JerseyJohn

Since they are coming on board PC program at the end of the month I'd like any info that the PC members may have on the chain. I have never stayed at one of these properties.

Thanks
John

HPTunco

I was goind to book Candlewood for a stay beginning March 29th......are they included in PC by then?

JerseyJohn

Candlewood joins the Priority Club® Rewards Family of Brands soon. Starting March 29, you can earn points or miles at more than 100 Candlewood Suites hotels across the U.S.

Cite:
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cw/1/en/home

John

HPTunco

That's the day I'm checking in......THANKS!

Stefan Daystrom

I haven't stayed at one either (yet)*, but they are an extended stay type of property, and I have stayed at several other extended stay chains (tho not including PC's other one, Staybridge Suites), such as Studio Plus/Extended Stay/Crossroads and one or two of the smaller chains (whose names I can't remember offhand). In case you haven't used extended stay hotels before:

They're geared toward the needs of people staying for many days up to many months, but in many (tho not all) cases you can book one night stays if you want. So for example you get a "full" kitchen usually with some dishes/utensils rather than getting a restaurant or breakfast. At some of them (tho I dunno about Candlewood) the front desk is not open all night and (unless requested) linen service is only a couple times a week (for those staying that long). Amenities tend to be oriented toward what makes sense if you have to live there in a "home away from home" for a while rather than what you would need if popping into town for a night and jetting away early the next morning.

If you have stayed at Staybridge Suites, be aware that Candlewood is positioned as a value extended stay property while Staybridge is positioned as a more upscale extended stay property.

*Ok, now that I've explained all that, I can relate in context the one time I TRIED to stay at a Candlewood Suites a couple years ago, in Clearwater FL, where I was booking through a third-party website which kept throwing errors, and it turned out that the website I was using let me book any number of days but at least at that time that property wasn't allowing you to book stays of less than 3 days. (These days if we want PC points/miles we HAVE to book at an official PC website, so there shouldn't be any such confusion in the future for us...)

JerseyJohn

Agreed that they are extended stay properties. 90% of my stays are one nighters with about 7 each 5 day stays per year during "Trade show season". Looking at them from the perspective of being able to cook a meal I want rather than order what is available when arriving at 8 or 9 or 10 o'clock.

I'll give them a try on a few trips in April to get a feel for them. I will provide a short report after a few visits.

FWIW - I also anticipate a promo of some sort kicking off their entrance into the PC program.
John

Lisa6of6

I've stayed at Candlewoods suites in Waukegan IL and in Detroit MI. They're okay as extended stays go. I like the full size kitchen. They provide soap for the dishwasher and a small bottle of dishwashing soap. (As compared to Extended Stay). They only clean the room once a week. A nice feature they had was free laundry...you had to buy the detergent, but it was priced as it would at a laundromat.

A coworker was checked in a Candlewood for about a year... when I tell her that NOW they joined a point program, she's not gonna be happy.

BlondeBomber

I'll be staying at a Candlewood near Hartford end of the month and will report.

This will give me 25 nights towards Platinum in Priority Club this year so handy to have this new member for less mainstream urban locations.

JerseyJohn

BlondeBomber....

You wouldn't by chance be heding to the wood working show in Hartford would you? Just curious

John

BlondeBomber

No -- going to Yale for a workshop on how to save the woods

Tall Bloke

Just completed a stay at the Buckhead Staybridge Suites and can report that I was pleasantly surprised, the room had a lounge/kitchen area and a seperate Bedroom with Bathroom.

Propert had curtesy bus for local area, indoor pool, gym, complimentary breakfast and Mon-Thur had comlimnetart beer/wine and Hors d'oevre for all guests.

Small shop on site allows you to buy provisions, didn't try out the business centre but there was in room internet connection.

Staff were friendly and helpful only critisism would be the painfully slow lifts.

roadworrier

Stayed @ Candlewood over the Final Four in San Antonio (Go Huskies!!) and had a good stay. . .however I didn't get a requested wake-up call for 2 of the 4 mornings I was there

apirchik

Stayed in a candlewood in Brentwood, MA for about 3 straight months in 2002.

It is a simple extended stay chain, upscale compared to the cheapy ones (Extended StayAmerica and Homestead), and downscale compared to the expensive ones (Homewood, StayBridge etc.).

They have large rooms, large working desks, full kitchen, free laundry, free movie and book rentals and more. The front desk is closed during the night hours although an attendant is alway on call on the hotel premises.

Overall, for the price, they are quite a good extended stay chain.

jimc_usa

Would that be Jimmy Woods and his Kids?

Daydream

I stayed at their propety near Dullas Airport in Washington. Was a Princeline stay, and thanks to Priceline I had been in more different hotel chains than I can count.

The Candlewood suites (at least that property) are in very good memory, I loved my two day stay there. I had a huge room, very clean, very comfortable furniture, free internet, they had a VCR in the room and a bunch of good tapes for free rental, a list of restaurants who do hotel deliveries (very decent priced) and a little convenience store in the place that sold food to normal grocery store prices.
It were a few little things, but from all the extended stay properties I was at, that was #1. Heck, the Marriott where I spent the 3 days prior to that was not as nice.