New non-smoking policies at Marriott

[hipslo]

I have a general question about the non-smoking policies. I happen to be someone who enjoys an occasional cigar, especially on vacation. I have no problem, in general, with the non-smoking policy. I would never smoke indoors, even in my own home, and am always careful (or at least try to be) not to do it too close to others, even outdoors. Question is, what are the designated smoking areas typically like? For example, I intend to spend a week at Canyon Villas in the fall. Are there typically sufficient areas of the resorts, outside, that comprise the designated smoking areas, or would I generally need to stand outside in the parking lot behind the dumpster? Does this differ by resort? Any input would be appreciated (other than the "how could you even think about smoking a cigar in the same county as me"? variety, which is unlikely to be too productive). Thanks.

 

[pharmgirl]

we checked in atr koOlina and requested unit that my husband could smoke on balcony. Spoke to person from koOlina on phone - ok, on check in this was noted on our request and spoke to 2 people that this is allowed.

Well, he was using balcony and a knock at door - sir - no smoking allowed, the people you soke to were wrong - no smoking

We just bought unit last year, now he doesn't want to come back here

Anyone know who we should speak to (upper management) he wants his money back

 

[jancurious]

I hate smoking!

Yes….it’s dirty and stinks but my hatred stems from burying two parents who died from emphysema and struggled for about 8-10 years before they died.

My heart aches for the baby boomer’s parent’s generation. The tobacco companies for years glamorized smoking and it was a rite of passage for many of this generation. All of the negative health issues were kept secret for many years. Evidence now shows that smoking can be more addictive than heroin.

For all of you arguing against the new anti-smoking rules, I encourage you to take the opportunity as just one more reason to get help and quit or encourage your loved ones to quit.

Besides shortening your life by an average of ten years, it is a terrible way to die.

Jan

 

[JimC]

Canyon Villas is totally non-smoking.

 

[Dave M]

Both Barony Beach and Grande Ocean are nonsmoking, with smoking allowed on balconies if the sliding glass door is closed. A prominent placard in each villa advises that a cleaning fee will be assessed if smoke is detected in the villa after checkout.

 

[pharmgirl]

from new hawaii law

-7 Exceptions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, the following areas shall be exempt from the provisions of sections -3, -4, and -5:

(1) Private residences, except when used as a licensed child care, adult day care, or health care facility;

(2) Hotel and motel rooms that are rented to guests and are designated as smoking rooms; provided that not more than twenty per cent of rooms rented to guests in a hotel or motel may be so designated. All smoking rooms on the same floor shall be contiguous and smoke from these rooms shall not infiltrate into areas where smoking is prohibited under this chapter. The status of rooms as smoking or nonsmoking may not be changed, except to add additional nonsmoking rooms;


seems tha rooms designated as smoking should remain

 

[Detailor]

we checked in atr koOlina and requested unit that my husband could smoke on balcony. Spoke to person from koOlina on phone - ok, on check in this was noted on our request and spoke to 2 people that this is allowed.

Well, he was using balcony and a knock at door - sir - no smoking allowed, the people you soke to were wrong - no smoking

We just bought unit last year, now he doesn't want to come back here

Anyone know who we should speak to (upper management) he wants his money back

Try Stephen P Weisz, President Marriott Vacation Club International; James H Hunter IV, senior vice president and associate general counsel; Peter J Watzka, Chief Customer Officer and senior vice president marketing, sales, service, operations. All should be located at the MVCI offices in Orlando, 407-206-6000.

Dick Taylor

 

[pharmgirl]

thanks Detailer!!

 

[JudyS]

I actually put off buying my first timeshare for years because it was too hard to find non-smoking units. I'm thrilled that non-smoking timeshares are getting easier and easier to find.

I wouldn't mind if resorts had some smoking units -- the DVC does this -- but I do think there is an argument that smokers should pay more in MFs. Smoking really takes a toll on furnishings. And, as noted earlier here, it is a fire hazard. A week or two ago, a house fire in Kentucky killed 10 people. It turns out that a cigarette left burning on an armchair started the fire.

I think Nicorette is missing a great marketing opportunity here. Check into your non-smoking timeshare unit, get a sample of nicotine gum! Satisfies your nicotine cravings (at least mostly) with no carcinogenic tar!

 

[Dean]

Debate aside, I am not aware of any information from any sales literature or legal documents that even suggests smoking is allowed for any of the marriott's. That's the type of info it'll take to voice a reasonable objection. The fact it wasn't prohibited at the time or may have been allowed in any or all units at the time of purchase really has no meaning on the subject. Many hotels have gone NS that were previously smoking and I know of a number that were pet friendly and now no longer are. So if one wants to argue successfully against this policy it will take some type of legal foothold in either applicable state law or the legal timeshare documents to do so.

 

[JimC]

I agree with Dean. I went back to look at our MVCI documents for SR and CV and did not find anything that I thought could establish that a change in smoking policy is a breach of contract. No legal opinion, just a lay person's reading of what he signed for those two resorts.

 

[JimC]

Special Notice - Marriott's Aruba Surf Cluba and Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club to become Non-smoking facilities:

At the Aruba Surf Club and Aruba Ocean Club Cooperative Association Board of Directors Meetings held on October 4th and 5th, the following resolution was approved: Effective May 1st, 2007 (beginning of the Gold Season), the Marriott Aruba Surf Club and Marriott Ocean Club will become a non-smoking resort. The effective policy includes all villas, residential and common areas (balconies, hallways, etc.) and all public areas. Outside designated smoking areas will be provided for owners and guests (to be determined at a later date). Violations to this non-smoking policy will be subject to a cleaning fee of $250.

