Club Carlson Free Nights

dhermsen

Level 2 Member
Did anyone else happen to get a letter from US Bank giving a free night anywhere in the world for staying a Club Carlson member? My wife and I both got one in the mail today. I've got to admit they have been trying hard to retain their customers. I called when they got rid of the 2-1 nights and got 2500 points a piece. Then last month, they sent both of us another 7500 points as another apology. Now this... Not sure whether or not I should continue to try and ride this out for awhile or not.
 

sriki

Level 2 Member
I did not get any. So, it's a selective thing. I would very strongly recommend to do what you can to maximize this.
 

nickelfish1

Level 2 Member
My husband and I each received a letter today.
I was able to get 7500 bonus pts for me but they wouldn't give hubs any because,"Our lawyers got a hold of it" and they had to stop.
I blew out all our points booking two rooms/3 nights in Iceland and 7 nights in Grenada. We have a paid night in each destination so thinking about applying one to each. I was also on the fence about canceling our cards.
 

Wings

Level 2 Member
I got the letter but my wife did not - Funny thing is I cancelled my card almost 2 months ago (after complaining to exec office and getting annual fee refunded and closing account) and wife's is still active.
 

cheryld

Level 2 Member
Received same letter on all 4 of our accounts(2x pers, 2x bus)! Now just waiting for the emails....
 

jd13

Level 1.75 Member
I got one letter - for my personal account that I closed a couple months ago. Hoping one shows up for my biz account.
 

ElainePDX

Level 2 Member
We have 3 accounts - personal ones for me and my husband, and a business one for him. I know, I should have cancelled at least one, but they keep throwing offers and points our way that I keep delaying until the points post or offer is used.

We got 4 letters - one each re: the personal accounts, and 2 for his business account. The business account is attached to an account number for the business that I have yet to figure out. Now I'm wondering if we'll end up with 2 nights for the business, or just one.

Fact is, any communication we get from US Bank for the bus account comes twice, but I have my doubts this will translate into 2 nights....

Still, 3 nights for free that we can string into a 3 night stay is very nice. They may keep us as customers yet!
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
It took a ton of follow up, but today I finally got a phone call from Heather Palmer, Office of the President, Cardmember Service at US Bank letting me know that my E-Certificate from Club Carlson good for one night's stay at any Carlson Rezidor hotel worldwide would be emailed to me within 6-8 weeks.

I also received an E-Certificate good for one night's stay at any hotel domestically for renewing my card (+40K points) and having spent 10K last year.

So, all in all the phone calls, emails, secure messages were worth it. Sure wish I could have done this for my husband's account as well. Not doing this again.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
It took a ton of follow up, but today I finally got a phone call from Heather Palmer, Office of the President, Cardmember Service at US Bank letting me know that my E-Certificate from Club Carlson good for one night's stay at any Carlson Rezidor hotel worldwide would be emailed to me within 6-8 weeks.
Ah! Just back from a trip to Montana, there was a letter waiting for my wife in response to "her" questioning the allocation of the free night certs. The letter declared that she will be receiving one in the next X weeks. Looks like mission successful there.

I had a voicemail from a Heather at US Bank and I wasn't sure what it was about. They seem to call me to try to sell me stuff AND I have a business card app still pending. But it looks like I know what Heather wants. I will call her promptly today!
 
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knick1959

Level 2 Member
I had a voicemail from a Heather at US Bank and I wasn't sure what it was about. They seem to call me to try to sell me stuff AND I have a business card app still pending. But it looks like I know what Heather ways. I will call her promptly today!
Left a message for Heather ... she did not pick up. My call about the Club Carlson business app that was "under review" couldn't have been easier. 2 questions and I was approved.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
Left a message for Heather ... she did not pick up. My call about the Club Carlson business app that was "under review" couldn't have been easier. 2 questions and I was approved.
Heather and I have been exchanging voice mails for a week. I had given up when she called again on Friday. I am not sure how I missed this call, but I immediately (within 2 minutes) called back with no answer.

In the meantime I got a lengthy letter in the mail from her on Friday. It went on and on about how the card policies work, and how beneficial they are to me even without the last-night-free deal. I read on, expecting to read that I was out of luck on the free night cert. However, in closing, she gave me the option of closing the card and getting my $75 back, or keeping the card open and getting the cert. But I have to confirm this personally, so if I fail to connect by phone tomorrow/Monday, I'll fax a short note accepting the cert.

I'm going to assume success on getting this cert. And while we're still waiting, my wife's cert has also been promised. So, looks like we're 2 for 2 for asking "nicely" via email/secure message.

