Candlewood Suites Elkhart by IHG

At least the linens were clean and soft, and the staff were awesome. They worked incredibly hard and seemed run ragged. The front desk clerk had to do all the hotel's laundry every day and clean the lobby, too. Everything else was awful. The rooms were filthy and falling apart: burned-out bulbs, missing caulk around the tub, and a microwave with most of its door handle broken off, which felt like a safety hazard. We had to keep socks on, and they got filthy. There was even hair on the bathroom walls. The online photos were from the remodel 5 years ago; the hotel hasn't been maintained since. The shower was basically a bath as well, because the tub drained slowly and the tub/shower valve didn't work. The kitchen was missing things like forks, knives, and a pan, so the front desk clerk took them from other rooms since there were no spares. They said they'd complained to the owners several times, but nothing was done. The laundry machines were so dirty they made me nauseated. RV park laundry rooms are 10x better. We checked out early because we couldn't take it anymore and were getting the eebie jeebies. The TV was incredibly small, so we couldn't enjoy that either. The staff and linens were the only good parts. The free coffee was bitter and completely undrinkable, even with lots of cream and sugar. This hotel shouldn't even be considered an IHG hotel, and we're taking the experience to corporate. We also learned that when they're busy, the owners have their wives do super quick room turnovers, barely cleaning anything. That explains a lot.

I'm a diamond IHG member and think IHG is great, but this was my worst experience. I found what looked like BM above the toilet paper holder, took a picture, and went to the front desk. The night shift woman spoke to me like I was a child, called me a boy, and wouldn't let me explain why I'd come down. She refused to give her name, then turned around and went back behind the wall. I wouldn't recommend this Candlewood when there are other IHG choices nearby. Try the Staybridge or Holiday Inn. I won't spend another night here after being treated with such disrespect.

We stayed 2 nights and 2 days, and they took care of anything we needed. Samantha at the front desk and her staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. We had a great stay and will be back.

The service is phenomenal, and the hotel is decently located for Norte Dame football games, about 25 minutes from the stadium. Rooms are spacious and in semi-new condition. It's the best value at $120.00 or less. Keep it in mind as an alternative if rooms near South Bend or Mishawaka aren't available.