Minneapolis:Club CarlsonSM, the global hotel rewards program from Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, has been ranked among the top five hotel rewards programs by U.S. News and World Report. The publication evaluated 17 hotel rewards programs and used five key criteria to determine the best: network size, property diversity, geographic coverage, additional benefits and ease of earning free nights. The rankings were announced on August 5, 2014 and can be seen here.

“We strive to offer one of the most rewarding loyalty programs in the industry and we are honored to be recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a top program,” said Rachael Marret, senior vice president, Customer Engagement, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. “This recognition reinforces our commitment to offering our members benefits that go above and beyond hotel stays.”

Member benefits that position Club Carlson at the top of U.S. News and World Report’s list include: free Award Nights starting at just 9,000 points with no blackout dates on standard rooms, free Internet for members at Carlson Rezidor hotels worldwide, valuable redemption options such as prepaid cards and gift cards, airline partners, charitable donation partners, and the ability to earn Elite status with just 15 Eligible Nights or 10 Eligible Stays per year. Club Carlson members can enjoy these benefits at more than 1,000 Carlson Rezidor hotels around the world in United States, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.