A while ago Wyndham changed their rewards program so that all hotels are 15,000 points. Doesn’t matter if it’s a nice resort, or a fleebag motel, a free night will cost 15,000 Wyndham points.
Obviously, this is a great deal if I can find a few really nice Wyndham hotels.
This post is really my preliminary research. I wanted to know, are there great Wyndham hotels? Then it’s about how nice are the hotels in relation to how hard it is to earn 15,000 points (a free night).
I’ll briefly mention how to earn points, but the focus of this post is on what are the best hotels. Then I can decide if the earning is worth it.
It’s nothing revolutionary, I’m simply publishing my notes on what I think the best potential hotels are.
Earning Wyndham Points
Credit card
Recently the credit went up to 45,000 points, enough for 3 free nights. However, right now it’s back down to only at 30,000 Wyndham points.
However the annual fee is not wavied for the first year, a fee of $69.
The good news is that it’s a Barclay card, so it’s something you can get, usually, as long as you don’t currently have an open card.
So if the 45k card comes back, and one of the hotels works for you, there’s no reason not to get it. Who knows when that could happen, but if it does, 3 nights at a great hotel is a competitive hotel card offer, with a bank that I’m not worried about getting too many cards with.
For stays
You earn 1,000 points for a stay, OR 10 points per dollar… whichever is more.
Redeeming Points
Again, all hotels are 15,000 points. Thus, we might as well find the most expensive hotels.
The other thing I’ll mention, is that there is a cash and points option. It’s 3,000 points plus some cash amount. Sometimes it’s a good deal considering that the cash rate will sometimes be one third of the normal cash rate, plus one-fifth of the points rate. Unfortunately the cash and points rate isn’t consistent.
Best Hotels
Format is… Hotel name: Location, TripAdvisor ratings, and price.
Wyndham Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach Wyndham Grand Resort
- Koloa, Hawaii
- 4.5 TA
- $525
- The “partial ocean view” is bookable on points
Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach – An All-Inclusive Resort
- Grand Bahama
- 3.0 TA
- $300
Wyndham Istanbul Old City
- Istanbul, Turkey
- $140
- 4.5 TA
Wyndham New Yorker Hotel
- New York
- $250
- 4.0 TA
- There’s another in Chelsea
Florida
Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach
- South Beach, Miami
- 4.5 TA
- $300
Wyndham Garden Clearwater Beach
- Clearwater, FL
- 4.0 TA
- $300
Wyndham Boca Raton
- Boca Raton, FL
- 4.0 TA
- $350
Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort
- Deerfield, FL
- 4.5 TA
- $350
ALPS
- Ramada Regina Titlis Engelberg – $240 + 4.5ta
- Wyndham Grand Bad Reichenhall Axelmannstein – $120 + 4ta
- Ramada Innsbruck Tivoli -$100 + 4.2ta
Honorable Mentions:
- Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach – An All-Inclusive Resort – $400/3.0 TA
- Wingate by Wyndham Atlanta/Buckhead – $150/4.5 TA
- Ramada Resort Dar Es Salaam – $200/4.5 TA
- Wyndham New Orleans – French Quarter – $200/3.0TA
- Ramada Zurich City – $200/4.0TA
- Wyndham Resort Torquay – $200/4.0TA
- Wyndham Santa Monica At The Pier – $350/3.5TA (and West Hollywood)
- Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Oriental Shanghai – $150/4.0TA
- Wyndham Garden Duesseldorf City Centre Koenigsallee – $125/3.5 TA
Conclusion
To me the best deal is a $500 hotel in Hawaii. Hawaii is expensive, and if the 45,000 point credit card comes back, that’s 3 nights.
The hotel in the Bahamas appears to be all-inclusive even on points, but the rating is pretty low. So an expensive all-inclusive hotel in the Bahamas for free, but the downside is all-inclusives tend to be junk (unless it’s a Hyatt).
Anywho. If you’re going to New York or Florida, it’s a killer deal. You can still get free nights in other places that are decent, however, there are other cards to get free hotel nights.
I’ll throw out a plug for hotel where i just stayed. It’s not a BEST hotel, but a good value for the reason described.
