Wyndham Rewards + Melia = FUBAR
Jan 21, 2011, 1:04 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Wyndham Rewards + Melia = FUBAR
We had a brief discussion a few months ago about trying to redeem Wyndham Rewards points for Melia hotel stays. I've tried to do it again, and can share some more information. Hopefully, somebody here can help me solve my redemption problem. It seems like the folks who answer the phone at Wyndham Rewards can't solve anything.
If you go to the WR website, you'll see that Melia is supposedly a redemption option and there are apparently some great deals:
https://www.wyndhamrewards.com/trec/...ction?variant=
Now they say you can redeem at "one of 300 hotels in 30 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America," but they only list a few dozen hotels in 8 countries. They also tell you to call Melia first, book the hotel, and then call WR for the voucher.
The problem is that when you call Melia for one of the listed hotels, the answer you'll receive (or at least that I've received a half dozen times) is that there's no availability. When this happened again to me today, I called WR and pressed the issue. Basically, how can there never be any availability?
The WR agent spoke to her supervisor and then told me to call Melia back and ask about blackout days at the hotel I was interested in -- which was the Melia Barcelona.
I did so, and was told by the Melia agent that the Melia Barcelona doesn't participate at all (even though they are on the WR list!). The agent helpfully suggested that a nearby Tryp hotel (in the Melia group) did. He made the reservation for me. The problem is that he had no idea how many WR points I needed for the rez, and suggested I call WR back.
So, of course, I did. The problem is that WR has no record of this Tryp hotel participating, so they can't tell me how many points it is, or issue me a voucher! After I pressed the issue with the agent, she spoke with a supervisor who told her "they were working on developing a new list with more Tryp hotels. Maybe by April."
I asked if I could somehow get in contact with the person in charge of administering the WR relationship with Melia, and was given the name "NAME REDACTED BY MODERATOR" They have a P.O. Box for her in South Dakota -- no other contact information. I think she is just a general program administrator. I doubt that writing a letter to her will get me anywhere, but I suppose I could try.
Does anyone have any suggestion on what to do here? Obviously, what I need -- and what all WR members need -- is a accurate list of participating Melia hotels and the means to order the vouchers for these hotels. Common sense, right? But there doesn't seem to be much intelligent life at WR working toward that goal.
Meanwhile, the Tyrp hotel that I booked (but can't get a voucher for) has helpfully sent me a confirmation email with detailed rate information! It says the price of my room is 41.58 Euros (about a third of the lowest published rate) and seems to indicate that I'll owe that if I don't bring a voucher:
Payment Method: PAYMENT ON SPOT
*** Remarks & Special Requests ***
**RES. WITH WYNDHAM POINTS**WYNDHAM NUMBER: xxxxxxxxxx**
**AWR OF CHARGES IF POINTS ARE NOT ENOUGH**AWR CXL POL.**
I'm tempted to contact the hotel, tell them I'm having troubles getting a voucher, and offering to pay them in Euros. This would be fine -- I'll save my points for another hotel. I'm wondering if it would work! Crazy stuff.
If you go to the WR website, you'll see that Melia is supposedly a redemption option and there are apparently some great deals:
https://www.wyndhamrewards.com/trec/...ction?variant=
Now they say you can redeem at "one of 300 hotels in 30 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America," but they only list a few dozen hotels in 8 countries. They also tell you to call Melia first, book the hotel, and then call WR for the voucher.
The problem is that when you call Melia for one of the listed hotels, the answer you'll receive (or at least that I've received a half dozen times) is that there's no availability. When this happened again to me today, I called WR and pressed the issue. Basically, how can there never be any availability?
The WR agent spoke to her supervisor and then told me to call Melia back and ask about blackout days at the hotel I was interested in -- which was the Melia Barcelona.
I did so, and was told by the Melia agent that the Melia Barcelona doesn't participate at all (even though they are on the WR list!). The agent helpfully suggested that a nearby Tryp hotel (in the Melia group) did. He made the reservation for me. The problem is that he had no idea how many WR points I needed for the rez, and suggested I call WR back.
So, of course, I did. The problem is that WR has no record of this Tryp hotel participating, so they can't tell me how many points it is, or issue me a voucher! After I pressed the issue with the agent, she spoke with a supervisor who told her "they were working on developing a new list with more Tryp hotels. Maybe by April."
I asked if I could somehow get in contact with the person in charge of administering the WR relationship with Melia, and was given the name "NAME REDACTED BY MODERATOR" They have a P.O. Box for her in South Dakota -- no other contact information. I think she is just a general program administrator. I doubt that writing a letter to her will get me anywhere, but I suppose I could try.
Does anyone have any suggestion on what to do here? Obviously, what I need -- and what all WR members need -- is a accurate list of participating Melia hotels and the means to order the vouchers for these hotels. Common sense, right? But there doesn't seem to be much intelligent life at WR working toward that goal.
