Wyndham rolls out major all-inclusive resort expansion
Major hotel brands continue to elbow their way into the all-inclusive resort sector.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts plans to add 15 all-inclusive resorts to its Registry Collection and Trademark Collection brands, the company announced Thursday morning. A vast majority (14) of the additions are tied to the luxurious Registry Collection while a single property (the Dominican Fiesta Hotel & Casino in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) will roll into the more affordable Trademark Collection.
The 15 resorts are in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Brazil. The robust expansion, slated to be complete by the end of September, will bring Wyndham’s all-inclusive portfolio to 26 properties.
Curiously, none of the resorts included in this deal will be folded into Wyndham’s dedicated all-inclusive brand, Alltra, which launched last year in partnership with Playa Hotels & Resorts.
That might have to do with Wyndham’s 15-resort deal involving another resort owner, Spain-based Palladium Hotel Group. Palladium’s two existing all-inclusive brands, Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts and TRS Hotels, will now be a part of Wyndham’s Registry Collection.
“For all-inclusives for Wyndham, we’ve been on a bit of a journey,” Scott LePage, president of the Americas for Wyndham, said in an interview with TPG ahead of the expansion announcement. “With the increase in leisure travel and all-inclusive coming into its own, we knew we wanted a branded option and a way to work with existing owners.”
Wyndham billed the Registry Collection as its way of planting a flag in the luxury hotel sector after it launched last year. The collection is a soft brand — a term used for brands without a singular name or standards around design and amenities. (Examples of hard brands are Wyndham’s namesake brand and Sheraton.)
“Expanding Registry Collection Hotels continues Wyndham's global growth in the luxury space and grants more travelers access to new, preeminent experiences in some of the most remarkable destinations,” Wyndham CEO Geoffrey Ballotti said in a statement. “These unique, all-inclusive hotels are designed to ensure that guests — whether redeeming Wyndham Rewards points or booking directly — will enjoy an elevated vacation.”
Wyndham’s all-inclusive lineup
The first four resorts already part of the Registry network include Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa, Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort & Spa, Grand Palladium White Sand Resort & Spa and TRS Yucatan Hotel in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The Grand Palladium properties cater to a mix of guests, including families, while the TRS property is adults-only (as are all TRS properties).
Additional properties slated to join the Registry Collection network by the end of September include the following:
- Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa in Cancun, Mexico.
- Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.
- Grand Palladium Palace Resort Spa & Casino, Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort & Spa and Grand Palladium Bavaro Suites Resort & Spa (all in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic).
- TRS Turquesa Hotel and TRS Cap Cana Hotel (also in Punta Cana).
- Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa and Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort & Spa (both in Montego Bay, Jamaica).
- Grand Palladium Imbassai Resort & Spa in Imbassai, Brazil.
The Dominican Fiesta Hotel & Casino in Santo Domingo is also included in the deal, but it will be joining the Trademark Collection, a division of affordably priced boutique hotels Wyndham launched in 2017.
Why now?
Wyndham’s all-inclusive offering until last year largely centered around the eight-property Viva Wyndham portfolio, but the Alltra launch and this week's expansion news are a major throttle forward.
Wyndham might be making a big splash into all-inclusive resorts, but it isn’t the only traditional hotel company expanding into this sector once dominated by companies like Sandals and Club Med. Companies like Marriott International, Hyatt and Accor have all pumped resources into beefing up their respective all-inclusive resort offerings.
“One of the reasons [is] ... that U.S. guests are choosing this option more and more frequently,” LePage said. “We’re excited that, while this is a journey we’ve been on a few years, the timing couldn’t be better.”
Traditional hotel companies see all-inclusive resorts as a growth opportunity in the highly durable leisure travel segment and want to capitalize. Given how uncertain the recovery of corporate travel continues to be (the latest industry data shows corporate travel demand is still 20% below 2019 levels while leisure travel exceeds pre-pandemic performance), the leisure segment is a safer bet.
Traditional hotel companies also think they come into this space at an advantage, as their loyalty programs, brand awareness and distribution platforms make it all the easier to book a stay at one of their all-inclusive resorts compared with a lesser-known brand.
It provides loyalty members a new way to redeem their points and can drive more guests to a branded resort than an unaffiliated property, the thinking goes.
“If you’re going to the Caribbean and you’ve got two equally attractive all-inclusive experiences and one’s branded and one’s not," Ballotti told me last year, "you’re probably going to choose the branded one."
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
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 $6,000 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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.