I don't normally like to come in and start threads linking to random stuff, but I thought this story needed to be heard. I was contacted by a woman who was charged a $250 fine for using an e-cigarette in her room. The post is her version of events and the hotel's reply to her appeal. You can view it at this link with formatting and whatnot: More to the Story: Marriott e-Cigarette Fine I've also pasted the text from the article below if you don't want to leave the warm comfort of ECF 
I reported in an e-cigarette news roundup article
I reported in an e-cigarette news roundup article
on November 7th that according to a consumer complaints website, Marriott charged a guest a $250 fee for "restoring" her room after they discovered she used an electronic cigarette. The
original article was pretty sparse on details and basically accused the guest of breaking the rules. Speculation broke out in the article on this site about how the hotel management would even be aware of someone using an e-cigarette.
I put forth the notion that it is possible a guest was actually smoking and tried to cover it up as one possibility. In response to my comment, the woman who is the subject of the article contacted me to share her version of events. My theory was flat-out wrong, and she did indeed have an e-cigarette.
Apparently, the manager of this specific hotel is not particularly a fan of electronic cigarettes according to the e-mail I received. Below is the email reposted with permission describing the events from the perspective of the woman who was fined by the hotel.
Apparently, the manager of this specific hotel is not particularly a fan of electronic cigarettes according to the e-mail I received. Below is the email reposted with permission describing the events from the perspective of the woman who was fined by the hotel.
Good morning, I found your site and I am the person you quoted as being fined the $250 at the South Park Marriott hotel in Charlotte, NC. You indicated that I may have been smoking a regular cigarette and was just trying to cover up? The answer to that is No, I was not. I suspect that I was reported by room service as I had my ecig laying on the bed when they entered to deliver breakfast, and of course to the untrained eye..... you can decide on that one! I did not have housekeeping while I was there as we were there for a wedding and needed all the time in the room to prepare for the wedding so any other type of suspicions by the Hotel are unfounded. The only excuse/story the manager of the hotel gave me was that housekeeping
"smelled smoke in the hallway". As everyone knows hallways are public places used by all the hotel guests on that floor along with anyone else. Marriott's final email to me said that they are going by the same rules as airlines, if they don't allow e-cigs then neither is the Hotel, the Manager also boasted how users of e-cigs in a public area in the Hotel had been asked to leave!
"smelled smoke in the hallway". As everyone knows hallways are public places used by all the hotel guests on that floor along with anyone else. Marriott's final email to me said that they are going by the same rules as airlines, if they don't allow e-cigs then neither is the Hotel, the Manager also boasted how users of e-cigs in a public area in the Hotel had been asked to leave!
The following is a quote from the e-mail received by the guest when requesting the fee be removed. In her correspondence, she clearly stated she was using an electronic cigarette and noted directly from the merchant website the fact that these devices do not emit smoke and therefore, there was no smoke to clean.
I have spoken with the GM, DFA, Asst Controller, and Director of Rooms. They have all stated that we will not be authorizing this refund. Additionally, this request was denied through customer care as well.
First, the housekeeper who went to the room smelled it in the hallway in front of the room. The guest stated that it was an electronic cigarette. This brings me to my second point.
We are a non smoking property. We operate on the same non smoking policy as the airlines do. If it is not allowed on an airplane, it is not allowed in our hotel. This includes real and electronic cigarettes. We have, in the past, removed people from the bar and the atrium for smoking electronic cigarettes during social engagements.
I contacted Marriott's PR contact listed on their contact page for a statement about the incident and clarification on their smoking policy. I have not yet received a response, if I do, I will update this article. I did visit the company's
online FAQ about their smoking policy to see if the devices were specifically included (they aren't).
 |
| THIS is smoke |
According to the FAQ, all employees are trained to look for signs of smoking throughout the property. So it is highly likely that the room service employee saw the electronic cigarette and reported it. However, based on my personal experience and interaction with other e-cigarette users, I believe it is highly unlikely anyone would detect a smoke smell (or any other smell) in the corridors outside the room.
Also worth pointing out, most hotels charge a fee to recoup the costs involved in cleaning and deodorizing a room after it has been occupied by someone who smokes (and to serve as a disincentive). e-Cigarette smoke is well known to leave no lingering odors.
From the information I have available to me, something smells and it isn't an e-cigarette.
What do you think? Is this person a victim of a hotel manager on some kind of crusade? The comments section awaits you below.Also worth pointing out, most hotels charge a fee to recoup the costs involved in cleaning and deodorizing a room after it has been occupied by someone who smokes (and to serve as a disincentive). e-Cigarette smoke is well known to leave no lingering odors.
From the information I have available to me, something smells and it isn't an e-cigarette.
