18 Months, 79 Renovations: The Hardy Group Program Managed Staybridge and Candlewood Suites Upgrades

A year and a half after implementing a strategy to renovate 79 hotels owned by Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT) and managed by IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), The Hardy Group completed its final round of hospitality development on the Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites brands in 2012.

The program kicked off with a six-month evaluation phase to determine scope, budget and schedule, led by The Hardy Group. What followed was a $165 million dollar renovation program that rolled out over 18 months. The Hardy Group divided work into five phases, starting six properties each week, and completing six hotels a month. In an orchestrated effort designed to quickly, and efficiently, refresh or convert the two brands, the group developed a team of vendors, general contractors and warehouses across the U.S. and Canada that would complete each property in eight weeks.

At its completion, 10,000 guestrooms were renovated, in addition to specialty needs like kitchens and baths, exterior painting and other quality upgrades. More than 40 warehouses, six different contractors, and the program management of well over 100 separate contracts, were all planned and executed by The Hardy Group.

The scope of this program was of significant magnitude for the group and for the hospitality industry. It tested and proved its processes and capabilities as a leader in hospitality development services. The IHG in-house design team and Atlanta-based architecture firm CMMI led design.