When you visit a place often, you have the opportunity to try different hotels. Since we travel to New Braunfels, Texas, at least once a year, but usually more often, we’ve stayed at several hotels in the area. We try to make our New Braunfels trips something of our “less expensive” vacations, so for a while, we were loyal to the La Quinta, but then we started staying at the Candlewood Suites. We eventually decided we’d try “movin’ on up,” and switched to the Courtyard by Marriott, which is one of the best Courtyard properties we’ve seen.
On a recent stay, we wanted to use some of the Wyndham Rewards points I’ve earned with the Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card. The highest-ranked property in the area that is part of Wyndham Rewards is the Wingate by Wyndham. We’ve never stayed at a Wingate property before, so it was a chance to check out a new hotel brand.
Wingate is in the Midscale brands offered by Wyndham, along with Baymont and La Quinta.
Wingate by Wyndham New Braunfels
245 FM-306, New Braunfels, Texas 78130
Here’s how Wyndham describes the Wingate brand.
Wingate offers inviting lobbies, ergonomic workspaces, welcoming lounges and flexible meeting spaces for guests looking to stay connected and productive. Wingate hotels provide a perfect balance of life and work.
I paid 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night for our stay, minus a 10% discount for having the Wyndham Earner Business card. An equivalent room for our visit would have cost $600 for 3 nights, which works out to 1.48 cents per point. For stays like this, Wyndham Rewards overperforms almost every other program in value per point.
As we pulled up to the hotel, we weren’t expecting a luxury property; nor was it. It was what we’d expect from a midscale hotel, such as a Holiday Inn Express or Fairfield by Marriott. The lobby was spartan, with a few luggage carts and basic furniture.
Check-in went smoothly. The hotel took a security hold on our credit card, which I expect from any hotel when staying on points. There were no extra charges, like a hotel fee or parking, at this hotel.
Our Room
We were assigned a Deluxe room, a perk of the Wyndham Rewards program that allows you to reserve an upgraded room at the same price as a base-level room. While not one of the largest rooms, it was enough for our needs.
Our room had a sitting area with a sofa bed and table in addition to a king sized bed. The one negative was the lack of a nightstand on the side of the bed closer to the wall. We moved a chair to take the place of that nightstand.
The room has a basic under-the window air conditioner. The controls were easy to set where we wanted them. However, the air conditioner did make a strange noise throughout our stay. While we could have asked for a different room, we quickly got accustomed to it and didn’t have to use the White Noise app on my phone. The TV wasn’t large, but we don’t usually watch television when away from home, anyway.
The room had a basic desk and a work chair. It wasn’t the most ergonomic chair we’ve seen, but it was good enough for basic work, like reading emails or updating the website.
There was also a refrigerator, microwave and coffee maker station. The fridge was larger than some we’ve seen, but we also wound up freezing our sodas until we adjusted the temperature.
Bathroom
The bathroom has a basic tub/shower setup. The shower pressure was sufficient, and the water was always hot.
Indoor Pool/Hot Tub
The most surprising amenity of the Wingate by Wyndham was an indoor pool and hot tub. This was the only time I found the area empty during our stay. The pool seemed to be more popular than the hot tub, probably because it was 90+ degrees outside.
Free Breakfast
The hotel does offer a free breakfast, but we never took advantage of it. That’s because the Wingate is located across the highway from the New Braunfels Buc-ee’s. And while we’re not obsessed, a Buc-ee’s brisket breakfast taco is going to be better than any mid-level hotel breakfast.
Other Perks
The Wingate offers free Wi-Fi, which was adequate for our needs. We also noticed that the hotel has EV charging stations.
Final Thought
I wasn’t expecting a luxury stay at the Wingate by Wyndham. We were staying during peak season, which means all hotels charge more than they’re worth. I don’t hate hotels for jacking up prices when they can, but I’m glad that I have hotel points, which make it more affordable to stay during these periods. I’d never consider this to be a $200+ a night hotel, but I don’t feel bad redeeming 15,000 Wyndham Rewards for a free night.
The room was clean, and we got a decent night’s sleep during our stay. For most hotels, that’s all I’m looking for.
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