Radisson Hotels#Radisson Blu

In 1907, Edna Dickerson came to Minneapolis, Minnesota, from Chicago to collect a substantial inheritance.Jack El-Hai, Lost Minnesota: Stories of Vanished Places (University of Minnesota Press, 2000) p. 48."Back in 1909, the Radisson was the 'jewel' of 7th St.", Minneapolis Star Tribune (November 1, 1981), Architecture, p. 10, 14. Local business leaders persuaded her to build a hotel in the city, with Dickerson investing $1.5 million in the construction of the first Radisson hotel. It was planned as a high-end luxury hotel, designed in the French Renaissance architecture style,"Architecture Is Taken From French Renaissance Period", Minneapolis Star Tribune (December 15, 1909), p. 10. and constructed with "the best in every line" of paints, enamels, woodwork, and wood finishes,"Merit Always Wins: The Radisson Hotel Will Use the Best Materials in Construction and Finish", Minneapolis Star Tribune (May 8, 1909), p. 11. and named after the 17th-century French explorer, ranger, and furrier Pierre-Esprit Radisson, cofounder of the Hudson's Bay Company.{{cite web |url=http://www.radisson.com/section/aboutus.story/aboutus.sidemenus |title=Radisson About us |publisher=Radisson |access-date=2009-02-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328192652/http://www.radisson.com/section/aboutus.story/aboutus.sidemenus |archive-date=2009-03-28}} The building was sixteen stories, making it the second-tallest building in Minneapolis at the time. As the opening neared, reports boasted of hand-carved walnut furnishings in guest rooms and Spanish leather chairs in the main lobby and banquet hall."Furnishings Are Rich for the Radisson Hotel", Minneapolis Star Tribune (October 17, 1909), p. 7. The hotel opened on Wednesday, December 15, 1909, with many of the staff having been hired from large hotels on the Eastern seaboard, and being new to the city of Minneapolis."Radisson Hotel Opening Is Set for Wednesday", Minneapolis Star Tribune (December 12, 1909), p. 14. The opening was followed shortly thereafter by a charity ball for the city being held at the hotel."Plans for Charity Ball", Minneapolis Star Tribune (September 19, 1909), p. 13. In an early hotel incident the following month, six waiters from New York were fired, allegedly "because the Eastern waiters could not get accustomed to the Western ways", with three of them being thrown out "into the street before they would leave"."Waiters Cast Into Street", Minneapolis Star Tribune (January 11, 1910), p. 7.

Dickerson and her husband, attorney Simon Kruse, lived on the hotel's thirteenth floor and managed the hotel, also opening a Radisson Inn on Christmas Lake, in the Minneapolis suburb of Excelsior. They remained for twenty-five years, until 1934, when the Radisson fell into the hands of a mortgage company. In the mid- and late-1940s, pianist Liberace "gained national exposure through his performance contracts with the Statler and Radisson" hotels.James Gilbert Ryan, Leonard C. Schlup, Historical Dictionary of the 1940s (2015), p. 227. Another owner initiated a renovation of the hotel in the late 1940s. The Radisson was purchased in 1962 by the Carlson Company, and it began adding new locations, both through the purchase of existing hotels such as the Schimmel Hotels group and the Denver Hyatt House in 1968,Hallock Seymour, "Radisson Owner Buys Denver Hotel", Minneapolis Star Tribune (August 23, 1968), p. 20. and constructing new buildings in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Duluth, Minnesota."Radisson chain seeks approval of Fargo hotel", Minneapolis Star Tribune (August 9, 1969), p. 14. The chain had 14 locations by 1976, and 32 by 1984."Gene Luka Oversees the 'Little Disruption' at the Radisson", The Burlington Free Press (November 11, 1984), pp. 1D, 9D. The original Radisson in Minneapolis was demolished in 1982, with a new hotel being constructed in that city and beginning operations in 1987. Carlson expanded the chain into one of the top hotel corporations by 2013. On top of Radisson, Carlson also owned several other brands, such as Park Inn, Park Plaza (acquired in 2000), and Country Inns & Suites (founded by Carlson in 1986).{{cite book | editor-last=Ivanova | editor-first=Maya | editor-last2=Ivanov | editor-first2=Stanislav | editor-last3=Magnini | editor-first3=Vincent P. | title=The Routledge Handbook of Hotel Chain Management | publisher=Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group) | year=2016 | isbn=9781315752532 | url=https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Hotel-Chain-Management/Ivanova-Ivanov-Magnini/p/book/9781138805057|chapter=Hotel chains, globalisation, and politics | first=Craig| last=Webster}}

