Be Warned - Wyndham Bonnet Creek - No Longer Taking Room Requests

[got4boys]

I just called Wyndham Bonnet Creek and they are no longer taking requests from owners unless they are Gold, Platinum or Discovery.

No notice via email....they just decided last week.

Good luck on where they place you...you may get a unit that is in NEED of MAJOR RENOVATIONS!

 

[Upatnoon]

I just called Wyndham Bonnet Creek and they are no longer taking requests from owners unless they are Gold, Platinum or Discovery.

No notice via email....they just decided last week.

Good luck on where they place you...you may get a unit that is in NEED of MAJOR RENOVATIONS!

I've never gotten a room that needed major renovations and haven't seen any complaints about any.

At bonnet creek, unlike resorts that charge extra for various views, it is pretty much luck that determines your room location. It is likely they were getting lots of "fireworks view" calls, considering all the threads about it, so they did something about it.

 

[got4boys]

That was not my only concern. What happens if you have a family reunion? Since you cannot call to request a room location - you may be placed in separate buildings.

For example I have 4 boys. If we all get together as a family in the future, since they are not taking requests, we can be placed all in separate buildings. So my family can be placed (if we have 5 reservations) - Since we may not be booking the larger units, may be in all different towers and far away.

Since Wyndham Points are going next to nothing on the resale market. I am in the process of buying points for them. They are at the age where they are going to be starting they families in the future.

 

[JimMIA]

That was not my only concern. What happens if you have a family reunion? Since you cannot call to request a room location - you may be placed in separate buildings.

First of all, you're talking about a separate issue -- being as close as possible vs. view.

My experience with Wyndham is that they really do try to accommodate requests. While they may not accept requests prior to checkin, we have had excellent results with requests made AT checkin...including at WBC.

Also -- in your hypothetical question of a family trip with 4-5 units -- I suspect they would at least try to bend the rules a little in order to accommodate you. The problem I'd expect in that scenario would be availability, not willingness to grant your request. You'd have to have all the planets in perfect alignment to get 5 units all on the same floor, for example.

 

[JimMIA]

I just called Wyndham Bonnet Creek and they are no longer taking requests from owners unless they are Gold, Platinum or Discovery.

No notice via email....they just decided last week.

As others have told you on your thread on the TUG Wyndham site, this policy is nothing new. It is the standard policy for ALL Wyndham resorts found in the members directory, and has been as long as I've owned Wyndham. It is also a standard policy which has been almost universally ignored by Wyndham front desk staff personnel across the system.

With hundreds of checkins each day, WBC has apparently decided to discontinue their lenient approach and return to the long-established policy. I'm sure the huge number of calls for requests were a burden to the front desk staff.

A sudden, unexpected, knee-jerk reaction by WBC management shouldn't surprise anyone familiar with the resort. WBC seems to have sort of a stumbling, bumbling, erratic managment team, probably aggravated by the fact that they are right under the thumb of the corporate offices in Orlando. The sloppy mess they went through with charging for the park shuttle was not unusual -- that is their typical management style on policy changes.

That said, as with all things Wyndham, your actual experience will vary greatly depending on who you talk to, and when. The standard strategy regarding anyone's customer service is: If you don't like what you're told the first time, call back and speak to someone else.

 

[Mommytwotwins]

I never understand why people make room requests at hotels before you arrive anyway since they don't assign the room until you checkin,then it's just luck of the draw and what's available. I can see putting in a request for trying to stay in the same bld as family beforehand but really everything else will just be luck.

 

[got4boys]

First of all, you're talking about a separate issue -- being as close as possible vs. view.

My experience with Wyndham is that they really do try to accommodate requests. While they may not accept requests prior to checkin, we have had excellent results with requests made AT checkin...including at WBC.

Also -- in your hypothetical question of a family trip with 4-5 units -- I suspect they would at least try to bend the rules a little in order to accommodate you. The problem I'd expect in that scenario would be availability, not willingness to grant your request. You'd have to have all the planets in perfect alignment to get 5 units all on the same floor, for example.

I wasn't calling about a view at all. I wanted to make sure that I had a renovated unit. I have heard horror stories of the condition of some of the furniture.

On the group - I was there three years ago and did call and mention that we had two units (through Wyndham Points - not RCI trade) and let them know we wanted to be as close as possible. My group (there were 11 of us) did end up in the same building although not on the same floor.

I went with the same group at Wyndham Smokey Mountains four years ago and requested to be close together (note they were RCI trades) - a 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom and ended up next to each other.

I will just have to ask nicely when I check in.

 

[JimMIA]

I went with the same group at Wyndham Smokey Mountains four years ago and requested to be close together (note they were RCI trades) - a 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom and ended up next to each other.

Yep, we had the same experience at Great Smokys (our home resort). Asked for three 2-bedrooms in the same building (also 11 people) and got three side-by-side with great views in Bldg 26.

I think it may be harder for WBC because of the number of units, number of people checking in and out, and sheer volume of "requests."

You are right to do the "nice" thing. "Nice" is good, and works a lot better than "Ugly."

 

[Bellamouse]

I I have heard horror stories of the condition of some of the furniture.

Horror stories?? A little dramatic, I'd say. Not like people have found blood stains from a murder or something.

And anyway, I read all the furniture has been replaced now. So it should be a non issue.

 

[hrhejc]

We are wrapping up a week stay. (Checked in last Sat.) I simply asked at checkin if a FW view was available, but I understood if not. The clerk, checked, there was one, he gave it to us: T4, 10th floor.

 

[mjohnson96]

Here now, we rented through VU and had 2 rooms. They placed us right next door to each other and we can talk while on the balcony.

