• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Wyndham Grand Chicago

dgalati

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
1,327
Points
298
Great time in Chicago this weekend. I would highly recommend the Wyndham Grand Chicago. No pressure to attend the sales pitch. Stayed in a 1 bedroom suite end unit. Very nice view of river and a city view.
 

spackler

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
586
Reaction score
247
Points
153
Location
US
Resorts Owned
Quarter House, Jean Lafitte House, Bali Hai
Unfortunately there is ZERO availability after Nov. 1 for some reason.
 

55plus

TUG Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
Messages
2,543
Reaction score
1,174
Points
398
Location
USA! USA! USA!
Other than the cost to park it's worth the points. If you have to drive to Chicago, to save money on parking, park in long term airport parking for about $10 and take the CTA into the city. Otherwise take the Amtrak or bus to Chicago, or fly. Flights to Chicago are cheap.
 

schoolmarm

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
372
Reaction score
246
Points
254
Location
Toledo, Ohio
Resorts Owned
Wyndham CWA, Bali Hai, and National Harbor; Summit at Massanutten
This property is mostly hotel (and it is a converted hotel...I stayed there years ago when it was a hotel). There are not that many units available for timeshare booking. I think just 3 or 4 floors. There are a LOT of conventions in Chicago and sports events and it is hard to get lodging downtown anyway.

I snagged a single Tuesday night when I was returning from downstate to see Hamilton. I also was lucky enough to book 3 days starting on a Thursday for a conference in February. Small units both times.

I think I posted a review here that listed how many timeshare units there are.

This property is on a long-term lease (20-30 years) so no deeds will be sold for it.
 

schoolmarm

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
372
Reaction score
246
Points
254
Location
Toledo, Ohio
Resorts Owned
Wyndham CWA, Bali Hai, and National Harbor; Summit at Massanutten
We were just at Chicago Grand and I was told they only have 42 rooms for timeshare.

This is correct! 42 for timeshare and the rest are hotel.
 

jwalk03

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 3, 2016
Messages
3,486
Reaction score
2,584
Points
348
Location
Ohio
Even though it is a limited number of units, there is still something wrong with the availability. I find it hard to believe there is not even one single orphaned night in any month for over a year.
 

schoolmarm

TUG Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2014
Messages
372
Reaction score
246
Points
254
Location
Toledo, Ohio
Resorts Owned
Wyndham CWA, Bali Hai, and National Harbor; Summit at Massanutten
Believe it. I used to live in downstate Illinois and had a horrible time getting ANY kind of downtown hotel for several state conferences that I needed to attend.

It's only 42 units.
 

GRapuser

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
84
Reaction score
65
Points
128
Resorts Owned
Bali Hai Villas, Glacier Canyon, Club Wyndham Access
Historically there have always been a few orphaned nights at least. It is nearly impossible, given the way that the Club Wyndham system booking requirements work, to not have ANY single nights available for the foreseeable future. These are normally only taken up within the two week window that allows booking single nights. You can look to the month of October as an example. This is either an error in the booking system, or there is some renovation or other room hold going on beginning Nov. 1 that they have not made public.
 

cbyrne1174

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2018
Messages
1,916
Reaction score
1,598
Points
274
Location
Tampa, FL
Resorts Owned
Club Wyndham, Marriott, DVC
100% resale!!
When rooms are close to capacity, they can be removed from inventory completely even if they aren't 100% occupied. I have seen that before at other resorts and when I called they confirmed that it was removed from the inventory.
 

jwalk03

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
May 3, 2016
Messages
3,486
Reaction score
2,584
Points
348
Location
Ohio
Just look at October 2019 and see all the available inventory and then starting November 1st every single day of every single month is not available. There is no way that is not some type of hold being placed on the inventory. How could there possibly be 15 days in October 2019 with availability and zero days in October of 2020, when most people can't even book for October 2020 yet??
 

wilson14

newbie
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
108
Reaction score
2
Points
78
Just look at October 2019 and see all the available inventory and then starting November 1st every single day of every single month is not available. There is no way that is not some type of hold being placed on the inventory. How could there possibly be 15 days in October 2019 with availability and zero days in October of 2020, when most people can't even book for October 2020 yet??

Just received this email:


Good day,

As you are a valued Wyndham Hotels & Resorts guest we would like to advise you of some news relating to the Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront. It is anticipated that Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront will become part of the Sonesta brand as the Royal Sonesta Chicago Riverfront on or about November 1, 2019. The transition is the result of a strategic business decision and is not a reflection of the performance of the hotel or our teams.

Although Wyndham Hotels & Resorts will not manage or be affiliated with the hotel, we expect Sonesta to honor commitments to our guests. You will also be eligible to receive Sonesta Travel Pass reward points for your stay, however, you will not be eligible to receive Wyndham Rewards points. We are fully committed to a smooth transition of management over to Sonesta until the transition date, at which point Wyndham will exit the property.

