Candlewood Suites Houston Park Row Celebrates Grand Opening

By: Candlewood Suites | 2 Shares 205 Reads

102-room extended-stay hotel built using brand's new exterior prototype design

August 15, 2008 // Franchising.com // ATLANTA - The new Candlewood Suites Houston Park Row held a grand opening celebration with members of the local community on Tuesday, Aug. 12. In attendance were Andy Ingraham, President & CEO NABHOOD (National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers); Ryan Colburn, City President, Regions Bank-Houston, Texas; Ken Krueger, Executive Vice President Business Banking, Regions Bank; and the hotel's Developer/Owner, Margia Blankenship-Arnold, CEO, Mills-Holly Enterprises, LTD.

The $6.2 million extended-stay hotel is one of the first Candlewood Suites properties to utilize the brand's recently introduced prototype exterior design, with a straight, forward-facing rectangular building including a new entry way and roofline for curb appeal. A new exterior color scheme features light khaki, olive green, tan and dark blue. The new hotel has an increased outdoor residential feel with a centrally located Gazebo Grill and additional "backyard" landscaping.

"We're excited to open another hotel with the new Candlewood Suites exterior," said Robert Radomski, vice president, Brand Management, Extended-Stay Brands, IHG. "This is the first major design for us, and we think our guests in Houston will be pleased with the updated townhouse look, along with all of the other great things Candlewood Suites is known for."

Guests at the Houston property can take advantage of the just-like-home amenities available at all Candlewood Suites hotels, including complimentary high-speed Internet access, free local phone calls, free on-site guest laundry and a 24-hour fitness center. Unique to Candlewood Suites, guests can also enjoy the convenience of the Candlewood Cupboard®, where a variety of beverages, breakfast items, snacks, frozen entrees and sundries can be purchased on the honor system at any time. Candlewood Suites recently implemented a complimentary Juan Valdez coffee program, providing a free high quality coffee product in all hotels. Additionally, guests of the Candlewood Suites can visit the free Lending Library, where movies and music are available for use in guestrooms, which all feature a DVD and CD player. The Candlewood Suites Houston Park Row features an 800 square foot conference room for business functions or special events, with complimentary wireless Internet access in the meeting room and public spaces.

"When business or personal matters require travel for weeks or months at a time, the design of our spacious suites and the amenities offered at our hotel will allow our guests to live comfortably and keep a daily routine similar to that of home," said Sharon Davis, general manager.

Candlewood Suites guestrooms feature studio or one-bedroom suite floor plans with a full kitchen, overstuffed recliner, large workspace with comfortable desk chair and overhead lighting. Each of the hotel's 102 guest suites feature the brand's new Comforts of HomeTM Bedding Collection with upgraded mattresses and box spring sets, mattress topper, fluffy duvet inserts and poly-cotton covers matching the hotel's color scheme, 250-thread count micro-check sateen sheets in "Candlelight", triple sheeting, contemporary cotton estate blankets, choice of three upgraded pillow types in firm, medium and feather and a decorative "Consider Us Home" pillow.

The new property is conveniently located off the Katy Freeway, just minutes from Park Ten Business Park. Guests will have easy access to all major freeways and the Sam Houston Tollway. The Katy Mills Mall, featuring more than 200 specialty retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues, is just a short drive away.

The Candlewood Suites Houston Park Row is owned by Mills-Holly Enterprises, Ltd, and managed by IHG's Americas operations division, The Hotel Management Group, under a long term management contract, made effective on December 18, 2006. The hotel is located at 19998 Park Row Drive, Houston, Texas, 77449. Telephone: 281-578-9993; Facsimile: 281-578-9994.

For more information or to book a reservation at any one of the more than 180 Candlewood Suites hotels across the U.S. or Canada, go to http://www.candlewoodsuites.com/ or call 1-888-CANDLEWOOD.

Candlewood Suites was recently recognized by Lodging Hospitality magazine as one of the industry's top growing brands.

Candlewood Suites participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has more than 39 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of this hotel or any of IHG's more than 4,000 hotels worldwide.

About The Hotel Management Group

IHG's management portfolio is one of the largest in the world. As of June 30, 2008, the company operates 569 hotels and more than 145,000 rooms around the world. In the Americas alone, IHG's The Hotel Management Group manages 206 hotels comprised of more than 44,000 rooms with another 25 hotels and nearly 5,000 rooms in the region's management pipeline. The Hotel Management Group provides a proprietary hotel management program called Performance Advantage, which allows for adaptation of its management services and contract terms based on the needs of each individual property investor.

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 4,000 hotels and more than 590,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with over 39 million members worldwide.

IHG has more than 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 150,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

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