The company's headquarters, as well as the headquarters of the owner, Radisson Hospitality, Inc., were located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, the city where the first Radisson Hotel was built. In the 1990s, American-Russian businessman Paul Tatum was murdered after a series of disagreements over the Radisson Hotel in Moscow.{{cite web | url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1996/11/05/slaying-could-chill-business-with-moscow-oklahoman-in-hotel-dispute/62337432007/ | title=Slaying Could Chill Business with Moscow Oklahoman in Hotel Dispute }}

On June 13, 2022, the Radisson Hotel Group agreed to sell Radisson Hotels Americas – consisting of the Radisson franchise agreements, operations and intellectual property in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean – to Choice Hotels for $675 million.

In 2022, despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of international sanctions, Radisson Hotel continued to operate 38 hotels in Russia. While the company halted new investments and partnerships in the country, it maintained that its existing operations are owned by third parties and were crucial for supporting employees and local communities. This decision drew criticism, as many global brands had fully exited the Russian market in response to the war.{{Cite web |date=March 18, 2022 |title=Radisson suspends new partnerships, investments in Russia |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/radisson-suspends-new-partnerships-investments-russia-2022-03-18/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Reuters}}{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Terence |date=March 9, 2022 |title=Western Hotel Firms Condemn Invasion of Ukraine While Maintaining Relationships With Franchisees in Russia |url=https://www.costar.com/article/219401820/western-hotel-firms-condemn-invasion-of-ukraine-while-maintaining-relationships-with-franchisees-in-russia}}

File:Radisson logo.svg

File:Radisson Hotel La Crosse.jpg]]

The majority of Radisson-branded hotels are located in the United States. The original Radisson Hotel, opened in 1909, was at 41 South Seventh Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

{{Main|Radisson Blu}}

File:Radisson Blu Hotel, Hamburg Airport - panoramio.jpg at Hamburg Airport]]

Radisson Blu is an international chain of upscale hotels. Its hotels are mainly located in major cities, key airport gateways and leisure destinations. Radisson Blu has roots dating back to the opening of the SAS Royal Hotel in Denmark in 1960 and was the world's first designer hotel.{{cite journal|title=Rezidor Hotel Group AB|date=2010|volume=118|editor-first=Jay P.|editor-last=Pederson|journal=International Directory of Company History|publisher=St. James Press (Gale, Cengage Learning group)|first=M. L.|last=Cohen|isbn=978-1-4144-4729-2|publication-place=Farmington Hills, Michigan}}{{rp|378–379}} After several name changes, spin offs, and rebranding, the Radisson Blu brand name was established in 2009.{{Cite web |url=https://www.franchising.com/news/20090205_radisson_sas_hotels_amp_resorts_in_europe_the_midd.html| title=Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts In Europe, the Middle East and Africa to Change Their Name to Radisson Blu | website=Franchising.com|access-date=2019-09-18}}

Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotels is a line of luxury hotels in London and Manchester, England. They are owned by Edwardian Hotels and often operate in historic buildings.[https://www.edwardian.com/brands/radissonbluedwardian-en.html Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotels]

Radisson Collection was formerly known as Quorvus Collection from 2014 to 2018.{{cite news|url=http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/33162-rhgs-new-radisson-collection-to-replace-quorvus-collection/|title=RHG's new Radisson Collection to replace Quorvus Collection|date=March 6, 2018|access-date=January 20, 2019|website=hoteliermiddleeast.com|publisher=ITP Digital Media}} Quorvus Collection was introduced in 2014 as a luxury brand. The first hotel of former Rezidor Hotel Group in Copenhagen, was converted to use Radisson Collection brand.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/denmark/copenhagen/articles/inside-the-radisson-royal-hotel-copenhagen/|title= Return of a modernist masterpiece: the welcome revival of Copenhagen's Radisson Royal |date=March 27, 2018|access-date=February 4, 2019|newspaper=The Telegraph|publication-place=London|first=Mark C.|last=O'Flaherty}} As of 2024, there are overall 30 Radisson Collection properties in Europe, Asia and the Middle East[https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/brand/radisson-collection/hotels radissonhotels.com - Hotels] retrieved 13 April 2024 - there are currently no Radisson Collection hotels in the Americas or Oceania.

