World’s largest hotel franchising company bolsters brand offering through new openings across the region

MOSCOW – 26th November 2019 – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with over 9,200 hotels and 20 brands across more than 80 countries, continues to grow its international portfolio of hotels, with plans to open 15 new hotels in Russia and neighbouring countries within the next two years. This expansion will significantly boost Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ footprint in the region, reaching 35 operational hotels and over 5,700 rooms by 2021 across a number of key markets including Russia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Georgia

Wyndham’s ambitious growth plan in the region will see the addition of seven new hotels and over 1,300 rooms in Georgia alone. The new openings will further grow the Company’s current presence in Tbilisi, and Batumi, with the addition of new destinations in Kutaisi and Goderdzi, including a mountain ski resort in the south of the country. Since entering Georgia in 2016 with just one hotel, Wyndham has gained strong momentum in the market, with the introduction of Wyndham Grand® and Ramada Encore® by Wyndham in Tbilisi. Overall, the Company has plans to reach 10 hotels in the next two years across a range of hotel brands and segments, including Wyndham Garden®, Ramada® and TRYP® by Wyndham, as well as the design-focused economy brand Super 8® by Wyndham.

Russia

Growth plans for Russia will see the continued expansion of the Ramada by Wyndham brand with a new hotel in Kislovodsk next year, adding to a strong portfolio of six Ramada by Wyndham hotels across the country. In addition, Wyndham will launch the Ramada Encore by Wyndham brand in the market, with a new construction hotel in Yekaterinburg in 2020, and an additional opening in St. Petersburg by 2025.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

Furthermore, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is continuing solid growth in Kazakhstan with the addition of two hotels in the resort village of Burabay and in the city of Shymkent in 2020. Other upcoming additions will include new hotels in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent and the historic city Bukhara.

Dimitris Manikis, President and Managing Director, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, EMEA, said:  “From thriving cities to captivating landscapes, this region provides an attractive variety of opportunities for our industry, and we are incredibly proud of our presence in these markets. With a wealth of emerging destinations yet to be discovered, and an increase in international as well as domestic arrivals, we see a lot of potential in the region. Our expansion plan is closely aligned to our vision to make hotel travel possible for all, not only to meet an increasing demand for high-quality accommodation, but also to suit any traveller’s needs, wherever and however they want to travel across the region.”

Some of the latest openings in the region include:

Ramada by Wyndham Bishkek Centre, Kyrgyzstan – Located in Kyrgyzstan’s capital and largest city, Bishkek, the hotel opened in July 2019, marking Wyndham’s first hotel in the country. The hotel provides guest with modern accommodation in downtown Bishkek, close to the State Historical Museum and other attractions, and various facilities including three restaurants and bars.

Wyndham Grand Tbilisi, Georgia Nestled in the city of Tbilisi with tourist and local attractions all within a short walking distance, the hotel opened in May 2019 and offers 158 stylish guest rooms and suites. It boasts five well-equipped conference spaces as well as a relaxing lounge bar and three restaurants. The hotel’s lobby features a bespoke 22-metre chandelier and ballroom with breath-taking views of city, making it an ideal space for upscale events.

Ramada by Wyndham Yerevan, Armenia Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ first hotel in Armenia, the hotel opened in April 2019 and is located close to Republic Square, with panoramic views of Mount Ararat and the scenic city centre of Yerevan. The 202-room hotel features four designed meeting rooms, a fitness centre, sauna and hammam.

Some of the upcoming openings in the region include:

Ramada Encore by Wyndham Yekaterinburg, Russia – The first Ramada Encore by Wyndham hotel in Russia, the hotel is expected to open in November 2020 and will be part of a mixed-use complex including a shopping mall and a multi-purpose conference centre. The 214-room hotel will provide a conference hall, a fitness centre, varied F&B outlets, a lounge area, as well as a large parking space, all in a prime location with easy access to the railway station, Yekaterinbur’s business district and its historic centre.

