Wyndham Destinations: An Introduction

Since its founding in 1981 as Wyndham Hotels, Wyndham has expanded its reach worldwide, along with a portfolio of brands dedicated to vacation ownership. 

Today, Wyndham’s family of vacation clubs, known as Wyndham Destinations, spans dozens of countries in over 200 vacation club resorts and thousands of affiliated resorts. Their properties range from rustic wilderness lodges to chic, metropolitan high-rises.

Wyndham Destinations offers various points-based ownership opportunities, with a travel community that encompasses nearly 900,000 owners. This year, Wyndham was awarded multiple ARDA awards, including Center of Excellence honors for Wyndham Destinations as an ACE Innovator and Emerging Leader. 

Discovering Wyndham Vacation Clubs

Wyndham Destinations includes several vacation clubs: Club Wyndham, Presidential Reserve by Wyndham, Margaritaville Vacation Club, WorldMark by Wyndham, and the Shell Vacations Club. Each club is unique in its personality and offerings, appealing to its own audience.

Do you have unused Wyndham Points? KOALA’s Request Hub helps you turn your points into cash.

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For example, Margaritaville is all about nautical and tropical rhythms, while Worldmark is curated for holidays with a home-away-from-home vibe. Most popular among the Wyndham Destinations brands is Club Wyndham, which is focused on experiential travel in premier destinations.

So How Does Wyndham Timeshare Work?

Wyndham points work like currency. You’ll receive your points every year or every other year, depending on your contract. When booking with your points, the amount required will vary based on season, unit, and resort. You can also use your points towards vacation add-ons, like car rentals or tickets to local attractions.

Club Wyndham offers several points-based contracts: undivided interest (UDI), converted fixed week, converted floating/flex week, and affiliate contracts. Your contract will determine details such as when you receive your points, and your Advance Reservation Priority (ARP) window. 

Exploring Wyndham Benefits and Rewards

How does Wyndham timeshare work when it comes to benefits? The short answer is that the number of points you own can unlock VIP benefits, and these increase with the number of points you own. VIP by Wyndham will be rolling out for Club Wyndham owners by November of 2020. VIP by Wyndham’s new bronze level starts at 300,000 points, followed by silver, gold, and platinum. VIP by Wyndham will also introduce a new founders tier, available at 1.4 million points, or with a Presidential Reserve membership.

VIP members receive substantial benefits – most significantly, discounts on points reservations (founders receive 60% off the standard points cost, while platinum owners access a 50% discount). Then there’s the suite upgrades. Within a specific booking window you can – if available – upgrade your suite to a more expansive unit, or one with an improved view, at no additional cost. That window ranges from 15-60 days prior to check-in, based on your tier.

Wyndham timeshare owners can also amp up their travels via Wyndham Rewards. These points are different from your ownership points, but work together with them for extra travel perks. You can earn Wyndham Rewards points via resort bookings or through everyday purchases such as gas or food orders. You can then redeem your points for bookings, or for excursions like culinary tours or outdoor adventures. 

Managing Your Wyndham Maintenance Fees

Now that we’ve covered the fun stuff, let’s talk fees. In addition to your points purchase, you’ll also owe maintenance fees as part of your Wyndham timeshare ownership. In general, your maintenance fees help cover operational costs, amenity upgrades, and site renovations.

The details surrounding payment can differ greatly depending on your ownership agreement. Some owners are billed annually, others monthly, or, as with a biennial contract, half the fee each year, over two years. If you’re considering joining a Wyndham vacation club, make sure you’re crystal clear on these details.

Along with booking travel accommodations and experiences, you can convert your points or Wyndham Rewards points to cover some of your maintenance fees each year. And if needed, Wyndham also provides ways to alleviate your fees via payment plans and other financial assistance.

Exiting Your Wyndham Timeshare Ownership

If travel plans have changed, you may find yourself wanting to exit your Wyndham vacation club. When you’re ready to move on from your timeshare ownership experience, Certified Exit – backed by Wyndham can provide the solution you need.

Whether you want to sell or transfer your ownership, make changes to your points allotment, or need help tackling maintenance fees, Wyndham’s certified exit specialists can guide you through the necessary processes. And if you need additional insight, we’ve put together some helpful info on exiting your timeshare with peace of mind.

Wyndham Destinations: A Recap

With a global collection of resorts, plus flexible ownership arrangements and generous rewards programs, Wyndham Destinations provides opportunities for timeshare owners to see the world and dive into their must-see list. And with features such as Wyndham’s upcoming new membership tiers, the benefits of timeshare travel with Wyndham are more accessible than ever.

The challenges with all these nuanced programs and offerings however, is that they can be rather complicated to sort out. So take the time to map out your travel goals and research contracts and fees, in order to make an informed and responsible purchase.