 

[ondeadlin]

(2) Hotel and motel rooms that are rented to guests and are designated as smoking rooms; provided that not more than twenty per cent of rooms rented to guests in a hotel or motel may be so designated. All smoking rooms on the same floor shall be contiguous and smoke from these rooms shall not infiltrate into areas where smoking is prohibited under this chapter. The status of rooms as smoking or nonsmoking may not be changed, except to add additional nonsmoking rooms;

This means you're allowed to change the status of smoking rooms if, by doing so, you're adding non-smoking rooms.

It's written this way to ensure there's no expansion of smoking rooms once the facility is built, not that the status of rooms as smoking/non-smoking is forever frozen.

 

[jancurious]

Special Notice - Marriott's Aruba Surf Cluba and Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club to become Non-smoking facilities:

At the Aruba Surf Club and Aruba Ocean Club Cooperative Association Board of Directors Meetings held on October 4th and 5th, the following resolution was approved: Effective May 1st, 2007 (beginning of the Gold Season), the Marriott Aruba Surf Club and Marriott Ocean Club will become a non-smoking resort. The effective policy includes all villas, residential and common areas (balconies, hallways, etc.) and all public areas. Outside designated smoking areas will be provided for owners and guests (to be determined at a later date). Violations to this non-smoking policy will be subject to a cleaning fee of $250.

Same rules went into effect for Newport Coast & Waiohai on January 1, 2007.


Jan

 

[JimC]

I suspect Marriott has provided the HOA's with a standard policy in hopes they can get a single operating philosophy throughout.

 

[Dean]

I suspect Marriott has provided the HOA's with a standard policy in hopes they can get a single operating philosophy throughout.

That was my understanding, that this is being driven by corporate.

 

[pharmgirl]

Try Stephen P Weisz, President Marriott Vacation Club International; James H Hunter IV, senior vice president and associate general counsel; Peter J Watzka, Chief Customer Officer and senior vice president marketing, sales, service, operations. All should be located at the MVCI offices in Orlando, 407-206-6000.

Dick Taylor

Sent email to all but one to P Watzka was returned - do you have email address for him? Please send me private message if you are uncomfortable with putting this out publically - thanks!

Still have no reply from General manager or from any of the above.
Very disappointed with lack of good customer response

 

[Dave M]

You can log into your account at mvci.com, then click on "Contact Us", then click on "Send E-mail to Chief Customer Officer" near the top of the right-hand column. Based on other recent reports, don't expect a response.

 

[pharmgirl]

You can log into your account at mvci.com, then click on "Contact Us", then click on "Send E-mail to Chief Customer Officer" near the top of the right-hand column. Based on other recent reports, don't expect a response.

Thanks for your response - went to site BUT - "page cannot be found"
Maybe too many "contacts' that are unwanted


POOR customer relations

 

[Dave M]

Strange. I just tried it again and it worked for me.

 

[TomF]

If anyone has any doubts about what Marriott's corporate stance is on smoking, they need only read Bill Marriott's "Bill's Blog" on marriott.com:

"We really received a lot of comments on the blog about Marriott's decision last year to take all our hotels in North America 100 percent smoke free. That includes Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, our Fairfield Inns, and even our TownePlace Suites.

One of our very best customers who smokes blogged back to me and said, "I'll never come back to a Marriott." Well, that's a tough pill for us to swallow. But we made this decision because we knew it's what our customers wanted. And it certainly is what our associates deserved." Read the full blog entry here.

Granted that MVCI is not Marriott Hotels, but the non-smoking policies passed by the boards at both DSV and MountainSide at their January meetings are identical in wording, indicating a "recommended" common policy by Marriott. Challenging this policy will probably be an exercise in futility.

 

[JimC]

Canyon Villas and Aruba updates

Canyon Villas non-smoking ban includes the balconies. However smoking is permitted at the main pool (including cigars).

Aruba may be changing its stance on no smoking on balconies. Quote below from the cooperative associations' web site.

"At the Aruba Surf Club and Aruba Ocean Club Cooperative Association Board of Directors Meetings held on October 4th and 5th, the following resolution was approved: Effective May 1st, 2007 (beginning of the Gold Season), the Marriott Aruba Surf Club and Marriott Ocean Club will become a non-smoking resort. The effective policy includes all villas, residential and common areas (hallways, etc.) and all public areas. Outside designated smoking areas will be provided for owners and guests (to be determined at a later date). Violations to this non-smoking policy will be subject to a cleaning fee of $250.

On February 19, 2007 the Aruba Ocean Club and the Aruba Surf Club Board after careful debate and review have decided to exclude the balconies from the Smoking Restriction. We will look into special outdoor ashtrays to insure that ashes and butts are discarded in an environmentally safe and clean manner. Further clarification will be posted prior to May 1, 2007 on this website."

 

[Cathy in Boston]

On February 19, 2007 the Aruba Ocean Club and the Aruba Surf Club Board after careful debate and review have decided to exclude the balconies from the Smoking Restriction. We will look into special outdoor ashtrays to insure that ashes and butts are discarded in an environmentally safe and clean manner. Further clarification will be posted prior to May 1, 2007 on this website."

Well that sucks.

 

[JimG]

Well that sucks.

On the contrary; at last a modicum of sense.

 

[hipslo]

Canyon Villas non-smoking ban includes the balconies. However smoking is permitted at the main pool (including cigars).

I find that to be a perfectly reasonable and acceptable balancing of the interests of all sides. I am here at Mountainside this week and have enjoyed a cigar or two at the pool as well. Reading this thread over the past few months I had been concerned that this would not be an option but was pleased to learn that the HOA has not gone totally overboard with this.