Went to Paris with the family (4 of us total.) VERY few hotel in Paris allow 4 in a single room. But the TRYP Opera (bookable with 15k Wyndham does.)
It’s a 3.5 TA rating, and the room we booked went for $250 a night in November (and over $650/night in the summer!) It’s not Hawaii, but a good value for 15k points.
also, i think Koloa landing leaves the Wyndham program on 1/1/2016….
@jason,
It is? Did a google search but couldn’t find any news or stories to that effect. How did you hear about this?
Flyertalk thread reports (through Wyndham rep, post 44) that the property is leaving Wyndham on October 31st, 2016. No word on whether stays will be allowed past that date, or when award booking will no longer be available.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wyndham-wyndham-rewards/1220658-kauai-koloa-landing-poipu-beach-wyndham-3.html
We just stayed at the Koloa property and it was amazing. The pool is not as nice as the Grand Hyatt (where we also stayed) but the suites, and they are all suites, are much nicer. Definitely an amazing deal
We were at the Koloa Landing in September for 3 nights as well. I have to say the staff there was amazing. At check-in I requested the person for his opinion on the room we were booked in. He gave us an honest answer that the “partial ocean view” overlooked most of the construction (a lot of construction is going on at the hotel right now). Without even asking, he started looking for better rooms. Unfortunately, there were no 1 bedrooms available due to some conference at the time. After a little more conversation, he gave us a two bedroom unit closest to the ocean. The unit was on the top floor and was HUGE. It is so well appointed and as big as a well sized condo (it is a condo too). But I think all rooms at the hotel overlook the construction. Just that some have more ocean view as well.
We ended our stay with 4 nights at the GH Kauai, which was an over the top resort. Very nice. But I will say, if you’re in Kauai and if you are not using your certificates (or cant think of better uses for them), you will have just as good of a time booked at a lesser/cheaper hotel because there is SO much to do in Kauai. We were barely at our room and barely got to use the resort to it’s full extent.
Also, we were charged $33/nt resort fee at Koloa Landing which makes me believe resort fees are not waived for point redemptions at Wyndham properties. They were at the GH (and all Hyatts).
Nice summary. Wyndham not most aspiration all properties but ok. Couple things I would add is you get 2x for ordinary spend so $7,500 gets you a free night anywhere. There is a nice historic Wyndham in Charleston SC.
I also stayed at the Koloa Landing this month on points. It’s a condo/timeshare kind of place, and I do believe that they are selling timeshares there. The rooms are huge, they have very nice full kitchens, washer/dryer, the main bathroom in the bedroom has a giant tub and a shower, and there’s another 1/2 bath for the living area.
It’s not on the beach, though. Poipu beach would be a solid 10-15 minute walk, or a short hop in the car, which isn’t bad because the whole area is pleasant (meaning there’s not a lot of concrete and asphalt). And it’s a great beach, with quality snorkeling right from the sand.
The resort is right next to a good shopping/restaurant area. There’s even a couple of budget options there. I liked Bubba’s Burgers, which uses only local, Kauai, grass-fed beef.
But if I were traveling as a couple, and I didn’t want to cook for myself at all, I might prefer the Sheraton Kauai, as it is directly on Poipu beach and is 12k SPG per night.
Another honorable mention would be the Wyndham Grand Bonnet Creek Resort, which is actually inside Walt Disney World. I looked in July, and saw rooms from $219 also available on points.
you are allowed to buy 5,000 points per calendar year,$11.00
per 1,000 points.
you can also buy points during Daily Getaways.
Hi Drew. Glad to see you address WR’s… For once, I’m a bit ahead of you, and I’ve been looking much at the Wyndham Viva all-inclusive options. Yet I’m puzzled you are so dismissive of the “all inclusives” as “junk.” Yes, the Bahamas option seems to have longgg earned the ire of many tripadvisor reviewers — as do Bahamas properties for a lot of other chains. (and I’m not mentioning the Hyatt bankruptcy fiasco there.) In any case, I’m avoiding Bahamas largely because of the very nasty taxes to and from and the airport, so Wyndham Fortuna not on my top list.
