Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide has announced that its upscale brand, Westin Hotels and Resorts, will become the first hotel chain to introduce a brand-wide smoke-free policy.
Effective January 2006, all 77 Westin hotels in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean will go 100 percent smoke-free - including all guestrooms and public areas.
Westin Hotels and Resorts officials report that they are dedicated to providing a clean, comfortable and relaxing environment for guests and the brand's new policy is a result of customer data and a clear demand from guests for a healthy, smoke-free hotel experience.
The hotel chain said it based the decision on the following facts:
- 92 percent of Westin's guests request non-smoking rooms when traveling and do not smoke in any part of the hotel, including public areas.
- 88 percent of consumers think businesses need to take steps to provide customers with healthful environments
- 86 percent of consumers feel that creating non-smoking environments is an important step toward a healthful environment.
- 80 percent of consumers prefer when restaurants and other indoor public spaces are free of cigarette and cigar smoke.
- 81 percent of consumers say they hate when they stay in a non-smoking room and it smells like smoke.
In preparation for implementation of the new policy, 2,400 smoking rooms will undergo an extensive cleaning process. This includes replacing all soft goods, deep cleaning and treating all hard surfaces, walls and carpets to eliminate allergens, replacing air filters and deep cleaning all air conditioning units.
All Westin hotels and resorts will offer a designated outdoor area for guests who smoke.
"At the heart of all of our decisions is the comfort, well-being and quality of life for our guests," said Sue Brush, senior vice president for Westin Hotels and Resorts.
"We view our hotels as a retreat from the rigors of travel. Our goal is to provide a place where guests can relax and restore their mind, body and spirit in a healthy way," she said.
"At Westin, we strive to offer a spectrum of products, services and personal touches that will help our guests walk out of our hotels feeling better than they did when they arrived. Industry research, as well as our own research, confirmed a clear consumer demand for a clean, smoke free hotel environment."
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