In the middle of the month Wyndham came out with a promotion of 16,000 bonus points with each of the first three stays at a handful of new properties.
The crazy value to the promotion was that many of the hotel properties are really inexpensive, and Wyndham Rewards credits no show stays as a matter of policy (most hotels don’t give you the points unless you actually show up).
The promo made it possible, for instance, to earn miles in a variety of frequent flyer programs (by transferring Wyndham points) at less than a penny apiece.
Wyndham declared that the promotion was targeted, even though the terms and conditions of the offer were clear that all that was necessary to be eligible to participate was to
(i) be an active member (ii) book a stay at any of the 20 participating properties at a qualifying rate between 9/12/12 and 12/31/12 and complete their hotel stays by 1/3/13 (the “Promotion Period”).
They then went a step further and changed the language of the offer to specify that
Only members who received the direct mail invitation are eligible for this offer.
This change gave further evidence, of course, that the earlier language didn’t require being targeted since they felt the need to now say that it was.
They really probably did intend for the promotion to be available only to folks who received a direct mailer, they just forgot to write it up that way. So they changed the published rules.
At that time I wrote, I still have to believe that everyone who participated in the offer prior to the change in promotion description will have their bonus points honored.
And that’s what appears to be happening. But you’ll have to ask in order to prompt it.
I logged into my Wyndham Rewards account and submitted the contact form for a ‘missing stay’ even though the points from my first, prepaid and non-refundable stay had already posted to my account.
The basic points for my stay posted immediately.
However I made the booking precisely because of the offer listed at http://www.wyndhamrewards.com/bonus16 of 16,000 bonus points.
I made the booking before the terms and conditions of the offer changed to say it was valid only for people who received a direct marketing piece from you.
It was a prepaid booking and consumed prior to the change in terms and conditions on the website. So no opportunity to cancel it even.
I spent money in reliance on the language posted on your website, and would like for you to award the 16000 bonus points to my account.
I understand it was your intention to make this promotion only available to individuals receiving the direct marketing letter. However I went to your website and saw the terms that did not require that at the time, in fact the language clearly suggested that anyone making a booking at one of the included hotels during the promotion period was eligible.
So I would appreciate a goodwill gesture of your honoring the deal based on my booking which was prior to the change in language on the website, and posting the bonus points to my account. THANK YOU for your kind consideration.
And I received the following response:
Hello Gary,
To reiterate, the offer was communicated to a group of existing members through a direct mail invitation. Only those members who received this direct mail invitation are eligible for this offer.
However, your customer satisfaction is important to us. Based on the specific information you provided, we are providing you with 16k goodwill points for the bookings you already made. We hope you enjoy your stay.
To receive the goodwill points, please send your member number and a copy of the folio (receipt) after your stay to WRCustomerservice@wyndhamrewards.com so we can ensure that the points are posted to the appropriate account. For tracking purposes, please also reference your FlyerTalk Username/Handle within your email.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Tamarra
Wyndham Rewards
PHONE: 1-866-WYN-RWDS (1-866-996 -7937)
FAX: 1-800-306-0671
I had made one prepaid booking before the terms and conditions changed, I did not stay at the property, points posted for that stay.
I contacted Wyndham Rewards and they agreed to award me the 16,000 point bonus I would have gotten.
While, of course, maintaining the promotion is only for folks who received their direct mail offer. As long as they make good to everyone who made prepaid reservations consumed before the change in conditions, I’m fine with their maintaining that (and anyone who made non-cancellable reservations not yet consumed should be able to get those cancelled). It seems they’re even honoring it for people who made reservations before the change in terms but have not yet consumed them, so no need to cancel if one prefers the points.
Clearly this is a ‘form’ response, as well, since I didn’t mention Flyertalk in my email to them, I hadn’t found the deal there, and hadn’t posted to that thread but they still asked for a Flyertalk handle assuming that’s where most of the complaints to them are coming from.
From my experience — since only one reservation was at issue — I cannot say what they are doing for folks who had more than one reservation (whether they’ll honoring 16,000 points per reservation up to 3 or just 16,000 total).
But it does seem like if you made a booking when the deal was first mentioned, that you should contact Wyndham and ask them to honor and you’re likely to get a similar response.
FT thread seems to indicate folks are getting pts for all 3 stays, at least for those of us that have already completed them before the T&C issue blew up.
