:Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

{{Short description|American hotel chain and management company}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

| logo = Wyndham Hotels & Resorts logo.svg

| logo_size = 250px

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{unbulleted list|{{NYSE|WH}}|S&P 400 component}}

| foundation = {{Start date and age|1981}} in Dallas, Texas, U.S.

| founder = Trammell Crow

| location_city = Parsippany, New Jersey

| location_country = U.S.

| num_locations = 9,286

| num_locations_year = 2024

| key_people = Geoffrey A. Ballotti (President)

| brands = See § Brands

| industry = Hospitality

| website = {{URL|https://wyndhamhotels.com}}

| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|1.41 billion|link=yes}} (2024)

| operating_income = {{decrease}} US$495 million (2024)

| net_income = {{nochange}} US$289 million (2024)

| assets = {{increase}} US$4.22 billion (2024)

| equity = {{decrease}} US$650 million (2024)

| num_employees = 2,200 (2024)

| footnotes = {{Cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1722684/000172268425000005/wh-20241231.htm |title= 2024 Annual Report (Form 10-K) |date=February 13, 2025 |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}}

}}

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc., is an American hospitality company based in Parsippany, New Jersey, United States. It describes itself as the largest hotel franchisor in the world, with 9,100 locations.{{cite web|url=https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001722684/a90c131e-fd37-4559-8565-71bba955072c.pdf|title=Form 10-K - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts|publisher=Securities and Exchange Commission}}{{cite press release|title=Wyndham Hotels & Resorts unveils plans to add value for franchisees and further grow its business|publisher=Wyndham Hotels & Resorts|date=September 25, 2019|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wyndham-hotels--resorts-unveils-plans-to-add-value-for-franchisees-and-further-grow-its-business-300925578.html|via=PR Newswire|access-date=November 28, 2020}}

The company was formed on June 1, 2018, as a spin-off from Wyndham Worldwide, which is now known as Travel + Leisure.{{cite press release |date=June 1, 2018 |title=Wyndham Worldwide Completes Spin-Off Of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts; Becomes Wyndham Destinations |author= | location=Orlando, Florida |url=http://www2.wyndhamdestinations.com/news-media/press-releases/wyndham-worldwide-completes-spin-wyndham-hotels-resorts-becomes-wyndham |access-date=December 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231194154/http://www2.wyndhamdestinations.com/news-media/press-releases/wyndham-worldwide-completes-spin-wyndham-hotels-resorts-becomes-wyndham |archive-date=2018-12-31 |url-status=dead}} As of 2024, it has a portfolio of 25 hotel brands, amongst them are Days Inn, Howard Johnson's, Ramada, Super 8 and Travelodge.

History

=Background and Foundation=

The company's origins can be traced to the founding of Hospitality Franchise Systems (HFS) in 1990, created as a vehicle to acquire hotel franchises.{{cn|date=March 2025}} By 1995, it had acquired the Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Ramada, and Super 8 brands. HFS then expanded into other businesses, and, in 1997, merged with CUC International to form Cendant Corporation.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

In 2005, Cendant bought the Wyndham hotel brand from the Blackstone Group. The Wyndham hotel brand was created in 1981 in Dallas, Texas, by Trammell Crow, the president of Trammell Crow Company.{{cite web |title=Trammell Crow leaves lasting lodging imprint following death |url=https://www.hotelbusiness.com/trammell-crow-leaves-lasting-lodging-imprint-following-death/ |publisher=Hotel Business |access-date=August 5, 2019 |date=February 7, 2009}} Business journalist Wyndham Robertson, who wrote a profile of Crow for Fortune magazine in the early 1970s, claimed that the hotel chain was named for her, saying, "He loved my name. I never got him to admit that he named [the hotels] for me in public but he did in private."Post, Rose. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/148242514/ "A writer's view on rich, powerful in America"], Salisbury Post, August 3, 1986, page 1D. As the chain grew, it was acquired in 1998 by Patriot American Hospitality, later named Wyndham International. Blackstone had bought Wyndham International earlier in 2005. In 2006, as part of a plan to break Cendant up into four separate companies, its hotel and timeshare businesses were spun off as Wyndham Worldwide.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

