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Radisson Rewards has been forced to split itself into two different programmes – one for the Americas, and one for the rest of the world. As part of that process, they have also decided to ‘simplify’ the award categories.

“(I)n June, to deliver a more localized experience, you will be a member of the Radisson Rewards program that will be dedicated to our members who travel throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

In June, you can begin taking advantage of program enhancements designed to make redeeming Award Night stays easier and more accessible…

We believe that simpler is better when it comes to redeeming your points. That’s why we’re reducing the number of hotel categories from seven down to five. Additionally, a new, simplified point structure uses increments of 15,000 points, making it easier to track your progress toward redeeming Award Night stays.”

If the word “enhancements” in relation to a loyalty programme has you worried, you’d normally be right. It generally means that your hard-earned points are going to be worth less. To see if that’s the case this time, I thought it would be useful to take a look at how the changes impact award pricing here in the UK.

For context, the current Radisson Rewards categories are as follows:

From June, the categories will be:

• Category 1: 15,000 points per night
• Category 2: 30,000 points per night
• Category 3: 45,000 points per night
• Category 4: 60,000 points per night
• Category 5: 75,000 points per night

For each of the hotels below, the current award price is listed first, followed by the new price. I’ve also put the difference in brackets to make things clear.

London & South

More expensive:

• Radisson London Heathrow: 38,000 – 45,000 (7,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Red London Heathrow: 38,000 – 45,000 (7,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)
• Park Plaza London Park Royal: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)
• Park Plaza London Waterloo: 50,000 – 60,000 (10,000 more expensive)
• Park Plaza London Riverbank 50,000 – 60,000 (10,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt: 50,000 – 60,000 (10,000 more expensive)
• Park Plaza Victoria: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Park Plaza County Hall: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Park Plaza Westminster Bridge: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Bloomsbury Street: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)

• Radisson Blu Edwardian Berkshire: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Kenilworth: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Sussex: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Hampshire: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• The May Fair: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Holmes Hotel: 70,000 – 75,000 (5,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Bristol: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)
• Henrietta House, Bath: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)

Cheaper:

• Radisson Blu London Stansted Airport: 38,000 –  30,000 (8,000 cheaper)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian New Providence Wharf: 70,000 – 60,000 (10,000 cheaper)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Grafton: 70,000 – 60,000 (10,000 cheaper)
• Park Inn: Southend-On-Sea: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)

Midlands

More expensive:

• Park Inn Peterborough: 28,000 –  30,000 (2,000 more expensive)
• Park Inn Northampton: 28,000 – 30,000 (2,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu East Midlands Airport: 38,000 – 45,000 (7,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Blu Birmingham: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)

Cheaper:

• Park Inn Birmingham Walsall: 28,000 – 15,000 (13,000 cheaper)
• Park Plaza Nottingham: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)

North

More expensive:

• Radisson Blu Leeds: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)

Cheaper:

• Radisson Blu Liverpool: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)
• Park Inn York: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)
• Radisson Blu Durham: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)
• Park Plaza Leeds: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)
• Park Inn Manchester: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)
• Radisson Blu Manchester Airport: 50,000 – 45,000 (5,000 cheaper)
• The Edwardian, Manchester: 70,000 – 60,000 (10,000 cheaper)

Northern Ireland

More expensive:

• Radisson Blu Belfast: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)

Cheaper

• Park Inn Belfast: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)

Wales

More expensive:

• Park Inn Cardiff City Centre: 28,000 – 30,000 (2,000 more expensive)
•  Park Plaza Cardiff: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)

Cheaper:

• Radisson Blu Cardiff: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)

Scotland

More expensive:

• Radisson Blu Glasgow: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)
• Radisson Red Glasgow: 44,000 – 45,000 (1,000 more expensive)

Cheaper:

• Park Inn Aberdeen: 28,000 – 15,000 (13,000 cheaper)
• Park Inn Glasgow: 38,000 – 30,000 (8,000 cheaper)
• Radisson Blu Edinburgh City Centre: 70,000 – 60,000 (10,000 cheaper)
• Radisson Collection Royal Mile Edinburgh: 70,000 – 60,000 (10,000 cheaper)

If you want to take a look at what the new award pricing will be at hotels elsewhere, you can find the full list here.

Bottom line

Outside of London, where most of the best hotels have gone up 5,000 points, I think the changes actually work out pretty well. In almost every UK city where Radisson has a hotel (Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, York, Durham, Nottingham), there is now at least one centrally-located option that will require fewer points in future.

In particular, the range of properties that will cost 30,000 points, rather than the current 38,000, are certainly worth bearing in mind. Cash rates at hotels in cities like Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and York can get very expensive sometimes, especially on Saturday nights. If you value Radisson Rewards Points at about 0.35p each, that would make redeeming 30,000 a good deal when cash rates are north of ~£105.

What do you think of the new award pricing?