Over 200 Reasons to Never Stay At A Marriott Hotel Again

From Reuters comes word of yet another slide down the slope to a New Prohibition. As predicted back when Westin became the first hotel chain to go smoke-free, another major chain has decided to close their doors to smokers.

The Marriott Corporation, whose properties include the Marriott and J.W. Marriott hotels, the Renaissance and Ritz-Carlton hotel chains, and Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inns, Fairfield Inns, SpringHill Suites, and TownePlace Suites, has jumped on the anti-smoking bandwagon. Beginning in September, they will have a strict “no smoking” policy.

This isn’t just a smoking ban for hotel rooms, however.

This time it is a ban against smoking anywhere on the premises of any Marriott property. The total ban forbids smoking in bars, restaurants, meeting rooms and other public places in all Marriott hotels. Light up anywhere on their property, and they will fine you a minimum of U.S. $200.00.

Strangely enough, while smokers are now completely unwelcome at Marriott hotels and resorts, the chain appears to have no problems with opening their doors to terrorist groups and neo-nazis.

The strange story of…oh, let’s call it “Smoking and Nazis and Terrorists — Oh My!” unfolds after the jump.

The Marriott Corporation has decided that smokers are a class of people that it does not want visible anywhere on their properties because of “guest complaints.” That seems like a standard sort of business decision, doesn’t it? People complain, and if you own a business, you take those complaints seriously and correct the problem.

So, the Marriott Corporation is a company that responds to complaints?

Well, not exactly.

The Marriott Corporation seems to be singularly selective in what types of complaints they respond to. A case in point: they apparently have absolutely no problems — despite quite vocal complaints — with hosting a hatefest of neo-nazis and radical islamic fundamentalists.

Investigative reporter Emily Emerson managed to attend the Boca Marriott-hosted event — the only reporter who was able to do so — and gave a description of what went on at the event and what was said. You might be interested in reading her account of the things you can do in a Marriott Corporation hotel as long as you are not smoking while doing them.

Think that this is an isolated incident?

A fluke?

Then consider case number two. The Georgetown Marriott Conference Center rejected hosting a symposium exploring the problem of global terrorism because they said it would be too controversial and require too much extra security because of protests by angered Muslim students on the nearby campus. They feared property damage and injury to guests and staff.

That seems like another standard business decision on the surface. One designed to minimize liability and avoid some potentially embarassing bad publicity.

Yet at the same time, the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia agreed to host a Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) banquet featuring as guest speaker Siraj Wahhaj. Wahhaj, in case the name is unfamiliar to you, was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

The Marriott Corporation, despite complaints and protests, allowed the banquet to take place on their premises. The same premises that you or I would be thrown out of if we lit up a Partagas or Tatuaje. Strangely enough, the executives of the Marriott Corporation do not seem to be bothered by hosting people who espouse — or possibly practice — violence and terror.

They are, instead, bothered by smoke.

Which brings us back to the main story of Marriott’s…nazi-like behavior toward smokers.

Hotel chain Marriott International Inc. will announce on Wednesday that it is banning smoking in all rooms of its 2,300-plus hotels in the United States and Canada.

The move is part of an effort to stop an increasingly common source of guest complaints, the report said.

More than 90 percent of Marriott’s hotel rooms in the United States and Canada are already nonsmoking, but smoking will now be banned in public spaces, such as restaurants, bars and meeting rooms, the report said.

The change in policy will start in September, and guests who smoke in hotel rooms face a clean-up fee ranging from $200 to $300.

A spokeswoman for Marriott was not immediately available to comment.

Meeting planners who appreciate fine cigars — as well as meeting planners who question the Marriott Corporation’s somewhat strange ethical decisions on who can and cannot use their properties — please take note and steer your business to other hotel and resort chains.

And if you are scheduled to attend a meeting that is being hosted by a Marriott property, you might want to stay at another hotel nearby that does not discriminate against smokers. And think twice about where you take your meals and chose to relax with a drink or two.

And please let both the Marriott property, and the hotel, restaurants and bars you choose to patronize instead, know how and why you made your choice..

You might also want to make your comments on this situation known directly to the Marriott Corporation through their website.

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