Candlewood Suites Huntersville-Lake Norman

The location was convenient, with lots of restaurants and shops nearby, but that was the only good part. I won’t stay at this location again, even for free. Thankfully, we were there just one night. My boyfriend and I arrived exhausted after long international flights into Charlotte. The front desk woman was friendly, but first she gave us a key to a room that already had someone in it. She apologized and made another key, then we hauled our bags upstairs again and found a guest in that room too. I’ve never had that happen once, let alone twice. Frustrated and exhausted, I asked her to personally confirm the next room was empty before we moved our luggage again. We eventually got a room near the entrance. It wasn’t very clean, with hair in the shower and dirty counters, and the soundproofing was very poor. I stayed in March 2025 and am only getting around to reviewing it now. Easily one of my worst stays with IHG.

The front desk offered to move us a third time, but by then it was clear the problems weren’t confined to one room. The first room smelled strongly sour, had loose bathroom tiles, and a filthy bathtub that was cracked and visibly deteriorating. Those seemed like safety concerns, not just cosmetic issues. The second room reeked of cigarette smoke and was just as unacceptable. This place was dirty, foul-smelling, and clearly not maintained. Cleanliness, safety, and habitability are basic requirements for lodging, and this property failed on all three. It shouldn’t be operating as a hotel. Don’t stay here.

My wife and I got in at 11:10 p.m. after a long trip, exhausted, and found the front desk unattended for more than 20 minutes. Eventually a room service employee appeared, but they weren’t trained to check guests in, which added more delay. The room was not acceptable. There were just two towels and washcloths, the bathtub was stained, the coffee pot hadn’t been washed, and the bathroom smelled strongly of marijuana. The door wouldn’t close all the way, so hallway noise kept disturbing us. This was a failure of service, cleanliness, and basic comfort. I don’t recommend Candlewood Suites, and I expect the issue to be resolved.

The staff were great and the location was perfect. The rooms have useful kitchen gear, including two-burner stovetops, full-size fridges, microwaves, and utensils. It’s an older hotel and feels dated in some spots, but the accommodations were very good overall.