Las Vegas – Wyndham Hotels & Resorts introduced two inaugural awards honoring franchisees who embody its mission to make hotel travel possible for all at its first global conference as an independent hotel company.
Nalini and Rupesh Patel, owners of the La Quinta by Wyndham San Antonio City, received The Wyndham Humanitarian Award and the team at Century Equities received The Wyndham Developer Award at the company’s 2019 Global Conference.
The two new awards, The Wyndham Humanitarian Award and The Wyndham Developer Award, recognize franchisees who show leadership in each area by making a difference in their local community through hospitality. They complement Wyndham’s existing collection of brand awards honoring its owners for strong performance and outstanding hospitality.
“Our nearly 6,000 franchisees do extraordinary work to help us welcome the world every single day,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and CEO of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. “Today, we’re taking a moment to honor those hoteliers who go above and beyond with two new awards that recognize their contribution to our industry and our communities.”
Ballotti added, “We are humbled to work with dedicated hoteliers like Nalini and Rupesh Patel, who built a hotel that allows so many families to create happy memories, and Danny Aderholt who, through his company’s development efforts, makes his communities stronger as a result of his passion for hospitality. We celebrate and thank them for all they do.”
The Wyndham Humanitarian Award: Nalini and Rupesh Patel
Nalini and Rupesh Patel, owners of the La Quinta by Wyndham San Antonio Alamo City, offer extra support for guests with mobility needs staying in the area to visit nearby Morgan’s Wonderland, an accessible theme park for people with special needs. Their new-construction La Quinta by Wyndham hotel was designed with expanded rooms, oversized entryways, barn-style doorways, and lower consoles and surface areas to support guests who use wheelchairs. It also features a special, Texas-shaped pool with a unique wheelchair ramp that allows guests to enter and exit the water without drawing the same attention as a pool lift.
The Patels, avid fans of Manchester United, are passionate hoteliers who empower families to make memories through travel. They installed an engaging “selfie wall” where guests can share special moments and, in honor of Manchester United, constructed a mini soccer field at the hotel.
“When we set out to build this hotel so close to Morgan’s Wonderland, we thought to ourselves: what can we do to make vacations enjoyable, affordable and memorable – whether it’s a staycation for locals to Texas or visitors from out of town,” said Nalini Patel, Man UTD Investments Inc. “We’re doing what we can to make it just a little bit easier on everyone so they can relax and enjoy traveling.”
Wyndham Developer Award: Century Equities Founder Danny Aderholt
Danny Aderholt is the founder of Century Equities, a real estate development company based in Wheeling, West Virginia. With 10 hotels across West Virginia and Ohio, many of them under Wyndham brands including Wingate by Wyndham, Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, Microtel by Wyndham, and Super 8 by Wyndham, Century focuses on contributing to communities through development.
In May, Aderholt and his company opened their latest hotel: a TRYP by Wyndham in the Lawrenceville district of Pittsburgh. Housed in a historic trade school building, the property was originally built in 1901 and features local art and interior design inspired by the trades formerly taught within its walls. When Aderholt, who grew up in Pittsburgh, learned of plans to tear the structure down, he viewed the challenge of transforming the historic building as a unique opportunity for Century and for the Lawrenceville neighborhood.
“I was raised in Pittsburgh and have watched this neighborhood evolve over the past fifty-plus years. My son Josh, who was instrumental in this project, has lived in Lawrenceville for over a decade with his family, so we are rooted there in many ways. Lawrenceville has become a true destination for Pittsburghers and out-of-town guests alike. As part of this community, we’ve always known how special it is, and wanted to celebrate the fabric of the neighborhood by doing something that adds to its appeal – not alters it,” Aderholt says.
The Wyndham Hotel of the Year Awards
Wyndham also recognizes hotel owners across its brands for their hard work in areas like quality, performance, and guest satisfaction with more than 100 individual awards. These awards culminate in the Company’s top honor, Hotel of the Year, which recognizes the top hotel in each segment of the hospitality industry. This year’s Hotel of the Year award winners include:
Economy Hotel of the Year: Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lubbock Medical Center
Owned by Subodh and Mahesh Patel, longtime Days Inn® by Wyndham franchisees, the Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lubbock Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, is a top economy hotel in its market. Subodh Patel opened his first Days Inn in 1992 and he has served on the brand’s Franchise Advisory Council for nearly 30 years, serving as chairman three times.
Midscale Hotel of the Year and Overall Hotel of the Year: La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Cleveland
Owned by Himanshu Patel, the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Cleveland in Cleveland, Tenn., is the Midscale Hotel of the Year and is listed as a top hotel in its local market. The hotel also received Wyndham’s overall Hotel of the Year honor based on its outstanding performance. The award was presented at the closing session of Wyndham’s global conference.
Upscale Hotel of the Year: Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort
Owned by Cheryl Chase, this former Howard Johnson by Wyndham hotel in Deerfield Beach, Fla., overcame a hurricane evacuation in the midst of a renovation and remains the top hotel in its market. The hotel has fully renovated all of its guest rooms and two restaurants and is in the process of renovating its pool and ballroom before the end of this year. It is a three-time recipient of the upscale Hotel of the Year award from Wyndham.
