Will I survive 3 days in a smoking hotel room? UPDATE in #1

[Susan in TN]

Please tell me I will be fine. It is for a conference and I really only need to be there to sleep. I am not asthmatic or allergic and am not generally super sensitive. It was the last available room (reservered 2 months in advance), but I am starting to panic a little over it. I bought some Febreeze Air Effects.

Update: I am surviving! The room has a bit of a smell but it is not overwhelming. I met up with a friend who said (I think honestly) that I did not smell like smoke. The superdy-duperdy spray that had GUARANTEED delivery on Tuesday of course was not delivered until Wed after I was gone. Nice at least that I now have a credit on my Amazon account.

[In The Great White North]

Me, no.  Aren't there any other hotels within driving distance?

[KarenC]

I couldn't do it.  I would drive from a hotel farther away than stay in smoking room.

 

Karen

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Me no, I have allergy issues with it. I'd be sick by next day at latest.

[Mom in High Heels]

No.  No way, no how.  No.

[MysteryJen]

No. You and your clothes will smell slightly of smoke. 

[Caroline]

No, you won't.

[catz]

We did this once for about 3 nights and I totally regretted it. I was gagging every time I walked in the room. :( I thought it would be no big deal, but it was totally gross.

[Davysmom]

I did it one night because we had to. Car broke down and it was only place within 30 miles. We couldn't walk 30 miles with 5 kids. It was awful! None of us slept well. The smell of the room wasn't so bad it was the vents when the heat kicked on. None of us are asmatic or sensitive. I would have slept in the car if it hadn't been towed.

[readwithem]

I wouldn't be able to sleep because of the smell, I would have a headache, my clothes would smell, and I would be grumpy for the entire time I was there.  

[Miss Peregrine]

No way.

[HRAAB]

No, no, no.  I could not do it.  Is there another hotel close enough that it would work for you?

[Melissa in Australia]

No. I would rather sleep in the car

[Guest submarines]

I wouldn't be able to. But I can't stand Feebreeze / chemical smells either.

[justasque]

No.  Can you bunk on someone else's floor?  Or exchange rooms with a smoker?  Because, really, nowadays, only smokers use those rooms.  So they are extra-smoky.  Talk to the hotel.  Maybe they have had a cancellation, or can put you on a list for another room if one becomes available.

If this is a professional conference, double-no, as you will smell nasty.  

[elegantlion]

I couldn't as I have issues. When I cleaned hotel rooms (for that glorious 2 1/2 weeks  :laugh: ) I gagged when I did the smoking rooms. 

 

If you really can't change, it might pay to buy a cheap air purifier and take your own blanket. 

 

I would call the hotel directly as they may have had cancellations. Most people won't book a smoking room unless they are actually smokers. Also ask when you check in. 

[Annie G]

I think every hotel room smells weird. So smoke probably wouldn't bother me that much. 

[elfgivas]

if you have no allergies, then sure.  

however, when you check in, ask for a non smoking room and see what happens.  someone who reserved one may have had plans change.

 

and if it is really ghastly, ask for a different room and see what happens.

 

in the end, you are paying them money to provide a service, and there WILL be an available unsmokey room, the question is how to ask for it in a way they can say yes.

 

or you may open the door and it will be just fine.

 

fwiw

ann

 

if you can go online now and see if a nonsmoking room is available for the time you are staying, and there is one, then you can call and ask them to give you that room instead.  it may work.  it is in their best interest to have a happy customer.

[EKS]

I think you will survive.  I think it will be gross, and you won't like it, but I think you will survive.

[BrookValley.]

I wouldn't.  I'm not asthmatic or overly sensitive, either, but I guarantee you I'd feel awful for a week afterward.

[foxbridgeacademy]

I'm a smoker (I do not smoke indoors or the car, ever) and I'm not sure I could handle 3 days in a closed in room, I'd probably be nauseous.   

[Mergath]

I could stand it, though I'd be miserable.  But what I wouldn't be able to tolerate was having all of my personal things reek like smoke for a month afterward.  Your coat and your shoes will stink, unless you wash it all three or four times.  Your hair will stink.  Even your suitcase will stink.

[trinchick]

We did it out of necessity one night this summer and it was horrible. They had covered the cigarette smell with an equally offensive air freshener. Then there were cigarette burns on the rug, comforter and blankets. I am not exaggerating when I say I'd sleep in my car before I ever took another smoking room.