I was tempted to cancel my personal card (having just netted a business card and planning on keep my wife's), but I'm ok keeping it now. For a year. I was a bit concerned about closing it anyway with 2 upcoming reservations for which status provided by the card would come in handy. Now I don't have to worry :).
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
Left a message for Heather ... she did not pick up. My call about the Club Carlson business app that was "under review" couldn't have been easier. 2 questions and I was approved.
I never did make direct contact with Heather. I ended up leaving a voicemail indicating that the free cert would make me happy and I would not cancel. After a few days, I was making a mental plan to type up a short note to that effect to fax to her (per the instructions on the letter). However, a certificate did show up on my online account. So I was happy.

W-w-w-w-wait. Isn't the new deal that you get a free night cert for any US lower-cat property each year when renewing? Did I just get THAT, or is this a real free night anywhere cert? I see no restrictions. Whatever the case, I'm still missing a certificate, right?. But which one??? Here is what I have:
ecert.PNG

Who has gotten the new generic US-based free night cert? How long does it typically take to show up. Thinking about it, perhaps I'm just being a bit too anxious. My 40k anniversary bonus has yet to show up.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
I never did make direct contact with Heather. I ended up leaving a voicemail indicating that the free cert would make me happy and I would not cancel. After a few days, I was making a mental plan to type up a short note to that effect to fax to her (per the instructions on the letter). However, a certificate did show up on my online account. So I was happy.

W-w-w-w-wait. Isn't the new deal that you get a free night cert for any US lower-cat property each year when renewing? Did I just get THAT, or is this a real free night anywhere cert? I see no restrictions. Whatever the case, I'm still missing a certificate, right?. But which one??? Here is what I have:
View attachment 2688

Who has gotten the new generic US-based free night cert? How long does it typically take to show up. Thinking about it, perhaps I'm just being a bit too anxious. My 40k anniversary bonus has yet to show up.
OK, so I got my 40K (took quite awhile to post - at least a month) and my free cert for spending 10K. I got the same letter you did and actually did make phone contact with my contact. I was told I was getting the "anywhere in the world one night cert too but it is still not in my account, nor have I received that email. I was told it would take 6-8 weeks and probably show up in the account before I received the email. I somehow found a way to figure out that the cert I got was the U.S. cert. I no longer remember how. Think I put the cert number in somewhere and it gave me more details.

For the record, my husband also has the card and has gotten absolutely nothing. He hasn't called or messaged and so essentially you have to do all this to get anything. It is not good.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
OK, so I got my 40K (took quite awhile to post - at least a month) and my free cert for spending 10K.
Then I'm messed up ... it's a free US night but only after spending 10k? Hmmm ... even with my previous slow-motion monthly MS on 2 NW Buxx cards, I should have done that. First, I'll check to make sure I met the spend. Then I'll be a bit more patient on the second cert. But I AM off to see if I can find the "more info" you found. Thanks.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Then I'm messed up ... it's a free US night but only after spending 10k? Hmmm ... even with my previous slow-motion monthly MS on 2 NW Buxx cards, I should have done that. First, I'll check to make sure I met the spend. Then I'll be a bit more patient on the second cert. But I AM off to see if I can find the "more info" you found. Thanks.
I just went back into the website and I can no longer find what the terms and conditions of my certificate are. I know I found it was the U.S. one, which is why I called about the "world" one. But now, I cannot figure out a way to do it. Hope they didn't switch my U.S. to the world one. Surely not. At any rate, if you figure out how to verify the T & C's let me know. It is not user friendly at all! They tell you if you cannot get your e-cert to book to check the T & C's, but how?
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
I just went back into the website and I can no longer find what the terms and conditions of my certificate are. I know I found it was the U.S. one, which is why I called about the "world" one. But now, I cannot figure out a way to do it. Hope they didn't switch my U.S. to the world one. Surely not. At any rate, if you figure out how to verify the T & C's let me know. It is not user friendly at all! They tell you if you cannot get your e-cert to book to check the T & C's, but how?
Well, I poked around and didn't see any more info than what I pasted before. However, I went ahead and looked to book the Mayfair in London and one of 2 hotels in Lima, Peru ... places we've stayed before on points. Discouraging:
mayfair.PNG
Lima.PNG
The Mayfair is obviously an expensive place, the 2 in Lima hotels are ok, but not snotty at all. Yet my 100% free cert won't work, so it obviously isn't a "worldwide" version. So I still can't claim success with either of my cards!
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
Well, I poked around and didn't see any more info than what I pasted before. However, I went ahead and looked to book the Mayfair in London and one of 2 hotels in Lima, Peru ... places we've stayed before on points. Discouraging:
View attachment 2689
View attachment 2690
The Mayfair is obviously an expensive place, the 2 in Lima hotels are ok, but not snotty at all. Yet my 100% free cert won't work, so it obviously isn't a "worldwide" version. So I still can't claim success with either of my cards!
OK, so my guess is that you have the U.S. certificate. I got that BEFORE the 40K posted. Then I contacted them to say, "Where is my world cert?" To which I got that same huge letter and then made phone contact and was promised another certificate in 6-8 weeks. Still developing...
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
OK, so my guess is that you have the U.S. certificate. I got that BEFORE the 40K posted. Then I contacted them to say, "Where is my world cert?" To which I got that same huge letter and then made phone contact and was promised another certificate in 6-8 weeks. Still developing...
That matches perfectly with what I now know. I don't have my 40k ... yet. And I guess I'm still waiting the same 6-8 weeks for the WW cert.
 

