Edwardian London Heathrow
My dates July 13 to July 15 (2 nights)
I would really appreciate if one of you can help with a FaF contact that works.
Please contact me via PM.
Anyone have a recent FaF experience at this property?
Thanks a huge lot in advance.
My dates July 13 to July 15 (2 nights)
I would really appreciate if one of you can help with a FaF contact that works.
Please contact me via PM.
Anyone have a recent FaF experience at this property?
Thanks a huge lot in advance.
Jun 15, 2014, 3:05 pm
#1909
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC *P
Posts: 1,812
Looking to use FaF rate at the Radisson Edwardian London Heathrow
My dates July 13 to July 15 (2 nights)
I would really appreciate if one of you can help with a FaF contact that works.
Please contact me via PM.
Anyone have a recent FaF experience at this property?
Thanks a huge lot in advance.
My dates July 13 to July 15 (2 nights)
I would really appreciate if one of you can help with a FaF contact that works.
Please contact me via PM.
Anyone have a recent FaF experience at this property?
Thanks a huge lot in advance.
Jun 15, 2014, 7:10 pm
#1910
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP BA Gold, TK Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AS 100K, QR PLT, SAS Gold, IHG Spire, AMR
Posts: 5,898
We are family of 5 with 3 small kids . I had some. after a some brief research I had this guys brief details from Google. Name Ben Gardeen: Director Public relations.
email:[email protected]. phone number is 763 212 8129
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
email:[email protected]. phone number is 763 212 8129
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
so you scam and BRIBE? Where will you stop? Forging your own Radisson ID card. Good Lord...
Jun 16, 2014, 2:52 am
#1911
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
We are family of 5 with 3 small kids . I had some. after a some brief research I had this guys brief details from Google. Name Ben Gardeen: Director Public relations.
email:[email protected]. phone number is 763 212 8129
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
email:[email protected]. phone number is 763 212 8129
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
Jun 16, 2014, 2:59 am
#1912
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
We are family of 5 with 3 small kids . I had some. after a some brief research I had this guys brief details from Google. Name Ben Gardeen: Director Public relations.
email:[email protected]. phone number is 763 212 8129
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
email:[email protected]. phone number is 763 212 8129
the reception guy asked . Sir do you have any contacts of the FF? as soon as he asked I showed the contact on my Iphone. by the time he was writing I slipped in 20 SF. by the half way he ignored everything and said you have a nice stay and breakfast included. free internet.
Nice Hotel just walk to the hotel from the Airport.2 nights great stay. breakfast alone would cost you over 100 bucks.
All they can ask for is name and work location, not email, phone, etc.
Jun 16, 2014, 11:16 am
#1913
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,203
Zurich hotel comes up frequently as one sending emails to F&F rate bookers seeking for email address or other info.
I have a friend who works for Country Inn and another one who is cashier at TGIF. None of them have email through work but have personal email.
Has Zurich hotel ever contacted using info you provide? (I think my friend will be fine to receive a call at personal email or phone but will be uncomfortable if general hotel number or manager's email is used by Zurich airport hotel to enquire)
This is by the way F&F rate and not employee rate.
Anyone who stayed on this F&F rate at Zurich airport has any data points?
TIA.
I have a friend who works for Country Inn and another one who is cashier at TGIF. None of them have email through work but have personal email.
Has Zurich hotel ever contacted using info you provide? (I think my friend will be fine to receive a call at personal email or phone but will be uncomfortable if general hotel number or manager's email is used by Zurich airport hotel to enquire)
This is by the way F&F rate and not employee rate.
Anyone who stayed on this F&F rate at Zurich airport has any data points?
TIA.
Jun 16, 2014, 12:07 pm
#1914
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC *P
Posts: 1,812
Zurich hotel comes up frequently as one sending emails to F&F rate bookers seeking for email address or other info.
I have a friend who works for Country Inn and another one who is cashier at TGIF. None of them have email through work but have personal email.
