Candlewood Suites East Syracuse Carrier Circle an IHG Hotel

Other than when I stay at my time share I always stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Which are basically Holiday Inn’s or other hotels under their umbrella. I have stayed at one of their hotels for enough nights to total over a month per year the last few years. I am a Gold Elite member for IHG and nearly a Platinum Elite member. I’ve never had any issues at any hotel I’ve ever stayed in until this weekend in Syracuse at the Candlewood Suites on Baptist Way. So my 24 year old son and I checked in on Friday. We get up Saturday morning before the Miami vs. Syracuse football game which starts at 3:30. We go to Golden Corral for breakfast in Miami gear but not dressed for the game yet. On the way back I tell my son that I’m going to drop him off at the hotel so he can get ready and I’m going to get gas. He calls me a few minutes later and tells me that he can’t get into the room because someone is in the room and they have the top door latch locked that can only be locked from the inside. The door would open to the point that he could see inside the room slightly (we all have stayed at hotels and know how much he could see) but the latch was locked at the top. He said he’s been knocking and pounding on the door and then started yelling for the person to unlock the door. To the point he heard people across the hall mention the knocking and yelling. We assumed at the time that it was housekeeping that was in the room. I then tell him to go downstairs and tell the hotel to call to tell them to get out of the room. He went downstairs and when he was in the hall, in view of the hotel staff at the front desk, he told them rather bluntly to tell them to get out of the room. He never made it anywhere near the front desk. That plays a part later in the story. In fact the hotel staff wasn’t even at the front desk when he told him to call the room. After talking to son a few days later he realized that the staff immediately got on his cell phone and called whoever was in the room. My son goes back upstairs and miraculously the person in the room is gone in the 60 seconds or so it took him to be out of the view of the room. He’s then able to get in the room. With the game going on that day and having to get ready and thinking of where to park, how to get to the Dome and all that comes with going to a place we’ve never been I didn’t think much of it the rest of the day. I was also trying to remain calm because my son was livid and I didn’t want him to get worked up even more. Cooler heads needed to prevail. We check out on Sunday to go to Buffalo. As I’m driving I’m thinking more and more about what happened the day before at the hotel. It just seemed odd that the person inside wouldn’t come out. There’s no way they wouldn’t answer the door but then left when the hotel was made aware if it was innocent and the person was just doing their job. Also the hotel staff obviously spoke with the person to get them to leave. I started thinking that they thought we were gone for the day because we had our Miami gear on like we were headed to the game. When I got home I decided to file a complaint about the situation. The hotel in Syracuse called me that night about the situation. I asked if they read the complaint and the manager said yes but asked if I could tell her what happened so she could hear it. Maybe she thought it would be different but the truth is the truth. After I tell her what happened. She tells me that what I’m telling her didn’t happen that way. She says that Rashaan couldn’t get the door open because sometimes their door locks go up and down (what?) and he came downstairs and got a new key then was able to get into the room. I told her that is incorrect. She said once again that he came down and got a new key. I wasn’t going to argue with her so I politely said “have a good evening, ma’am” and hung up. Since then I’ve been in contact with IHG through their chat and phone calls. They keep giving me the same answer that my son came downstairs and got a key which is not only 100% incorrect. It is 100% a lie which leads me to believe the hotel staff and management is in on it. All the nights we’ve stayed at IHG hotels I’ve never made any accusations or complaints at all. Why would I make something up like this? What would I gain out of lying about this? I originally asked for a refund but I’ve told them I don’t even want that at this point. I just want the truth to be told. I’ve begged them to look at the hotel footage. I never get any answers about that. There 100% was someone inside the room because the door latch was locked and my son 100% DID NOT get or request a new key. The lying tells me the hotel is in on it to completely fabricate a story of getting a “new key” and the door not opening with the “old key”. The key he had worked. It was locked with the latch from the inside that won’t let anyone open the door fully. Upon checking in at IHG hotels as a Gold Elite member I’m always greeted with “thank you for being a Gold Elite member” well after basically being called a liar and dishonest they might as well say “thank you for being a Gold Elite member but we don’t respect your honesty and you’re a liar”. I will be terminating my support and loyalty to IHG hotels out of principle

It was supposed to be a fun weekend getaway with my kids - it started after I cleaned the hotel room as best as I could. It was pubes, mould and that orange staining from evaporated water/soap mixture in the bathtub. It was an accumulation of dust and toast crumbs (?) the kitchenette. It was very filthy carpets (couldn't do much about that, unfortunately). It was a used condom wrapper (and a whole flock of dust bunnies) behind the bedside table sadly discovered when my son's stuffed animal fell behind it, and a (clean) diaper between the same bedside table and wall.... It was a pretty gross experience. We don't normally wear shoes 'inside' but my children's white socks turning black on the bottom after 45 minutes in the room changed that.

Furst is all, let me state that I did not stay here and cannot come by on rooms, amenities, or anything like this. This is strictly about my reservation. I booked a one room suite at this hotel 4 days before I was due to stay. I walk to the front desk which looked lounge it belonged in a Super 8 and gave the receptionist my name to check in. She spent a really long time at her computer so I asked if found my reservation. She had except they did by have a room for me. All the one room suites were taken. They offered me a queen bed room but I'm traveling with my husband and 14 year old. Then she said she'd give me two rooms and that it was right across the hall from one another. I'm not putting my 14 year old in a room by himself unless it's adjoining. They had no adjoining rooms and she simply told me she had no rooms for me. All the while she's on her phone with her manager trying to figure things out. I asked her if the manager was on the building and she said yes. They screwed me out of my room and the manager couldn't even come talk to me. How pathetic. I went to the Springhill Suites down the road and they gave me the same room for less. Don't stay here. They might just give up your room if they feel like it. Go to Springhill, it's beautiful here!

My husband and I stayed here for one night after an all-day event before a long drive home the next day. Many thanks to Rasheka at the front desk for being so welcoming and helpful! The room was very comfortable, clean and quiet and parking is easy. Definitely recommended - based on this visit, we'll be staying here again ourselves on another trip later this summer.

If you want a great sleep and hot shower, this is a very dependable place year after year. It is not fresh and modern. It is quiet and the beds are always very comfortable. It has worn out furniture and has no restaurant. It is very dog friendly. Loads of very good dining options nearby. It is so conveniently located off the highway. The price is low in dollars or points. We have paid a lot more elsewhere and had terrible night’s sleep. This is why we are loyal and happy customers, despite occasional glitches. This last visit had the door key not working on check in, probably because the door lock needed a fresh battery. The young check in person (alone) said she did not know where the new batteries were kept. So after a few walks back and forth, the next room she assigned to us was kind of creepy, because the door had been left open, as if the room was already occupied.