About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company, with over 9,200 hotels across more than 80 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 822,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveller, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®.  Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with more than 400 properties under management. The Company’s award- winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty programme offers over 79 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com. If you are interested in developing a Wyndham hotel, please visit https://whrdevelopmentemea.com/

Wyndham’s upper-upscale brand adds distinctive hotels in California, U.S.; Vietnam; Mexico; Turkey; Georgia; and the Greek Isles; Expands upscale managed portfolio in international destinations

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (January 29, 2019) – Wyndham Grand, the upper-upscale brand of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH), the world’s largest hotel company with more than 9,000 hotels in more than 80 countries, is slated to debut in six new destinations around the world in 2019: California, U.S.; Cam Ranh, Vietnam; Mexico City, Mexico; Kayseri, Turkey; Tblisi, Georgia; and Crete, Greece.

Two of the new hotels – located in Cam Ranh, Vietnam and Mexico City, Mexico – will be managed by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ growing management company, adding to the more than 400 hotels operated by the company globally and expanding its upscale managed capabilities into new countries.

Wyndham Grand is an ensemble of distinctive hotels that are approachable by design, representing one-of-a-kind experiences with sophisticated elegance. The new hotels will join the brand’s 39 existing awe-inspiring locations including Istanbul; Chicago; Shanghai; and Manama, where the first Wyndham Grand in Bahrain, also managed by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, opened in 2017.

“Travelers are seeking out new destinations and crossing borders more than ever before; in the last two decades alone the number of international travelers around the world has more than doubled to nearly 1.3 billion,” said Bob Loewen, Chief Operating Officer for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “We’re strategically expanding Wyndham Grand’s presence around the world in the destinations travelers so eagerly want to explore, whether it’s the shores of Greek Isles, a unique pocket of culture in Southern California, the centuries-old historic capital of Georgia or wherever their bucket list takes them.”

In addition to the hotels planned for 2019, the brand’s pipeline comprises approximately 25 hotels including new destinations in St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, Belize and a new dual-branded Wyndham Grand and TRYP by Wyndham® hotel in Miami, Florida.

Westminster California, U.S.

Slated to be part of multi-use development, Wyndham Grand in Westminster will be the brand’s first hotel in California. The hotel will offer 144 guestrooms – making it the largest and only full-service hotel in Westminster — in addition to flexible meeting and event space and a full-service restaurant. Steps away from Westminster’s Little Saigon Tourist Commercial District on Bolsa Avenue, the hotel empowers travelers to explore the hub of Vietnamese dining and culture in the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam.

The hotel is also situated near the city of Garden Grove, California State Route 22 (Garden Grove Freeway) and just seven miles from Disneyland. It’s also a short drive from Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and the Pacific Ocean.

 

Wyndham Grand Cam Ranh, Vietnam

Wyndham Grand Cam Ranh is situated on a 27-hole golf course overlooking the nearby ocean designed by renowned Australian golfer Greg Norman. The hotel offers luxurious accommodation options as well as multiple restaurants and bars, swimming pools, spa and wellness facilities and a convention centre. Cam Ranh, with pristine beaches and deep waters, is a growing tourist destination thanks to the recent expansion of Cam Ranh International Airport and increasing numbers of international flights.

Vietnam is an increasingly popular destination for international travelers. Named one of Travel + Leisure’s 50 Best Places to Travel in 2019, Vietnam welcomed more than 14 million visitors in 2018 – a staggering 21% increase over last year.

 

Wyndham Grand Mexico City La Condesa, Mexico

The 400-room Wyndham Grand Mexico City La Condesa is the first Wyndham Grand in Mexico. The hotel is situated within the unique Roma-Condesa neighborhood boasting more than 1,500 buildings classified as architectural heritage – including the hotel itself, which will conserve the original architecture while applying contemporary interior design and modern amenities including unique dining and flexible meeting space.

Mexico welcomed nearly 40 million travelers in 2017, a record number of visitors and a nearly 12% increase from the prior year. Mexico City, the heart of the country and a thriving historic destination, is the perfect new home for Wyndham Grand’s unique take on approachable luxury for both families and business travelers.

