Radisson EBG/EBS upgrades - do they really exist?
 

Hi all. I got a question about the Radisson SAS roomupgrades for EBG and EBS members. I travel once a week from ARN to OSL and sometimes ARN to CPH. I always stay at the Scandinavia (OSL) and Royal (CPH). This year I got some 15-20 nigths and every time when we make the reservation I ask for the EBG-upgrade at both reservation and check in. I never got a positive response... always the "I'm sorry, we don't have anything availble..."
My question is. Do the upgrades really exist or is it just on the "perks" info page for EBG and EBS? Is there a magic trick or what?

Thanx.

Join the line over here...:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486853

My sample size is admittedly small, but I've gotten upgraded two times out of two when staying on awards, and zero out of one when paying. Radisson Plaza HEL and Radisson Royal BRU bumped me up to the executive floor; Radisson Nydalen OSL didn't (although I'm not sure they even have one?). I suspect it's harder to get upgrades in Norway/Sweden/Denmark because there are so many EBGs there...

My experience was very bad - I got an upgrade only very rarely and eventually I changed to Hilton. I have heard stories that some of the people get upgrade all the time with Radisson SAS as EBG but my experience wasn't like that and eventually I got the hint :D

I have a pretty good hit rate on the EBG upgrades with Radisson SAS. I love paying the $90 or so rate for the internet offer in PEK that they sometimes have and then get upgraded to their Royal Club floor - 100% hit rate on that one.

Radisson SAS hotels seem to recognise the card more often than the "regular" Radisson hotels, although they're reasonably friendly in Shanghai. I'll be staying there again for a few days next week, so let's see.

What I normally do is that I write them and let them know that I'll be staying with them under reservation so-and-so and that I am an "EBG customer which, I believe, brings certain advantages when staying in your hotel".

I never write that I am entitled to anything, only that I'd appreciate it if they could note this in the reservation. I then bring it up during check-in and it usually works for me. YMMV.

Never been upgraded at a Radisson in Europe though, and never when staying for points.

Henlikha

My experiences are pretty good.

Just two weeks ago I got my last business class room upgrade which nicely also came with free breakfast (worth 20 EUR). Not too bad for my internet rate el cheapo.

I've also had quite good luck in Radisson SAS Langsheng hotel in Shanghai. Twice I was upgraded to a business category room with our a nego price of 60 euros. It was just showing up the SK*S card and being firm that we have these priviledges. ^ The whole floor carpets were just amazingly nice texturized and the view... Once I even got a coupon for a Tsing Tao beer in lobby bar.

Ha ha, once, after consuming a rather large amount of beer with some colleagues in the UFO (or whatever) bar at the top of the hotel, they gave me a VIP card! :p

I now feel very important even though all it gives me is a 15% discount on their already overpriced drinks....

Henlikha

I don´t care about the supposed benefits anymore. I stay with Hilton, offer something with Priceline or stay at InterContinental and buy the Ambassador status. They´re all worth more than what I´ve had at RadissonSAS´s. :td:

In the past year I gotten upgraded 3 out of 4 times - all of them to a suite - and all of them on a reward booking. Only unsuccessfull ones was in Stockholm (the Strand). Have one comming up in Bruxelles next month - cross my fingers for that one two.

This is still the situation for me
 

Hotel benefits...
Hi! I have very good experience with my EBG-membership when i comes to hotels. I use the airport hotel next to the therminal at OSL (SAS Radisson). I think that i´ve got a busineclass room about 95 precent of the times i´ve stayed there. And i visit the hotel about 15 times each year!


:)

My experience is that they happen, but I never arrive expecting one. Still, I almost always walk away from the desk, puzzled, if I don't get one ;))

I am at 100% when using reward. about 8 stays now.

When paying it is about 50%. about 15 stays last 2 years.

Mainly stay with Hiltons and Marriotts now.

AMS airport is bad location but hotel ok and they have a middle class that they upgrade to, so they are 3 room class property.

I have more problem getting the 6 pm check-outs that are 'as available' they never give check-out later than 3pm.

The Strand appears to be the worst about upgrades and I will never stay there again because of the attitude of the staff. I found an offer while on flight to ARN and cancelled my other reservation, arrived around 11 am and first could not find my reservation and then they refused check-in as "we do not have a room now in the class you have booked" Waited an hour while they checked in at least 5 rooms.

The room was ok but she went as far to say that all double rooms were booked as my reservation was for only one person. I went on the net in the room and booked a double room for that night and went down to show her that they were still selling online. She of course did nothing.

I did get a 3 pm check-out arranged for the next day. The problem was that at 13.20 a maid opened my door and said I would have to leave (I had do-not disturb sign out and no call even prior). I called desk and they said that of course I could stay, but she had already disturbed my sleep. In his apology when I was checking out early he then went on to say that they needed just that room for another booking as they were sold out that night.

Well. I went up to the room and booked a room at the same rate I had for that night. I went down to the desk and showed him and he got a little flustered. I guess I could have demanded a room or that they walk me to another hotel and pay but I just cancelled it.

