May 26–CARLSBAD — Because of Carlsbad's reputation for transient workers and tourists of the caverns, it's not unusual to see new hotels pop up on a regular basis.

For the Patel family, opening a Carlsbad Candlewood Suites location was more than just a business endeavor. Ekta Patel said she always wanted to move back to where she was born. She quickly became involved in the community when she came back and is now an ambassador at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.

"I don't know why I'm that weird kid that's always wanted to come live in Carlsbad," she said with a laugh. "Everyone else here seems like they want to get out, but I wanted to come back."

The upcoming Candlewood Suites is one of the first projects of the family's management company, Inception. Inception consists of eight investors, all of whom are either part of Ekta's family or close family friends.

Ekta Patel and her husband Milan are serving as the main representatives for the Carlsbad Candlewood Suites.

Patel saw a need for a place in Carlsbad with extended stays, which is why they opened a business that includes rooms with full kitchens. The hotel also provides cutlery and utensils to help guests cook.

"They spend their majority of their time on the road," she said while explaining their clientele. "All of their Monday through Friday, or even on the weekends, they live here in Carlsbad. They get to go home once a month. Or once every two months."

Patel said that growing up, she knew she was going to go down this path in the hospitality industry. Because her parents were hotel entrepreneurs themselves, her childhood was filled with memories of folding laundry, working front desks and cleaning rooms.

"I loved it," she said. "It was something that I was passionate about. I love talking and I love meeting new people and so, just being in the hospitality industry has been that," she said.

Before they met, her husband was involved in the hotel industry as well, working as a manager in a Best Western hotel. The pair was introduced to one another by family friends and fell for each other in a short amount of time. Patel said they first began their relationship by talking on the phone, but after meeting twice in person they both knew that they wanted to get married.

"It happened really quick. We first started talking at the beginning of February and we were married in May," she said.

However, Patel said that it wasn't unusual for those of her ethnicity to go into the hospitality industry. Referencing an article from National Public Radio, Patel said that many hotels in the country are owned by Indian immigrants and their children. The article said that over half of those proprietors have origins that trace back to Gujarat, a state in India.

"It's just in our blood," she said.

Patel said the company hopes to expand and complete more projects. However, she said she is happy that she could create something that her other family members would be proud of.

"(My uncle) would have loved to have seen this and I wish that he was here for it. Him and my dad were inspirations behind what we do," Patel said.

Connie Lee may be reached at 575-628-5516.