We thank you for your continued support of the hotel through this transition, and we look forward to servicing you soon!

Warm Regards,
Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront
 

spackler

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
586
Reaction score
247
Points
153
Location
US
Resorts Owned
Quarter House, Jean Lafitte House, Bali Hai
Well, crap. Really liked that location.
 

dgalati

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
1,327
Points
298
Really nice location and the views from room were great
 

erniecrews

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2017
Messages
96
Reaction score
41
Points
129
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Presidential Reserve Desert Blue
Wyndham Presidential Reserve Smugglers Notch
Hilton Las Vegas
Do you think that also applies to the timeshare?
 

JohnPaul

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
1,649
Reaction score
845
Points
323
Location
Sacramento, CA
Resorts Owned
Vacation Internationale, HGVC - NYC, Worldmark, Shell Vacations, Sedona Pines, RCI Points, Starwood (Avon, CO)
Do you think that also applies to the timeshare?

I wouldn't think so. Interesting parallel to a number of HGVC properties that are in Hilton Hotels.
 

Richelle

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
2,675
Reaction score
2,064
Points
348
Location
Location, Location.
Resorts Owned
Wyndham National Harbor
Wyndham Canterbury
Wyndham Atlanta
Bay Club of Sandestin
Williamsburg Plantation
Do you think that also applies to the timeshare?

Does anyone actually own any interest in Chicago? I have not heard of any. If no owner owns them, that means Wyndham paid for them, and they can sell their ownership to the new system.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

dgalati

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
1,327
Points
298
Does anyone actually own any interest in Chicago? I have not heard of any. If no owner owns them, that means Wyndham paid for them, and they can sell their ownership to the new system.

Its all about the money!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

GRapuser

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
84
Reaction score
65
Points
128
Resorts Owned
Bali Hai Villas, Glacier Canyon, Club Wyndham Access
The building was on a long-term lease to Wyndham, so they could not sell any ownership there. Every time I attended an owner update there (3 times I believe) they were only pushing CWA. The fact that no timeshare reservations are available after Nov. 1 implies that there will be no more opportunities to use Club Wyndham points for a stay there either. I am disappointed, especially since there are now even few Club Wyndham locations in the Midwest!
 

Jan M.

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
4,486
Reaction score
5,844
Points
548
Location
Tamarac, FL
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Presidential Reserve at Panama City Beach
Club Wyndham Access
Grandview Las Vegas and Discovery Beach Resort - Both in RCI Points
Woodstone and Summit at Massanutten - Both in RCI weeks used as Wyndham PICs
The email posted isn't really clear. It mentions not being able to get Wyndham reward points so that leads me to hope it is just the hotel not the Wyndham units there. The lack of availability past the take over date could mean that Wyndham didn't keep the units they had or it could mean that during the transition they are taking everything out of availability at this time. Even though it is a lot of points to book and the parking is outrageous the resort is very popular with owners making it hard to get into. There will be a lot of disappointed owners if we are losing this resort.

In the directory it says at the bottom of the page "Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront is available under a long-term lease through 2037." It sounds like Royal Sonesta made Wyndham an offer they couldn't pass up to surrender their lease early. We were hearing some bad reports about problems at this resort within the last few months. Things like elevators not working for hours. I wonder if what we were reading wasn't done to pressure Wyndham into agreeing to give up their lease if in fact they did.

This is another presidential reserve resort so if like Glacier Canyon Wyndham is pulling another resort out of PR that should make every PR owner very alarmed. PR inventory wouldn't be part of access inventory so would have to be deeded or part of an association. Schoolmarm posted that Wyndham only has 42 units at this resort. In the directory it shows studios, one bedroom deluxe and one and two bedroom presidentials. Only a percentage of those one and two bedroom presidential units would have been PR. Wyndham could have easily bought those few owners out or offered them PR at a different resort. Just like they did with the Glacier Canyon PR owners.

If the regular inventory was all in CWA, Wyndham can easily pull that inventory out of CWA. As I posted in the thread "What Would You Pay For VIP Silver" in response to cbyrne1174's ideas about the future of timeshares.

I don't know about anyone else but if this resort is lost which would also make two resorts lost from the PR program just months before Privileges comes out, that raises a whole lot of questions with no answers.
 

Richelle

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
2,675
Reaction score
2,064
Points
348
Location
Location, Location.
Resorts Owned
Wyndham National Harbor
Wyndham Canterbury
Wyndham Atlanta
Bay Club of Sandestin
Williamsburg Plantation

It usually is, with for-profit companies. At least for the ones that want to stay in business.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Richelle

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
2,675
Reaction score
2,064
Points
348
Location
Location, Location.
Resorts Owned
Wyndham National Harbor
Wyndham Canterbury
Wyndham Atlanta
Bay Club of Sandestin
Williamsburg Plantation
I don't know about anyone else but if this resort is lost which would also make two resorts lost from the PR program just months before Privileges comes out, that raises a whole lot of questions with no answers.

