Is Smoking on a Hotel Room Balcony A No-No?
Jan 13, 2012, 4:43 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2007
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I have, in the past, and will continue exercise my right to smoke on the balcony of my hotel room, unless it is expressly prohibited by the hotel. If anyone else takes issue with that, they can add it to the long list of things that people do that inevitably annoy someone somewhere (My pet peeve is cologne. Can we ban that in public places?).
Get over it, I'll die off soon, anyhow.
Get over it, I'll die off soon, anyhow.
Jan 13, 2012, 4:48 pm
#17
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I have, in the past, and will continue exercise my right to smoke on the balcony of my hotel room, unless it is expressly prohibited by the hotel. If anyone else takes issue with that, they can add it to the long list of things that people do that inevitably annoy someone somewhere (My pet peeve is cologne. Can we ban that in public places?).
Get over it, I'll die off soon, anyhow.
Get over it, I'll die off soon, anyhow.
Second hand smoke kills. Cologne, no matter how offensive, does not.
Jan 13, 2012, 4:59 pm
#18
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according to their own statistics... 18 per cent of nurses smoke in the USA. guess those are the same idiots that save our families lives during serious road trauma, or pull the all night shifts to look after our loved ones during cancer. and they might smoke on a balcony during their well deserved holidays. idiots...
Jan 13, 2012, 5:03 pm
#19
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Some of these desperate arguments are alternately amusing and pathetic.
What part of "non-smoking room" is not "expressly prohibited"? I don't see fine print that says no smoking in the bathroom, or no smoking in the closet, so I guess I'm free to smoke there too.
If you enter into an agreement to stay in a no-cologne room, then I agree to the analogy. Otherwise, there's quite an obvious difference between violating the terms of an agreement and simply annoying someone.
I know a few nurses who have been arrested for drunk driving. Should they be free to drive drunk, and immune from criticism, because of what they do during the day?
These sound like my seven-year-old trying to gt away with something, except that she's only amusing because she doesn't quite know better.
What part of "non-smoking room" is not "expressly prohibited"? I don't see fine print that says no smoking in the bathroom, or no smoking in the closet, so I guess I'm free to smoke there too.
If you enter into an agreement to stay in a no-cologne room, then I agree to the analogy. Otherwise, there's quite an obvious difference between violating the terms of an agreement and simply annoying someone.
I know a few nurses who have been arrested for drunk driving. Should they be free to drive drunk, and immune from criticism, because of what they do during the day?
These sound like my seven-year-old trying to gt away with something, except that she's only amusing because she doesn't quite know better.
Last edited by CPRich; Jan 13, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Jan 13, 2012, 5:22 pm
#20
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Jan 13, 2012, 5:34 pm
#21
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I'm pretty sensitive to smoke, and can usually smell someone smoking long before I spot the smoker.
I had a great stay at the Bali Hyatt last year. It was marred the last few days by a lot if smoke from the next balcony, being sucked into our room. It's a shame to have to close the door, but that's what we did.
I have no problem with smoking, as long as I can't smell it, or see piles of butts on the ground. It's always great to see a responsible smoker post.
I had a great stay at the Bali Hyatt last year. It was marred the last few days by a lot if smoke from the next balcony, being sucked into our room. It's a shame to have to close the door, but that's what we did.
I have no problem with smoking, as long as I can't smell it, or see piles of butts on the ground. It's always great to see a responsible smoker post.
Jan 13, 2012, 5:42 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,784
Gee, because the balcony is outside, whereas the loo and the closet are not? A non-smoking room is just that, the room itself, not the balcony. Were there a sign on the balcony barring smoking, which I have seen a few times, I would not smoke out there.
Jan 13, 2012, 5:57 pm
#23
Join Date: Apr 2007
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So.. the balcony isn't part of the No smoking room? Interesting
So no problem with someone else using the balcony? (Well.. you paid for the room.. and if the balcony isn't part of it for the purposes of non-smoking rules then it can't be at all..right?.....
)
Just kidding of course..
What I will say in all seriousness is that you need to get a non-smoker to check your arrangements. A smoker is simply incapable of detecting their own smoke smell at levels that can be irritating to a non-smoker..... which in a non-smoking room is anything above "absolutely nothing"!
Same as smokers don't notice the smell clinging to their clothing and hair and everything else...
I should know... I used to be one!
Kudos to the OP for coming up with a plan.. but I have to say... if you bring the ash/butts back into the room... and even only "unseal" the container long enough to flush the contents.. that WILL leave a smell behind.... trust me!
So no problem with someone else using the balcony? (Well.. you paid for the room.. and if the balcony isn't part of it for the purposes of non-smoking rules then it can't be at all..right?.....
)Just kidding of course..
