Candlewood Suites Lake Mary, an IHG Hotel — Hotel in Lake Mary

I've stayed here probably over 20 times in the past few years because the location is exactly where I need to be, the price is hard to beat, and once you get past the often awful customer service, the frequently broken elevator, and the generally worn, broken, and poorly maintained condition (I've had to replace the smoke detector battery in a room when it started beeping in the middle of the night, not once, not twice, but at least five times during my stays), the rooms themselves and the cleanliness are decent when considering the cost relative to other hotels in the area. However, this place has been steadily declining for years. I've finally reached my limit.

I booked a room for a single night via the IHG rewards website and received proper confirmation. The hotel clerk (Jeremy, I believe is his name, but am not entirely certain), whom I've dealt with multiple times both on the phone and at the hotel, and who lacks any customer service skills and acts like you're a nuisance, said the rooms were sold out. He merely shrugged his shoulders, said there was nothing he could do, and offered no alternatives or suggestions. In contrast, I once had a similar situation at a Hampton Inn where they were extremely embarrassed and apologetic and began making calls to other Hilton hotels in the area. My kids were hungry and exhausted, so I decided to not push things any further, to just let it go and accept it for what it was, and pay a ridiculous amount for a last-minute booking at another area hotel. However, before I left, I made sure to ask, "I'm not going to be charged, correct? Or do I need to call IHG?" He assured me in an irritated tone that I wouldn't be charged. Sure enough, I was charged not for one night, but for two. When I called IHG, they said the booking was changed from one night to two nights the following day. Meaning the day after I was turned away. This is highly suspicious. The absolute best case scenario here is that the clerk checked in the wrong person under my name without properly verifying the credit card on file. I opened a case with IHG, and they reported back that Candlewood Suites was refusing to engage and that corrective action would be taken against them. Since the hotel is independently owned, however, IHG didn't have the authority to refund me and told me to dispute the charge with my bank, and that they would cooperate in an investigation. So now, I have an ongoing case with Chase. This whole fiasco has cost me at least five hours in customer service calls so far, and Chase just requested more documentation. Whether or not I can afford to lose $200 is not the point. I won't. I'll be taking this matter all the way to court if necessary. Do yourself a favor and don't stay here. For IHG, the Holiday Inn in Sanford is worth the extra cost, on every point (cleanliness, upkeep, customer service, etc.) If you want to stay with a lower cost, The La Quinta not even a minute more down the road from CS does not have the kitchen, but it does have a mini fridge and microwave and is nicer with better customer...

I've stayed here probably over 20 times in the past few years because the location is exactly where I need to be, the price is hard to beat, and once you get past the often awful customer service, the frequently broken elevator, and the generally worn, broken, and poorly maintained condition (I've had to replace the smoke detector battery in a room when it started beeping in the middle of the night, not once, not twice, but at least five times during my stays), the rooms themselves and the cleanliness are decent when considering the cost relative to other hotels in the area. However, this place has been steadily declining for years. I've finally reached my limit.

I booked a room for a single night via the IHG rewards website and received proper confirmation. The hotel clerk (Jeremy, I believe is his name, but am not entirely certain), whom I've dealt with multiple times both on the phone and at the hotel, and who lacks any customer service skills and acts like you're a nuisance, said the rooms were sold out. He merely shrugged his shoulders, said there was nothing he could do, and offered no alternatives or suggestions. In contrast, I once had a similar situation at another hotel where they were extremely embarrassed and apologetic and began making calls to other hotels in the area. My kids were hungry and exhausted, so I decided to not push things any further, to just let it go and accept it for what it was, and pay a ridiculous amount for a last-minute booking at another area hotel. However, before I left, I made sure to ask, "I'm not going to be charged, correct? Or do I need to call IHG?" He assured me in an irritated tone that I wouldn't be charged. Sure enough, I was charged not for one night, but for two. When I called IHG, they said the booking was changed from one night to two nights the following day. Meaning the day after I was turned away. This is highly suspicious. The absolute best case scenario here is that the clerk checked in the wrong person under my name without properly verifying the credit card on file. I opened a case with IHG, and they reported back that Candlewood Suites was refusing to engage and that corrective action would be taken against them. Since the hotel is independently owned, however, IHG didn't have the authority to refund me and told me to dispute the charge with my bank, and that they would cooperate in an investigation. So now, I have an ongoing case with Chase. This whole fiasco has cost me at least five hours in customer service calls so far, and Chase just requested more documentation. Whether or not I can afford to lose $200 is not the point. I won't. I'll be taking this matter all the way to court if necessary.

Do yourself a favor and...

I’ve stayed at this property a few times because it is the only IHG in the triangular area I work.||||That said, it is a horribly mismanaged hotel, run down with soiled and damaged furniture, most bathtubs missing their stoppers, and sinks as well. Toilets slow flush or run on, and heat in winter is a challenge in many rooms. Kitchen dishwashers leak, and kitchens lack many essentials that are in some rooms but not others.||||The General Manager is non-responsive, won’t talk to guests and or call them back even after lower chain employees say she will. If you happen to know and recognize her and get in her face, she is openly hostile and downright condescending, nasty and an outright liar.||||This hotel has a single Otis elevator - down for more than 10 days in January and for my weeks ago February stay. Otis is a common elevator and it’s more probable that down time is due to non payment of vender bills than parts non-availability (my guess though).||||During the February 2024 stay, the hotel charged me twice and GM said IHG did (that’s a lie, hotel has their own Credit card processor). I am, still 12 days after leaving, having to call daily to get back my second $800 overcharge. IHG after being called 9 times about this issue kept just saying GM would call me, she tells them that and then does not (no missed calls and I’ll share my phone records). GM claims she wants me to fill out papers to get my double charge back - nope, I’m suing because the double charge is seeable on their end and their credit card processor knows it hit twice and can reverse the dupe on their own. One has to wonder if this is an ongoing scam by the hotel. ||||This hotel is also a know and frequented pot house where the smell of weed abounds throughout the hallways - FACT. So, if you partake and want the free ‘stoning’, it’s at this hotel. In a previous (to the January and February 2024 stay) I and 2 other nearby guests had to call the police on the open drug usage going on. They did respond and knocked door to door. ||||I stand behind everything in this review, factual truths and I challenge the GM to openly engage me on any of...