Last Day to Book High-End Wyndham Properties Before Award Chart Change
Today is the last day to book Wyndham hotels and resorts at the current 15,000 points per night for any property in the chain. On April 3, Wyndham's award chart changes to a three-tier system:
- Tier 1: 7,500 points per night
- Tier 2: 15,000 points per night
- Tier 3: 30,000 points per night
While we still don't know exactly which properties fall into which pricing levels, we have just learned that WyndhamRewards.com will be unavailable for award bookings starting this evening. There's no definitive time for this to be implemented, so if you've been planning to book any speculative award stays before the changes take effect, time is running out.
So, is the new chart good news or bad news? That depends on the type of properties you normally redeem your points for. A few years ago, Wyndham backed away from the traditional award-chart scheme and introduced one of the simplest methods for redeeming points. All properties, regardless of location or quality, cost 15,000 Wyndham Reward points per night across the board. This translated into an opportunity for those looking to stay at expensive and luxurious properties, which would have otherwise cost a ton of points with another hotel chain.
While the new award chart goes into effect April 3, all reservations made before that date will be charged at the current 15,000 points per night rate. Since you can book with Wyndham exactly 12 months out, there's still an opportunity to book high-end properties for just 15,000 points per night -- but you have to act fast and book today.
For some moderate or budget-oriented properties, the new award chart will be significantly better. However, the more expensive and luxurious properties (where many of us likely want to stay using points) will probably double in the number of points required. Wyndham says that only 200 of its roughly 9,000 total properties will move up to the Tier 3 level. While that's not a huge number that will double in price, it does leave us guessing which properties to book today.
The hotels and resorts listed below are some of Wyndham's better properties, where right now you can receive a good value for your points. At a guess, most or all will require 30,000 points as of tomorrow, April 3, but we'll have full coverage of the award chart once it's live.
Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort
The luxurious Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort in Puerto Rico is a great redemption for a beachfront getaway. While you are only 19 miles from San Juan Airport (SJU), you are able to relax in a secluded 500-acre resort that has been fully renovated after the damage from Hurricane Maria.
This family-friendly property offers tennis, golf and three swimming pools (plus a waterslide). You'll also find a ton of kid-friendly activities around the resort, such as a dive-in movie, arts and crafts, Ping-Pong and many other daily scheduled events.
TRYP New York City Times Square South
Although there are many properties under the Wyndham umbrella in New York City, the TRYP New York City Times Square South is as family-friendly as you can get. For 15,000 points, you can book yourself into a "TRYP Premium Family" room that features two queen beds, one sofa bed, one bunk bed and two bathrooms. Although the space is just 360 square feet, it accommodates up to eight guests (read the full family review). It is quite rare to find a standard award redemption that will sleep such a large family, especially in Manhattan.
We will really miss being able to book such a spacious New York City hotel room for just 15,000 points per night. We can't imagine that TRYP New York City Times Square won't be pushed to a Tier 3 (30k points per night) redemption as of tomorrow.
Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach
If you want to stay at one of Wyndham's nicest properties and visit one of America's best beaches, then the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is the perfect opportunity to redeem your points. I just returned from Clearwater Beach and while I did not stay at the Wyndham, I was jealous of the guests who did. Although the property is across the street from the beach (which is common for many of the hotels there), the pool area was at ground level and looked great — there was a large lively pool deck with a hot tub.
In addition to the hotel being quite nice, the location was ideal. You are a stone's throw from Pier 60, where there's a playground, along with inflatable slides, nightly performers and movies on the weekend. You can even avoid renting a car as you are walking distance to many restaurants and other activities. I truly loved my stay at Clearwater Beach and I recommend it (and the Wyndham) to families looking for a beach vacation.
Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill
The Wyndham Boston Beacon Hill is right in the heart of the charming and highly desirable Beacon Hill neighborhood. Here you are walking distance to many family-friendly sites, including the Boston Common and Public Garden, my absolute favorite area to take the kids to run around and play for hours. You can even take a ride on the Swan Boats in the summer or skate at Frog Pond in the winter.
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area
If Disney World is in your future, the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista can serve as the perfect home base for your family. There you'll have access to Extra Magic Hours, 60-day FastPass+ reservations and a shuttle to take you to Disney. You are also across the street from Disney Springs, making this one of TPG's top 10 properties when visiting Disney World.
