IHG has partnered with a graduate-level interior design class at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to create a refreshed design package for Candlewood Suites. The hotelier engaged students last year for a similar project for the Staybridge Suites brand.
"The outcome of the Staybridge Suites project proved to us that pushing the conventional boundaries really can work in our hotels," says Robert Radomski, vice president, global brand management, extended-stay brands, IHG. "Bringing in students from outside our industry gives us the freedom to rethink the traditional theories of hotel design. It’s especially important as an extended-stay brand that we come up with concepts for Candlewood Suites that echo the elements seen in current residential design, as our properties are the next best thing to home for our guests, who often stay with us for weeks at a time."
To get a grasp on the Candlewood Suites brand, students have toured the Savannah airport location, researched the brand’s history, and studied current and previous design schemes. In addition, the class attended HD Expo in Vegas, where they stayed at the largest Candlewood hotel and interviewed hotel teams and guests.
Later this month students will present their final design concepts. IHG’s Plan Review Department, together with the Candlewood Suites brand team, will bring the designs to life, with model rooms expected to begin construction this fall.
