Former Fairfield owners...

[MelBay]

Back in the day, when we first got into timesharing, I really wanted to get into the Fairfield system, but that pesky Catholic school tuition and then college just kept taking precedence. The youngest graduates from college in May, and I'm now thinking I really like Wyndham. We did a tour in November and of course passed on the ridiculous retail price.

But what I want to know is, what happened to you Fairfield folks when Wyndham took over? I'm sure this has been discussed, but I didn't have much luck searching, so if there's a thread you can refer me to, please do. Did you have to fork over $$ to stay in, or did they force you to upgrade or anything? Not really sure what I'm even asking here, but I hope someone gets my drift.

I'm just anticipating what will happen when Wal-Mart buys Wyndham. :hysterical:

 

[Tia]

It was mostly a name change I believe. FF bought the Wyndham name and renamed itself.


http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39157&highlight=Fairfield+renamed


http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65324&highlight=Fairfield+renamed

http://www.wyndhamworldwide.com/media/press-releases/press-release?wwprdid=63

http://www.timeshareforums.com/foru...refresh-my-memory-ff-wyndham-history-pls.html
see post #2

 

[Cheryl20772]

I didn't notice much difference really... the signs outside the resorts changed and the title of the website changed and the letter heads changed. Other than externals like the logos, it's all the same to me.

Wyndham is in charge of the part of it that runs the points system that lets us use all the different resorts in the system. The individual resorts are run by their various boards of directors. Wyndham does have some influence over the boards for resorts that they still dominate, but the resorts are, for the major part wonderful. Wyndham is responsible for elevating a lot of our fees and making some other rather unpopular changes to things like disallowing transfer of points between owners in our accounts.

Fairfield owners just become Wyndham owners overnight and that was same difference to most.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Over time those who owned the old Fairfield timeshares were given the hard press sell to convert their fixed weeks to points under the Wyndham system.

 

[ronparise]

Over time those who owned the old Fairfield timeshares were given the hard press sell to convert their fixed weeks to points under the Wyndham system.

But they didnt have to convert...I own weeks that have been converted, and weeks that havent

If you are thinking of buying into the Wyndham system you should probably spend some time on the Wyndham section of this board, and you may want to visit the Wyndham owners forum and read through the owners directory

 

[Timeshare Von]

But they didnt have to convert...I own weeks that have been converted, and weeks that havent.

Understood - I did not convert my two fixed weeks.

 

[Ridewithme38]

i'm pretty happy with my unconverted fixed week

 

[learnalot]

Over time those who owned the old Fairfield timeshares were given the hard press sell to convert their fixed weeks to points under the Wyndham system.

Not all the Fairfield Resorts had fixed weeks. That was their original model but Fairfield had gone to selling points before Wyndham took over.

 

[chapjim]

Name change. Other changes were too subtle for me to notice or were of no consequence. I didn't have any fixed weeks at the time.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Not all the Fairfield Resorts had fixed weeks. That was their original model but Fairfield had gone to selling points before Wyndham took over.

Again understood . . . I don't think I said that all Fairfield's were fixed weeks. My apologies for not being more precise in my message.

 

[Cheryl20772]

Not all the Fairfield Resorts had fixed weeks. That was their original model but Fairfield had gone to selling points before Wyndham took over.

Wasn't Fairfield trying to get fixed/floating weeks owners to convert to points before the change to Wyndham? I don't see that particular sales lever as a Wyndham change.

 

[melschey]

Wasn't Fairfield trying to get fixed/floating weeks owners to convert to points before the change to Wyndham? I don't see that particular sales lever as a Wyndham change.

As I remember the real change was when Cendant bought Fairfield. It wasn't until Cendant later purchased Wyndham that the name was change. Really at that time all that changed was the name.

 

[ronparise]

As I remember the real change was when Cendant bought Fairfield. It wasn't until Cendant later purchased Wyndham that the name was change. Really at that time all that changed was the name.

They didnt purchase Wyndham the company...they only purchased the name

 

[rrlongwell]

As I remember the real change was when Cendant bought Fairfield. It wasn't until Cendant later purchased Wyndham that the name was change. Really at that time all that changed was the name.