Has Zurich hotel ever contacted using info you provide? (I think my friend will be fine to receive a call at personal email or phone but will be uncomfortable if general hotel number or manager's email is used by Zurich airport hotel to enquire)
This is by the way F&F rate and not employee rate.
Anyone who stayed on this F&F rate at Zurich airport has any data points?
TIA.
I have a friend who works for Country Inn and another one who is cashier at TGIF. None of them have email through work but have personal email.
Has Zurich hotel ever contacted using info you provide? (I think my friend will be fine to receive a call at personal email or phone but will be uncomfortable if general hotel number or manager's email is used by Zurich airport hotel to enquire)
This is by the way F&F rate and not employee rate.
Anyone who stayed on this F&F rate at Zurich airport has any data points?
TIA.
Jun 17, 2014, 7:29 am
#1916
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
That really is a non sequitur. The fact that a room booked on an F&F rate is cancelled does not mean that it will reappear as an available room for F&F rate in inventory. Hotels use dynamic pricing and availability a little bit like airlines, and if between the time you booked and the time you cancelled, reservations at that hotel started looking better, the hotel may well have decided to not offer any more F&F rate for some or all of the dates involved. Of course, it also works the other way round, and some times, a hotel might decide to offer multiple rooms at the F&F rate out of the blue without having done so before (and without anyone having necessarily cancelled).
Jun 17, 2014, 7:59 am
#1917
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 50
That really is a non sequitur. The fact that a room booked on an F&F rate is cancelled does not mean that it will reappear as an available room for F&F rate in inventory. Hotels use dynamic pricing and availability a little bit like airlines, and if between the time you booked and the time you cancelled, reservations at that hotel started looking better, the hotel may well have decided to not offer any more F&F rate for some or all of the dates involved. Of course, it also works the other way round, and some times, a hotel might decide to offer multiple rooms at the F&F rate out of the blue without having done so before (and without anyone having necessarily cancelled).
Jun 17, 2014, 1:59 pm
#1918
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,520
That, unfortunately, we do not know. Essentially, releasing rooms for F&F fares is up to each individual hotel. Some never ever do, others do it in advance for entire periods, some for specific days of the week which they know to be weaker for reservations, and some do it in a ad hoc way either very early of very late. I'm afraid certainty and anticipation are not the name of the game, all you can do is decide whether it is worth the risk of waiting for you or not.
Jun 18, 2014, 4:31 pm
#1919
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,203
Based on your suggestion, did search using "ZRH" and found 8 post in last 4-5 years. One of them did confirm that contact from hotel was not initiated.
But given that they have started asking for email and not just name, I thought posting a direct question for recent data-points wouldn't hurt.
I have a business card from friend but that does not have his email and has his hotel's general phone number. So although this is indeed F&F genuine case, I would be hesitant to have his manager answer query from Zurich (It seems that Zurich staff is confused between employee rate and F&F rate)
(BTW, after 14 years on FT, I wouldn't post any questions without doing at least some leg work).
Jun 19, 2014, 10:09 am
#1920
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SMF/SFO
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, Alaska MVP Gold, Mileage Plus Gold, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 11
Update on the ZRH/Zurich Airport property.
Unfortunately I was asked to pay the rack rate (CHF379.-) tonight because they found out.
They would actually contact the hotel/employee and verify.
Upon check in, I was asked to provide contact name, email address and property location.
Late in the afternoon, I got a call from the reception saying that "XXX" said she doesn't know you. Little embarrassed, and yes, I am going to pay the rack rate.
My suggestion is to find contacts in remote properties in non-English speaking countries. Definitely not the ones in US where all the contact information are available.
Unfortunately I was asked to pay the rack rate (CHF379.-) tonight because they found out.
They would actually contact the hotel/employee and verify.
Upon check in, I was asked to provide contact name, email address and property location.
Late in the afternoon, I got a call from the reception saying that "XXX" said she doesn't know you. Little embarrassed, and yes, I am going to pay the rack rate.
My suggestion is to find contacts in remote properties in non-English speaking countries. Definitely not the ones in US where all the contact information are available.