Kids will have a blast at this property with two pools, an aquatic playground, an arcade, basketball, volleyball and tennis. It even has its own Disney character breakfast with Goofy and Pluto three days a week.
Wyndham Santa Monica at the Pier
While the Wyndham Santa Monica at the Pier might not be one of the brand's most luxurious properties, the location cannot be beat. You are walking distance to everything, including Third Street Promenade, the beach and, of course, Santa Monica Pier. With Santa Monica hotels easily costing well over $350 a night, being able to redeem only 15,000 points to be in the heart of it all is a great use of your points.
I personally stayed at this property last year and would recommend it to any family with a stash of Wyndham Rewards points. Tip: Request a room that does not face the highway.
Wyndham Newport Hotel
If you live in the Northeast and you are looking for a summer destination, Newport, Rhode Island, actually has many Wyndham properties to consider. I am a fan of the Wyndham Newport Hotel due to the beach location as well as its saltwater indoor pool. Best of all, availability is still very good for using your points this summer.
If you'd prefer an in-town option, there are a few Wyndham resorts to pick from, including Wyndham Inn on the Harbor and Wyndham Inn on Long Wharf. At both of these properties, you can book a one-bedroom suite for just 15,000 points a night. Availability is hit or miss but if you have some flexibility, you should find a date that works for your family.
Wyndham Reef Resort Grand Cayman
The Wyndham Reef Resort Grand Cayman is on the East End (i.e., the opposite side of the island from well-known Seven Mile Beach). If you are looking for something on the quieter and more secluded end of the island, this could be the perfect resort for your family. However, if you want to be where all the action is, you are probably better off staying at one of the many other chain hotels as this property is about a 45-minute drive from Seven Mile Beach.
This is also one of the only resort properties in Grand Cayman that allows you to purchase an all-inclusive plan. Depending on your family's eating and drinking habits, this could be a great option to save money... although I think the prices are on the high end in addition to using your points for a free night stay. (Here are some fun things for families to do in Grand Cayman.)
Hawaii Island-Hopping
Wyndham has an incredibly vibrant presence in Hawaii. This means for just 15,000 points a night, you can typically book a one-bedroom suite with a full kitchen. If you are traveling with a large family, or really want even more space for whatever reason, many of the properties even have two-bedroom condos for 30,000 points a night. The only problem with these properties is that you need to be flexible with your dates as availability can be limited. With Southwest's new routes to Hawaii, this could be the perfect place to use your Wyndham points for an award stay.
Some properties with decent points availability include:
- Kauai: Wyndham Bali Hai Villas, Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy
- The Big Island: Kona Coast Resort, Holua Resort at Mauna Loa Village
- Oahu: Waikiki Marina Resort at the Ilikai
Wyndham Viva All-Inclusive
Wyndham actually has six all-inclusive, family-friendly properties throughout Mexico and the Caribbean that still only cost the standard 15,000 points a night. They include the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach (La Romana, Dominican Republic), Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace (La Romana, Dominican Republic), Viva Wyndham Tangerine (Cabarete, Dominican Republic), Viva Wyndham Maya (Playa del Carmen, Dominican Republic), Viva Wyndham Azteca (Playa del Carmen, Dominican Republic) and Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach (Grand Bahama, Bahamas).
While these properties can provide a family great value, since they include your meals, drinks and a ton of activities (including kids clubs), many of them only allow you to book a room with one king bed when looking online. With that being said, I've been told that if you call Wyndham directly, they might be able to help.
Bottom Line
With Wyndham introducing new award tier levels on April 3, now might be your last chance to burn your Wyndham Rewards points — that is, of course, if you typically use your points at the brand's top 200 properties. For the rest of the 8,000+ properties, you'll still redeem your points at the same 15,000 points per night, or potentially even lower at the 7,500 point-per-night level.
I plan to use up all my points before the award chart changes tomorrow. I currently have a weekend stay booked for this summer in Newport; a ski trip planned at the Wyndham Park City (although availability is extremely limited if you are looking to book a stay for your family) and a few days in Santa Monica, which is part of a larger vacation to Disneyland.
Where will you use your Wyndham points?
Jennifer Yellin covers family travel deals for TPG and blogs at Deals We Like. Follow her family's adventures on Twitter and Instagram.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.