dcpatti

My Mr and I are both smokers. It has been a long time since we have stayed in a hotel with any smoking rooms (except in Vegas) and even when the hotel has smoking rooms, we opt for a non-smoking room. From time to time, we find ourselves in a room with a balcony, and my Mr is quite comfortable indulging his filthy dirty smoking habit on said balcony; I on the other hand always feel like we're about to get into trouble for it, except when we're at the odd, random hotel that actually puts ashtrays on the balcony (but that nervous feeling doesn't stop me from indulging my filthy dirty habit).

We do not smoke in the rooms, only outside; we use our own receptacle for ash and butts (sometimes an Altoids tin, sometimes a makeshift water bottle ashtray, etc) then dispose of it. We make sure the room door is closed so that smoke won't seep in. We can't check every neighboring balcony but if the folks next door seem to have their door open, we don't smoke, because we don't want to bother them.

So how bad an infraction is it to smoke on the balcony of a non-smoking room? Since it's officially outside, and in the open air, is it no longer an infraction? Or since it's attached to a non-smoking room, is it still a no-no?

Schutzee

It's a no no if I'm in the room above you While at the Hilton Barbados earlier this month I was unable to enjoy my morning coffee on the balcony as someone below was puffing away. Hilton's website indicates "This hotel is 100% non smoking". To me that means no smoking anywhere in the hotel. Obviously the guest below felt differently.

pinniped

I think it's generally considered a no-no even on the balcony.

Only time I've done it in recent memory was at the Marriott Cairo, in which case my cigar was probably improving the outdoor air quality.

weather

Hilton's website indicates "This hotel is 100% non smoking". To me that means no smoking anywhere in the hotel. [/QUOTE]


That's what it means to me too.

JerryFF

The balcony is part of the room. Therefore, if the room is non-smoking, the balcony is non-smoking.

Redhead

That's what it means to me too.[/QUOTE]

Balconies are still a no-no. And if you throw the ashes out in the room's trash can, the whole room will stink. No matter how much you clean, it will still stink.

I want my non-smoking hotel to be just that, non-smoking!

Mary2e

I do exactly the same thing and refrain if I can tell if anyone is outdoors - I even check for balcony doors being open.

The only place I have ever seen specifically say you can't smoke on the balconey is at Disney hotels.

Unless they specifically tell me I can't smoke on the balcony - I do. And I also tell the people at the front desk I want a room with a balcony because I smoke. Not a single one ever told me I couldn't.

Mary2e

Acck... I can tell you're a non-smoker. I would never throw ashes/butts in the trash. Besides the smell, I would be concerned for fire. No matter what receptacle I'm using, it all gets flushed before I leave the room.

djs

Often I will see something to the effect of "This property is 100% smoke free" to me that means no smoking anywhere whether it's on a balcony, by the front door or even by the dumpster. Othertimes I'll see "This hotel is 100% smoke free." Now, I'm all for semantics but I really believe the hotels mean the same exact thing in each of those statements.

Other times (and I think Disney may actually have been one of these) I've seem "Smoking allowed in designated places only".

qf_1020

I used to be a smoker and I would have smoked on a hotels balcony without much thought. So long as your dispose of any ash/butts appropriately there shouldnt be a problem. You can always ask when you check in if you arent sure what the hotels view on it is.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

I'm with the 'outside is outside' camp. smoking in rooms is smelly, but if you want to smoke on a balcony and can contain the butts and ash (and aren't smoking next to someone else on their balcony) then why not.

if a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around... it don't make a noise. same with smoking...

darthbimmer

I appreciate the steps you take to minimize the impact of your smoking on others, dcpatti, but most smokers are not so courteous. I can think of several practical problems:

- What if you open and close the balcony door a lot while the smoke lingers? That could bring smoke and smoke smell into the room.

- What if you can't tell if a neighbor's balcony door is open, because a privacy divider blocks the view or because it's the balcony above yours? I've frequently had to shut my balcony door instead of enjoying fresh air because a neighbor outside is smoking and their smoke is wafting into my room.

- What if a neighbor opens their door or goes out onto their balcony while you're smoking? Would you crush out your cigarettes in courtesy or would you keep smoking on the basis of "I was here first"?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

a lot of what ifs?!

I appreciate the problem may arise when others are not so thoughtful.

with the tens of thousands of tons of pollutants thrown out by car exhausts, the minute smoke from one puff of one cigarette that any neighbor might get when they first step out onto the balcony is pretty insignificant.

we're really not that stupid (aside from smoking in the first place)... we can actually hear if someone is on the balcony next door... either by them turng the pages of a newspaper, or because of some other sound. and I'm not sure how many times we would repeatedly open and close the door during the course of a single cigarette... that's just ridiculous... and no one 'crushes' a cigarette... we put them out

I would be as equally concerned about a neighbor on a balcony smoking as I would be about a neighbor eating peanuts on their balcony... never know when peanut dust could get carried into my room!!

User Name

Rubbish. Also what about the poor people who want to leave their balcony door open to get some fresh air in their room. Can you hear that?

Some idiots smoking on their balconies could even be smelled from the nearby pool at a recent stay at the Sheraton Desert Oasis.

No smoking means no smoking. It's really not a complicated message and yes, it includes you.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

if it is a non smoking room, but the hotel allows smoking on the balcony then that what is allowed. the idea of the non smoking room is to keep out the smoke smell. I agree with that, but smoking outside is different.

I exercise all due care however when smoking outside to try and ensure fellow guests are not inconvenienced.