Did not request views so we have parking lot but this is a short stay with no kids so not a huge biggie. We are in tower 4 so might see fireworks but haven't been in when they start

 

[Niagara2]

Just back after two week stay in two different 4 bedroom presidentials. Great last minute deals. Actually booked the second week while there on the first week.
The first week was in Presidential unit on 19th floor in building six. The view was breathtaking. Took in most of WDW! Fireworks were right in front us for Illuminations and Wishes! My DS played the music for each on us laptop.
The room, well, yes, it was so nice. Best room we ever stayed in. We also own Disney and Marriott timeshare. This room was so large, so well equipped plus luxuriously furnished. It was perfect!
We moved into second 4 bedroom preidential in building 2, floor nine. We had a lake view and also saw illuminations! Let me tell you, there is a difference between presidentials in building six and building two. We were spoiled staying in building six. We had keyed access to floor, concierge and newspapers in lobby, attached walkway to other hotel and parking garage. It rained a lot too the first week. Everything was so much nicer in building six.
Worn furniture you say.....well I have seen less worn furniture at most garage sales and thrift shops then we had in building two 4 bedroom presidential. The bedrooms were not as bad as the living room. I actually asked when it will be refurbished and told it was two years ago. Well shame on the guests who abused the place, The round end table was ruined. I doubt refinishing could cover the scratches. The dining table had marks from hot pots placed on the wood. Each seating had scratches galore. The coffee table was ready to collapse. Rickety and scratched.
The quality of the softgoods were no where near what I had the previous week. Much smaller furniture in same size room. I knew it wasn't concierge presidential and just figured we were spoiled rotten . Thought a few guests ruined it for the rest of us. We noticed the daily tours were in building 1 so we followed a party in, went to top floor of building one. Low and behold, the Decor was upgraded in same color as building two. Much bigger, cleaner furniture. Same coffee table as building six and of course wood furniture didn't look like it went though a flood. I guess I had reason to be disappointed in second room.
We like Bonnet Creek. Last time we were in two bedroom deluxe and quite happy. It was clean and well maintained.
Also, the room next to us was a two bedroom. They were so loud day and night. Found out three generations were in there with over 18 people. They left mid week. Not sure if on own.
Felt I should post as it is luck of draw on view and room appearance. Three visits since March. One good deluxe room in building five, the most wonderful room of our lifetime in building six concierge presidential, and a big room, but worn out in building. Two.
There are worn rooms even in the refurbished building. I wonder what the room next door with 18 people in it looked like after they left. Shame on guests that abuse this beautiful resort.
We will be back and know Wyndham tries to keep it up. This abuse just makes the maintenance fees go up.

 

[infopurposesonly]

You are right to do the "nice" thing. "Nice" is good, and works a lot better than "Ugly."[/QUOTE]

Nice is good, but didn't get my various family members near each other. Asking for a manager did. That also got one family member a room off the ground floor, when told earlier that there was nothing else available. The rooms that still weren't ready at nearly five o'clock magically became available the moment I spoke with a manager. I don't ask for specific views. All that mattered to my family was being in the same building and not on the ground floor.

 

[JimMIA]

...Worn furniture you say.....well I have seen less worn furniture at most garage sales and thrift shops then we had in building two 4 bedroom presidential...

Sorry you had that experience. I have one question, and one comment.

The question is: Did you contact resort management about the shoddy conditions in your villa in Tower Two during your stay? If not, it would have been a good idea -- they might have moved you, but at least they would have known.

The comment is that I would certainly let Wyndham know of your difficulties with that particular unit. And I don't mean WBC resort management. If you don't receive a formal request from them for feedback, I would write to Wyndham corporate and let them know what the unit was like. There is no excuse for what you encountered, and you have every right to complain -- not with the expectation that they will offer any compensation, but with the expectation that they will fix the problems you found.

 

[Niagara2]

We had a minor maintenance issue in unit that was dealt with promptly. While maintenance was in room I pointed out the worn furniture. He shook his head as I shook the coffee table that was so ready to break we refused to even put snacks on it. He was the one who told me it was redone two years ago. What bothered me more was the downgrade in furnishings from show unit in building one. Now that I think of it there was more decorative items in our two bedroom deluxe. This unit was void of anything but lamps and pictures. The building six unit was so elegant and FULL of beautiful decorating touches such as nick naks and some of the nicest silk floral arrangements in all the room s. building two had nothing at all but bare wood with scratches, burns etc. I dd notify the owner I rented from who said he was surprised.

 

[JimMIA]

We had a minor maintenance issue in unit that was dealt with promptly. While maintenance was in room I pointed out the worn furniture. He shook his head as I shook the coffee table that was so ready to break we refused to even put snacks on it. He was the one who told me it was redone two years ago. What bothered me more was the downgrade in furnishings from show unit in building one. Now that I think of it there was more decorative items in our two bedroom deluxe. This unit was void of anything but lamps and pictures. The building six unit was so elegant and FULL of beautiful decorating touches such as nick naks and some of the nicest silk floral arrangements in all the room s. building two had nothing at all but bare wood with scratches, burns etc. I dd notify the owner I rented from who said he was surprised.

I would still follow through with Wyndham corporate. Talking to a maintenance guy is a waste of your time and his. He doesn't run the show, and he's not going to make waves. He was sent there to fix a minor problem, and he fixed it. He's done.

However, most companies will respond in a positive way if they are notified with problems like you mention, and that is often really the only way things get fixed.

Local management probably doesn't know about the issues in that unit, and therefore can't correct them. If you notify them directly now, they will likely just blow you off (like the owner your rented from saying they were "surprised"). If you notify corporate, the problem is more likely to get fixed.

In all honesty, your disappointment with the difference between what you saw in a tour model apartment and you unit is irrelevant. Obviously, the tour units are perfect.

But your complaints about the conditions of that unit in Tower Two are legitimate and should be brought to Wyndham's attention.