It is my understanding that the Wyndham that was bought by Cendant was just a small Southbased operator with a decent reputation. It was not the Wyndham Vacation Ownership as it exists today under Wyndham World Wide. Cendant itself than ran into problems and broke into (I believe) three different parts thereby creating Wyndham Worldwide (a publicaly traded company) with Wyndham Vacation Ownership as a subsidary. Wyndham Vacation ownership, in turn, has Wyndham Vacation Resorts and Worldmark as subsidaries. These two groups are not to be confused with the Fairfair Share Plus Trust, the Homeowners Associations, the Access Trust (not sure of its actual name), and a similar trust for Worldmark. The significant changes under the Wyndham that is commonly known now, I believe, involve or attempting to involve the Timeshare arm of the business into a vehicle to support a revamping of the profit centers by Wydham Worldwide. Specifically, downsizing of Wyndham Vacation Ownership/Wyndham Vacation Resorts and the increasing of the role of the rental side of the business.

 

[rrlongwell]

They didnt purchase Wyndham the company...they only purchased the name

Following a link provided above brought me to a authorized press release of the time. Here is a extract of the Press Release on what was bought.

NEW YORK (October 12, 2005) – Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) today announced it has completed the acquisition of the management and franchise business of the Dallas-based Wyndham® hotel chain from an affiliate of The Blackstone Group for $101 million in cash. The acquisition includes 82 franchise agreements, 27 management contracts and the worldwide rights to the Wyndham brand for hotel and timeshare development.

 

[melschey]

Following a link provided above brought me to a authorized press release of the time. Here is a extract of the Press Release on what was bought.

NEW YORK (October 12, 2005) – Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) today announced it has completed the acquisition of the management and franchise business of the Dallas-based Wyndham® hotel chain from an affiliate of The Blackstone Group for $101 million in cash. The acquisition includes 82 franchise agreements, 27 management contracts and the worldwide rights to the Wyndham brand for hotel and timeshare development.

I do agree that what Cendant wanted was the Wyndham Name. The reputation of the Cendant name was so bad that they needed a name change. Now they have trashed the Wyndham names so it is almost as bad as Cendants. I wonder who they will buy next.

 

[rrlongwell]

I do agree that what Cendant wanted was the Wyndham Name. The reputation of the Cendant name was so bad that they needed a name change. Now they have trashed the Wyndham names so it is almost as bad as Cendants. I wonder who they will buy next.

Buy someone or get spun off again?

 

[melschey]

It is my understanding that the Wyndham that was bought by Cendant was just a small Southbased operator with a decent reputation. It was not the Wyndham Vacation Ownership as it exists today under Wyndham World Wide. Cendant itself than ran into problems and broke into (I believe) three different parts thereby creating Wyndham Worldwide (a publicaly traded company) with Wyndham Vacation Ownership as a subsidary. Wyndham Vacation ownership, in turn, has Wyndham Vacation Resorts and Worldmark as subsidaries. These two groups are not to be confused with the Fairfair Share Plus Trust, the Homeowners Associations, the Access Trust (not sure of its actual name), and a similar trust for Worldmark. The significant changes under the Wyndham that is commonly known now, I believe, involve or attempting to involve the Timeshare arm of the business into a vehicle to support a revamping of the profit centers by Wydham Worldwide. Specifically, downsizing of Wyndham Vacation Ownership/Wyndham Vacation Resorts and the increasing of the role of the rental side of the business.

I agree. Wyndham today is not not what Cendant bought. They wanted a well respected name. They have put the Wyndham name on everything they can think of and have confused a great many people.

 

[timeos2]

Wasn't Fairfield trying to get fixed/floating weeks owners to convert to points before the change to Wyndham? I don't see that particular sales lever as a Wyndham change.

Fairfield went to points sales in 1992/3 after declaring bankruptcy under the weeks model. It helped save them. After that they first offered deeply discounted conversions to all weeks owners to go to points to raise money (those that didn't bite most likely regret it today as the points system is far more flexible than the old and now discontinued FAX weeks system ever was) but after a short while started to raise the cost and block some (usually poorer value) weeks from even converting to points at any cost.

Now they've started at least a small return to week and also created secondary points systems - it all becomes very confusing. Best advice? Buy resale no matter what. Buy points if you want to go to all the Wyndham and most Worldmark locations easily. Buy a fixed week only if you want to return to a particular location/unit each & every use year - it is not a good deal in most cases today to convert a fixed week to points. Or simply rent whatever you want in the Wyndham system as that is now the cheapest and easiest way to use it. And no ongoing costs. Sweet.

The change from Fairfield to Wyndham didn't change much of anything except the name.

 

[Deb from NC]

I didn't notice any changes except the name either. Just be sure to buy
resale! (I bought 2 contracts at Alexandria on ebay..no problems..love
the resort!)
Deb