Is Wyndham Part of Marriott?

No, Wyndham is not part of Marriott. Wyndham and Marriott are two separate and competing hospitality companies.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International are two of the largest hotel chains in the world. Both operate a diverse portfolio of hotel brands, from luxury properties to budget-friendly hotels.

With so many familiar brand names under their umbrellas, it’s understandable why some may think Wyndham is owned by Marriott or vice versa. However, Wyndham and Marriott remain completely independent companies.

History of Wyndham

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has origins dating back to 1981, when founder Trammell Crow opened the first Baymont Inn & Suites in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

A decade later, Hospitality Franchise Systems was established as the franchising arm for brands like Ramada and Howard Johnson.

The current Wyndham Hotels & Resorts was formed in 2005 after Cendant Corporation split into four separate companies, one being Wyndham Worldwide. In 2018, Wyndham Worldwide performed another spin-off, creating Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Through acquisitions of other brands like La Quinta and acquisitions of others like Microtel Inn & Suites, Wyndham has grown to over 9,000 hotels worldwide. Flagship brands include Wyndham, Wyndham Grand, Dolce Hotels, Ramada, and Super 8.

History of Marriott

Marriott International has a longer legacy, tracing back to 1927 when J. Willard Marriott and his wife opened a root beer stand in Washington D.C. In 1957, they expanded into hotels by opening Twin Bridges Motor Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

The company went public in 1953 and soon began a rapid expansion, both organically and through acquisitions.

Iconic brands were established like Marriott, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, and Ritz-Carlton. Today, Marriott has over 7,600 properties worldwide covering 30 hotel brands.

Wyndham and Marriott Today

Currently, Wyndham and Marriott are two of the largest hospitality companies in the world:

• Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has over 9,000 hotels across 95 countries. Brands include Wyndham, Ramada, Howard Johnson, and over 20 others. Wyndham has a strong focus on economy and midscale hotels.
• Marriott International encompasses over 7,600 properties in 139 countries covering luxury to budget accommodations. Major flagships include Marriott, Courtyard, Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, and 25+ other brands.

While similar in scale, Wyndham and Marriott target different market segments. Wyndham has strength in budget and economy hotels for price-conscious travelers. Marriott spans luxury to mid-tier, appealing to business travelers and upscale vacations.

Reasons Wyndham and Marriott Remain Separate

Several strategic factors have kept Wyndham and Marriott operating independently:

• Preserving brand distinctions: Wyndham targets value-driven travelers while Marriott is geared more toward upscale accommodations. Merging could dilute their differentiated brand positioning.
• Maintaining segment focus: Wyndham is heavily concentrated in economy and midscale hotels while Marriott straddles luxury to upper midscale. A merger could hamper segment-specific strategies.
• Geographic strengths: While there is some overlap, Wyndham and Marriott have carved distinct geographic footholds globally. Operating separately allows them to retain these.
• Reducing antitrust issues: A merger would give the combined company an unprecedented market share, raising regulatory concerns. Remaining competitors avoid this scrutiny.
• Integration risks: Merging two enormous hotel conglomerates comes with massive integration challenges operationally, technologically, and culturally. Keeping them separate mitigates these risks.

Partnerships Between the Brands

Though competitors, Wyndham and Marriott do collaborate on certain initiatives. In 2021, Wyndham, Marriott and other major chains jointly launched Hotel Cleaning Standards in response to COVID-19. This established consistent health and safety policies across brands.

Additionally, Wyndham and Marriott are both founding members of Hotel Booking Platform (HBP).

Launched in 2022, HBP aims to develop a centralized global distribution system for the hotel industry. The partnership allows competing chains to work together to enhance their technology capabilities.

Rumors of Marriott Acquiring Wyndham

There have been periodic rumors over the years that Marriott International might acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. Reasons often cited are synergies between their portfolio of brands and consolidation of market share.

However, most industry experts agree such a takeover is unlikely for the strategic and regulatory reasons outlined earlier. The brands are better positioned operating independently with their distinct brand focuses and geographic strengths.

Conclusion

While Wyndham and Marriott rank among the largest hospitality firms globally, they continue to operate as separate companies with their own brand identities.

Wyndham caters heavily to budget-minded travelers while Marriott straddles luxury and mid-tier accommodations.

Though they partner selectively, merging would pose considerable brand, segment, geographic, and regulatory challenges. The two compete vigorously as industry leaders while retaining their independence. One is not a subsidiary or division of the other. Wyndham remains a distinct hospitality brand outside of Marriott International.