Wyndham Launches Extended-Stay Brand In U.S. With 5 Apartment-Style Hotels
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has formed a partnership with a residential management company to launch an extended-stay concept in the U.S.
The hotel giant is partnering with Seattle-based Reside to open five residential-style hotels under the Wyndham Residences brand, the companies announced Monday.
Two of the Wyndham Residences locations are planned in Washington, D.C., as conversion projects. It is planning an 81-room hotel in Navy Yard at 816-818 Potomac Ave. SE and a 67-room hotel in NoMa at 1324 North Capitol St. NE, a spokesperson told Bisnow.
Both of those addresses appear to be apartment buildings formerly operated by vacation rental company Sonder, which announced plans in June to shutter 80 locations.
The apartment-hotel brand has already opened in two other cities, with a 55-room hotel in Seattle and a 79-room hotel in Houston, according to a release. It is also planning a 22-room hotel in New Orleans.
Wyndham Residences previously had locations in the United Arab Emirates, Greece and elsewhere in the world, but this partnership represents its launch in the U.S., the companies said. Wyndham said it plans to expand the brand across the top 50 hotel markets in the U.S.
With apartment-style features like full kitchens and in-unit laundry, the brand is geared toward longer-term stays, but Wyndham said it also accommodates groups looking for short trips.
Wyndham decided to partner with Reside for the brand because it is “one of the most successful names in corporate housing,” Wyndham Chief Development Officer Amit Sripathi said in a release. Reside has operated for three decades and has locations in 60 countries.
“Whether you need a comfortable place to live for a prolonged time, or you simply need more space while traveling with a larger group, Reside's model expands our extended-stay offerings, delivering premium, professionally managed accommodations in locations we know guests want to visit,” Sripathi said.
Wyndham operates 25 hotel brands, including other extended-stay concepts Echo Suites, Hawthorn and Waterwalk, it said in the release. Its total franchising portfolio spans 9,200 hotels across 95 countries. The company faced a $7.8B hostile takeover bid last year by Choice Hotels, but Wyndham rebuffed the offer and Choice backed away in March.
Wyndham isn't the only major hotel franchise looking to dip into the short-term rental apartment market. Marriott struck a licensing agreement with Sonder in August, allowing it to list 9,000 units on Marriott's platforms under the Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy branding.
