Guest author: Dorene Burlew
Dorene is general manager of the Candlewood Suites in Killeen, Texas
As a seasoned hotelier, I began working with the Candlewood Suites in Killeen, Texas some nine months ago, intrigued by the chance to manage an establishment with a commitment to continuously improving guest satisfaction.
This Candlewood Suite hotel has successfully positioned itself as the premier extended-stay location for business travelers, Fort Hood military personnel and vacationers looking to experience the very best of Texas. As an organization, we take great pride in the strong relationships forged with our recurring guests, as we regularly reach out to our lodgers for feedback and insight on how to best serve them.
As a staff, we were well aware of our deteriorating desk chairs and lounge seating, as the upholstery was beginning to fade and pull apart. Many of the chairs had ink stains on them that we just couldn’t get off. In fact, the furniture was in such dire need of renovating that it was the primary reason we were receiving negative reviews. In order to continue catering to our guests, we knew something had to be done. But with an entirely revamped hotel scheme in the works for the next few years, and with an internal goal of becoming a more sustainable facility, we knew buying brand new assets was out of the question.
After some initial research, we found the carbon emissions released by purchasing new seats and chairs would have totaled approximately 21.30 tons, while implementing re-upholstering allowed us to reduce that to just .21 tons. In addition to environmental savings, we also searched for a cost-effective alternative to purchasing new seating, and both of those goals were fulfilled by the solution offered by The Refinishing Touch, who provided us with a total cost savings of 64.3%, when compared to buying new assets.
In February 2013, an experienced, friendly and hard-working production crew came to our hotel to complete the renovations – offering unrivaled on-site furniture re-upholstery services. In a short time, each of the 138 desk chairs and lounge seats within the Killeen establishment was recovered, looking like-new once again. Through The Refinishing Touch’s re-upholstery, seat cushions now had air-breathing holes worked into the fabric, and the soft padding offered a renewed sense of comfort and aesthetics.
The Refinishing Touch used Embrace™ recycled leather to cover the soft seating, offering the same look and feel as traditional leather but at a fraction of the cost. The line is a part of its Touch Textiles fabric division, which offers a variety of other seating upholstery choices in addition to Embrace.
Thanks to the re-upholstery work, the lounge and guestrooms felt luxurious and sophisticated, which quickly led to raving customer reviews from our extended-stay travelers. Furthermore, the money re-upholstering allowed us to save was used to better the hotel in other ways, creating a completely updated guest experience all throughout the establishment.
I’ve been recommending The Refinishing Touch’s services and textile line to a number of hotels within the San Antonio area, and I will continue to do so throughout my career. The normally daunting task of renovating was carried out in a time-efficient, seamless manner, with minimal disturbance to lodgers.
If you ever find yourself in Killeen, please be sure to stop in and see The Refinishing Touch’s work first-hand. You can find us right off of the Central Texas Expressway, conveniently located near Fort Hood. Please visit our website and book your stay today.
If you’re interested in furniture asset management at your own establishment, which includes furniture refinishing, re-upholstery and armoire modification, request a free quote from The Refinishing Touch’s experienced team.