= Wyndham Hotel Group (2006–2018) =

As a division of Wyndham Worldwide, Wyndham Hotel Group was composed of more than 9,000 hotels under 21 brands, located in over 75 countries, competing in brand markets ranging from economy to upscale. It had more than 40,000 employees around the world.{{cite web|title=Getting to Know Wyndham Hotel Group|url=http://www.wyndhamhotelgroup.com/about-us/about-wyndham|work=Wyndham Hotel Group website|access-date=July 27, 2013}} Lodging management services were provided to upscale properties through Wyndham Hotel Management.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

In 2008, Wyndham purchased U.S. Franchise Systems, owner of the Microtel and Hawthorn Suites brands, from Global Hyatt Corporation for $150 million.{{cite web |title=HVS EMEA Hospitality Enews - Week Ending 6 June 2008 |url=https://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4036259.html |website=Hospitality News |access-date=August 5, 2019 |date=June 9, 2008}} Wyndham bought the Wisconsin-based Exel Inn chain in 2008 and converted all 22 of its properties to Wyndham brands.{{cite web|url=http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/media/press-releases/press-release?wwprdid%3D266 |title=22 FORMER EXEL INN HOTELS REBRANDED UNDER WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP FLAGS | Wyndham Worldwide |access-date=August 15, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604031535/http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/media/press-releases/press-release?wwprdid=266 |archive-date=June 4, 2013 }} As of 2008, Wyndham Destinations' franchisees have formed an independent association called Owners 8 Association to present their concerns and grievances to Wyndham Destinations.{{cite news |title=Super8 Owners Form Association

|url=http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2008_1st/Mar08_Turkel38.html |work= www.hotel-online.com |date=March 30, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2008}} The association has argued that individual franchisees have currently limited role in Wyndham's decision making. Wyndham Hotel Group's Former CEO Eric A. Danziger, in an interview in 2009 with Asian Indian Hotel Owners magazine, emphasized that Wyndham maintains cordial relationships with franchisees. He also stated that each of Wyndham's brands maintains an advisory board of individual property owners.{{cite news|title=Wyndham appreciates the role of Asian Indian Hotel Owners |url=http://www.hotelvikas.com/wyndham_worldwide.htm |work=Hotel Vikas |date=January 30, 2009 |access-date=February 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221154141/http://www.hotelvikas.com/wyndham_worldwide.htm |archive-date=February 21, 2009 }}

In 2010, Wyndham acquired the TRYP hotel brand from Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts of Spain. The brand, subsequently renamed Tryp by Wyndham, was positioned as a "select-service, midmarket" brand representing approximately 13,000 rooms and caters to business and leisure travelers in cosmopolitan cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Lisbon, New York, Frankfurt, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Istanbul, etc.{{cite news| title=Wyndham Hotel Group to Acquire Tryp Hotel Brand from Sol Meliá

| url=http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/media/press-releases/press-release?wwprdid=743 | work=Wyndham Destinations Press Releases | publisher=Wyndham Destinations | access-date=November 9, 2012}}

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed suit against Wyndham in June 2012 following a security breach that led to the theft of payment card data for hundreds of thousands of Wyndham customers. Wyndham decided to fight the lawsuit in court, unlike many companies, which often try to settle FTC data-security enforcement actions quickly. In April 2014, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey Judge Esther Salas denied Wyndham's motion to dismiss, in a much-anticipated decision to this case.{{cite journal|last=Percival IV|first=Lynn C.|author2=Poyner Spruill LLP |title=New Jersey Federal Court Rejects Wyndham's Challenge to Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Data-Security Enforcement Authority|journal=The National Law Review|date=April 8, 2014|url=http://www.natlawreview.com/article/new-jersey-federal-court-rejects-wyndham-s-challenge-to-federal-trade-commission-s-f|access-date=April 19, 2014}}

In late 2016, Wyndham acquired Latin America's leading Fën Hotels, adding 26 management contracts across Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and the U.S., including two new Fën-built Wyndham Grand hotels in Uruguay and Paraguay. With the addition of Fën Hotels' signature Esplendor Boutique Hotel and Dazzler Hotel brands, Wyndham Hotel Group's portfolio of distinct brands grew to 18.{{cite web|url=http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/news-media/press-releases/wyndham-hotel-group-acquires-f%C3%ABn-hotels|title=Wyndham Hotel Group Acquires Fën Hotels - Wyndham Worldwide|website=www.wyndhamworldwide.com|access-date=April 5, 2018}}

