Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport
I generally struggle redeeming Wyndham Rewards points – in any substantial way, at least. We’re not Vacasa people. And the thought of a “desirable Wyndham property” makes me smirk. I’ve enjoyed redeeming in Vegas for hotel stays and dining, but those redemptions won’t ever reach a significant level. So when I came upon the Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport during a search for a quick stay before an early flight, I wanted it to work. And overall, I had a satisfying experience on this award stay. Here’s how that looked. But first, let’s talk a bit more about Wyndham redemption.
15k’s Okay With Me
Remember the early days of Wyndham Rewards when the nightly award rate at every property was 15k points? It was as interesting as it was unsustainable. Now, the nightly redemption levels are 7.5k, 15k, and 30k points. By some miracle, we had a delightful stay at a 7.5k property last summer. I doubt that’ll ever happen for us at another Wyndham property. In my view, the 30k properties are inflated for what they actually are. I consider those redemptions wasteful since better options usually exist with other chains at our destination, anyway.
Beyond Vegas, I generally redeem Wyndham Rewards at the 15k level, mostly for necessary stays during a solo jaunt or family road trip. I noticed the Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport was consistently at that reward price, while all-in cash rates hovered around $100-125.
A Clean, Attractive Room
I arrived about an hour before check-in time, but the front desk agent offered a room immediately. I asked for a room away from the elevator, and I arrived on the fourth floor to a room adjacent to one. Out of apathy and laziness, I chose not to follow up with the front desk. The hotel appeared fairly empty, anyway. I entered the room and quickly forgot the oversight.
The room was bright and airy. I enjoyed the smart design and lighting of the space, particularly the ambient lighting behind the bed and television. Bedding felt comparable to where I had just departed – the Marriott Swan Reserve. The configuration included side tables and the hotel’s version of a lounger – wood and cushions on the far end of the bed unit. It looked better than it felt. I tried it for about 30 seconds and didn’t sit there again.
Fortunately, the desk area held a comfy chair, shallow desk (somewhat of a ledge), and a full-size circular table for dining and work requiring more space. The extra table may have been my favorite part of the room. (I don’t enjoy eating at a desk.)
The spacious bathroom’s lighting was ridiculously bright – one can make a case for wearing sunglasses inside. But I was easily able to see how clean it was, and I enjoyed that peace of mind.
Amenities
Let me start with the primary amenity I expect from an airport hotel – the property should offer a shuttle available to drive me to the airport. This seems like a natural amenity for such a hotel, but it’s increasingly not one. Long story short, the Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport flawlessly provided this service. The first daily shuttle is at 3:30 am, with subsequent shuttles on the hour until the last at 12:30 am. I reserved my space on the 6 am shuttle the night before. The morning of, we promptly departed, with a stop at the neighboring Comfort Suites to pick up a few more, then on to MCO. I arrived at the airport about 6:15 am. In retrospect, I could’ve taken the 7 am shuttle and had plenty of time.
But now, I’ll get back to the on-property amenities. The Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport has a small restaurant and attractive bar. Hours are somewhat abbreviated, with dinner served 5-10 pm daily, drinks until 11. The hotel restaurant isn’t open for lunch. Breakfast isn’t complimentary here, but I wasn’t around for the abbreviated 7-10 am hours, anyway.
The property offers an outdoor pool, perhaps the nicest looking I’ve seen at an airport hotel of this level. The fitness center has basic weights and cardio equipment. Minor detail – the cardio machines actually worked. Unfortunately, no water was available in the fitness center, but guests do receive a complimentary bottle of Aquafina in their room.
It Ain’t All Pretty
The Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport is located along the main highway to MCO, just one of many nondescript airport hotels in the vicinity. The property faces the highway and its access road. Restaurants aren’t convenient nearby, especially not for pedestrians. Oh well, I enjoyed ordering in one of my favorites while traveling – Pad Thai from Pei Wei.
A few days after my stay, I noticed an erroneous $38 charge on my credit card used to guarantee the room. Again, this was an award stay, and I charged no incidentals to the room. I called the property, and a helpful agent promptly noticed another employee incorrectly checked me out of the room, which resulted in the erroneous charge. She processed the refund to my credit card. A bit inconvenient, but it was only a three-minute call.
Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport – Conclusion
Up until this point, my MCO stays have been at the Hyatt Regency within the airport. Those worked out fine, but I can think of better ways to redeem Hyatt currency. If/when I have airport hotel needs in Orlando again, I plan to book at the Wyndham Garden Orlando Airport. This hotel did the job. Perhaps that’s the best I can say about this reliable, unsexy property. And, bigger picture, maybe that’s all I need to get out of the Wyndham Rewards program.
How have your airport hotel experiences been lately?
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Man, do I feel this article. As a younger person, I used Wyndham a lot. The Wyndham Garden near the Pittsburgh Airport was a very affordable option that allowed you to park at the property and take a shuttle for less than the daily parking fee. They had one of the worst locations imaginable (back of a massive, empty office park), but the property was perfectly fine. I have sort of a soft spot for Wyndham Garden properties in general. When you need a bed and you don’t care about complimentary breakfast, they do the job.
Thanks for reading, Brent!