OverviewLocated about a 3-minute drive from the nearest Highway 202 on-ramp in Jacksonville's Southpoint Business District, the Candlewood Suites - Jacksonville is geared towards business or vacation travellers who require short- or long-term accommodations with full kitchens and easy highway access.
Each of the hotel's air-conditioned guest rooms and suites offers free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a full kitchen (including a dishwasher and cooking utensils), a CD/DVD player, a stereo, a desk, a hair dryer and an iron and ironing board. Rooms with a separate bedroom, a living area with a sofabed and a dining table are also available, as are wheelchair-accessible rooms.
Hotel amenities include a fitness centre, a business centre, a convenience store, BBQ facilities, free guest laundry, weekly housekeeping and free parking. Pets are permitted for $15 the first night and $10 each subsequent night with a $150 maximum. Smoking and non-smoking rooms are available.
St. Vincent's Medical Center Southside is about a 4-minute drive from the hotel, while South Point Plaza can be found 8 minutes away by car. The University of North Florida is roughly a 13-minute drive away and Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is a 30-minute drive away. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Free Wi-Fi, free parking, pets $15/pet/1st night $10/each subsequent night, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: October 2, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with much praise going to the hotel's value, rooms, staff and location.
Many lodgers were pleased with the hotel's value, describing the rates as reasonable, inexpensive and affordable. Several guests also mentioned the free guest laundry as contributing to the hotel's overall worth.
The hotel's rooms were praised by numerous reviewers. They described their accommodations as clean, spacious, well equipped, quiet and upgraded, with comfortable beds, large bathrooms and strong Wi-Fi signals. A few patrons had complaints about their lodgings, however (see below).
The hotel's staff were the source of several compliments and were characterized as friendly, attentive and accommodating.
Several lodgers enjoyed the hotel's location. They described it as safe, and close to highway access, hospitals, shopping, the beach, downtown Jacksonville and restaurants.
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were a few complaints about the rooms.
Although the majority of reviewers praised their clean and well-equipped rooms, a few guests had complaints about their accommodations. They reported noisy fridges and air conditioning, as well as worn furniture.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4.5 out of 5 with a 98% recommendation rate from 103 reviews.
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #38 of 132 Jacksonville hotels with an average rating of 4 out of 5 from 47 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 9.4 out of 10 from 41 reviews.
The author called the hotel on October 2, 2013 to verify some information.
