My stays at Staybridges have been pleasant; they're sort of a cross between a Holiday Inn Express and a Doubletree. Breakfast included.

Candlewood is more like a Red Roof Inn, run by prison guards. Never again will I stay at one. I've had two previous stays thanks to previous promotions; they were singularly disappointing. But I decided to try one more time, to give them a fair shot. Plus there was the "Big Win" promotion. This was cruel and unusual punishment. I have no idea what Candlewood Suites were before they became part of IHG. I suspect that they were prisons. They sort of look that way; industrial, security to get inside, sterile, unfriendly.

This was singularly THE worst hotel experience in my life. Three strikes; they are out.

I Booked a NONSMOKING Studio Queen Suite.
Just before checking in, I noticed that the reservation was "Modified" -- good, I think to myself, an upgrade! Hey, positive (typically ICH properties change the reservation to indicate the type of upgrade I receive -- as I'm typing this I'm in the Presidential Suite in the Presidente InterContinental in Ixtapa), maybe the third time will be the charm!
Big mistake.
I look at the reservation to see what upgrade I received, and it was changed to a SMOKING Double. A downgrade. And to a smoking room.
I show up and that is when the disaster started.
A rude and untrained hotel clerk -- very unapologetic. She first tried to tell me I reserved a Smoking room. I pointed out I have the confirmation for a nonsmoking. She didn't admit to being wrong. She didn't apologize. She didn't sympathize.
She told me that there is nothing she could do -- in a bureaucratic manner which would have had her fired from the DMV for rudeness.
She the proceeded to blame ME for getting a smoking room -- because I was checking in at midnight. ...? In an airport hotel???
I pointed out that I guaranteed the reservation with a credit card. She said there is no guarantee about the type of room, it's only a "request" and she can give me any damned room she wants. And that the guarantee only works in one direction -- so that they can guarantee I pay for whatever room I have. She said she would have charged me as a no-show. Oh. So I'm supposed to be happy she had a room for me at all.
No apologies. No regrets. It's my fault that they gave me a smoking room.
And they have no non-smoking rooms.
No recognition of my Platinum Royal Ambassador status.
No welcome gift. When I asked, she said they ran out of the amenity kits. But I could go pick something up in their commissary. Grunt.
No mention of my points, which are typically written in the little cardkey folder.
Oh, and she didn't give me a WiFi code.
I asked her if at least she could give me a king bed. She had one smoking room with two king beds. I went there. Opened the door and started choking from the smoke stench. And there are two beds, except they are standard beds. ...?
Came back down, and she starts arguing with me that the computer says they are king beds. Maybe Burger King.
She then gave me another room, which had a queen bed and was slightly less smoky.
I called downstairs. She refused to answer. Tried five times over the next hour, including calling from my cellphone. At the least I wanted a WiFi code. But she went into hibernation. Or went on a long coffee break.
I tried to make a go of it; after an hour gave up. Too much smoke residue -- and I am not picky about smoking vs. nonsmoking rooms. They must have had a fricking cigar convention there.
The front desk clerk disappeared and I didn't see her again.
I finally gave up, disgusted, and went over to the Staybridge Suites nearby. What a world of difference! Pleasant staff, nice décor, no fear for my life, and they had a nice nonsmoking suite. Do yourself a favor if you have any thought of ever going to a Candlewood Suites. Don't. See if they have a Staybridge instead.

The rooms suck. Prisoners live in better conditions. But I suppose that's true of all Candlewoods. They're about the level of a Red Roof Inn.

Absolutely nothing good.

$110 for this dump? Stay at a Holiday Inn Express instead. Or a Staybridge. Sure it's a few bucks more but isn't your well-being worth it?

No sentient human being should even consider this dump of a chain. Unless you are a masochist.