The Westin Hotels and Resorts has banned smoking in the rooms, restaurants, bars and public areas of its 77 hotels in the US, Canada and the Caribbean from January 2006.
Guests will only be allowed to smoke on balconies or in other outdoor areas.Westin said research among its customers had revealed that 92 percent of guests wanted a non-smoking room.
"Nobody likes to walk into a smoky guest room, not even smokers," said Sue Brush, Westin vice president.
No-smoking rooms need less cleaning and repair of burned furnishings. To prepare for the new era, Westin's 2,400 smoking rooms in the US, Canadian and Caribbean will be deep cleaned and get new air filters.
The ban, however, does not apply to all the 121 Westin hotels in the world. Smoking is allowed in terms of the respective regulations in those countries, the chain said.
--Edited IANS
