First ever Candlewood Suites Stay, And I'm Impressed with the Brand
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
I figured this out by searching the reviews at both hotels for "breakfast". In each case, no results until page 3 of the reviews. For the Town Square location,I came across this reply from management (earlier this year):
"Thank you for taking the time to let us know how your stay was. We are so sorry to hear that you were misinformed about about us serving breakfast. We are working hard to remove all traces online that state we serve breakfast. We hope to serve you again in the future. ~Safe Travels."
while for Meridian location I came across this in a review:
"This hotel used to offer a continental style breakfast but they have now discontinued that."
So first, it's possible that hotels in the greater Boise area (that these both are) were the only ones in the Candlewood chain ever to offer breakfast.
Secondly, since they discontinued breakfast, it's quite likely there are no longer any Candlewoods that have breakfast. (And if there are, chances are that within a couple years the breakfast will be gone there too, because any Candlewood that has a breakfast has it by mistake.)
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,505
I like the Candlewood concept. I hate their mattresses. They are thin and hard, definitely inferior to any other IHG chain, and I've noticed this in multiple cities. I don't mind the lack of breakfast, and I like the expanded food pantry selection.
I will still sometimes stay in one on a Thursday night on a vacation trip if it's a 10k property and I'm only staying a night. But I've learned that if a smaller city has a 10k Candlewood, they probably also have a 10k Courtyard or Fairfield.
I will still sometimes stay in one on a Thursday night on a vacation trip if it's a 10k property and I'm only staying a night. But I've learned that if a smaller city has a 10k Candlewood, they probably also have a 10k Courtyard or Fairfield.
#18
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Philly, Madrid
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 2,591
I never know so many people were fans of Candlewood. Personally I've avoided the brand since trying them out 15 years ago and hating just about everything about the place. But I usually travel on business where price isn't important, so I suppose I would give them another try for personal travel if the price was right. But the lack of housekeeping would make me think twice about anything other than a one night stay.
#19
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Programs: MR LT Titanium, IHG Plat.,UA Premier Silver, & PA/OH Turnpike Million Miler
Posts: 2,311
I have found a much higher percentage of rundown properties in the Candlewood brand. versus other IHG brands. I have the same issue with the Townplace Suites brand with Marriott versus their other brands. So my rule of thumb now is to avoid them unless I know a specific location is good.
--Jon
--Jon
#21
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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Posts: 33,857
Nice to see my thread bounce back up to the top. Since I wrote this I've returned to the Charlotte University CS four times and also stayed at the O'Hare Airport and MCI Airport CS and the Durham RTP CS twice. I've yet to stay at a CS that was rundown or have any issues at one.
#22
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Location: Bregenz, Austria
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Nice to see my thread bounce back up to the top. Since I wrote this I've returned to the Charlotte University CS four times and also stayed at the O'Hare Airport and MCI Airport CS and the Durham RTP CS twice. I've yet to stay at a CS that was rundown or have any issues at one.
#24
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Cleveland, OH USA
Posts: 454
One of the CWS that I stayed at recently did have the breakfast, but the DC asked/reminded me to not mention it in a review if I wrote one as it was not a perk that CWS offered and just their hotel. Said IHG would/could come down on the franchisee for offering the breakfast outside the policy.
#25
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL DM, AA PlatPro, Hilton DM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 1,532
I have stayed in some really crappy candlewoods over the past few years, so much so that I stopped. I did try it again recently and it must have been a renovated property, as it was better than I remember.
#26
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Posts: 33,857
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inte...d-airport.html
#27
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Bregenz, Austria
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It was perfectly fine, here's my review in fact:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inte...d-airport.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inte...d-airport.html
I chose it for convenience because I will be arriving half-cut off a TATL flight and don't want to drive up to Racine, WI. This way I can just roll back onto the shuttle the next morning and pick up a car at the airport.
The second night is before a morning flight onward to DCA, so that I don't have to leave my friends' place in Racine at pig o'clock in the morning.
#28
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,219
My first stay at a Candlewood Suites in Winnemucca, NV (stop over driving from CA to UT), the room itself was fine. I would pass on this brand because it offers no room upgrades to Platinum members, and no free breakfast, which goes a long way with a family of 4. I still prefer the HIX brand, but it was 10K points more, so tried the Candlewood for the first time.