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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Aloft Hotels vs Candlewood Suites

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Aloft Hotels2026 FDDCandlewood Suites2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Aloft Hotels

    $13,567,610 – $36,691,910

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Candlewood Suites

    $15,296,866 – $23,004,446

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 51

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Aloft Hotels

    —

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 39

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Aloft Hotels

    Not available

    Candlewood Suites

    5.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Aloft Hotels discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Aloft Hotels: 3, Candlewood Suites: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Aloft Hotels

    $13,567,610 – $36,691,910
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Candlewood Suites

    $15,296,866 – $23,004,446
    Total initial investment — $15,296,866–$23,004,446
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 51
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Aloft Hotels

    —
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 39

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Aloft Hotels

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Candlewood Suites

    5.5%
    Royalty — 5.5% of GSR
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Aloft Hotels

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Candlewood Suites

    $10
    Initial marketing contribution to loyalty program — $10/approved suite
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 28

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Aloft Hotels

    167
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 126

    Candlewood Suites

    407
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Aloft Hotels

    +7
    Calculated: 160 at end of 2023 → 167 at end of 2025

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    Only one year reported
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Aloft Hotels

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Aloft Hotels

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Candlewood Suites

    1995
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Aloft Hotels

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Candlewood Suites

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Aloft Hotels
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — STR Included Hotels: at least two years operating and reported STR data
    $157
    other STR Included mean ADR
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 120
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1-Year Comp Hotels: at least 12 months open, met Conditions
    159 hotels
    other 1-Year Comp Sample size
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 121
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Included Hotels: at least two years open and met Conditions
    1 percent
    other Voice Reservations share gross room-night bookings: 1.0%
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 122
    Candlewood Suites
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    152 units
    other Mature Hotels above-average occupancy count
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 87

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Aloft Hotels vs Candlewood Suites: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Aloft Hotels or Candlewood Suites?
    Aloft Hotels: $13,567,610 – $36,691,910 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Candlewood Suites: $15,296,866 – $23,004,446 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 51). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Aloft Hotels. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Aloft Hotels or Candlewood Suites?
    Aloft Hotels: 167 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 126); Candlewood Suites: 407 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Aloft Hotels and Candlewood Suites disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Aloft Hotels has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups; Candlewood Suites has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Aloft Hotels report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Candlewood Suites report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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