Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Any tips for smokers, besides STOP?

With the Marriotts/Westins being smoke free in the USA...does anyone have any strategy for getting a chain/property that allows smoking? Besides having checked each site for its rules and selecting the class level that has the highest proportion of "you can still smoke" properties?

Thanks.

If you use Hotwire and then use betterbidding.com and your own research to get a good idea of the hotel, then you minimize your chances of getting a Marriott or other smoke-free hotel. But the problem is, you could still be assigned a non-smoking room. At the past several places I have stayed (as a nonsmoker getting non-smoking rooms) it seems I have to sign a form promising to pay a large sum of money if I smoke in the room.

With Priceline and Hotwire there is no guarantee of smoke-free or smoke-allowed. So if you have a requirement, don't use them. Even if you get a hotel that has smoking rooms, there is no certainty that they will be available.

As far as I am aware Hilton chain still has smoking rooms at most of its hotels.

just take a couple of half-smoked heavy cigars into the room. It will be stinking for weeks :D

I'm a smoker and this has not been a serious problem for me.

My normal run of hotels (Choice props, Hilton) still allow smoking, and the Marriott folks have been very accomodating of their (apparently still quite numerous) guests who smoke. Convenient outdoor smoking/socialization area, etc.

Just grin and bear it, I guess. Or spend more time in Europe/Asia, where you'll feel right at home ... for the time being, anyhow.

I do agree with BigLar. The Mariotts I have stayed at have been accomodating and have provided outdoor smoking areas. The last Courtyard I stayed at actually had a few different ones and was in a nice area to be outside. I prefer to smoke outside anyway, to prevent my clothes etc. from stinking from smoke in the room.

Others will probably follow Mariott's lead, but a lot of those smaller or budget properties seem to provide smoking rooms. I have never had difficulty getting one, either.

I stay at Hampton Inn's or Holiday Inn Express for their great availability of a smoking room

If you use Hotwire and then use betterbidding.com and your own research to get a good idea of the hotel, then you minimize your chances of getting a Marriott or other smoke-free hotel. But the problem is, you could still be assigned a non-smoking room. At the past several places I have stayed (as a nonsmoker getting non-smoking rooms) it seems I have to sign a form promising to pay a large sum of money if I smoke in the room.



Right. And I'm certainly NOT going to smoke inside a non-smoking property, even apart from the fine/damage charge issue.

Having been a long time Starwood patron, I didn't realize that Marriott would have allowed me to indulge my one true vice where Starwood would not... May be time to revisit my loyalties...

Keeping this related to this forum, I (as a non-smoker) find that one of the negatives of Priceline is that I am on the bottom of the pecking order of getting a room I want. Getting stuck with a smoking room can be aweful.

Find a zone with a Holiday Inn and puff away (PL rooms are usually smoking rooms).

Keeping this related to this forum, I (as a non-smoker) find that one of the negatives of Priceline is that I am on the bottom of the pecking order of getting a room I want. Getting stuck with a smoking room can be aweful.



I'll have to give you that, Jim. A non-smoker would hate being in a smoking room.

Mbstone..thanks for the idea about Holiday Inn bidding.

Looks to me like there is no easy solution for me, cept to try Chantix.
Thanks to everyone for his/her response.

Keeping this related to this forum, I (as a non-smoker) find that one of the negatives of Priceline is that I am on the bottom of the pecking order of getting a room I want. Getting stuck with a smoking room can be aweful.

as a non-smoker, I have booked 150 rooms in the past 4 years through Priceline or Hotwire and only twice have been stuck in a smoking room.