{{Main|Radisson Red}}

Radisson Red is a chain of full-service hotels operating in the United States and internationally. Radisson Red is an upscale hotel with emphasis on modern design and technology. As of 2019, the brand has twenty-three hotels either in operation or under development.{{cite news|title=Radisson to Launch Hotel for Millennials|last1=Karmin|first1=Craig|date=February 18, 2014|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304899704579390852044118462|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806110732/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304899704579390852044118462|archive-date=August 6, 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Caswell |first1=Mark |title=Radisson Red announces three new European properties |url=https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2019/09/22/radisson-red-announces-two-portuguese-properties/ |publisher=Business Traveller |date=19 February 2020}}

{{main|Country Inn & Suites by Radisson}}

File:Country Inns & Suites by Radisson in Gillette, Wyoming.jpg]]

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson (formerly Country Inns & Suites) is a hotel chain which accommodates business and leisure travelers. Locations are mainly independently owned and operated, and franchised under licensing agreements with Radisson Hotels. The chain was established as Country Inn & Suites by former Carlson Hotels' owner, Carlson Companies in 1986 as a "middle-class" brand. Carlson Companies also owned the namesake, Country Kitchen restaurant chain at that time. In January 2018, two years after Carlson sold Carlson–Rezidor hotel group to HNA Group, the chain was rebranded into "Country Inn & Suites by Radisson".{{cite press release |url=https://www.radissonhotelgroup.com/media_press-releases&article=country-inns-suites-by-carlson-announces-name-change-to-country-inn-suites-by-Radisson |title=Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Announces Name Change to Country Inn & Suites by Radisson |date=January 17, 2018 |access-date=January 20, 2019 |publisher=Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group |publication-place=Minneapolis}}

{{main|Park Inn by Radisson}}

Park Inn by Radisson is a midscale hotel group.{{cite news |last1=Chow |first1=Jason |title=In China, Hotel Operators Pursue Middle Class |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204774604576626630571089132 |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=13 October 2011}} It is described as an "affordable hotel for business and leisure travelers."{{cite web|url=https://www.radissonblu.com/galleries/parkinn/PDF/parkinn-about-development-ebook.pdf|title=The Americas Business Development Brochure |date=2013|access-date=January 20, 2019|publisher=Park Inn by Radisson|via=Radisson Blu website}} According to U.S. News & World Report, it offers "comfortable, contemporary accommodations and on-site restaurants."{{cite web |title=Best Park Inn by Radisson Hotels |url=https://travel.usnews.com/Hotels/b-Park_Inn_by_Radisson_Hotels/ |website=U.S. News & World Report}}

File:Radisson Rewards logo.svg

Radisson Rewards is a loyalty program launched by Radisson Hotels in 1999.{{cite web |title=Radisson Hotel Group and Panorama Group Announce End Of Joint Venture Partnership In Indonesia |url=https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4091307.html |website=Hospitality Net |date=18 December 2018}} It allows guests to earn and redeem points for free nights at Radisson properties.{{cite web |title=Best Park Inn by Radisson Hotels |url=https://travel.usnews.com/Hotels/b-Park_Inn_by_Radisson_Hotels/ |website=U.S. News & World Report}}

In 2022, Radisson Rewards Americas was created as part of the Radisson Americas separation from Radisson Hotel Group. In 2023, Radisson Rewards Americas was integrated into Choice Privileges.{{Cite press release |publisher=Choice Hotels International |title=Choice Hotels Completes Radisson Hotels Americas Milestone, Integrating Loyalty Programs And Allowing For Full Booking Capabilities On ChoiceHotels.com |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-completes-radisson-hotels-americas-milestone-integrating-loyalty-programs-and-allowing-for-full-booking-capabilities-on-choicehotelscom-301886481.html |access-date=2024-01-25 |via=PR Newswire |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Radisson Hotels & Resorts}}

• {{URL|choicehotels.com/radisson}} — Choice Hotels (Americas)
• {{URL|radissonhotels.com}} — Radisson Hotel Group (rest of the world)

{{Radisson Hotel Group}}

{{Carlson}}

{{Hotel chains}}

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Category:1909 establishments in Minnesota

Category:2022 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Hotel chains in the United States

Category:Hotels established in 1909

Category:Radisson Hotel Group brands