In the summer of 2017, Wyndham announced plans to acquire the Minnesota-based AmericInn hotel brand and its management company, Three Rivers Hospitality, from Northcott Hospitality for $170 million. AmericInn's portfolio consisted of 200 primarily franchised hotels with approximately 11,600 rooms in 22 states, predominately in the Midwestern U.S., Ohio Valley, and Mountain states.{{cite web|url=http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/news-media/press-releases/wyndham-hotel-group-strengthens-its-midscale-bench-acquisition-americinn|title=Wyndham Hotel Group Strengthens Its Midscale Bench with Acquisition of AmericInn - Wyndham Worldwide|website=www.wyndhamworldwide.com|access-date=April 5, 2018}} In August 2017, Wyndham announced plans to spin off Wyndham Hotel Group to shareholders as a separate publicly traded company.{{cite news|title=Wyndham timeshare will spin off from parent company|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=August 4, 2017|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F1661142EAE960680&rft_id=info%3Asid%2Finfoweb.newsbank.com&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&svc_dat=AWNB&req_dat=1028A39C75C2B899|via=NewsBank}} In October 2017, Wyndham launched its first soft brand product, the Trademark Hotel Collection, a collection of more than 50 upper-midscale-and-above hotels in Europe and the U.S.{{cite web|url=http://wyndhamworldwide.com/news-media/press-releases/wyndham%E2%80%99s-trademark-hotel-collection-spans-us-six-new-additions|title=Wyndham's Trademark Hotel Collection Spans U.S. with Six New Additions - Wyndham Worldwide|website=wyndhamworldwide.com|access-date=April 5, 2018}}

In April 2018, the company began rebranding most of its brands to include the Wyndham name, such as "Days Inn by Wyndham", "Ramada by Wyndham", and "Super 8 by Wyndham".{{cite news|title=Wyndham-owned hotel chains getting brand names tweaked|work=Associated Press|author=Beth J. Harpaz|date=April 10, 2018|url=https://apnews.com/article/3c2254eb651a4dda9831e225833bc848|access-date=November 29, 2020}} On May 30, 2018, Wyndham purchased the La Quinta hotel brand (franchised to 900 hotels with over 89,000 rooms) and its associated management business, for $1.95 billion in cash.{{cite report|title=Form 10-Q: Quarterly Report|publisher=Wyndham Hotels & Resorts|date=June 11, 2018|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1722684/000172268418000005/wh-2018331x10q.htm|page=28|via=EDGAR}}

=Wyndham Hotels & Resorts since 2018=

The spin-off of Wyndham's hotel business occurred on May 31, 2018, creating Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. In June 2024, the hotel chain has more than 9,200 hotels in over 95 countries, represented by 24 brands.

{{Cite web |title=XBRL Viewer |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1722684/000172268424000006/wh-20231231.htm |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=www.sec.gov |language=en}} In October 2023, Choice Hotels announced a proposal to purchase all outstanding shares of Wyndham for $90 per share.{{Cite web |last=Tesse Fox |first=Jena |date=Oct 17, 2023 |title=Breaking News: Choice seeks to buy Wyndham for nearly $8B |url=https://www.hotelmanagement.net/own/breaking-news-choice-seeks-buy-wyndham-nearly-10b |website=Hotel Management}} That offer came after Wyndham declined a direct acquisition bid from Choice.{{Cite web |last=Tesse Fox |first=Jena |date=Oct 17, 2023 |title=Wyndham board details reasons for rejecting Choice takeover bid |url=https://www.hotelmanagement.net/own/wyndham-board-details-reasons-rejecting-choice-takeover-bid |website=Hotel Management}}

Brands

File:A Wyndham resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.jpg]]

File:Ramada Plaza Jeju Hotel.JPG]]

File:Wyndham Garden Hotel Fresno CA 2023-07-11 08-04-01 1 cropped.jpg]]

As of 2024, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts includes 25 brands:[https://corporate.wyndhamhotels.com/our-brands/ corporate.wyndhamhotels.com - Our brands] retrieved 25 May 2024