 

Wyndham Grand Kayseri, Turkey

Opened in mid-January, Wyndham Grand Kayseri boasts 205 guest rooms and eight meeting rooms, accommodating up to 1,185 people. The hotel also offers traditional Turkish cuisine in its Kale Roof restaurant, complemented by drinks in the lobby lounge or onsite City Pub. Guests also have access to a fitness center and a relaxing spa with a sauna, steam bath and pool.

The hotel is the fifth Wyndham Grand in Turkey and the first in Kayseri, a city with a strong commercial draw for business travelers and a popular ski destination. The hotel is situated near the 60,000-acre Sultan Sazligi National Park which houses more than 300 species of birds.

 

Wyndham Grand Tbilisi, Georgia

Wyndham Grand Tbilisi, in the heart of Georgia’s capital, is expected to open during the summer and will be managed by McInerney Hospitality International Georgia. The hotel will be located centrally on Freedom Square, adjacent to the National Museum of Georgia and close to a host of other attractions. Set across eight floors, the hotel has been designed by renowned Georgian architect Paata Jgarkava and will include 161 stylish guest rooms and suites.

Tourism is one of the largest economic sectors in the country, with 8 million travelers expected to visit Georgia this year. Wyndham Grand Tbilisi is the latest addition to the company’s overall footprint in Georgia, including Ramada Encore Tbilisi, which opened earlier this year, as well as Wyndham Batumi. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts plans to add four more hotels in Georgia over the next three years.

 

Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay, Greece

Wyndham will enter the Greek islands with its first upper-upscale hotel in Crete, Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay, adding the renowned Mirabello Beach & Village Resort to the Wyndham Grand brand.  The seaside resort and meetings destination is located minutes from Agios Nikolaos in the famed Elounda region of Crete.

Wyndham Grand Mirabello will offer 311 guest rooms, more than 6,000 square feet (520 square meters) of meeting space, five restaurants and bars and a variety of leisure facilities spread across two of the region’s most popular beaches for sunning, swimming and boating.

Greece has seen the largest increase in visitor numbers of any European destination in this decade, expecting to total a record 32 million foreign travelers in 2018. The addition to Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay expands on Wyndham’s partnership with Zeus International, a consulting, hotel management and development services company in Greece. The companies are also partnering to bring the first upscale Wyndham® branded hotel to Cyprus, Wyndham Nicosia, and have an ongoing partnership to develop 20 hotels over 10 years across Greece, Cyprus, Italy and the Balkans.

 

About Wyndham Grand

Travel is the best excuse to enjoy the grand things in life. With locations in some of the world’s most sought after vacation destinations – including Shanghai, Istanbul, Doha, Salzburg and Orlando – Wyndham Grand® hotels transform ordinary moments into unforgettable experiences. Decidedly not stuffy, but approachable by design, this upper-upscale hotel brand helps travelers make every moment count. Follow @WyndhamGrand on Facebook and Instagram.

 

About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company, with more than 9,000 hotels across more than 80 countries on six continents.  Through its network of over 798,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in both the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry.  The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection®, and Wyndham®.  Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with more than 400 properties under management.  The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers over 59 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, condominiums and holiday homes globally.  For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.

Hotel brand expands innovative tech-free family program to pools and restaurants; Gives families the chance to win a 5-night vacation for unplugging

PARSIPPANY, N.J. (Oct. 1, 2018): Wyndham Grand is creating new VIP areas at its pools and restaurants with perks promoting quality time for guests at five of its hotels. The catch?

You can’t check your phone.

An expansion of its innovative Reconnected Family Experience, the unique hotel family program encouraging quality time over screen time, Wyndham Grand is now challenging guests to go phone-free at its pools and restaurants. Today through November 12, the brand will offer optional Phone-Free Zones for guests who wish to spend time unplugged. Guests who participate will have access to special perks, amenities and prizes, including the chance to win 75,000 Wyndham Rewards Points – enough for a future five-night vacation.*

Wyndham Grand is collaborating with Yondr – which creates phone-free spaces using a unique locking phone case – to free guests from the temptation of checking their screens during family time, empowering them to enjoy their vacations. Wyndham Grand is the first hotel brand to partner with Yondr creating physical tech-free spaces within its hotels.

