Wyndham Sweet Spots: Maximize Your Points During Peak Travel Times

Wyndham has over 9,000 hotels across about two dozen brands, and in approximately 95 countries. Even better, it's got a straightforward rewards program called Wyndham Rewards, which gives award travelers a lot of choices to save money on hotel stays. Wyndham points can come in handy whether you’re looking to book a trip to New York City, time at Disney World with the kids, or a vacation to Hawaii.

Wyndham categorizes hotels into a simple, three-tiered award chart.  You’ll pay 7,500, 15,000 or 30,000 points per night, depending on the hotel’s tier. In general, hotels in lower-cost regions or from cheaper brands (think Daysn Inn and Super 8) will be 7,500 points, while top-tier areas from high-end brands (think Esplendor Boutique Hotels or The Registry Collection Hotels) would be more likely to run 30,000 points.

NerdWallet currently values Wyndham points at 0.9 cent each, making 10,000 points worth $90. However, you’ll see a few sweet spots below showing it’s possible to get more value for your points.

One more thing: If you don't have enough points to cover an entire stay but still want to use points to pay, Wyndham also offers an opportunity to book discounted room nights with points plus cash. You’ll pay 1,500, 3,000 or 6,000 points per night plus a cash supplement, depending on the tier of the hotel. The cash portion varies based on the regular room rate for your desired travel dates. You’ll have to run the numbers, but this can be a worthwhile way to book in certain instances, especially at top-tier hotels when the room rate is relatively inexpensive.

» Learn more: The complete guide to earning Wyndham points

There are plenty of great ways to redeem Wyndham points, but if you're open to a travel destination, these destinations in particular tend to offer extra value.

Wyndham sweet spots

With more than 9,000 hotels, the best Wyndham points redemption is the one that will help you achieve your travel goals. There’s no right or wrong way to use your points. However, if you’re looking to maximize the value of your points, be sure to compare the cash rate to the points cost for your destination and dates.

Since Wyndham doesn’t change award pricing based on demand, it’s possible to get outsized value for your points during peak travel periods. Here are a few of our favorite sweet spots for redeeming Wyndham Rewards.

» Learn more: The complete guide to redeeming Wyndham points

California: Wyndham Santa Monica at the Pier

Points needed per night: 30,000

Use 30,000 Wyndham points per night to stay steps from the famous Santa Monica Pier and a few blocks from the 3rd Street Promenade. If you book this property with cash you might pay around $300 per night. At that rate, your Wyndham points are worth 1 cent apiece, beating out the average 0.9 cent apiece.

Colorado: Aspen Meadows Resort, a Dolce by Wyndham

At 30,000 points per night, this is among the best redemptions you can find. Room rates can run close to $500, making this an incredible way to spend your points.

The property gets its name from its historical building, which was used as a stock exchange for local mining companies.

Colorado: The Mining Exchange, A Wyndham Grand Hotel & Spa

At 30,000 points per night, this historic hotel is another standout property in the Wyndham Rewards program. Located in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs, this refined hotel offers a glimpse of the past with all of the modern amenities you’d expect during a comfortable stay.

The property gets its name from its historical building, which was used as a stock exchange for local mining companies.

Florida: Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area

Points needed per night: 30,000

Most Disney-area hotels tend to see huge price increases aligned with school schedules, so this property can be especially lucrative when booking during Spring Break or during the winter holidays.

Located directly across the street from Disney Springs, it's conveniently located for a trip to Disney World on the cheap. Even if you have no plans to go into the parks, the Disney Springs shopping area has plenty of free entertainment. As far as the hotel property itself, the lush lakeside resort features two pools, a hot tub, and an aquatic playground.

Hawaii: Club Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort

Points needed per night: 30,000

Escape to this Hawaiian resort on the Big Island for 30,000 Wyndham points per night. Compare that to the cash price of $329 per night and once again you’ve beaten the 0.9 cent average. These are two-bedroom units for the points equivalent of about $270 per night, an attractive deal for families who want to enjoy the two outdoor pools, barbecue grills and warm spirit of aloha.

