Choice's Comfort Suites Hotels to go nonsmoking on May 1
Michael Milligan, Travel Weekly, 3/12/2007
Starting May 1, all 433 of Choice Hotels International's Comfort Suites branded hotels will become smoke-free, as it adopts a nonsmoking policy.
At least 10% of Comfort Suites' properties have already gone nonsmoking, according to Choice.
The brand follows several competitors, including Westin Hotels, Gaylord Hotels and Marriott International, all of which have instituted similar no-smoking policies over the past year.
"The extensive survey research we conducted with Comfort Suites guests and our franchisees strongly indicated that going smoke-free was the right decision for our brand," said Janna Morrison, division president of Choice Hotels in a statement. "More and more information is becoming available on the hazards of second-hand smoke -- and that information is undoubtedly influencing where our guests stay."
Additionally, Choice said, becoming smoke-free will reduce costs associated with smoking-related cleaning, maintenance and potentially, insurance liability, as well as the need for separate smoking and nonsmoking rooms, which will simplify managing bookings and registrations for Comfort Suites.
In preparation for the new policy, each Comfort Suites property has received a conversion kit that contains, among other things, step-by-step cleaning instructions for guest rooms and public areas, Choice said, noting that in 1984 it became one of the first hotel chains to designate a portion of its room inventory for nonsmoking guests.
The hotel chain said it is also donating $10,000 to the American Cancer Society.