Candlewood Suites Beachwood Cleveland by IHG

We used to choose this hotel because we had points and it was a convenient place to stay before a trip. I stayed in late September and returned on November 7th, but it seemed like no progress had been made on the major renovation. There was no front lobby or gym, and the room had no coffee maker, safe, or kitchenette utensils, plates, or glasses. There were no grab bars either, and the closet had no door. The layout wasn’t comfortable: the bathroom sink was right beside the bed, with no privacy or way to block the light if someone used it at night. The TV was hard to figure out, and the shower had no grip bars. If I need a place nearby again, I’d stay at the kimpton close by. It costs more points, but it’s much nicer.

I arrived at 2pm on 04/17/25, and Valerie was so welcoming. She helped me right away and lifted my mood. She’s excellent at the front desk. The room itself was pretty ordinary, but the AC was good, the bed was comfortable, and you could ask for extra amenities. Breakfast was a snack. I liked being near a bus stop, which makes getting around easy for travelers. A couple of the other workers were a little odd, showing up unexpectedly for random checkups. Still, I’d come back.

The location is great and the building looks nice from outside, but inside this was the worst hotel stay I’ve had in years of business travel. I bought Lysol to clean the room myself. There was food on the walls, hair on the pillows, and dog hair and food on floors that hadn’t been swept or mopped. The shower curtain was disgusting, the tub was stained and gross, and the cabinets and furniture were falling apart. The bed and bedding smelled like sweat and body odor. The so-called breakfast was coffee and one wrapped breakfast bar, muffin, or oatmeal packet. No milk, juice, fruit, or anything else. I had to leave a day early and gave the front desk 24 hours’ notice, but the manager had to handle the transaction. He avoided my repeated attempts to reach him. Booking.com tried several times too, but they were hung up on and got no reply to repeated emails. I finally asked staff to have him follow up or I’d dispute the credit card charge. The next day my card company reported unusual activity and $300 in unauthorized charges from a state I’ve never visited. I’m not accusing anyone, but it felt fishy. I liked absolutely nothing about the stay. If you want a filthy, shady hotel, go for it. Otherwise, steer clear.

I called the corporate office, but still didn’t get a refund. There was even a sign in the elevator saying to call a number on a flyer for a quote on deep cleaning. That tells you something about the place. My room was filthy and clearly hadn’t been cleaned. The microwave was covered in grime, there was a spot on the floor under what was supposed to be a closet that looked like a milk ring, and the lampshade had grime built up on it. There was no hair dryer or ironing board, and the closet had no door. I could keep listing things. This place doesn’t even deserve a grade of 1, and you don’t get the help you need.