Despite its overwhelming number of properties, Wyndham has never been the most popular hotel chain among travelers. Among the savviest travelers, those who pay close attention to points and loyalty programs, Wyndham Rewards is likewise unpopular. I reached the top of the status pyramid with Wyndham and received tens of thousands of points from generous promotions. Despite all that I find it very unrewarding. I’m not making any more paid bookings at Wyndham.
How I Got Started in Wyndham Rewards
I enrolled in the program a few years ago. At the time I was doing a lot of road trip traveling. That’s the sort of traveler Wyndham exists to serve. The I need a night by the side of the interstate traveler. They have few brands in their portfolio anyone would consider “nice” or where you’d want to spend a vacation. Wyndham hasn’t got any brands that can make a serious appeal to business travelers either. The only sort of business travelers I’ve encountered are landscapers or electrical linemen. Guys who are bringing large trucks with them in the conduct of their business
If your travel takes you places that are in the middle of nowhere, there will be a Wyndham property there. It’ll probably be the cheapest option but you should pay a few dollars extra and book a higher quality hotel.
You Get What You Pay For
The overwhelming majority of Wyndham Rewards properties are Days Inns, Super 8’s, etc.These brands that are the cheapest of the cheap. If you’re traveling alone and going someplace like Oaklawn Racetrack or catching a morning flight out of SeaTac, this sort of shabby room is probably fine for a night. You won’t love it but it’ll do. A Wyndham stay is a roll of the dice. It might be okay or it might be a dilapidated property with people living in the hotel rooms permanently.
I’ve been wanting to move away from Wyndham Rewards for some time because the quality is so low. Some of them were tolerable before the pandemic but things like daily breakfast and housekeeping have disappeared since Covid. They’re not coming back.
The Wyndham Rewards Program
I will tip my hat to the executives who designed the loyalty program. People who are in the program do like that the redemption levels are reasonable, predictable and easy to understand. I’ve found it easy to amass large amounts of points on short stays I was going to make anyway. Promotions are running constantly. This is significant in a program where free nights start at 7500 points. The six nights I stayed in Hong Kong earned enough points to stay five nights in the future. Since these points are worth one cent apiece when converted to Caesars Rewards points, that could potentially be dozens of nights in Las Vegas. Caesars Diamond members can book without resort fees.
So the earning is what has kept me in Wyndham Rewards this long.
Unfortunately the redeeming is not as easy.
When most people redeem points they want to feel as if they’ve had a vacation or an experience. If you’re seeing the Reds play t’s not worth redeeming points for the Days Inn in Northern Kentucky. Rooms there are only $80.
Traveling around Asia I found that redemption opportunities were very limited. Hotel reward points hat can’t be used are worthless.
Extremely Poor Customer Service
Aside from earning points the benefits of the program only exist on paper. Hotels won’t upgrade you to a suite because they don’t have suites. I never received a welcome amenity at check in. The bonus points only kick in above 1000 points per night. Most Wyndham properties are so inexpensive you’ll earn the 1000 point minimum and no bonus percentage. If you ask for early check in or late check out the front desk people look at you like you have three heads. They’ll either say it is not available or they’ll offer you one hour. Two PM checkout is a wyndham.com thing, not an in-real-life thing.
When you do check out, it’s imperative that you get a receipt for your stay. It comes in handy when you have to call and ask where your missing points or elite nights are. I have found that two out of three hotels will not credit you properly for your stay.
Just today I spent over an hour on the phone with Wyndham Rewards trying to get credited for elite nights. It was at least the fourth call in reference to my abysmal stay in the Philippines. Even after reaching a supervisor and reading the terms and conditions he just refused to understand the very plain English.
I eventually hung up in frustration. How many hours can one be expected to sit on the phone arguing with a call center over something as petty as 5 elite nights?
Smell You Later, Wyndham Rewards
I’ve been wanting to get away from the old decor, stained carpets, patched up walls and dirty bathrooms at Wyndham hotels for a while now. But even if the hotels were nice, I would be walking away from Wyndham Rewards. The program is good on paper but almost completely non-functional in real life. What is being loyal and elite even for if you are getting poor service in hotels you don’t like?
I’ve got a brand new IHG Premier card in my hand, the platinum status that comes with it, and am soon to be sitting on a big ole pile of welcome bonus points and the fourth free night that goes with them. You won’t ever see me inside a Super 8 again.
If you need me I’ll be at the Holiday Inn.