As I was being sent out into the rain to move to another hotel he offered to pay for a taxi. I refused and said I was not looking for freeby but that they should treat future guests better.

This was my treatment as a EBG.

Dissapointing. When I lived in Stockholm I was a frequent paid guest at their brunch and the hotel is really quite ok.

My experience is that I usually get bumped up one category at Oslo Plaza, which have three classes of rooms. For work stays I prefer not to get a business class room, as there is one thing that annoys the living daylights out fo me with the setup in the room; the chair, striaght metal legs down into a carpet. That chair isn't moving anywhere once it sets into the carpet.

Other than that I've stayed at Beitostølen recently, nothing special. Oslo Airport upgraded me once in maybe 5 stays.

I never ask for any favour and I certainly never demand anything, primarily because many of the explanations given are so thin that I'd rather avoid getting myself riled up at being served an obvious lie....

-A

I have had some luck. In Vienna and Helsinki I got suites. In Gothenburg a room at the Royal floor (?) and have got business class rooms at some hotels (Helsinki and Brussels comes to mind).

Amsterdam wanted me to pay for an upgrade (125€). On bonus stays the result has been about 50% upgrades.

Well, that hotel is exceptional, it's pretty much the only hotel that does what it's supposed to when it comes to EBG upgrades. The only outstanding hotel in the chain is Radisson SAS Bodø. 100% upgrade success on both these hotels for me!

With both EBG and gold with Radisson SAS own loyalty program, I only have about 30% upgrades on other Radisson SAS hotels since we discussed this last..

You can't just switch to Hilton if you travel mostly in Scandinavia, there's only one hotel.... (most Scandic hotels are crap and offer no upgrades)

Just to clarify, there are no upgrade perks for EBS

Well, there are upgrades at Scandic. It only happens to be that their rooms in general are small and tiny, and you won't really see the upgrade. :)

I lived at the Scandic Prinsen in Trondheim, and after arriving in my room, which was small, and housed little more than the 120cm wide bed I called the reception to ask what this was all about. Answer was that the standard room had 90cm beds, and hence this was an upgrade. I could get a double room if I wanted, but those had two separate small beds, so the receptionist didn't expect me to desire that... :D

Thanks for the reminder - I have been trying to figure out what I am going to miss next year. So I better stay off the Radisson SASs then ...

Checked in at Radisson Falconer (CPH) last night and will stay 4 nights - upgrades - no way, no way... :td: :td:

Using my standard M.O., wrote them in advance and then at check-in politely asked for - and got - an upgrade to a deluxe room here in the the Radisson (not even a Radisson SAS) here in Shanghai last night. Not a problem.

Henlikha

So what does this mean:

Radisson Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
• Double occupancy in a double room at normal single-room rate
• Room upgrade in same room category, when available
• Late check-out, when available
• Priority on waiting-list

Can be found on SK/S benefits page.

Does *A gold work for upgrades?

No it is only for SAS Eurobonus Gold/Silver since Radisson SAS is partly owned by SAS (as you can probably figure out from the name).

Btw I managed three (I think) EBG upgrades on my recent round the world trip, not bad!

Thanks. I thought so, but asked in the forlorn hope that I was wrong. I need to book a room in Finland and was thinking of doing it at the SAS Radisson hotel there.

While I really do like many of the SAS Radissons the fact that upgrades are rare is only one issue. Upgrades only mean sometimes a little larger room, or a room with a fancy coffee machine in it. I like that all of their hotels have free in-room broadband though in all rooms.

I am for instance in Cologne now where they have a great Radisson SAS but it is little out of way. I choose the Marriott where my status was yet again successful in securing an upgrade to exec level. and that means lounge access with free breakfast buffet, cocktails and food in evening and snacks and drinks 24 hours. Radisson does not have lounges and though.

One suggestion is to write in comments someting like. "__ star gold, upgrade if available"

In the past 12 months I have stayed at five different Radisson SAS - and got the upgrade in four of them - the only that missed out (and the only one I did not contact prior to arrival to request the upgrade was Strand in Stockholm).

Ans do remember it is an upgrade - and is the case with most upgrades - expect nothing and then be pleasantly surprised. Upgrades are not entitlements

My track record from Radisson in Stockholm is that I get an upgrade about 50% of the time.

However for the last 6 or 7 years during about 4-5 separate stays per year I have always got movies for free regardless of class of room until last week when I got charged for movies for the first time ever. :mad:

Anyone else have the same experience?

Had it 3 weeks ago in Bruxelles :td:

Tried showing my EBG card at lot's of Radisson sas hotels. Never been upgraded or given any other type of recognition. Stayed in a lot of Norwegian Radison SAS properties, and nothing. Outside of scandinavia it doesent look like they even know what Eurobonus it is. Stayed in Szecin Poland. I paid for all 7 rooms in my group and no upgrade or recognition at all. RadissonSAS in Sochi Russia they thought it was a discount card and said they did not give any discounts. it does not work at all. RadissonSAS is my definetly last choice of hotel if I have a choice. With Starwood and Hilton H they at least try to make you feel special.

