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How to avoid breathing
secondhand tobacco smoke in a hotel or motel.
After once wrongly "assuming" all upscale
hotels would have completely separate smoke-free floors, and as my travel
needs increased I learned that many hotels continue to mix smoking and
non-smoking rooms on the same floors.
Here are some tips on how
to protect your health when 100% smoke-free hotels are not available.
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Always call in advance
(even if on the road at the last minute), and explain about your desire to
protect your health, especially if you have a chronic illness, and that
under no circumstances do you wish to be exposed to any amount
of smoke. I have yet to have a desk clerk not tell the truth, and even
admit whether they will or will not enforce their smoking policies.
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Continue to call until
you find one that will have a corner of rooms that are surrounded by all
smoke-free rooms (including above and below). Even some of the smaller
motels now restrict all smoking rooms to just a few in a corner of the top
floor.
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Check or ask if the
room will be exposed to smoke traveling through open atriums connected to
other floors or down hallways if smoking is on the opposite side of the
building
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Be sure they don't have
a bar or restaurant inside the lobby that allows smoking.
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If you do find yourself
with smoke coming into your room make them find you another room where you
will be safe, no matter how late it is.
The most important factor
is finding
lodging that it is
safe from tobacco smoke.
*** Please note that many
smoke-free hotels allow smoking on the balconies or patios. Hotels
may wish to consider providing separate buildings where
smoking on the balconies or patios is not permitted so guests can
enjoy their accommodations with the windows open.
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