FORT GORDON, Ga. — Lendlease and IHG Army Hotels recently announced the opening of the new Candlewood Suites on Fort Gordon. The hotel, which is the largest Candlewood Suites in the world, is the latest example of the collaboration between the U.S. Army, Lendlease, and IHG Army Hotels, which has grown to a portfolio of hotels located in 40 U.S. military installations.
With the unique needs of today’s military traveler in mind, the 311-room hotel includes a variety of rooms with kitchenettes and amenities like complimentary breakfast, laundry facilities, business center, fitness center, a pool, and a BBQ area.
Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, Lendlease and IHG Army Hotels worked to finish the construction of the newest hotel developed under the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program.
“This new Candlewood Suites is a welcomed replacement of a hotel at Fort Gordon that was past its prime and exemplifies the vast benefits of privatization by continual improvement of facilities,” said Gretchen Turpen, SVP and head of lodging for Lendlease. “We are proud to continue providing quality, cost-effective accommodations without government funding. The entire Lendlease and IHG Army Hotels teams worked diligently to deliver this impressive hotel and we look forward to continuing to provide hotels that improve the quality of life of service members and their families in the years to come.”
The Candlewood Suites on Fort Gordon offers the brand’s same experience and amenities, including the Candlewood Cupboard, where guests can purchase items, and the Lending Locker, which makes it easy to borrow household items and small appliances.
“The Candlewood Suites on Fort Gordon is an excellent addition to the IHG Army Hotels portfolio under the successful PAL program. Whether military travelers are with us for a single night, or an extended stay, this hotel provides space to settle in and rest during their journey, supported by hotel colleagues who understand the needs of military travelers. We are honored to support the base’s mission and deliver IHG’s signature hospitality and amenities to travelers through Fort Gordon,” said Chuck Sourbeer, head of operations, IHG Army Hotels.
Fort Gordon Garrison Commander, COL. James Clifford added, “The opening of the Candlewood Suites is a concrete example of the investment going into Fort Gordon and is in direct support of the incredible Cyber growth of the installation. As ARCYBER [U.S. Army Cyber Command] continues to expand their footprint, this Candlewood Suites hotel is the cornerstone of our ability to house our service members, whether they need temporary lodging as they move to the area, or for our service members here in a temporary training status. We’re proud to have this world-class hotel on our installation.”
Lendlease and IHG Army Hotels took over operations of Fort Gordon’s lodging in 2011. Lendlease is the owner, developer, design-builder, and asset manager, and the exclusive developer for the Department of Defense’s only lodging privatization program. IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) is the hotel operator and manager of IHG Army Hotels.