“Before the pull of technology, we would never dream of wasting time on our phones instead of jumping straight into the pool and soaking up every minute of our vacation,” said Lisa Checchio, Chief Marketing Officer for Wyndham. “But today, adults and kids are so glued to their devices that we’ve had to add more pool chairs to accommodate all the poolside swiping. With these Phone-Free Zones, we’re creating new unplugged oases and tech-free tables that challenge families to consciously put the phone away for an afternoon – or just a meal – and make memories simply being together.”

Personal devices are impacting the way today’s families travel, with 53% of people never unplugging or reducing their phone usage on a trip.  The average American looks at their screen once every 12 minutes on vacation. Wyndham Grand hotels have seen the effect, witnessing guests toting more than 12 devices per family on a trip – which impacts hotels’ Wi-Fi needs, lobby traffic patterns and pool operations, including added supply of pool chairs.

 

Power Down, Please

To opt in to a Phone-Free Zone, guests can check in with an attendant at the pool or restaurant, or ask any Wyndham Grand team member about going phone-free. The process is simple:

  1. Guests can visit the Phone-Free Zone and check in with a Wyndham Grand team member at the pool or restaurant to receive a Yondr case.
  2. A Wyndham Grand team member will help the guest insert their phone in the Yondr case, which will remain locked while the guest is in the Phone-Free Zone. The phone will remain in the guest’s possession at all times while the case is locked.
  3. When ready to access their phone again, guests can simply visit the nearest unlocking station, and with a simple tap, unlock their Yondr case.

 

Guests who participate will receive access to the space, which includes special perks – think exclusive pool floats and off-menu treats – along with a copy of The Nocturnals: The Mysterious Abductions and a chance to win 75,000 Wyndham Rewards points which they can later redeem for a vacation.*

Phone-Free Zones are available from October 1, 2018 through November 12, 2018 at the following Wyndham Grand hotels offering the Reconnected Family Experience: Wyndham Grand Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla.; Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach Resort in Clearwater, Fla.; Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront in Chicago, Ill.; The Mills House, a Wyndham Grand Hotel in Charleston, S.C.; and Hotel Galvez & Spa, a Wyndham Grand Hotel in Galveston, Texas.

The Reconnected Revolution

Wyndham Grand is bringing quality time back to family vacations with Reconnected, a Wyndham Grand Family Experience, a unique family program addressing the dire need for quality time over screen time. While most family travel programs separate parents and kids, Reconnected enables imaginative play time together. Be it building the ultimate blanket fort, creating shadow-puppets or taking a literary adventure with The Nocturnals: The Mysterious Abductions by Tracey Hecht, this new offering reminds families to slow down and enjoy time together, without the distraction of a screen.

About Wyndham Grand

Travel is the best excuse to enjoy the grand things in life. With locations in some of the world’s most sought after vacation destinations – including Shanghai, Istanbul, Doha, Salzburg and Orlando – Wyndham Grand® hotels transform ordinary moments into unforgettable experiences. Decidedly not stuffy, but approachable by design, this upper-upscale hotel brand helps travelers make every moment count. Follow @WyndhamGrand on Facebook and Instagram.

 

About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company, with nearly 9,000 hotels across more than 80 countries on six continents.  Through its network of more than 792,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in both the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 20 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel Inn & Suites®, La Quinta®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, The Trademark Collection®, and Wyndham®.  Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is also a leading provider of hotel management services, with more than 400 properties under management.  The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 58 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, condominiums and holiday homes globally.  For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.

 

About Yondr

Yondr creates phone-free spaces for artists, educators, organizations and individuals. In our hyper-connected world, Yondr provides a haven to engage with what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with. In physical space and real time. To learn more, visit overyondr.com.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Gabriella Chiera

Wyndham Grand

[email protected]

973-753-6590

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Sweeps begins 10.1.18 & ends 11.12.18. Open to U.S. residents, 21+, who participate in the Phone-Free Zones at participating hotels. Subject to complete official rules, available onsite near the Yondr phone case locking & unlocking stations at participating hotel pools and restaurants, and at wyndhamgrand.com/phonefree. Void where prohibited.