IHG Announces Opening of First Candlewood Suites® with New Interior Design Scheme

150 150 Daniel Fountain
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IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), announces the opening of the first Candlewood Suites hotel to include the brand’s new interior design package, created with graduate students at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), one of the nation’s top interior design schools. The overall design concept for Candlewood Suites hotels is called “Haven,” which captures the essence of the Candlewood Suites brand and conjures thoughts of rest, refuge and sanctuary. Within the concept are two distinct, yet complementary, design schemes that are light, clean and refreshing. The “Nest” scheme, with earthy green hues, is featured at the North Little Rock hotel, and “Harbor” features warm blue colours. The new designs also feature sustainability, flexibility and storage; the latter two are especially important to extended stay travellers, who live in hotels for weeks or months at a time. This project follows the highly successful redesign of the Staybridge Suites standardized room décor by SCAD students in 2009.

Guests at the Candlewood Suites North Little Rock North can take advantage of the just-like-home amenities available at all Candlewood Suites hotels, including complimentary high-speed Internet access, free local phone calls, free on-site guest laundry and a 24-hour fitness centre. Unique to Candlewood Suites, guests can also enjoy the convenience of the Candlewood Cupboard®, where a variety of beverages, breakfast items, snacks, frozen entrees and sundries can be purchased on the honour system at any time and where guests can enjoy complimentary Maxwell House coffee around the clock. The North Little Rock hotel will donate all proceeds from the Candlewood Cupboard to the brand’s charity of choice, Give Kids the World. Additionally, guests of the Candlewood Suites North Little Rock can visit the free Lending Library, where movies are available for use in guestrooms, which all feature a flat screen television with DVD player.

The Candlewood Suites North Little Rock features the brand’s new Lending Locker concept, currently in pilot mode. Guests can borrow commonly needed items that they can’t typically travel with, like extra lighting, small kitchen appliances and desk fans. Like the Candlewood Cupboard, the Lending Locker is run on the honour system.

Candlewood Suites guestrooms feature studio or one-bedroom suite floor plans with a full kitchen, comfortable recliner, large workspace with desk chair and overhead lighting.

The new property is located near Springhill Baptist Hospital, Pulaski Technical College, L’Oreal Maybelline Company and Remington Arms and is just minutes from the downtown Little Rock and Little Rock National Airport.

Daniel Fountain / 23.08.2012

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

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