New York: The New Yorker, A Wyndham Hotel

Points needed per night: 30,000

Located on 8th Avenue in Manhattan, the New Yorker is a great example of how Wyndham’s points pricing system lets you find great deals at high demand times. A room night will cost you 30,000 Wyndham Rewards Points any time of year. That’s a bad deal in low demand times, when rooms can go for as little as $111 per night — a value of 0.37 cent per point. But stay there on New Year’s Eve, when Manhattan hotel room prices are famously outrageous, and your 30,000 points get you a room that’s going for $372 per night. That means your points are worth 1.2 cents each, beating the average Wyndham points value by a good margin.

Wyndham international sweet spots

There are plenty of Wyndham sweet spots in the U.S., but head abroad for some especially sweet deals. Here are the top ways to redeem Wyndham points internationally:

Spain: The Dolce by Wyndham Sitges, Barcelona

Points needed per night: 30,000

This stylish, sun-soaked resort is an excellent escape from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. Located in the historic town of Sitges, the Dolce by Wyndham Sitges Barcelona is just minutes away from award-winning Mediterranean beaches.

The property features almost every amenity you can think of, from a full-service spa and multiple pools to fitness centers and golf.

Whether you spend your day exploring the vibrant streets of Barcelona or relaxing at the pool, this resort is a great way to spend 15,000 points per night — especially considering cash rates easily top $200 per night. And it’s yet another example of why travelers who have ignored Wyndham Rewards should take a look at all this program has to offer.

Any Wyndham property during a busy travel day

Wyndham is one of the few hotel companies that does not use dynamic pricing (sometimes refereed to as peak/off-peak pricing). This is a practice where hotels might charge more points to book a room during a busy day (say Christmas, or Labor Day weekend) versus a slow day (say, a rainy Tuesday in February).

Given that, you can generally find even more value booking a Wyndham room on points during a busy day, given that cash rates are likely higher too. Just note that there might be reduced availability given that hotels are also more likely to sell out on these dates. If traveling during prime times, book early.

Like all hotel loyalty programs, Wyndham Rewards offers the best value to members who use it strategically. Always check multiple dates and properties when planning a trip and check the cash price so you can be sure you’re getting the most out of your points.

Vacation rentals

In early 2021, Wyndham greatly expanded its portfolio by making points bookings available for properties booked through Vacasa, which is a vacation rental site that allows members to rent entire homes for days at a time.

You’ll pay 15,000 points per bedroom, per night when you redeem Wyndham points for Vacasa rentals. Depending on the home, that can be incredibly sweet. Find a full-size property to fit your whole family for 15,000 points.

How to book lodging using Wyndham points

The program offers plenty of ways to use your points beyond just booking free nights at Wyndham hotels. Use them for stays at Wyndham Vacation Clubs and Caesars Entertainment hotels, as well as Wyndham vacation rentals around the world. Booking free nights using your points is simple through both Wyndham’s website and its mobile app. Here’s a quick walkthrough of the booking process.

Need more points? Learn about earning Wyndham points here.

Booking award nights online

The first step of booking a free night is to log in to your Wyndham Rewards account. On Wyndham’s homepage, you'll find a sign-in link in the upper right-hand corner.

Once you are logged in to your account, you can begin your hotel search. You'll need to type in your destination city along with your check-in and check-out dates. Additionally, be sure to select “Use Wyndham Rewards points instead” under the “Special Rates” option.

On the results page, you can view all available hotels and filter properties by brand, price and amenities.

After you have chosen a hotel, you can click on the rate to view available room types and more details about the hotel.

» Learn more: Your guide to the Wyndham Rewards award chart

Note: You will always want to use the nightly cash rate including taxes and fees in this calculation. When you book a reward night, taxes and fees are usually included in the reward night rate (a few exceptions include Caesars Entertainment resorts), so you won’t pay these extra.

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