Meanwhile, the Tyrp hotel that I booked (but can't get a voucher for) has helpfully sent me a confirmation email with detailed rate information! It says the price of my room is 41.58 Euros (about a third of the lowest published rate) and seems to indicate that I'll owe that if I don't bring a voucher:
Payment Method: PAYMENT ON SPOT
*** Remarks & Special Requests ***
**RES. WITH WYNDHAM POINTS**WYNDHAM NUMBER: xxxxxxxxxx**
**AWR OF CHARGES IF POINTS ARE NOT ENOUGH**AWR CXL POL.**
I'm tempted to contact the hotel, tell them I'm having troubles getting a voucher, and offering to pay them in Euros. This would be fine -- I'll save my points for another hotel. I'm wondering if it would work! Crazy stuff.
Last edited by GoldCircle; Jan 24, 2011 at 1:23 pm Reason: Removal of non-mgt. staff member's name
Jan 22, 2011, 11:48 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
I tried a few months ago to get the London Melia on points and, of course, it wasn't available. My hunch is that they don't actually participate (despite what the list says), but somebody could call Melia and ask. It would be a fantastic deal if you could get it, of course.
Jan 24, 2011, 10:38 am
#4
Company Representative - Wyndham Rewards
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: Wyndham Rewards
Posts: 395
I'm sorry you are having issues with making a redemption. The Tyrp properties are new to the Wyndham Family and are not set up yet for free night stays. I would like to look into you situation further. Could you please send me a private message with your WR account number, prefered Sol Melia property and travel dates?
I'm not that familiar with this forum: are there Wyndham lurkers? If so, it would be incredibly useful for them to look into this Melia situation. It's totally messed up.
I tried a few months ago to get the London Melia on points and, of course, it wasn't available. My hunch is that they don't actually participate (despite what the list says), but somebody could call Melia and ask. It would be a fantastic deal if you could get it, of course.
I tried a few months ago to get the London Melia on points and, of course, it wasn't available. My hunch is that they don't actually participate (despite what the list says), but somebody could call Melia and ask. It would be a fantastic deal if you could get it, of course.
Apr 19, 2011, 3:35 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Three months later, Melia redemption is still FUBAR.
I've been working with the Wyndham lurkers and received some assurance that the problem was being worked on, but I've received no recent correspondence.
I'm disappointed.
I've been working with the Wyndham lurkers and received some assurance that the problem was being worked on, but I've received no recent correspondence.
I'm disappointed.
Apr 25, 2011, 8:50 am
#6
Company Representative - Wyndham Rewards
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: Wyndham Rewards
Posts: 395
I hope you have received my private note. If you need anything else please let me know.
Thank you!
Thank you!
May 4, 2011, 1:36 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
After several months of effort, the Wyndham lurkers were able to get me set up with a Melia award reservation. And they even comped me the night. ^
But there was a huge downside to my efforts. Because my experience showed them that the Melia redemption process was, indeed, FUBAR, they completely pulled it!
I expressed my strong disappointment at this move, and urged them to fix and restore this redemption opportunity at the earliest possible time.
Perhaps the lurkers could give us all a possible timeline for when to expect the Melia award option to return. And I apologize to anyone who wanted to redeem for Melia and now can't because of my own efforts to secure a Melia award. I had no idea that their supposedly "temporary solution" to the problem would be to pull this award option.
But there was a huge downside to my efforts. Because my experience showed them that the Melia redemption process was, indeed, FUBAR, they completely pulled it!
I expressed my strong disappointment at this move, and urged them to fix and restore this redemption opportunity at the earliest possible time.Perhaps the lurkers could give us all a possible timeline for when to expect the Melia award option to return. And I apologize to anyone who wanted to redeem for Melia and now can't because of my own efforts to secure a Melia award. I had no idea that their supposedly "temporary solution" to the problem would be to pull this award option.
May 4, 2011, 3:42 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Lafayette, CO, USA
Programs: SPG Lifetime Plat, AA Gold, UA Gold, DL Silver, HH Gold, Vail Epic
Posts: 9,096
But there was a huge downside to my efforts. Because my experience showed them that the Melia redemption process was, indeed, FUBAR, they completely pulled it! I expressed my strong disappointment at this move, and urged them to fix and restore this redemption opportunity at the earliest possible time.
I expressed my strong disappointment at this move, and urged them to fix and restore this redemption opportunity at the earliest possible time. This was one of the partnerships that attracted me to Wyndham Rewards! 
May 5, 2011, 7:17 am
#10
Company Representative - Wyndham Rewards
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: Wyndham Rewards
Posts: 395
Sol Melia will be back as a redemption partner shortly. We are restructuring our relationship with them to make the free night stay redemption process more efficient. I will let everyone know when they return.
May 5, 2011, 10:20 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
I'll keep my fingers crossed that Wyndham's definition of "shortly" matches the common definition of that word. For example, I would not consider 3 months to be "shortly." I think it's important to the credibility of this award program that this matter be handled in an expeditious manner.