Wingate by Wyndham Raleigh Durham / Airport — Hotel in Durham

Date: July 6, 2025||||Mr. Geoffrey A. Ballotti||President & Chief Executive Officer||Wyndham Hotels & Resorts||22 Sylvan Way||Parsippany, NJ 07054||||RE: Formal Complaint for Sales Misconduct, Deceptive Trade Practices, and Reservation Fraud – Demand for Immediate Remediation||||Dear Mr. Ballotti,||||I am writing to you directly as a deeply disappointed and appalled Wyndham loyalty member, following a recent experience at one of your properties that not only reflects gross customer service failure but also raises serious concerns about sales misconduct, deceptive trade practices, and potential systemic abuse of third-party booking customers.||||On JUNE 23-25 2025, my partner CW (initials due to personal info) and I arrived at the property after a long day of travel, including unavoidable flight delays, arriving around 6:45 - 7:00 PM. We had secured a reservation via a reputable third-party booking platform at the confirmed rate of $175.00. Upon arrival, we were informed by your front desk agent, Courtney, that our reservation had been “cancelled.” There was no valid reason provided for this cancellation, and no courtesy or protocol extended to assist us as loyal customers—something I find particularly troubling as an experienced professional in travel and hospitality.||||What followed was a blatant example of sales coercion and deceptive business practice, both of which are clearly prohibited under Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 41–58), which forbids “unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce.” Rather than honoring the original rate, Courtney proceeded to treat us as walk-in guests, insisting the reservation be placed in my name, while verbally implying that she was honoring the same rate. At no point were we informed of the actual price being charged. The receipt was folded and discreetly handed to us—likely to conceal the overcharge until we were no longer at the desk and too fatigued to process the situation clearly.||||The following morning, I reviewed the receipt only to discover we had been charged $236.00, significantly higher than our original confirmed rate. Courtney deliberately withheld the true price, failed to inform us of the proper steps to resolve the third-party booking concern, and concealed the receipt to avoid detection—an act that, in my professional opinion, constitutes sales fraud and a deceptive trade practice, as defined under the Deceptive Trade Practices Acts (DTPA) applicable in numerous jurisdictions.||||When I addressed this with the manager on duty, Ahman, the dismissiveness and utter lack of accountability were staggering. He expressed no willingness to correct the matter, offered no explanation, and displayed behavior entirely inconsistent with the standards expected of Wyndham leadership and your publicly stated commitment to guest satisfaction.||||This incident represents:|| • Violation of truth-in-advertising standards|| • Possible unfair or deceptive business practices under the FTC Act|| • Breach of the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing|| • Potential systemic abuse of third-party booking customers to manipulate room rates|| • Damage to the Wyndham brand and erosion of customer trust||||My formal demands are as follows:|| 1. Full refund of the overcharge — the difference between $236.00 and the confirmed rate of $175.00|| 2. Written acknowledgment and apology from the property management team|| 3. Immediate internal investigation into this property’s handling of third-party reservations|| 4. A gesture of goodwill — in the form of Wyndham Rewards points or comparable compensation — to remedy the extreme inconvenience, emotional distress, and unethical treatment endured|| 5. Written assurance that corrective action has been taken with respect to both Courtney and Ahman, who were directly involved in this matter||||Failure to take immediate and meaningful action will leave me with no alternative but to:|| • Initiate a charge dispute with my financial institution under the protections provided by the Fair Credit Billing Act (15 U.S.C. § 1666)|| • Submit formal complaints to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and relevant State Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division|| • Publicly escalate this experience through consumer review platforms and social media, warning others of deceptive practices occurring at Wyndham properties||||As a longstanding and loyal Wyndham customer, this incident has deeply undermined my trust in your brand. I urge you to treat this matter with the seriousness it demands and respond promptly.||||Please consider this letter a formal record of my grievance. I expect a written response from your office within 10 business days from the date of this letter.||||Thank you for your immediate attention to this serious matter.||||||(This is what I am sending the CEO) I take pride in hospitality and this...