[Spryte]

If you truly have no other option, ask them for an air filter.

[Cinder]

I would have a hard time sleeping in a smoking room. Although I don't have asthma the lingering odor burns my sinuses even more than "fresh" smoke does. Dh doesn't have the same problem with it that I do and would probably be fine if it was just a couple nights.

[TianXiaXueXiao]

In my experience, even non-smoking rooms often reek of cigarette smoke, so I would just see how it goes. If you check in and find it unbearable, see if they will comp your fee if they can't move you to a non-smoking room.

[creekland]

I couldn't do it.  I detest cig smoke.  Like others, I'd sleep in our car first.  (But as suggested, I'd call and see if there's been a cancellation in a non-smoking room.)

[EmilyGF]

Can you at least get a discount and leave the window open all day?

[EKS]

Does anyone remember what this used to be like?  *All* hotel rooms were smoking.  We just dealt with it. 

[Arcadia]

My "normal" hubby can't stand even walking past the doorway of a smoking allowed hotel room.  I'm asthmatic and my kids are so used to going only to smoke free places because of me that they can't stand the smell.

 

In my experience, even non-smoking rooms often reek of cigarette smoke, so I would just see how it goes.

 

I agree.  I have to ask for a room in a non-smoking floor or non-smoking wing of a hotel just to avoid the smell. 

 

 

Does anyone remember what this used to be like?  *All* hotel rooms were smoking.  We just dealt with it. 

 

There was no air-con too back in the good old days. I could just leave the windows or the patio door of my hotel room open.  I could also request for an extra fan if it is really that bad.

 

ETA:

I didn't realize Marriott is a smoke free hotel for their US chain since 2006.

[momto10blessings]

If you don't mind yourself and your clothes smelling like cigarettes

[creekland]

Does anyone remember what this used to be like?  *All* hotel rooms were smoking.  We just dealt with it. 

 

But even then, many people didn't smoke, so the room had a reasonable chance of not being so bad even with ashtrays.  I also recall if one was too smoky, we asked for another.  We often checked out the rooms before agreeing to any particular one.

 

Now, most non-smokers choose non-smoking rooms and smokers tend to be those who use the smoking rooms.  This means each smoking room has a higher percentage of smoke smell/residue in it (and damage, etc).  It makes a huge difference from the "old days."
 

[KungFuPanda]

Please tell me I will be fine.  It is for a conference and I really only need to be there to sleep.  I am not asthmatic or allergic and am not generally super sensitive.  It was the last available room (reservered 2 months in advance), but I am starting to panic a little over it.  I bought some Febreeze Air Effects.

People lived through Hiroshima. My money is on you surviving.

[poppy]

Does anyone remember what this used to be like?  *All* hotel rooms were smoking.  We just dealt with it. 

 

Yes but back then, you could also smoke in the restaurant, or the lobby, or anywhere. You didn't have your morning cig in the room, then have breakfast. You had your after dinner cigarette in the restaurant  instead of going back to your room.

 

I remember those days, and I am a former smoker. Many many many years ago.

 

OP, you'll be OK.  Sounds like you have no choice. It will be unpleasant but it's not a huge deal.

 

My tip is, keep the next day's clothes in a closed bag with a dryer sheet so you'll smell relatively fresh in the morning.

[FaithManor]

I am very allergic. So is my dad. It's one reason that we mostly camped when I was growing up and if we stayed in a motel, mom and dad scoped out the room first in order to see how bad it was. They rejected more than one room during those years.

 

My reaction has gotten worse over the years, so I wouldn't make it 3 days now.

 

OP, if you aren't allergic, you'll probably be okay. Just be sure to disinfect and air out your luggage when you get home because you may notice some residual smell.

[aggieamy]

I like to think I could do it but the last conference I was at a friend of mine and I walked into the room we were sharing and it smelled of smoke.  We both turned to each other and shook our heads.  No way would we be able to do that.  And the friend would occasionally smoke a pipe/cigar so he isn't a militant non-smoker.

 

I reread what I wrote and realize I need to clarify things a bit ... DH was also on the trip.  He was parking the car.  Without that information the situation sounds a bit seedy.  

[mom2samlibby]

Yes. I just did this two weekends ago. It was the only room available in the town. :( I brought an air purifier to run the whole time, room deoderizer, vicks vapor rub, a new blanket, and essential oils for my pillow. I thought I would end up with a migraine, but didn't. I left the window open all day, while I was out of the room. It wasn't my top choice, but it worked out ok.