What I will say in all seriousness is that you need to get a non-smoker to check your arrangements. A smoker is simply incapable of detecting their own smoke smell at levels that can be irritating to a non-smoker..... which in a non-smoking room is anything above "absolutely nothing"!
Same as smokers don't notice the smell clinging to their clothing and hair and everything else...
I should know... I used to be one!
Kudos to the OP for coming up with a plan.. but I have to say... if you bring the ash/butts back into the room... and even only "unseal" the container long enough to flush the contents.. that WILL leave a smell behind.... trust me!
Jan 13, 2012, 5:59 pm
#24
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1. If there is an ASHTRAY on the balcony then guess what?? It IS ALLOWED.
2. Other than perhaps one municipality in the entire UNITED STATES OF AMERICA that I know of due to a technicality, there is actually no hotel, locality, etc that can do anything whatsoever to stop anyone from smoking OUTSIDE, whether it is the street or a balcony. Hell in the vast majority of the United States, despite what the hotel might say or threaten, a hotel cannot actually legally stop people from even smoking in a room even if it is a "100% non-smoking hotel" due to rental and occupancy laws. Furthermore while a hotel may threaten and attmpt to collect cleaning fees (which is the only ruse they can possibly use) the actual charging of these fees in most cases is ILLEGAL and can EASILY be overturned if charged to a credit card.
Like it or not, these are the actual facts.
2. Other than perhaps one municipality in the entire UNITED STATES OF AMERICA that I know of due to a technicality, there is actually no hotel, locality, etc that can do anything whatsoever to stop anyone from smoking OUTSIDE, whether it is the street or a balcony. Hell in the vast majority of the United States, despite what the hotel might say or threaten, a hotel cannot actually legally stop people from even smoking in a room even if it is a "100% non-smoking hotel" due to rental and occupancy laws. Furthermore while a hotel may threaten and attmpt to collect cleaning fees (which is the only ruse they can possibly use) the actual charging of these fees in most cases is ILLEGAL and can EASILY be overturned if charged to a credit card.
Like it or not, these are the actual facts.
Jan 13, 2012, 7:01 pm
#25
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Hell in the vast majority of the United States, despite what the hotel might say or threaten, a hotel cannot actually legally stop people from even smoking in a room even if it is a "100% non-smoking hotel" due to rental and occupancy laws. Furthermore while a hotel may threaten and attmpt to collect cleaning fees (which is the only ruse they can possibly use) the actual charging of these fees in most cases is ILLEGAL and can EASILY be overturned if charged to a credit card.
Jan 13, 2012, 7:16 pm
#26
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1. If there is an ASHTRAY on the balcony then guess what?? It IS ALLOWED.
2. Other than perhaps one municipality in the entire UNITED STATES OF AMERICA that I know of due to a technicality, there is actually no hotel, locality, etc that can do anything whatsoever to stop anyone from smoking OUTSIDE, whether it is the street or a balcony. Hell in the vast majority of the United States, despite what the hotel might say or threaten, a hotel cannot actually legally stop people from even smoking in a room even if it is a "100% non-smoking hotel" due to rental and occupancy laws. Furthermore while a hotel may threaten and attmpt to collect cleaning fees (which is the only ruse they can possibly use) the actual charging of these fees in most cases is ILLEGAL and can EASILY be overturned if charged to a credit card.
Like it or not, these are the actual facts.
2. Other than perhaps one municipality in the entire UNITED STATES OF AMERICA that I know of due to a technicality, there is actually no hotel, locality, etc that can do anything whatsoever to stop anyone from smoking OUTSIDE, whether it is the street or a balcony. Hell in the vast majority of the United States, despite what the hotel might say or threaten, a hotel cannot actually legally stop people from even smoking in a room even if it is a "100% non-smoking hotel" due to rental and occupancy laws. Furthermore while a hotel may threaten and attmpt to collect cleaning fees (which is the only ruse they can possibly use) the actual charging of these fees in most cases is ILLEGAL and can EASILY be overturned if charged to a credit card.
Like it or not, these are the actual facts.
From the City of Chicago website (emphasis mine):
Clean Indoor Air Ordinance (No Smoking)
Chicago has had its own Clean Indoor Air Ordinance since 1988, and this law has been strengthened over the years to better protect the health of all Chicagoans, as well as visitors to our city.
The current and strongest version of the ordinance took effect in 2008 and prohibits smoking in virtually all enclosed public places and enclosed places of employment, including but not necessarily limited to bars, restaurants, shopping malls, recreational facilities (including enclosed sports arenas, stadiums, swimming pools, ice and roller rinks, arcades and bowling alleys), concert halls, auditoriums, convention facilities, government buildings and vehicles, public transportation facilities, coin laundries, meeting rooms, private clubs, public restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways and other common-use areas in public buildings, apartment buildings and condominium buildings;
The ordinance also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of the entrance of these establishments.