Stayed one night - got no sleep! Left at 5am- 4 hours before I was to check out, got no breakfast as planned... decided might get better sleep in vehicle stop on 8+ hrs drive home! Manager, Arman Cotani(?) has had 2 days in the office and had not called me to discuss. // check-in Front desk staff nice and attentive. I was a walk-in on Wednesday evening 630pm as plans changed last minute and was accomodating. Bed and bed room clean. Bathroom "appeared" clean and well stocked. Turned on shower. Tub was so slick/soappy and with no mat, first step immediately slipped in tub crashing into wall mounted soaps containers. Blue bruised arm, shoulder, back, side and gnarly headache. While laying in tub contemplating slip event, saw gross brown liquid splash marks multiple places on wall and floor under sink - clearly not cleaned under there. Like 7:30pm Called front desk to complain of both they apologized and said they'd make a note for maintenance to clean and put bath mat in room (very sorry). Tried to go to sleep at 8pm. Walls have almost no insulation not a concern unless rude loud guests near by. Neighbor beside me turned on TV (ESPN) so loud so he could hear in shower then he and female talked and laughed over TV for 2.5 hrs until I banged on wall and they turned it down to a dull rumble. I could hear every loud and or drunk guest conversing in the hallway going to their rooms all through the night. I tried to be patient figuring people would settle down eventually and go to sleep. About 315 in the morning 2 men were arguing in the hallway then they went into their room and argued but it was now muffled. Then their daughters came and started banging in their door, yelling Daddy left me in one's not funny. After a moment, I yelled thru my door is 330am shut up people are trying to sleep. They girls were quieter but kept knocking and the me still arguing. I called from l front desk by approx 345am, I could hear her in the hallway talking to them. It was quiet soon after. Now I'm to would up to sleep. After another hour of laying awake not able to sleep now, I got dressed and checked out. The front desk lady was very nice and asked how I slept. I said look at me i look and feel like crap much worse than when i got here... 9hrs no sleep and bruised! I would have been better sleeping in my vehicle at rest stop! She was apologetic and admitted she was scared of the big guys that she'd be hurt when she told them to leave the premises. I was told that the manager would call me when he got to office at 9am to discuss my complaints... 48hrs later no manager call. Called hotel today and told "you JUST missed him" , call back Monday. Natan, front desk, verified her was in office last 2 days. So, i goggled and called Wyndham corporate customer service after not finding it on website. 1stcall answered by "yeah", I said I was looking for wyndham cust svc. More unprofessional conversation and when I told him this call was unprofessional, he hung up on me. I called back, got same guy(?) Silent long time then hung up on me again. I Googled another cust service number got call center (they can't disclose location but over seas by repeated clicks on line) they took report but have a week to get back to me. NOT HAPPY WITH THIS EXPERIENCE OVERALL. NOT LIVING UP TO WYNDHAM REPUTATION. Have stayed with them for on and off last 2 decades. This was going to be a regular place for work and family because of location to family now living/working in Durham but making me rethink...

Nestled in a convenient location, the hotel exudes an initial air of luxury, promising guests a comfortable retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life. My stay at Wingate was an interesting mix of impressions, where the allure of opulence blended with the reality of overdue renovations.

Upon stepping into the lobby, one is greeted by an ambiance of sophistication and charm. The decor speaks of elegance, setting the stage for what seems like a promising stay. However, as one delves deeper, it becomes apparent that the hotel is in need of a rejuvenating touch.

Throughout the premises, signs of wear and tear on the furniture were noticeable, hinting at the necessity for an overhaul. Despite this, the essentials like clean sheets and towels were provided, ensuring a basic level of comfort for guests.

The breakfast offerings, albeit complimentary, left much to be desired. Subpar in quality, I found myself opting to venture outside the hotel to satisfy my morning cravings, despite the convenience of the in-house service. It's an aspect where the hotel could certainly elevate the guest experience with some culinary improvements.

Moreover, the cleanliness standards fell short of expectations. Stains adorned the walls, a detail that I found rather surprising considering the otherwise attentive staff. Additionally, the television, albeit functional, displayed colored streaks upon activation, detracting from the overall viewing experience.

However, amidst these shortcomings, there were glimpses of potential. The staff, though perhaps needing a bit more attention to detail in certain areas, were friendly and accommodating, adding a warm touch to the stay.

In retrospect, my experience at Wingate was a lesson in managing expectations. Despite the imperfections, the hotel offered a reasonably comfortable stay at an affordable price point of $60. For those seeking a budget-friendly option with a touch of luxury, it certainly serves its purpose.

In conclusion, while there's room for improvement, the hotel provides a decent option for travelers looking for a convenient stopover without breaking the bank. With a little refurbishment and attention to detail, it has the potential to reclaim its status as a charming retreat in the heart...