Voyaging Doc

Level 2 Member
Well, I poked around and didn't see any more info than what I pasted before. However, I went ahead and looked to book the Mayfair in London and one of 2 hotels in Lima, Peru ... places we've stayed before on points. Discouraging:
View attachment 2689
View attachment 2690
The Mayfair is obviously an expensive place, the 2 in Lima hotels are ok, but not snotty at all. Yet my 100% free cert won't work, so it obviously isn't a "worldwide" version. So I still can't claim success with either of my cards!
So I did the same thing you did and got that error on all of my searches.
I then went hunting for that old email from carlson and there's another step that I didn't do

"3. Enter the Promotional Code: USBANKEC"

So I went back to the reservation search and inputted both the E-Cert Code AND the Promotional code fields and now all my searches shows $0 bookable rates with the e-cert, BUT I still get that error "Your E-Cert is not available for the requested stay." Regardless, I am still able to go through with booking. See attached image


This e-cert totally made the card worth it if i can stay at these aspirational locations
 

Attachments

knick1959

Level 2 Member
"3. Enter the Promotional Code: USBANKEC"
Thanks. I'm not getting the same results trying to use that promo code (entering cert# AND promo code). They still want to charge me full price or full points, going all the way to the "enter your card info" screen. I tried it a couple of times. This would indicate to me that I really do only have the US-only cert at this time. Will wait as patiently as possible.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
My Global Free Night just posted on my Club Carlson account. It is totally separate from the other cert.

Already had this cert: Club Carlson Visa Free Night-September 2015

Now also have this one: Club Carlson Visa Global Free Night-October 2015
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Yep - my global night just posted, probably another somewhere.. in the SO account..
 

ElainePDX

Level 2 Member
We really lucked out and ended up with 5 free nights across 2 personal and 1 bus accts. Four are global; one is domestic.

I just used the domestic e-cert to round out 6 night in NOLA the week before Xmas - one paid night, one e-cert, and four awards nights booked before the change in terms, so we paid points for only 2 of those 4. Now to see if I can BRG that paid night ;) ....but that's a project for next month! Not bad!

And yup, we'll eventually close some of these accounts, but the way they are throwing points and nights at us, I am frankly in no hurry to do so.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
We really lucked out and ended up with 5 free nights across 2 personal and 1 bus accts. Four are global; one is domestic.

I just used the domestic e-cert to round out 6 night in NOLA the week before Xmas - one paid night, one e-cert, and four awards nights booked before the change in terms, so we paid points for only 2 of those 4. Now to see if I can BRG that paid night ;) ....but that's a project for next month! Not bad!

And yup, we'll eventually close some of these accounts, but the way they are throwing points and nights at us, I am frankly in no hurry to do so.
How did you get four global? with three accounts? Do tell...
 

ElainePDX

Level 2 Member
How did you get four global? with three accounts? Do tell...
2 global on H's Bus acct
1 global on my Pers acct
1 global on his Pers acct

No clue other than we called to complain twice - the first time we were offered and took some points, only to learn others were getting more points. So we called again and they gave us more points. But then you'd think we'd have 2 global each on the Pers accts.

Maybe they gave more certs to Bus accts or took the second complaint call more seriously since it was a Bus acct....

Or maybe just some lucky hiccup?
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
2 global on H's Bus acct
1 global on my Pers acct
1 global on his Pers acct

No clue other than we called to complain twice - the first time we were offered and took some points, only to learn others were getting more points. So we called again and they gave us more points. But then you'd think we'd have 2 global each on the Pers accts.

Maybe they gave more certs to Bus accts or took the second complaint call more seriously since it was a Bus acct....

Or maybe just some lucky hiccup?
So random! I called several times and secure messaged. My husband never called. We both have the personal card. He got nothing. I got a couple thousand points and a global cert. I also got a domestic cert, but I think that was for spending 10K on the card last year.
 
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