7 Sweet Spot Redemptions for Radisson Rewards Points

The Radisson hotel loyalty program offers a points-earning system that can earn you hotel stays in properties around the world. Its redemptions, coupled with valuable elite status and relatively low fees, make it one of the best hotel loyalty programs out there.

But for loyalty members with points to spend on free hotel rooms, some properties are even better than others. That’s because they tend to offer great points redemptions, meaning the value of the points required to book is far less than the same price you’d pay in cash.

How we find sweet spots

NerdWallet values Radisson points at 0.8 cent each.

To show you how many points you need for a night at any property, Radisson publishes a handy chart that divides its hotels into five categories. A standard room at a lowest-category property is 15,000 points per night. A standard room at a swanky Category 5 property (that's the highest Radisson hotel category) costs 75,000 points. Or you can pay more points for a premium room.

When cash rates far exceed $90 for a Category 1, or they’re well north of $450 for Category 5, that would be considered a sweet spot.

You can use our Radisson points value calculator to see if the hotel you’re considering might qualify as a sweet spot. But if you’ve got points to your name and you’re seeking inspiration for future travels and want to find the best use of Radisson points, here are some ideas.

High-value Radisson stays to book with points

Asia Pacific

Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu

The Radisson Blu Bali Uluwatu features stunning pools, Balinese decor and landscaped gardens, creating the perfect escape for peace and relaxation. You’ll pay 75,000 points per night for a standard room at this Category 5 property, the only option for a Radisson Rewards redemption at this destination.

» Learn more: Great new Radisson hotels to check out

The Americas

Radisson Hotel New York Midtown-Fifth Avenue

The Radisson Hotel New York Midtown-Fifth Avenue is not cheap at 75,000 points, but in a city where paid rates skyrocket at busy times, Radisson Rewards members can get a great value at this address. You don’t pay more points for a standard room when the cash price goes up. This means that when hotel rates are high, a 75,000-point-per-night room at this Category 5 property can come in handy.

Radisson Hotel Niagara Falls-Grand Island

Perhaps you extend your New York trip and head north to Niagara Falls. Booking the Radisson Hotel Niagara Falls-Grand Island on points is one of the best values in the hotel’s loyalty program.

Located on the banks of the upper Niagara River, you’re a 20-minute drive from the Niagara Falls State Park visitor center in one direction and 20 minutes from the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in the other direction. Room rates exceed $200 during the peak summer season, but this Category 1 hotel can be booked for just 15,000 points.

Europe

The May Fair, Radisson Collection, London

The May Fair in London is a Category 5 property with a standard room costing 75,000 points per night. As the first hotel in England to join Radisson Collection, the premium lifestyle brand for Radisson, this represents solid value in a city with notoriously high prices for upscale accommodations.

If you’re visiting around London Fashion Week, make your reservations early. The May Fair is the official hotel of the event and books up quickly.

» Learn more: Which Radisson credit card do I choose?

Radisson Collection Hotel, Moscow

A tourist attraction in its own right for its Soviet architecture and panoramic rooftop restaurant, the Category 4 Radisson Collection Hotel, Moscow offers a unique experience. Also known as Hotel Ukraina, its former name, this 649-foot-tall Radisson Collection member is the tallest hotel in all of Russia and Europe and one of the “Seven Sisters” — a group of seven skyscrapers built in the Stalinist style.

Comfortable rooms boast high ceilings and great views, but it’s the public areas that are especially palatial in design. Don’t miss the beautiful diorama of Moscow on display in the lobby. Many tourists stop by to visit and snap photos since the hotel appears in many guidebooks. A standard room costs 60,000 points.

Middle East and Africa

Radisson RED Cape Town, South Africa

Located in the vibrant V&A Waterfront area of Cape Town, Radisson RED Cape Town is extremely popular both for its location and its impressive art collection displayed throughout the property. This stylish design hotel offers standard rooms for 45,000 points per night.

Radisson Blu Abidjan Airport, Côte d'Ivoire

Surprised to see this one? Here’s why the Radisson Blu Abidjan Airport is a great sweet spot. Radisson has a strong presence across the African continent, and in many cities, it is among the most respected hotel brands. In Abidjan, hotel rooms are typically around $200. This Radisson Blu is a Category 3 hotel, meaning a standard room costs 45,000 points. That’s not a steal compared with the cash rates, but when cash prices go higher, the points rate stays the same.

You’ll find Radisson properties all over the African continent in cities like N’Djamena, Chad; Libreville, Gabon; Tripoli, Libya; Maputo, Mozambique; Niamey, Niger; Freetown, Sierra Leone; and many others. Even the highest Category 7 Radisson hotel can save both cash and peace of mind when you stay with a well-known brand.

How to earn Radisson points

Want to build your points balance so you can book one of these sweet spots?

You’ll earn Radisson points primarily by staying at Radisson hotels, and you can earn even more Radisson points through other means including booking with Radisson’s car rental partners or shopping with Radisson's online retail partners. If you’re an elite member in the Radisson Rewards program, you earn bonus points on earnings from your stays — as high as 35 points per dollar if you have the highest tier of elite status.

Photos courtesy of Radisson.