Candlewood Suites Houston (The Woodlands) by IHG

The room smelled sour, which surprised me after the renovation, since there’s no carpet left. Otherwise, the hotel is clean, in a great location, and reasonably priced. Candlewood is usually a favorite, and this Woodlands property looks great after its makeover, but it could be a five-star stay if the staff cared about guests as much as the hotel. They’ve stocked the kitchen with dinner plates, bowls, silverware, two pots, a tea kettle, coffee maker, dishwasher, and dish soap for handwashing and the dishwasher. But there’s no pan. How am I meant to make eggs or cook meat in a skillet? When I asked the front desk, she dismissed me, saying she didn’t really know what was in the rooms. She didn’t seem to care about what I needed.

The room felt unsafe, and I’m glad I didn’t bring my toddler. One outlet had no cover, the dishwasher looked like it didn’t fit, with its metal top lining sticking out, and the stovetop didn’t work. The shampoo and conditioner holder was broken and barely kept them in place. The bathroom outlet was impossible to reach, so drying your hair while looking in the mirror wasn’t an option. I complained to IGH customer service the morning after check-in. They said the property would be informed, but no one contacted me about it. I had to stay the two nights, and the room wasn’t worth what I paid. I’ll never stay at this property or another Candlewood again.

The rooms themselves were nice, but mine had roaches popping up now and then. I’d seen earlier reviews mentioning them and hoped I wouldn’t run into the same problem, but I did. Other family members said they saw a couple in their rooms too. My TV remotes were there but didn’t work. We came for a wedding weekend and booked two king rooms and a double queen. Because we booked through Priceline, the first front desk worker said we’d get whatever was available. We ended up with one king and two double beds. That room smelled strongly of mildew or mold, and my mother, who has bad asthma, could barely breathe in it. There were no TV remotes either. When we reported it, the woman said they had no remotes and were fully booked, gave us air freshener, and sent my mother away. Thankfully, a different young woman the next morning helped move her into a king room without the smell. The first person at the desk wasn’t very nice.

Our apartment’s AC broke this summer, when I was eight months pregnant, so we stayed nearby at this hotel. The room was impressively clean and comfortable, with plenty of space. It also had a full kitchen with a full-size fridge, coffee maker, and sink, plus a beautiful bathroom. I can’t recommend the place enough.