Setting up and successfully running a 100% non smoking Hotel

The Westin Sydney contains 416 guest rooms, a large ballroom and function space and many F&B outlets and was at the time of this interview the only Sydney 5 star hotel operating entirely as a non-smoking Hotel. I met Assumpta McDonald, Executive Housekeeper at the Westin Sydney to discuss how she set up and successfully continues to run a 100% non smoking Hotel including all guest rooms and public areas and if she had any help or advice for those going into the non smoking arena. By Liz Lycette

LL: Where did the initial idea of an entire smoke-free hotel originate?

AM: The first directive was initiated by the Westin Head office in North America, where there are many non smoking hotels operating, however the Management team at the Westin Sydney were the ones to drive this initiative here in Australia, making it the success it is today.

LL: What procedures had to be put in place before beginning?

AM: After Head Office in North America had gathered a large amount of feedback from their customers; Westin Hotels in the Pacific region were approached and asked who would like to participate. Westin Sydney joined the programme along with Westin Melbourne and Westin Fiji.

At first surveys were sent out to all corporate clients and guests, asking for their comments and the overwhelming response was a resounding yes to 100% non smoking.

The Management team then decided on a start date to implement the 100% non-smoking policy. Once the date of 1^st July 2006 had been set, a full marketing campaign was implemented to advice all clients and guests of the changes to the operation. The sales team contacted all their clients and regular guests were sent letters from the General Managers office.

Due to constant customer demand, most of our 416 rooms were already non smoking, leaving us only with 36 smoking rooms on 2 floors to converting 2 floors a year; this.

A systematic plan was agreed to convert these remaining rooms to non smoking in conjunction with the annual spring cleaning programme which kept a cap on costs and spending.

Smoking rooms were taken out of the Property Management System and Reservations advised all guests at the time of their reservation that the Hotel was 100% non smoking.

Information banners were placed in the lobby, guests given small cards together with their key cards at check in and verbally informed by the Front Office staff. Guest room letters signed by the General Manager went into all rooms 2 weeks prior to starting and there was also signage placed in the guest lifts. It was critical to let everyone know what was happening well in advance.

 

LL: What did you need to do in the rooms in order to prepare them as non-smoking rooms?

AM: We did a full spring clean, similar to the preventative maintenance programme with Engineering, carpets and upholstery were shampooed, bedding cleaned, including relining of all pillows and cleaning of doona inserts. Corridor carpets were also cleaned using a deodorising chemical method which helped remove residual smells. Engineering changed all the air conditioning filters. A provision had been put into the Capital Expenditure Budget for new beds so this was also done at the time of the conversion to non-smoking.

 

LL: Now that you are a smoke free hotel, what happens if a guest is found to be smoking in the room? What is the full procedure?

AM: The Housekeeping team are the “eyes and noses” of the operation, and all Associates are trained in detecting the residues of smoking. Should evidence of smoking be found, the Room Attendant contacts their Supervisor who in turn alerts the Manager on Duty. The “evidence”, be it a cigarette butt in the bin, in a bottle or in the toilet bowl is removed by 2 staff members and kept until the case has been resolved. A message is left with the guest to contact the Manager on Duty who then handles the case. It is essential the Manager on Duty acts swiftly so the evidence can be removed and kept safely and the Room Attendant can proceed to clean the room.

Once the Manager on Duty has discussed the incident with the guest, they are then charged a cleaning fee of $200.00. Naturally this process needs to be handled with the utmost sensitivity and delicacy. This fee doesn’t cover the full actual cost but is meant more as a deterrent to the guest. The room then has to be put ‘out of order’ to shampoo the carpet, upholstery and conduct the usual full spring clean before it can be relet.

 

LL: What are the advantages of a non smoking policy?

AM: Guest feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and all the staff really love it too. In particular the rooms are easier to clean, no dirty ashtrays to clean, there is no damage from cigarette burns and no need to sanitise and cope with smoky smell after a smoking guest has checked out. There has been no lost business due to the policy, in fact there is an increase in business from those guests preferring the 100% smoke free environment.

 

LL: And what are the challenges and any disadvantages?

AM: A few guests have objected, however the positive feedback has far outweighed the negative comments. The initial cost to set-up non smoking floors including the full spring clean can also be expensive if this is not planned and budgeted. There is also the additional cost of all the collateral and the costs of communicating the changes to all the guests and corporate clients to be considered.

LL: Finally, what words of advise could you share to someone thinking of implementing a 100% non-smoking Hotel?

AM: Firstly plan well in advance. Convert your rooms from smoking to non-smoking gradually, there is less impact on the P&L and combine it with an existing spring cleaning/ preventative maintenance programme.

The initiative must also be a Hotel wide team effort, everyone from the GM down must be 100% behind the idea to ensure success, and everyone needs to be strictly complying with all the procedures. This requires full support from all to be a total success but the benefits are worth the effort.

For more information email: info@lycetteandassociates.com