What they’ve told me is that I’ll get compensated for all three stays, after I send them the folios. I have two prepaid coming up around Thanksgiving (cheaper rates) and at the moment I’m hoping to claim them and potentially convert them to United miles to claim the bonus before Nov 30th. Going to be tight though, we’ll see. Either way, it appears to have worked out this time.
Technically you should get the points for up to three stays. However, do not count on getting the points too quickly. I am still waiting for my points to post from the last iteration of this promotion. I’ve talked to many many people and still nothing posted. If you keep up on it, you’ll eventually get the points though.
Appreciate the update on this issue Gary! I will send them an email as soon as I complete my stay.
Great news! If only I could get them to respond to me, though! I wrote to them right after the T&C changed and I sent a follow up on Sat and haven’t gotten any response yet.
Thanks Gary. I sure hope I receive a response. I actually was targeted but can’t prove it.
Do you think 130,000 Wyndham points to United for 65,000 miles (with the bonus) is a decent deal or would you hold onto your Wyndham points?
@Michael personally I would use Wyndham points for airline miles but I don’t value the Wyndham points. The United transfer bonus is a decent deal, though there’s value in the flexibility to transfer elsewhere as well.
I presume no one’s actually received the 16,000 points yet? I was told to wait a week last Tuesday, so I’m getting just a little antsy 🙂
I decided to cancel. Less risk, less reward. I did get 5K goodwill. Will wait for the next buy opportunity.
I cancelled three legitimate reservations because this is a pain in the butt plus bad customer service. I hate to beg for the points. Keep in mind I did get the mailer but I’m too tired to fight with this chain for the points so I doubt I’ll be staying at any of their hotels in the future. Straw that broke the camels back and all. Holiday Inn, Hilton and a few others still love me.
Three times I have contacted them and three times (including yesterday, after much prompting) thy have told me to wait 8 weeks. I am still waiting for points from the first iteration, too, along with points from the 1000 points rate that I booked. Other Wyndham promos have posted within a few days of the stay, so I am both suspicious and getting angry.
These were for legitimate stays by the way, not no shows. They don’t get a pass from me yet.
So what happens if my 3 stays were no show? I don’t have any folio to send them… Does it mean I’m out of luck?
I have one completed stay for my account and one for my girlfriend’s. I’m looking at 1 cent/(per transferred airline) mile and a total of 12,800 miles. I really don’t see how this is worth the hassle. I filled out the missing points form. Barring some miraculously helpful response I think I’d prefer to cc dispute my way out of this.
@Ben they accepted my redacted credit card statement as proof
@Gary, thanks for that!
I’m going to ask for a copy of each folio via the website anyway (after they post at least), just in case.
On most websites getting a copy of your existing folio if you’re a member of their rewards program would be easy. Wyndham’s website is really backwards though. To look up a future reservation you have to know the reservation number? Seriously? What’s the point of logging in?
Two of my stays came up with 0 base points. The hotel claims that they were not qualifying rates so I have to fight that one first (they were qualifying). After I am done with that, then I can fight for the larger points bundle. What a pain.
Gary–I booked 3 stays as soon as I read the blog when this was announced–am I supposed to see the promo under MY PROMOTIONS when I log into my acct?
No
I have to understand this – when it says all over “direct mail” offer that was sent, do they mean it was actual snail-mail???? or was it e-mails that were sent out?
Becuase I recieved an e-mail first time around and took advantage of the offer, but if they REALLY sent it by regualr mail I could not get it because my address is not updated…..
I got similar response from Tamarra and all 48000 points have posted.
Gary – Do they ever come with promotions to transfer these points or I might as well transfer them right away? Where would u consider its best transfer to?
Thanks
@JackW – I haven’t seen WYNDHAM offer transfer promos but the airline mileage programs do offer transfer promos (eg 50% bonus for transferring points in from a hotel program).
Geez-they are now telling me they will contact me in 72 hrs to discuss activity on my account…even though that email from Tamarra indicated I would get the points—are they trying to weasel their way out of giving me my points? Others got it no problem…and I got in before they changed the T&C’s…
Gary, thanx for all the help. It worked out at you perfectly, as you predicted.
Awesome glad to hear!
I currently am in a back and forth with Tamarra. It sounds like they will give me the 16k points after I provide them with the folios (or in my case, redacted credit card statement).
I am being asked for my FlyerTalk user username as well, which I think is random since I first heard about this promo via View from the Wing.
@KCS they don’t need an online forum username and will give you the points without it