IHG's® Candlewood Suites® Brand Introduces The Lending Locker To Hotel Guests

ATLANTA, Oct. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new survey of hotel guests and team members released today from IHG's^® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] Candlewood Suites^® brand, nearly 60 percent of extended stay hotel guests say they miss something from home when traveling, and the ability to borrow a larger item or appliances during their stay makes it easier and more enjoyable. Many travelers have a certain item or two they wish they could take on the road with them, but luggage size and weight limitations may not always make that possible. From a reading lamp to a favorite board game or appliance for the kitchen, guests – especially those who are on the road for extended periods – miss the comforts of home.

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Understanding guests' desire for such items, the Candlewood Suites brand introduced the Lending Locker, a place within the hotel where guests can borrow common household items to use during their stay.  Available items include things not found in typical hotel rooms, such as desk fans, blenders and crock pots, small hand tools and games. Guests need only fill out a Lending Locker check-out form and drop it at the front desk to borrow an item. They are then free to use the borrowed item for as long as they need it, and return it for another guest to use.

"One of the brand hallmarks that has long defined the Candlewood Suites brand is our Candlewood Cupboard^®, which operates on the honor system," said Robert Radomski, vice president, Brand Management, Staybridge Suites^® and Candlewood Suites^®. "Our guests know and appreciate that our hotel teams treat them like trusted members of the family. With the Lending Locker, we are expanding that notion of trust, and further demonstrating that our hotels are like home for our guests by offering complimentary use of a variety of appliances, games and other items they normally use at home."

Other key survey findings include:

• Among guests who borrowed games, MONOPOLY^® is the overwhelming favorite, borrowed by 43 percent of responders.
• Guests are most likely to borrow kitchen-related items. Nearly 50 percent said they borrowed an item to use in their in-suite kitchen. Common items included blenders, George Foreman^® grills and crock pots.
• 30 percent of hotel team members say that the Lending Locker has allowed them to start a conversation and learn something new about their guests.
• The majority of guests (68 percent) borrow items for more than one day, and almost half – 49 percent – borrow items for 2-3 days.
• Team members shared stories about guests using kitchen equipment to make food including chili and cookies to share with fellow guests and hotel team members, adding to the home-like environment.

Piloted in 10 properties for over a year, the Lending Locker generates high guest satisfaction and increased guest and team member engagement. Unlike anything currently offered by the brand's competitors, the Lending Locker is a unique, differentiating signature amenity for the Candlewood Suites brand.  The Lending Locker is currently rolling out to all 304 Candlewood Suites hotels, and will be a standard hallmark in every property by spring 2014.

IHG is one of the world's leading hotel companies, with a rich heritage and broad portfolio of nine brands across over 4,600 hotels, in nearly 100 countries and territories.  The scale and diversity of the IHG family of brands means that its hotels can meet guests' needs whatever the occasion - from an award-winning InterContinental^® Resort to a city-center Crowne Plaza^® hotel.

The Candlewood Suites brand participates in IHG's guest loyalty program, IHG^® Rewards Club. The industry's fast-growing guest loyalty program with 74 million members is free, and guests can enroll by logging on at IHGRewardsClub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of any of IHG's over 4,600 hotels worldwide.

About Candlewood Suites® Hotels
Candlewood Suites® hotels are focused on comfort, space and value.  The brand has more than 300 properties located throughout North America with an additional 83 in the pipeline. At Candlewood Suites hotels, guests find spacious studio and one-bedroom suites each with its own fully equipped kitchen, executive desk, DVD player, recliner or sofa bed and telephone with voice mail plus free local calls.  The Candlewood Gym and free Guest Laundry are open around the clock, and guests can take advantage of the 24-hour Candlewood Cupboard®, where they will find breakfast items, snacks, refreshments, entrées and necessities available on the honor system.  Guests can borrow items they may need during their extended visit, including a desk fan, extra lighting, larger kitchen appliances and more, from the new Lending Locker. Candlewood Suites hotels offer guests all of this at a very comfortable price.

In July 2013, the Candlewood Suites brand was named Best Midscale Hotel Brand in the Americas by the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for Q2 2013. For more information about the brand or to book a reservation, visit www.CandlewoodSuites.com or call 1-888-CANDLEWOOD. Find Candlewood Suites hotels on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Candlewood or Facebook www.Facebook.com/CandlewoodSuites.

© 2013.  InterContinental Hotels Group.  Candlewood Suites and Candlewood Suites & Design are registered trademarks of InterContinental Hotels Group.  All other referenced trademarks are owned by their respective owners.

Notes to Editors:
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organization with a broad portfolio of nine hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo® Hotels, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express® Hotels, Staybridge Suites® Hotels, Candlewood Suites® Hotels, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty program with over 74 million members worldwide. The program was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet for Elites across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels and 678,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories. With more than 1,000 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 people into additional roles across its estate 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.

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit:  www.ihg.com/media,  www.twitter.com/ihg,  www.facebook.com/ihg  or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

SOURCE IHG Hotels & Resorts