[Susan in TN]

Thank you - *some* of you have followed instructions. ;) :D

It's a non-refundable/changeable reservation, but I will ask for a change when I get there and see what happens. We have a superdy-duperdy air purifier that I can bring. Maybe I'll be lucky and the room will have windows that open.

[mom2samlibby]

Thank you - *some* of you have followed instructions. ;) :D

It's a non-refundable/changeable reservation, but I will ask for a change when I get there and see what happens. We have a superdy-duperdy air purifier that I can bring. Maybe I'll be lucky and the room will have windows that open.

I asked to see if there was a different room for my situation 2 weeks ago, and it was the only room. I'm glad I had planned ahead. Take the air purifier! My friend that was with me laughed because mine is 2 ft. tall, but it sure did the job.

[Starr]

Call every day, tip the person at the desk, beg the cleaning staff for fresh blankets and curtains, bring chocolate!

 

I would also join the hotel whatever it's called, the frequent traveler club for that hotel. It doesn't cost anything and might give you a little leverage.

[Sisyphus]

I have lived and traveled in many p,aces where there isn't a "non smoking/smoking" option except for very high end, western hotels, and we didn't want to pony up that kind of cash. So we stayed, with kids, in many, many smoking rooms. It was fine, no allergies or anything here and you get over the initial yuck pretty quick and don't notice the smell so much. You will notice it when arriving home to your smoke free house maybe, but I've found leaving suitcases and non washables on the porch for a day or so solves the problem.

[kiwik]

As long as it is the people not the room doing the smoking.

[ChristusG]

No way. I wouldn't be able to take a full breath.

[QueenCat]

I couldn't..... I go into gag mode when I'm in a room  with someone who clearly smokes, and gets within a few feet of me, even if no smoking occurred in the room.

[skimomma]

I could do it and it would not even be a really big deal.  The Febreeze however?  That would be a deal breaker.  I have stayed in a lot of hotels and many times I have had a smoking room.  The only times I have had to change rooms due to smell has always been chemical from cleaners or new furniture or whatever.  Once I had a cancelled flight and had to stay at a high end hotel because the cheaper places were all booked.  They had just remodeled.  I made it about 45 minutes before I had to leave the building.  The carpet glue smell was unbearable.  And I am not even chemically sensitive in general.  I'm not sure how anyone was able to stay (or work) there.  Smoke smell is gross but I usually get used to it after an hour or two and am fine.

[Alessandra]

I haven't read all the posts, but has anyone mentioned Airx 60 or other Airx products? I used their spray to neutralize a strong skunk odor that we had a few months ago, Apparently, Airx works by combining with molecules on the air to change how they are perceived by receptors in our noses. The website explains it better than I could. In any case, the Airx worked on the skunk smell, while other room deodorizer shad zero effect.

[Susan in TN]

I haven't read all the posts, but has anyone mentioned Airx 60 or other Airx products? I used their spray to neutralize a strong skunk odor that we had a few months ago, Apparently, Airx works by combining with molecules on the air to change how they are perceived by receptors in our noses. The website explains it better than I could. In any case, the Airx worked on the skunk smell, while other room deodorizer shad zero effect.

Thank you! Found some on Amazon and quite reasonable for $8.

[Tammyla]

If you are stuck with the room, call the desk and get new pillows and an extra blanket; they will be fresh and should making sleeping easier.

[solascriptura]

I don't have asthma or allergies, but I couldn't. It would drive me batty to even try.

[flyingiguana]

Wow. Even 10 years ago, I would not have expected this response. Times have changed so much.

Back when I was kid, we just kind of bathed in cigarette smoke. Even if our parents didn't smoke.

We survived it, although I spent a lot of my early childhood throwing up after being out at events that ALWAYS featured smokers. I remember coming home and finding that even my underwear smelled of smoke. When I got to college, I would plan my hair washing around a bar visit -- it would be difficult for me to even sleep after being at a bar because the smoke in my hair would keep waking me up.

In addition to not throwing up continually, I can also breathe now, which is a plus. (Although, I do have to point out, to all those smokers who might reading this, that smoking outside doesn't really help the allergic and asthmatics out there. The smoke really carries.)

So, yeah, you'll survive it, but if it were me, it would probably be a deal breaker. I'd have figured out some way to get out of even going.