Wyndham Rewards - The Super 8.....that wasn't!

Pulled off the road in Meced, California after a long day looking for a basic motel room...and figuring to add to my stash of Wyndham points. And the Super 8 (at 1983 E. Childs Ave) seemed to fit the bill... Sign outside promised WIFI in all the rooms and a breakfast in the morning.

Registered, and when I went to present my WR card the desk girl said "oh, we haven't processed those in weeks." Shrugged my shoulders and figured it wasn't worth a check-in hassle...I'd just submit the receipt through the website. Got my stuff into the room, went to check my e-mail... Only one bar on the WIFI...and could not make a stable connection. Hiked back to the desk & found out that Wifi only works in the half the rooms facing the courtyard, and they had placed me in an outside room (no inside rooms available)....if I wanted Wifi, I could come to the lobby. (growl) Left the property to rustle up dinner (& checked my mail at a Starbuck's)..and returned for the night.

Stayed up late writing, and then went to clean up for bed....and found there was no soap in the room. Luckily, I've got a cache of supplies from previous hotel stays in the car... But that didn't cover the lack of a shower curtain, which meant that over-spray soaked down the toilet & bathroom. Went to get some ice for a nightcap...and the ice machine had an old tattered sign saying "out of order."

In the morning, went to the lobby for the "breakfast." And there was nothing there. Inquired at the desk, and was told that "the new management discontinued that." I pointed out that that the sign immediately behind the clerk's head (and the one outside the motel) advertised "free breakfast." She just shrugged her shoulders and said that whoever checked me in should have told me...but there should be coffee in my room if I wanted it. Decided to pack and checkout...and find some real breakfast.

Got the car loaded, checked out...and asked for a receipt... And noticed a funny discrepancy. The laser printed receipt identified the property as "Super 8," but the credit card receipt claimed that the property was a "Motel 6!" When I asked the clerk what that was about, she explained that the motel had changed from the former to the latter last night... I asked why I was not told, and why the signs all said "Super 8." She said that they had not gotten around to changing them.

(more to follow)

and that sounds like one of the better MOTEL 6's

and that sounds like one of the better MOTEL 6's

...which I why I usually don't stay at Motel 6's.... :rolleyes:

The plot thickened when I got home from the trip and called Super 8 to discuss my poor stay and rewards points. And got notified that "the property had not been a Super 8 for nearly a year..." !!! I inquired whether Super 8 *knew* that there was a property pretending to be part of their chain...after they had withdrawn. And was told there was "nothing they could do..."
(Really? Ever heard of a lawsuit to enforce their trademark rights?...)

So I called up Motel 6 about the poor service... And discovered that while the property was "in the process of applying to become part of the Motel 6 chain," it was not yet a Motel 6! I inquired if it was typical that an independent franchise not yet part of the chain would be producing CC receipts claiming it was?... And was told that customer service would "refer this question to corporate." :confused:

The only "customer service" department that seemed to have a clue as to what the phrase meant was Wyndham's....who told me that if I'd send them a copy of the reciept, they'd see about crediting my points for the night's stay...and follow up w/ Super * about allowing motels to use their name.

and that sounds like one of the better MOTEL 6's
Better?

I have stayed in a lot of Motel 6's and they all had shower curtains and soap.

Better?

I have stayed in a lot of Motel 6's and they all had shower curtains and soap.

You are luckier than I am. The worst night I ever spent in a motel was MOTEL6 near SLC airport. What a dump. Motel 6 never even bothered to answer my note to them even though I wrote at least 3 times and called twice.
This happened three years ago and I remember as if it was just last month.

...which I why I usually don't stay at Motel 6's.... :rolleyes:

The plot thickened when I got home from the trip and called Super 8 to discuss my poor stay and rewards points. And got notified that "the property had not been a Super 8 for nearly a year..." !!! I inquired whether Super 8 *knew* that there was a property pretending to be part of their chain...after they had withdrawn. And was told there was "nothing they could do..."
(Really? Ever heard of a lawsuit to enforce their trademark rights?...)

So I called up Motel 6 about the poor service... And discovered that while the property was "in the process of applying to become part of the Motel 6 chain," it was not yet a Motel 6! I inquired if it was typical that an independent franchise not yet part of the chain would be producing CC receipts claiming it was?... And was told that customer service would "refer this question to corporate." :confused:

The only "customer service" department that seemed to have a clue as to what the phrase meant was Wyndham's....who told me that if I'd send them a copy of the reciept, they'd see about crediting my points for the night's stay...and follow up w/ Super * about allowing motels to use their name.

Hello, Thank you for letting us know - I'm forwarded this to the appropriate teams so we can follow-up.

I just had a similar experience at an ex-Baymont Inn in Fayetteville NC. Walked in at 11:30 PM on Oct. 27, asked the room rate: $60, said Yes. Next morning, I noticed my WR# was not on my receipt. I was told, 'Sorry, we're not a WR hotel anymore. We lost our Baymont Inn franchise 3 months ago.'
Sign still said Baymont Inn, so did hotel folio & Visa charge & report card for breakfast room from NC health inspector dated Oct. 6/ 2011.
I phoned WR on Oct. 31 & was told to fax in the receipt, so I did. I'm now waiting for credit & eligibility for $20 rebate.

UPDATE: I got 600 WR points yesterday labeled "Goodwill Adjustment." No AC miles, no stay credit toward the $20 rebate. Oh well, better than nothing!

didnt mean to bump it, just accidentally found the story...
wow. WILD.
I was just looking into wyndham, carlson, BW and choice chains as a way to cut down my travel expenses, but this is just BAD.
Its been quite some time since it happened to you, would you let us know how it all got resolved at the end?
Thanks..

...which I why I usually don't stay at Motel 6's.... :rolleyes:

The plot thickened when I got home from the trip and called Super 8 to discuss my poor stay and rewards points. And got notified that "the property had not been a Super 8 for nearly a year..." !!! I inquired whether Super 8 *knew* that there was a property pretending to be part of their chain...after they had withdrawn. And was told there was "nothing they could do..."
(Really? Ever heard of a lawsuit to enforce their trademark rights?...)

So I called up Motel 6 about the poor service... And discovered that while the property was "in the process of applying to become part of the Motel 6 chain," it was not yet a Motel 6! I inquired if it was typical that an independent franchise not yet part of the chain would be producing CC receipts claiming it was?... And was told that customer service would "refer this question to corporate." :confused:

The only "customer service" department that seemed to have a clue as to what the phrase meant was Wyndham's....who told me that if I'd send them a copy of the reciept, they'd see about crediting my points for the night's stay...and follow up w/ Super * about allowing motels to use their name.

The new upgraded Motel 6's are not bad..clean, wooden non-stink carpeted floors, flat-screen TVs, granite counter top...pretty good for the value.