Holiday Inn Express, A Free Rewards Night Gets Expensive Kimball Tennessee

As a front desk clerk at a Holiday Inn Express, I know all too well the process that housekeeping/ management takes when deciding whether or not to charge the no-smoking fee/ and or no pet fee. Being that we only have 5 smoking rooms in our hotel on the upper floor, I can tell you in all honesty that finding a butt in the trashcan is NOT enough proof. In a 100% smoke free enviorment, you dont need a cig butt in the can, because the SMELL is all the proof you need.

Being that I have caught enough smokers myself, I know that the smell travels outside of the room and everyone can smell it, even other guests passing by the room. We have found butts in trashcans ourselves but knew it was smoked outside because there was no odor in the room. Its just different hotel managers opinions I guess, but from now on just throw them away before you get to your room. There are some who look for any reason to charge that fee.

Im very sorry that you had a bad experience at that hotel. I work for the HIE in Lincoln Il. Not all of our hotels have the same policy. Had it been at this location, you would have had a smoking room.

Its the hotels policy to be compensated for any damages that may have happened to the room. As an employee, if there had been a strong smoke smell in the room, you may have been charged at our location. Probably not though. We are firm believers in the total guest experience at our location from making your reservation to the final bill accuracy. In the future, to avoid any misunderstandings, I might have a bottle of Febreeze or some other odor eliminating spray for my clothing so it wouldnt carry into the room. Cigarette butts also carry a horrible smell, which is why you should empty your ashtrays often. In the future, If there is a trash can located outside of the hotel, you may want to use that instead.

I want to take a moment to let you know that I admire your integrity about not smoking in the room. Many guests that smoke have a hard time in a nonsmoking environment and become aggressive and hostile. Its refreshing to see someone that has accepted the healthier and cleaner atmosphere that we are trying to provide for you and everyone. Thank you.

As for your situation, If you call the 1-800 number, the customer service representative may be able to get the hotel to refund your money. if not, you are more than entitled to demand enough PC points for another free stay at a location of your choice. Perhaps both. Good luck with your situation, sir and I hope in the future that you dont look at your bad experience at that hotel as the normal for all of our brand of hotel.

You must see how it looks to housekeeping. We at the hotel whether it is the front desk where I work or housekeeping, we dont and cant watch our guests 24/7.
Even though I work the desk I had to help housekeeping for a full day. We had a call off and I had to help out. Wel one of the guests had a gun in their room. Now he could have been a cop or a theif we didnt know we could only guess. We could only go by what we saw. Just in case it was a theif we had to be on alert in case.
Same thing for your case when it is an 100% all non smoking hotel and housekeeping sees a cigarette butt in the trash can yes they should have also thought that hey he smoked outside but you did put it in your trash can. Being that it was an 100% all non smoking property you should have figured that housekeeping would naturally think you were smoking in your room. Our hotel has both smoking and non. But our hotel has a no pet policy and when housekeeping cleans the room they would notice when a pet was in the room. Our manager checks the rooms very detailed after housekeeping cleans them. I know because I have been doing the run through with her I am training to be manager. WE had a guest check into one of the rooms that my manager and I checked and there was no sign of a pet from the previous guest that was in there. When the guest checked in later that day and housekeeping went in to clean the room after he
checked out there was a pet toy and poop found in the bathroom. The guest later when they saw the $100 clean up fee said he had no pet in the room. Now what was housekeeping supposed to think that the guest had a dog toy they owned and the guest pooped on the floor, No!!! they are going to go with the most obvious a pet!!! Just like you putting a cigarette butt in the trash can when it is an 100% all non-smoking hotel. You knew it was becausse you said it was in your response. So common sense should tell you maybe I better not put it anywhere in my room or in the hotel at all.