The ordinance exempts private residences (except residences that are used as day care facilities or any other business to which the public is invited), some hotel and motel sleeping rooms, and retail tobacco stores.
And from the actual law in question. (Again, emphasis mine): Chicago has had its own Clean Indoor Air Ordinance since 1988, and this law has been strengthened over the years to better protect the health of all Chicagoans, as well as visitors to our city.
The current and strongest version of the ordinance took effect in 2008 and prohibits smoking in virtually all enclosed public places and enclosed places of employment, including but not necessarily limited to bars, restaurants, shopping malls, recreational facilities (including enclosed sports arenas, stadiums, swimming pools, ice and roller rinks, arcades and bowling alleys), concert halls, auditoriums, convention facilities, government buildings and vehicles, public transportation facilities, coin laundries, meeting rooms, private clubs, public restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways and other common-use areas in public buildings, apartment buildings and condominium buildings;
The ordinance also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of the entrance of these establishments.
The ordinance exempts private residences (except residences that are used as day care facilities or any other business to which the public is invited), some hotel and motel sleeping rooms, and retail tobacco stores.
(3) Hotel and motel sleeping rooms that are rented to guests and are designated as smoking rooms, provided that all smoking rooms on the same floor must be contiguous and smoke from these rooms must not infiltrate into nonsmoking rooms or other areas where smoking is prohibited. Not more than 25% of the rooms rented to guests in a hotel or motel may be designated as rooms where smoking is allowed. The status of rooms as smoking or nonsmoking may not be changed, except to permanently add additional nonsmoking rooms.
Note: 1. You can't smoke within 15 feet of an entrance to a building.
2. In a hotel, you can't smoke in an area where smoke could infiltrate other non-smoking rooms.
Given that most hotel balconies are separated by less then 15 feet from one another, and given that smoke from a balcony could infiltrate a non-smoking room, I'd argue that the city of Chicago has outlawed it.
Now, you did actually say, "There is actually no hotel, locality, etc that can do anything whatsoever to stop anyone from smoking OUTSIDE, whether it is the street or a balcony."
True, violators in Chicago are punishable only by fine. The law does not allow violators to be shot on site. If someone isn't compelled to STOP based on the threat of a fine, then they'll probably continue to take the chance and smoke. But it would be much nicer if we could shoot violators them on site.
Jan 13, 2012, 7:38 pm
#27
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I beg of you, please do NOT smoke on hotel room balconies. I am one of those people who enjoys fresh air, especially in tropical locales, but I frequently have to keep my balcony door sealed because the secondhand smoke drifts in from nearby balconies. It is revolting to have to experience the byproduct of somebody's smoking habit while I'm trying to enjoy my day/afternoon/evening.
Hotels say "This is a smoke-free property" for good reason. I choose to stay at smoke-free properties for good reason.
Please be respectful of my privacy, and the privacy of others who seek to enjoy the hotel experience, by NOT smoking in areas where the smoke could disturb others.
Please.
Try electronic cigarettes. They have the nicotine that your body is addicted to, but they lack the disgusting tar and smoke that kill you and tens of thousands of secondhand smoke victims every year in the USA alone.
Hotels say "This is a smoke-free property" for good reason. I choose to stay at smoke-free properties for good reason.
Please be respectful of my privacy, and the privacy of others who seek to enjoy the hotel experience, by NOT smoking in areas where the smoke could disturb others.
Please.
Try electronic cigarettes. They have the nicotine that your body is addicted to, but they lack the disgusting tar and smoke that kill you and tens of thousands of secondhand smoke victims every year in the USA alone.
Jan 13, 2012, 7:57 pm
#28
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2Other than perhaps one municipality in the entire UNITED STATES OF AMERICA that I know of due to a technicality, there is actually no hotel, locality, etc that can do anything whatsoever to stop anyone from smoking OUTSIDE, whether it is the street or a balcony...
Like it or not, these are the actual facts.
Here in Boston, non-smoking residential complexes are just that: No smoking anywhere on the property - and that includes in the units, in the common areas, outside in the courtyard, and on balconies and patios.
My condo complex is currently considering such a policy and they modeled it on policies in place in city-owned properties.
Last edited by LTBoston; Jan 13, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Jan 13, 2012, 10:24 pm
#29
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Jan 13, 2012, 10:27 pm
#30
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I personally don't have a problem with somebody smoking on the balcony of the hotel, and that's coming from a non-smoker. As long as the ash and butts are disposed of as the OP states then there shouldn't be any lingering odors in the room itself.