Wyndham Launches Homes & Havens Vacation Rental Collection Inside Wyndham Rewards

A major hotel loyalty program is moving into vacation rentals, giving professional property managers a new distribution channel alongside the OTAs and Airbnb.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has launched Homes & Havens, a collection of professionally managed vacation rentals bookable through Wyndham Rewards. At launch it includes nearly 800 homes and villas across the US, Caribbean, Mexico and Europe. Wyndham plans to add hundreds more in the coming months, including cabins, tiny homes and yurts. Initial partners are Brightwild, Simpson Travel, StayTerra and Thousand Trails.

Loyalty mechanics

• Wyndham Rewards has about 129 million enrolled members.
• Members earn 5 points per US dollar spent on qualifying bookings, and eligible nights count toward membership levels.
• Reward stays start at 15,000 points per bedroom per night, with tiers at 30,000 and 45,000 points. A 5,000-point tier is expected as the collection grows.
• Redemptions must be arranged through Wyndham Rewards Member Services at least 60 days ahead. Points cover the base accommodation rate but not taxes, cleaning fees or other mandatory charges.
• Most properties are expected to accept redemptions, though availability varies. Some villas require an online reservation request and a booking with a reservation specialist.

Strategy

Michael Shiwdin, group vice president of integrated marketing, loyalty and digital at Wyndham, said the launch is part of building a "fully immersive travel rewards experience" that meets members wherever their journeys take them. Wyndham says the collection responds to demand from travellers seeking larger accommodation for family and group trips, citing research that about 30 per cent of US leisure travellers stayed in a short-term rental on their most recent trip.

The launch extends Wyndham Rewards beyond its hotel and vacation club inventory and gives participating property managers access to the group's loyalty membership and distribution network.