I’m hoping they replace them with something else, but it is disturbing they can remove a resort from the portfolio like that. If they keep removing resorts, I suspect someone will file a lawsuit. Even if it is Wyndham owned (or leased) inventory, if they drastically change the portfolio, it won’t be close to what people paid for. I would imagine more then a few PR owners would take issue if they removed more then a few resorts. I know I would be mad. It makes me second guess potentially going PR later.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

OutSkiing

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2015
Messages
538
Reaction score
241
Points
153
Location
Columbus, Ohio
Resorts Owned
Midtown 45, Bali Hai, Margaritaville
Grand Chicago is one of our favorite weekend getaways. In fact we have a reservation in Club Wyndham Grand Chicago this coming February 2020. From the wording in the letter, it would seem they will honor this stay for us.

Makes you wonder if they always had something like this in mind .. not selling the property to owners gave them this flexibility.

Bob
 

dgalati

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2015
Messages
3,393
Reaction score
1,327
Points
298
I’m hoping they replace them with something else, but it is disturbing they can remove a resort from the portfolio like that. If they keep removing resorts, I suspect someone will file a lawsuit. Even if it is Wyndham owned (or leased) inventory, if they drastically change the portfolio, it won’t be close to what people paid for. I would imagine more then a few PR owners would take issue if they removed more then a few resorts. I know I would be mad. It makes me second guess potentially going PR later.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
At least Midtown 45 Has been sold and deeded to owners.
 

HitchHiker71

Moderator
Joined
Jun 29, 2018
Messages
4,169
Reaction score
3,693
Points
549
Location
The First State
Resorts Owned
Outer Banks Beach Club I (PIC Plus)
Colonies at Williamsburg (PIC Plus)
CWA VIP Gold (718k EY)
National Harbor Resale (689k)
The email posted isn't really clear. It mentions not being able to get Wyndham reward points so that leads me to hope it is just the hotel not the Wyndham units there. The lack of availability past the take over date could mean that Wyndham didn't keep the units they had or it could mean that during the transition they are taking everything out of availability at this time. Even though it is a lot of points to book and the parking is outrageous the resort is very popular with owners making it hard to get into. There will be a lot of disappointed owners if we are losing this resort.

In the directory it says at the bottom of the page "Wyndham Grand Chicago Riverfront is available under a long-term lease through 2037." It sounds like Royal Sonesta made Wyndham an offer they couldn't pass up to surrender their lease early. We were hearing some bad reports about problems at this resort within the last few months. Things like elevators not working for hours. I wonder if what we were reading wasn't done to pressure Wyndham into agreeing to give up their lease if in fact they did.

This is another presidential reserve resort so if like Glacier Canyon Wyndham is pulling another resort out of PR that should make every PR owner very alarmed. PR inventory wouldn't be part of access inventory so would have to be deeded or part of an association. Schoolmarm posted that Wyndham only has 42 units at this resort. In the directory it shows studios, one bedroom deluxe and one and two bedroom presidentials. Only a percentage of those one and two bedroom presidential units would have been PR. Wyndham could have easily bought those few owners out or offered them PR at a different resort. Just like they did with the Glacier Canyon PR owners.

If the regular inventory was all in CWA, Wyndham can easily pull that inventory out of CWA. As I posted in the thread "What Would You Pay For VIP Silver" in response to cbyrne1174's ideas about the future of timeshares.

I don't know about anyone else but if this resort is lost which would also make two resorts lost from the PR program just months before Privileges comes out, that raises a whole lot of questions with no answers.

It doesn't really have anything to do with Royal Sonesta per se - it has to do with the REIT that actually owned the building that Wyndham Grand Chicago occupied - and the fact that this REIT is severing it's relationship with Wyndham brands. Expect more of this moving forward, as HPT owns some 22 Wyndham branded hotels. This was announced in August 2019, here's an article about it:

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/297544/HPT-to-sell-up-to-50-hotels-end-Wyndham-agreement

Note this article specifically mentions the Chicago location as a problem child - so not surprised to see it go first. Sonesta has a cozy relationship with HPT - so I would expect that a chunk of the 22 remaining locations to also go to Sonesta in the coming months as HPT exits Wyndham from their locations. I don't believe timeshares will be an exception here either, since it's about the underlying real estate. I don't believe Wyndham sold any deeded inventory to any of these locations either, since they never really owned them I don't see how it would have been possible to sell a perpetual deed to something that Wyndham never developed or owned. I will try to dig up a specific list of the 22 properties in scope here - it's somewhere out there - I just have to find it.
 
Last edited:
Top