Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchisor with nearly 9,000 hotels and 20 powerhouse brands, is bolstering its network of midscale hotels and extending the global footprint of its award-winning Wingate by Wyndham® brand with the recent opening of 14 locations across both hemispheres, including the first Wingate hotel in China and new additions to the brand’s established presence in the U.S. and Canada.
Wingate is suited for travellers seeking balance in work, life, and everything in between, offering what’s needed to stay connected, productive, and ready for whatever comes next – like inviting, contemporary lounges; free breakfast; flexible and functional meeting space; and spacious guest rooms. The introduction of its first hotel in China, plus additions across the U.S. and British Columbia, Canada, brings the expanding brand’s global presence to nearly 170 hotels. As of June 30, 2018, Wingate’s global pipeline consisted of 74 hotels, nearly 60 per cent of which were new construction.
“The global middle class, which is growing steadily at an estimated rate of 160 million people each year, continues to travel more and seek out great experiences and value,” said Tom Barber, chief development and strategy officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Expanding Wingate in high-demand markets around the world exposes the brand to new circles of travellers, and doing so with established hotel developers sharing our passion for delivering consistent, guest-centric experiences will help propel continued growth and success.”
U.S. surge
Driving Wingate’s latest growth spurt in the U.S. is a newly-signed franchise agreement with State Bank of Texas for 10 hotels across the Midwest and Northeast; the addition of an 80-room hotel in Moses Lake, Wash.; and the opening of the newly constructed, 123-room Wingate by Wyndham Nashville Airport, the brand’s first location in Nashville, which is consistently named as one of the top places to visit. Located three miles from Nashville International Airport and 10 miles from downtown, the hotel puts travellers close to where they need to be. Features include 123 modern, spacious guest rooms; the brand’s signature comfortable communal lobby space; free Wi-Fi and daily breakfast; laundry services; and two meeting rooms.
The hotel reflects the brand’s design-driven prototype, created to meet travellers’ needs without skimping on services and amenities while also lowering development costs and capturing greater efficiencies for hotel owners. This is the first of four Wingate hotels owned by Corinthian Development Company to open in the U.S., with locations under construction and set to open in the next year in Seattle, Wash.; San Jose, Cali.; and Denver, Colo. The brand plans to add a newly built location in Long Island City, N.Y., in 2019.
Debuting in China
Wingate by Wyndham Sanya Luhuitou, located in the heart of China’s tropical island getaway in Hainan Province, is the brand’s first hotel in China and the Asia Pacific region. With its temperate climate, the expansion of international flights, and greater visa-free access for tourists arriving to Hainan from more than 50 countries, tourism and demand in Sanya is on the rise making it a prime market for hotel development.
Designed for vacationers revelling in China’s popular seaside destination, the newly constructed modern oasis features three outdoor pools, multiple bars and restaurants, a kids club with indoor and outdoor play areas, an extensive art collection, free Wi-Fi, and a 24/7 shuttle to nearby Dadonghai Beach. The resort’s 190 contemporarily-designed guest rooms and suites come complete with sitting areas, spacious bathrooms, and balconies with stunning mountain, garden, or harbour views.
Wyndham plans to expand the Wingate brand further in China, with a 345-room hotel in Xining set to open in 2020.
British Columbia bound
The addition of the brand’s latest Canadian destination – the 83-room Wingate by Wyndham Kamloops – marks the brand’s debut in British Columbia and widens its current footprint in the country to eight hotels.
Located off the Trans-Canada Highway near the North and South Thompson Rivers, the hotel puts guests in the heart of scenic Kamloops, which saw a record year of tourism growth in 2017 with nearly two million visitors. The newly constructed hotel features modern design and natural earth tones; free hot breakfast and Wi-Fi; a relaxing indoor pool and hot tub; a well-equipped fitness centre; an on-site mart; and 750 square feet of meeting space.
Wyndham will continue adding to Wingate’s Canadian roster, having recently signed deals for two hotels in Lethbridge, Alberta, and Kanata, Ontario, expected to open in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
“Regardless of their reason for staying with us, Wingate’s top priority is delivering best-in-class service to each guest who walks through our doors and each hotel owner who raises the brand’s flag,” said Larry Hambro, vice president of operations, Wingate by Wyndham. “Satisfaction scores ranking it high above the competition year after year combined with consistently high performance and an efficient, modern prototype design, are driving forces behind Wingate’s current expansion momentum in North America.”
