Posted on 09/30/2006 2:08:58 PM PDT by ml/nj
This past week I flew to the Los Angeles area for business. My client purchased my airline tickets for me and made my hotel reservations. I told them I wanted a smoking room. They made reservations for me at a Hilton Garden Inn in Arcadia, and another at the Hilton on Century Blvd near LAX.
When I checked into the place in Arcadia, they informed me that they were out of smoking rooms (which they knew I wanted), and that if I smoked in the room they gave me I would incur a $75 cleaning charge. Maybe they could switch my room for my second and third nights but that was it. Take it or leave it. It wasn't like I really had a choice. I was traveling with the client and his company had made the arrangements. Even changing rooms was an empty opportunity as I wasn't going to return to the hotel in mid-afternoon to see whether they would give me one of their precious smoking rooms. That is, if they had any.
This Hilton Garden Inn had four floors. I stayed on the first, and the first floor was all no-smoking. I had to go up to the second floor for ice, and it too was all no-smoking. I thought about investigating the other floors but I just didn't have time.
My last night was at the LAX Hilton, and there too I was informed that they were "out of smoking rooms." (They also were well aware that I had reserved a smoking room.) This time I asked how many designated smoking rooms they had, and the clerk told me they had 30. When I asked how many rooms they had in the hotel, she told me, "Over a thousand."
So I wonder, is this a California thing? Is it a Hilton thing? I do stay at other Hilton properties (Hampton Inns and Embassy Suites) in other places and haven't had any problem, but then I never used to have a problem at Marriotts either.
ML/NJ
Next time don't open the door.
Cigarettes may be bad for me, but not having them is far worse for the people around me. I've toyed with quitting, but I'm really enjoying just generally pissing people off the anti-freedom weenies around me.
I do really enjoy a fine cigar. And if one thinks strategically you can annoy a lot more busy body weenies with cigars.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
L
I don't open the door!
ML/NJ
Been there, lol.
Points talk.
Not surprised...Marriotts (all properties) are non-smoking as of now. I don't smoke, don't care if you do, but this is private business responding to consumer requests, no smoking will be the standard at all chains within 18 months. No goverment intervention here.
Thanks for the ping. I am trying to catch up. :)
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Same here.. I have smoked in non rooms when forced to, and have yet to even be asked if I smoked or given a charge.
Most of the time I just smoke in the bathrooms with the fan running and when I leave, I leave a window/sliding door wide open.
I don't think you understand. These Hiltons ACCEPTED my smoking room reservations (as did a Vt. Marriott before they announced they would no longer allow smoking in their hotels - except I see that the "Big Smoke" in November in NYC is still scheduled for the Marriott Marquis there). They knew I wanted a smoking room when I showed up, and they just told me to take it or leave it. Would they ever do the same for one or two beds? These Hiltons were engaged in FRAUD.
I have no problem with businesses that want to exclude smoking, as long as they are honest about it. The idea that these hotels are responding to consumer requests is silly. I wonder how many Chinese guests there were at the LAX Hilton. I wouldn't be surprised if they alone exceeded the number of smoking rooms supposedly available.
ML/NJ
Most all of us have no problem when the Marriott, and others went smoke free. The government didn't twist their arms, so I can deal with it.
ml/nj wrote:
"These Hiltons were engaged in FRAUD."
I agree. And this is the one case where I would smoke in their damn room anyway.
So, all you antis, see this isn't about smoking.
This is about FALSE advertising, and this hotel took this person's money, and didn't deliver said goods. It is FRAUD.
So stuff it up your anti-freedom of choice a$$es.
Thanks for the ping!
Private businesses are free to conduct themselves by limiting or banning smoking. And I am free to take my patronage elsewhere.
I have problems with anyone trying to restrict or ban my use of a legal product, government, business, or individual.
One of my non-smoking co-workers lit up a cigar in Atlantic City. The whole craps table cleared out.
He won $3,000 betting the Don't Pass line.
I'm as angry as you are.
Non-smoking Republican believers in limited government will soon be as pissed as us.
But just between you and me, you were on the right track.
If a private business decided that it was in their best interest to go "smoke free", than we have to respect it.
You know that as well as I do.
Sometimes they don't even have that many fools, as I stayed in a Hilton in Portland recently and they had to put me in a chimney person's room, all non-smoking filled even tho' they told me 95% of the rooms were non-smoking. Say, what if you wind up being the last person doing an imittion of a chimney in the better circles?
BTW, the hotels would prefer no smoking rooms at all, smokers being the slobs they are. I've talked to upper management, I'm not just blowing smoke.
That's the way I get the sled-dog, recaltritant wait staff to pay attention to me on the rare occasion I go to a restaurant anymore,
Hilton didn't defraud you--you reserved a ROOM and that you got. I have reserved two queens at a Hilton and gotten a king bed. This while traveling with our two boys--one bed--had to go purchase an aerobed to stay that long weekend at the Hilton. I learned from that experience that a confirmed reservation is for A room not a preference of smoking/non-smoking nor bed preference.
Have you ever bid Priceline? They also will only guarantee a ROOM not a bed choice nor smoking/non-smoking.
Funny. I'm the one who made the reservation and you are the one who knows what it was for. (I forgot to mention that the parking lot at the first Hilton I stayed at in Arcadia was only 20% utilized the first night I was there. When I went to the breakfast room at 7AM my table was the only one being used.)
Your story does not ring true. Did you ask for a couple of rollaways?
Have you ever bid Priceline? They also will only guarantee a ROOM not a bed choice nor smoking/non-smoking.
That's probably the difference between us. I would never even consider using "Priceline." (BTW, I try to avoid the central reservation systems of the chains. I generally speak to someone at the location where I want to stay.)
ML/NJ
Got my room at the Hilton for $45 bidding on Priceline. What'd you pay? Must be nice not having to watch your twenties.
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