Candlewood Suites Elkhart

Do Not Stay Here — Unsafe, Unclean, and Completely Unprofessional I never ever write reviews but feel compelled to if it saves another family from a mess like this. This was one of the worst hotel experiences we’ve ever had. After a long day of travel with two toddlers, we arrived only to be told that the room we specifically booked (with two double or queen beds) was not available. Instead, they claimed they were “upgrading” us to a room with one queen bed, a pull-out couch, and a kitchenette — something we purposely did not book because it simply doesn’t work for our family’s needs. A pull-out couch is not an upgrade, especially when traveling with young children. Once in the room, things went from bad to worse. The TV didn’t work, there were no linens for the pull-out couch, and when we asked, the front desk staff brought us one sheet and one pillow — no full set, no comforter, and told us they didn’t know where more pillows were. As we waited for more linens, we pulled out the couch and were horrified to find a bloody-stained mattress. That was the breaking point. When we expressed our concern, the hotel staff offered us two separate rooms, which again was not an option with toddlers — we cannot safely split our family across two rooms. They then offered to call a neighboring hotel and pay for our stay there instead. We accepted, thinking the situation was finally being resolved. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. When we arrived at the second hotel, we had to wait nearly 25 minutes with our exhausted children for the owner to arrive and pay for the room. When he finally showed up, he was abrasive, dismissive, and downright rude. He informed us — very bluntly — that he would only cover one night, not both nights of our original reservation. His “solution” was for us to go back to his hotel the next day and stay the second night — after we had already packed up and moved once. I don’t know about you, but I’m not taking my family back to a hotel with blood-stained mattresses, broken TVs, and no clean bedding. His lack of professionalism, hospitality, and basic human decency was staggering. This hotel is absolutely not suitable for families — or anyone, really — who expects clean accommodations, respectful service, and safe sleeping conditions. Avoid at all costs.

I have been bitten from head to toe by bed bugs. My husband has been staying here for sometime now, we came to visit him and he upgraded to a double bed room. It was 12:30 on the morning when I woke up on the second night we were there itching like crazy. I went to the bathroom and saw the bites. Used my phone flashlight and found bed bugs behind the headboard. I woke up my 3yr old and Husband and asked him to start packing. I went downstairs and the front desk woman was very apologetic. But they switched us to a new room, right next to the room we just came from. My son was tired, my husband had inspections to run the next day and we just dealt with it. The next morning I went downstairs to speak with someone and they said that they were having someone come out to treat the room on Monday, “Have a nice day”.

Not a great place. Staff was not friendly. TV was difficult to operate. Elevator stopped working twice. Room was not cleaned during our stay. Signs posted everywhere to take your own trash outside to the dumpster. Lobby smelled like pot most days. Lots of other options nearby to stay that we would try before coming back here.