Originally Posted by RFTraveler
To answer the original question...
...because they beat the heck out of other extended stay chains...at least in my book. ^
^
I stay in an area for one to 4 months at a time, sometimes more. It's never absolutely sure enough on dates to lease a furnished apartment (and that only really works for a multi month stay). Out of the major "extended stay" chains, Candlewood wins in my book. The rates are competitive, the one-bedroom suites are a LOT nicer than a studio, the free laundry ends up being a huge convenience, free internet that actually works most of the time (not like the ESA/Homewood Suites I've been in)...
I've always been treated well as a long-term renter. For example, the place I'm in now in California will cut my rent in half when I go out of town for a week (a short enough time that packing everything into the rental car and throwing all my food out is silly)...
So, that's why **I** stay in the Candlewood!
RFTraveler, getting REAL tired of traveling...
I think the original question was misstated. To me, it seems clear the OP was asking: Why stay at Candlewood for NON-extended stays.
Clearly, if you're truly doing an extended stay, it has many benefits, and in those cases, you have to compare at the earning possibilities at other chains (for example, Hilton HHonors will not award points for longer than 30 day stays, does Priority Club have that problem?).
But in the recent past, with promos like "earn 1000 bonus points for every Candlewood stay", it's clear that Priority Club was promoting Candlewood for short stays as well as extended ones. Any promo that's only given once per stay clearly encourages shorter stays rather than 4-month stays.
In fact, I spent dozens of nights at Candlewoods in the past year, but every single one of those nights was on a one-night stay! I've never yet used Candlewood as a true extended stay (the last time I did an extended stay, several years ago, I didn't know about Candlewood, and used other chains that gave no points or miles or anything, but were fine otherwise).
Now Priority Club is making a change to Candlewood earnings which penalizes the very same short-stay guests they promoted the chain to last year!!!