Introduction To properly elaborate on the four management functions at Candlewood Suites, it is important to understand some significant background. Candlewood Suites is an extended stay hotel under the "IHG" (Intercontinental Hotel Group) hotel chain. The specific hotel reviewed below is a family-owned franchise that operates several different businesses. Extended stay hotels, like the one mentioned, operate on what is called a low budget. It basically runs alone, with only a limited number of staff on sight on a daily basis. Hotel operating expenses should be low, due to the low guest turnover rate, which should therefore also keep staff costs to a minimum. Since this is a franchise, the management hierarchy is not only different, but also slightly confusing and sometimes out of order. Even though there is a general manager on site, who is supposed to act as a decision maker, the owners, who in this case are four different people, tend to have the final say in all important decisions. The management pyramid is made up of the owner, followed by the general manager, and the sales director, who is equivalent to the operations director. It is also important to understand that even if the hotel is owned by a franchise, the "IHG" structure and procedures must always be followed to avoid fines or loss of operating license. Planning The most important planning tool at Candlewood Suites is the "SWOT Analysis", along with a constantly updateable "Market Analysis", which was a team effort between the general manager and the sales director. In the hotel industry it is always essential to know the strength of the product you are... at the heart of the paper... sales has its own department, which works closely with the operations manager and reception. The sales manager should have the power to control and hold the front desk accountable, especially when it comes to rooms sold. Conclusion To conclude this case study of Candlewood Suites, it is important to examine all four management functions above. It is evident that all four functions go hand in hand to be more effective. In this case, even if the design phase had a certain success, the execution phase and everything connected to it failed. The main reason this happened was the wrong organization at the time. With stronger ownership leadership and a more effective control and accountability system, the work environment, as well as employment and revenue could have been maximized at all times.