Yet why so dismissive of Wyndham’s all inclusive options elsewhere? I like the looks (and reviews) of the two options on the Mexican Riviera. I recall you’ve been to Cancun area before… so perhaps you had reason to keep them off the list? Anybody else reading here with recent experience to Wyndham Viva Azteca or Maya? (Am tempted to go to Mexico in late April via Cancun — stay 2/3 nights at Zilara, then drive the half hour to Playa del Carmen…. then maybe swing across Yucatan — esp. if Holiday Inn properties around the area go back point break lists — as they did late last spring.)
Yet back to the Wyndham all-inclusives, aren’t you the one so often scrimping/packing on food when traveling to expensive resorts? And seem to recall you’re also a fan of the beach resorts?
As such, decent beach setting (Mexican Riviera?) plus free food (and drinks) might be worth a closer look, eh? Am I missing something? Ok, I’m not expecting a Hyatt Zilara-class experience @ Viva A/I resorts, but could it be any “junkier” than say Holiday Inn Sunspree? (The aging HI A/I at MBJ was great all the same — if not 5 stars — and for a lot less points and no walking to the grocery store for junk food, snacks & oatmeal….)
By the way, among the new/current Wyndham promotions being rolled out, appears we can get a 4th night free if we book 3. not sure if that applies to 3 straight award nights.
Oh, and you didn’t yet get much into the ways to earn more Wyndham points… yes, partly 1k/night on stay minimum, then card spending (2 pts 4 every $ spent ordinarily, plus promotions… like the 3k per night promos that come & go) Also, you can buy 5k per year for about $55. Waiting to see new program roll-out in day or so for 2016.
ps, and one tip. you’ll see a lot more points and some cash availability if you log in to your WyndhamRewards.com account. (something they don’t specify, but that’s been my experience — like under $20 per night plus 3k on the boardwalk @ Virginia Beach off season)
again, anybody with recent Viva Mexico experience? (or DR too)
Also got the card awhile back just to use at the Koloa. Will be there for 4 nights in January. At the time it was never available for 2016 with the program change, then some days it would be. I booked 3 nights and got a 2 bedroom. Later when I had more points and wanted to book another night there was only the 1 bedroom option. If you entered too many guest in the search, no rooms would show.
The first word from them is they would leave Wyndham at the beginning of the year, and now saying in Oct. So it has been very challenging.
We decide the rest of the stay will be at the Grand Hyatt also. I am disappointed Koloa is hitting you with resort fees, but I will also have to pay for parking at the Hyatt. I have points for 3 more night somewhere with Wyndham, so am interested in all opinions on the best way to use them before they expire. Also, Barclay is not a bank that likes to hand out alot of credit cards
I think the 45k offer is still available but correct me if I am wrong?
https://www.barclaycardus.com/apply/Landing.action?campaignId=2213&cellNumber=19
Are you sure Barclay’s on the no-worry list? My experience is that you will not be very lucky if you do not spend much or use the card much. Also, they do not seem to approve a second card if you already have one.
No one mentions the great redemptions in Dubai. We stayed on points in October in a 2 bedroom, 2.5bath suite with full kitchen at the Ramada Downtown Dubai. The suite had a great balcony with a view to the fountains and Burj Khalifa. At $800 a night paid, I don’t think you can find better value.
Do you earn points when you pay with cash+points?
Just spent 3 nights at the Ramada downtown Dubai. I used 45k points and Goya decent sized room overlooking the fountains and a view of the BurjKhalifa. If my conversion rate was correct, my room was going for $800 ish per night. Now that’s value, my friends.
The Mills House, Wyndham Grand – Charleston, South Carolina is fantastic location for a hotel frequently priced over $300 per night. The rooms are nothing fancy, but in Charleston location is important.
TripAdvisor = 4.0.
http://loyaltytraveler.boardingarea.com/2014/05/25/historic-charleston-sc-1853-the-mills-house-wyndham-grand-hotel/
Spent 3 nights at Viva Wyndham Azteca in Cancun. Excellent value, better than expected. No, it’s not the Ritz, but it has 6 restaurants with decent to great food and a wonderful beach. What more do you need?