Powerful Pairings: Independent Hotels and Large Brands Unite
If there’s one thing we learned from the pandemic, it’s the strength of communities. We’re all better when we lean into our strengths. For independent hoteliers, it’s their knowledge of their neighborhood and attention to detail that gives their guests a personalized service. In many ways, their hotels are destinations within a destination — a chance to highlight the area’s unique culture and character.
Wyndham’s Trademark and Registry brands brings the global scale, services, and loyalty program of the world’s largest hotel franchising company to independent hoteliers who have made a name for themselves through their innovation and commitment to the customer. When these forces combine, everyone — from the hotel and employees to the guests — wins.
The Resiliency of Independent Hoteliers Anchors the Industry
The global pandemic nearly shut down the hospitality industry, as travel spending dropped by almost $500 billion and millions of industry jobs disappeared by the end of 2020. Yet, in the midst of dire warnings about the fate of travel and tourism, hoteliers had to find new ways to connect with their customers and adapt their business models to a rapidly changing world. Innovations like contactless check-in along with extended stay offerings and daytime rates helped keep them afloat.
The worst of the pandemic may be behind us, but some of the challenges it brought to the industry are creating a new landscape for hoteliers to figure out. Among these challenges are staffing shortages, complex market conditions, and shifts in travel patterns that make it difficult to forecast guest bookings.
Adaptation Is the Future of Hospitality
The truth is that travelers never completely stopped traveling. They changed the way they travel, and those changes are at the heart of the challenges hotels currently face. Guests want to know that hotels value their health and safety. They crave more technology and flexibility to create their own experiences. They’re traveling more during the off-season and spending more time in their destinations, thanks to remote work and an uptick in the number of business travelers tacking on vacation time to their work trips.
The good news is that independent hotels are well positioned to adapt to these changes without sacrificing the guest experience. They’re deeply in tune with their guests and understand how to cater to their needs. That’s exactly how they built their following — unparalleled service that creates unforgettable moments.
Independent Spirits Supported by a Global Hospitality Company
That said, great service on its own may not be enough for hotels to reach new levels in the evolving travel industry. That’s where global brands step in, to support independent hoteliers through scale, expertise, and loyalty. The hotelier brings the independent spirit and innovation to create the unique guest experience they know their customers want. The brand offers commercial and operational support and scale built through years of industry expertise along with brand recognition and a loyalty membership program that gives independent hoteliers access to a much larger audience.
Making the decision to partner with a global brand gives the independent hotelier some key advantages that extend beyond an iconic name. A brand like Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has unmatched visibility, an experienced sales team, and one of the most generous and recognized loyalty programs in the industry. Imagine having access to more than 95 million Wyndham Rewards members and name recognition in over 95 countries. Consider the value of a company that can reduce OTA costs and provide global reach whilst helping drive more bookings through direct channels.
Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Successful independent hoteliers know how to create a product that caters to the needs of their guests. With the right support, they can amplify their success to generate more sales and gain more recognition in the market.
Designed with the needs of these hoteliers in mind, Wyndham launched the Trademark Collection in 2017 for upper-midscale and above properties. It now includes more than 145 hotels with 75 hotels in development. Each hotel has access to the support of global sales, marketing, and loyalty teams with years of industry experience.
The brand already has seen impressive growth in Europe, where a range of approximately 60 hotels shows the versatility of the brand. It includes properties with large-capacity meeting spaces, dog-friendly rooms, intimate country retreats, and on-site dining. For example, the Lazart Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham in Greece features more than 1,000 square meters of meeting space along with a swimming pool, jazz bar, and business room for guests. Guests at the Fontinha Hotel in Portugal are welcome to bring their dogs during their stay along with one of the city’s most popular streets. The Central Hotel in Romania gives guests the boutique experience with a full range of in-room amenities designed for extended-stay travelers in the heart of the city. At the Staindrop Lodge in the UK, guests enjoy an intimate space with brassiere-style dining, a full-service bar, and meeting rooms.
Registry Collection Hotels
Launched in 2021 with the opening of Grand Residences Riviera Cancun in Mexico, Wyndham’s Registry Collection Hotels brand has been designed for the independent-minded luxury hotel owners and developers around the world. These handpicked hotels are in a class of their own, thanks to the unique architectural details, dream-worthy locations, and indulgent experiences they offer guests.
Take, for example, Georgia’s luxurious ART Tbilisi. Expected to open in 2023, the stunning hotel features a garden overlooking the Mtkvari River and Sulfur Baths along with a fully modern fitness center and wellness area where guests can relax and recharge. A rooftop bar offers panoramic views of the surrounding Abanotubani district, one of the most picturesque areas of the city.
The brand has been experiencing strong growth momentum. Wyndham recently forged a commercial alliance with Palladium Hotel Group to add 14 spectacular resorts in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Brazil under a long-term agreement leveraging Wyndham's extensive distribution.
These unique hotels are designed to ensure that guests will enjoy an elevated vacation as part of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts global offering.
Discover the Difference When You Partner with a Global Leader
Independent hoteliers know the power of hard work and building relationships with people to reach their goals. When they connect with a global brand, they unite two powerful forces: the hotel’s character and independence with the brand’s global recognition. As part of the Trademark or Registry brands, hotels have access to the scale, capability, and loyalty of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. The best part? They keep the freedom and independence they’ve built for their hotels.
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