Terocas

Never realized hotels were "smokers racists"!!!!!!! That's shameful. Treating smokers different from non smokers in hotels other than rooms or floors is shameful!!!
Are we crimiinals????

ondeadlin

Not yet, but society is certainly limiting where smoking is acceptable. Times change. It used to be every bar had a spitoon, now we find that laughable and disgusting. My guess is future generations will look similarly on the days when smoking was socially acceptable everywhere in America.

OC 1K

Unfortunately I think its only going to get worse for Smokers. Calabasas, CA., the town next to Malibu, is passing a city ordinance outlawing smoking in all public places - even outdoors. This is the logical conclusion of the anti smoking crusades that began 20 years ago.

psychephylax

1. You have privacy in your own room. You' don't share the room with others and you can do almost whatever you want in the room. That's why hotels have smoking rooms/floors. You should have specificed you want a better/upgraded room where you can smoke.
2. You see, there's one minor flaw with thinking you're entitled to that...It's illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, and national origin. So, unless you consider smoking a religion or handicap then Marriott/Hilton can get away with discriminating based on the smoking factor.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not agreeing with these practices but in reality we live in a capitalist society where $ is king and right now hotel management feels they can get more $ by catering to the non-smoker rather than the smoker.

Nosmo King

You're not entitled to anything if you are going to vandalize the room, rendering it unusable to >90% of the customers of the hotel.

Nobody is forcing you to smoke: Don't smoke, get your upgrade.

It's very simple.

sfbarry

Smoking Floor - Non-Smoking Floors

What about "Rug Rat" Floors and Non-Rug Rat Floors?

stevekoe

You have privacy in your own room -- but, the hotel room is not your room. It belongs to the hotel and they can set forth any rules they like -- and you can choose to stay there or not based on those rules, no?

You are entitled to the same benefits, but you choose not to accept them. Again, you choose -- is it more important to have a puff in the hotel room, or is it more important to get a small bottle of mouthwash, the WSJ or a room on the same floor as the C-lounge?

What bothers me even more are the people who would not dream of smoking in their own house or even their car, nor would they ever rent a smoking hotel room (because even smokers know how nasty the bedspreads and carpets get in smoking rooms), but, they wouldn't think twice about having "just one" smoke before bed with the window open in their non-smoking room.

1Konsultant

Three points on this issue:

1) As much as we want life to be fair, a hotel will do what's most profitable... and in the case of providing upgraded smoking rooms, it's simply not a good business decision. An overwhelming majority of customers are non-smokers, and most of us will agree it is more inconvenient for non-smokers to have to stay in a smoking room than for the opposite to occur. Smokers can always smoke outside... yes, it's annoying, but they can still smoke. Why risk making a room inaccessible to 90% of your customers for the sake of only 10%? An even smaller % of those are elite. Rooms are inventory for hotels, and unused rooms are wasted inventory.

2) As a Platinum, I sympathize with the OP's frustration about earning elite privileges. However, those privileges are defined by the hotel... and upgrades are given "if available." So, no one is entitled to anything -- we and the hotel have to make choices. When I get the option to be upgraded, I am sometimes faced with conditions, too... I might have to decide between an king bed on a non-c floor or a double bed on the c-floor. It's not fair, but it's life.

3) Most businesses, and all airlines and gov't buildings have gone non-smoking... hotels will soon follow (e.g., Westin). At least Marriott provides smoking rooms. As a non-smoker, I'd be completely happy if all rooms went non-smoking. But until then, ask the front desk to bring elite amenities from the upgraded rooms to your non-upgraded smoking room and enjoy your cigarette in peace... for now.

1konsultant

holtju2

This was not at the Marriott property but at my recent stay at a non-smoking room there was not one not two but THREE ashtrays with matchsticks.

macj86

I'm a non-smoker but do sympathize with your plight. In the end, however, it would be prudent to understand that the trend toward smoke free environments in private and public spaces is likely not going to change in your favor.

psychephylax

Sounds like someone got suckered into a smoking room as a "non-smoking room" heh

mikeef

Smoking rooms are more expensive for hotels to maintain. Period. They cost more to clean and insurance costs are higher. Sorry, it's not a question of fair or unfair. It's a question of costs. I'm guessing that Marriott did a cost/benefit analysis and decided that the potential cost savings will more than offset any revenue loss from smokers. This is the way that all hotels will be going.

Mike

ontheroadps

You hit the nail on the head, 1K. Times have changed and fewer people smoke these days. The hotels know this and have adjusted their business policies accordingly. They are offering a room for rent, on their terms. For those that choose to smoke on their property they offer rooms designated for that purpose.

I sympathize with smokers though. Personally I think that alcohol is a much bigger problem to society than cigarettes...but I digress :-)