Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is celebrating a major milestone for its award-winning Women Own the Room initiative, surpassing 15 hotel openings and more than 50 signings in just over 24 months.
The first-of-its-kind offering, which has seen its network of current and prospective women hotel owners climb to more than 550, leverages Wyndham’s scale and influence to break down the unique barriers women face on the path to hotel ownership. According to data from U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Castell Project, while women make up nearly 60 percent of the work force in hospitality, they hold only one leadership spot for every 10 men.
“For decades, the hotel industry has been complacent in allowing women to remain on the sidelines of hotel ownership and in turn, has missed out on the opportunity to strengthen itself through greater diversity," Galen Barrett, VP, strategic franchise initiatives, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, said in a statement. "Women Own the Room and the subsequent programs it has inspired throughout the industry are finally changing the narrative and Wyndham is proud to lead the way.”
Breaking Down Barriers
The program has comprehensive financial solutions, personalized operational support and a community that promotes networking and education. Women Own the Room was specifically curated and continues to evolve to meet the needs of women in the industry.
Inspired by her mother, who grew her own business of owning rental properties, film and television producer Christina Lambert (one of the program’s founding members), joined the hotel industry in 2020 after a successful career in the arts. Lambert, along with her mother, decided to purchase two hotels in Loveland, Co., one of which required a sizable loan to complete the transaction. After being rejected by multiple lenders, one finally said yes.
Shortly thereafter, Lambert joined forces with Wyndham—a decision driven by Wyndham’s ability to offer one-on-one renovation support (including key money), combined with its commitment to championing diverse ownership through Women Own the Room. Today, her hotels, a 50-room Travelodge by Wyndham and 49-room Baymont by Wyndham, are flourishing and outperforming their competitive sets. Revenues for the Travelodge are up more than 29 percent over the last two years, while the Baymont, which she converted from a competitor brand in 2021, is up more than 26 percent year-over-year.
“Wyndham has played a pivotal role in my success as a first-time hotelier, which I credit not just to the accessibility and responsiveness of leadership, but their willingness to work with me on an individual basis to help my hotels thrive," Lambert said. "Through Women Own the Room, Wyndham is actively investing in women and in doing so, they’re changing the face of the hotel industry.”