Marriott Bans Smoking At All Its Hotels

Soon there will be one more place smokers will have to butt out. Marriott International announced it's banning smoking from all of its hotels. Several of those hotels are in Tulsa. <br/><br/>News

Monday, July 24th 2006, 10:09 am

By: News On 6

Soon there will be one more place smokers will have to butt out. Marriott International announced it's banning smoking from all of its hotels. Several of those hotels are in Tulsa.

News on 6 reporter Jennifer Loren says a Marriott spokesperson says they are not just following a growing trend against public smoking. They say this is what the majority of their customers want.

Right now, the Southern Hills Marriott in Tulsa allows smoking anywhere outside, in the lounge and, of course, in smoking rooms. Hotel managers say, because of that, they've taken scores of complaints from their non-smoking customers. Leigh Murray: "the biggest complaint we get are people that don't want smoking rooms and they end up in smoking rooms."

In fact, that was June Craig's complaint. The hotel was full. So she ended up on one of the Marriott's two smoking floors. "And I could smell it all night long, just being in another room." She complained that smoking rooms are different from non-smoking rooms. Not just because they have ashtrays and matches in them. But because of the distinct smell of old smoke in the bedding, curtains and carpet. "And I hate to stay in a room where people have been smoking because it lingers. You just can't get rid of that."

Some smokers are fine with the new rules. Nicole Sofia says she prefers to smoke outside and stay in non-smoking rooms. "Its disgusting. That's why I don't stay in smoking rooms and I don't smoke in the room."

The new rules go into affect in October. Beginning then, there will be only one place you can smoke, that's outside and away from the front doors.

Marriottâ€™s in Tulsa are part of the 2,300 hotels in the US and Canada that will be smoke-free. That includes all Marriott's, Courtyard Marriott's, Fairfield Inns, Renaissance Hotels, Spring Hill Suites and Residence Inns.

Hotel managers say they do expect to hear some complaints from smokers. Leigh Murray: "the biggest issue is probably going to be those customers that are used to coming here and used to smoking. And then we're going to have to tell them this is a new policy."

The Marriott plans to enforce their new non-smoking rules with cleaning fees. If your room smells like smoke after your stay, you could be charged a cleaning fee. They'll enforce those on a case by case basis. But smoking in your room could cost you an extra $200 to $300.