Lendlease, IHG Army Hotels Break Ground on Candlewood Suites Hotel at Fort Liberty

Lendlease and IHG Army Hotels recently broken ground on a Candlewood Suites hotel at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. Expected to open in early 2026, the 207-room hotel is the 17th Candlewood Suites property Lendlease and IHG have partnered on since 2009 as part of the Privatization of Army Lodging initiative, a U.S. Army-led, public-private venture to revitalize on-post lodging for service members, their families and government travelers.

Located on the site of a previous IHG Army Hotels property, the Fort Liberty Candlewood Suites will include guest rooms ranging from studios to one- and two-bedroom suites. The hotel will also offer features to meet the specific needs of military travelers, such as fully equipped kitchens in each suite; a business center, fitness center, laundry facilities and 24-hour Candlewood Cupboard market; outdoor seating and barbeque area; a separate lounge for Distinguished Visitors; and amenities such as complimentary hot breakfast, pet-friendly accommodations and weekly social events.

Lendlease and IHG Army Hotels were the first to build a hotel in the U.S. using cross-laminated timber; Fort Liberty Candlewood Suites will be the sixth hotel in the PAL portfolio to employ CLT. As it is composed of renewable materials that store carbon, CLT surpasses traditional building methods when it comes to sustainability. However, CLT also offers maximized strength and durability characteristics that were ideal for this project.

In addition to the new Candlewood Suites, Lendlease and IHG will make other enhancements to military lodging options at Fort Liberty over the next year including furnishing, fixtures and equipment updates that are underway at Carolina Inn; and future renovation of the existing Normandy House hotel, which will be designated part of IHG’s Historia Collection comprising buildings of historical importance to the Army and the nation.

As the exclusive developer for the Department of Defense’s only lodging privatization program, Lendlease is the owner, developer, design-builder and asset manager for the Candlewood Suites at Fort Liberty. IHG Hotels & Resorts is the hotel operator and manager. Lendlease’s PAL portfolio includes more than 12,000 hotel rooms on installations across the country.

Photo source: lendlease.com