Pretty much the same experience - I have received some random upgrades from time to time but never they have made me feel anything special like they at least do in Hilton.

I am staying in Radisson SAS only if my employer books me into Radisson SAS or there is something unique in the hotel (e.g., acquarium in the middle of Radisson SAS Berlin).

Upgrades at Radisson
 

I get upgraded 9 times out of 10 at Radisson SAS hotels (Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Stansted) but I always show my gold card when checking in and ask if they can upgrade me to a business class room due to my Gold card.

In UK or mainaland Europe they usually do not know about this and have to check with their managers.

So I guess I am one of the lucky ones....

Radisson Edwardian UK
 

After reading different threads regarding EBG benefits at hotels, I wasn't very optimistic before staying at a Radisson Edwardian in the UK lately.

A few days before my arrival, I sent the hotel an e-mail asking them to add my EBG-number to my reservation, and at the same time I asked whether my EBG-status would give me any extra privileges at the hotel (knowing very well that SAS EuroBonus tries to convince members that it actually gives you benefits: http://www.flysas.com/en/EuroBonus/m...s/Gold/Hotels/ ). I got the following reply from the hotel's reservation manager:

"I have looked into your other query regarding the entitlements, and with Radisson Edwardian you are only able to collect points with us."

So, who's wrong? Radisson or SAS EuroBonus? Either way, it's just a joke that SAS EuroBonus claims to offer Gold-benefits at a whole range of hotel chains, when half of the hotels don't even know what EuroBonus is... :rolleyes:

Let me just add that I never show up at a hotel expecting to be upgraded, but when the hotel says that EBG = no benefits - in stark contrast to SAS EuroBonus' own promises - it does make me a little bit annoyed.

One can only start to wonder what will happen once the SAS-name is removed from all Radisson hotels (which, by the way, is a done deal: http://www.aftenposten.no/reise/nyhe...cle2573060.ece - Norwegian only). My guess is that once the reservation/reception staff that worked under the SAS-name has left the job, the old Radisson SAS-hotels will be like any other EuroBonus partner hotel; "What is this card? EuroBonus? Never heard of it."

Finally, according to SAS' website, I'll earn 500 basic points per night. I don't believe it until the points are posted in my account... ;)

mostly yes. i stayed at the Radisson in Budapest and pay for a standard room and every time i get the royal suite ^

As Radisson SAS is dropping the SAS name now (they sold their share last year), will this have an effect on EBG upgrades?

I had this with Radisson Edwardian in London last year. At the hotel, they next to implied I was trying to cheat them when I asked about the possibility for a late check-out based on EBG... also said there would be no points. Against my habits, I actually send a complaint to their customer service, where they apologised for the rude service etc, offered some useless compensation (like a room upgrade next time, to which I should have been entitled to anyway), and reconfirmed that only their own programme would give points (also they confused EuroBonus with something completely different, don't remember exactly what any more.)

However, after their reply, I simply sent the receipt to EB retro-claims, and within a couple of weeks, received my 2500 basic points without problem.

Wirelessly posted (Nokia E71: Opera/9.50 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.1.11355/546; U; en))

I had a funny experience at the Radisson Oslo Plaza similar to yours; I asked very politely if they had any available upgrades for EBGs and before I was able to show my card she asked me to elaborate om what kind of employee discount I was talking about. Cute. :)

Hello!

As some of you have mentioned, Radisson Edwardian hotels are really bad at offering perks to EBG:s, when I ask about it, they usually don´t know anything about it, but when I show a printout from SAS website it works sometimes after asking the duty manager.

When I stayed at Radisson SAS Plaza in Oslo in May, they gave me an upgrade, but said at the same time that they are starting to "downgrade" EBG:s in favor of Goldpoints plus Gold.

BR
/Patrik

Hello!

I wrote to Customer Relations about the Recognitions of EBG:s at Radisson Edwardian, that they don´t know anything about it, that we don´t have any perks (according to them), etc...

Here is the answer (translated by me):
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Patrik, and thank you for your letter!

I thank you for writing a mail and express your point of view to us.

Your views as a frequent traveller at SAS are of greatest importance to us, and I have forwarded your mail to the person responsible for relations towards Radisson Edwardian hotels.

If you have any questions or comments you are more than welcome to contact me.

Best Regards
X.X
Supervisor
Customer Relations

No comps in Nordic cities
 

I recently switched to the SAS hotels from Scandic since they left the HHonors program.

Not in one of my stays have I experienced my EBG status giving me any benefits. For the record I've stayed in Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm at SAS Radisson hotels so far this year.

I think they also have some GoldPoint program... wonder if that is the same as TGIFriday's had in the US, I am a point millionaire with that program - and now TGIFriday's just discontinued it earlier this year / bummer.

Was upgraded in Radisson Scandianvia Oslo this month. Using Eurobonus points for hotel booking, I showed EBG card at check-in and was upgraded to business class room without asking. Very nice too!