What a Smoke-Free Hotel Means for Guests in Chennai

What does smoke-free mean at Royal Luxe?

Hotel Royal Luxe is smoke-free across the whole property. In practice, that means no smoking in rooms, corridors, the lobby or any other indoor space. There is no separate smoking floor, and the hotel does not describe a designated smoking area, so guests who smoke should plan to step outside the building.

For guests who are sensitive to smoke, that is the main benefit. Rooms do not carry the stale smell that can linger in hotels that allow smoking, and the air in corridors and lifts stays cleaner. For families travelling with children or older relatives, it removes one more thing to worry about.

The policy applies to everyone, including visitors who come to meet a guest. If you are hosting a colleague or relative in the lobby, let them know before they arrive so there is no awkwardness at the door.

What does Indian law say?

India's Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, known as COTPA, prohibits smoking in public places. According to Wikipedia, this covers hospitals, restaurants, offices, shopping malls, public transport such as buses, trains, metros and taxis, and facilities such as airports and railway stations. A limited exception exists for hotels and restaurants with 30 or more rooms, which may set up designated smoking zones.

Venues must display signs reading No Smoking Area, Smoking here is an offence, and violations can attract a fine of up to Rs 200, per Wikipedia. The Act also restricts sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions. Hotel policy can be stricter than the law, and a smoke-free property is simply that: stricter.

It is worth knowing that the law sets a minimum. Many people assume that because a hotel has a smoking zone somewhere, smoking is allowed in the building, but the rule is narrower: the zone must be a designated area, and the rest of the premises remain non-smoking. Hotels with fewer than 30 rooms fall outside that exception altogether. Whatever the law allows, a hotel can choose to ban smoking everywhere, and Royal Luxe has done so.

What should guests who smoke do?

Be honest with yourself before you book. If you smoke, you will need to step outside the building, and it helps to ask reception where you can do so without bothering neighbours. Keep to public pavements rather than the entrance, where others pass. Do not smoke in the room or bathroom. Some hotels apply cleaning charges when a smoke-free room is smoked in, so ask the desk about this property's policy before you arrive.

If you are trying to cut down, a smoke-free stay is a decent opportunity. Plan your day around meetings and outings, and keep a bottle of water and some chewing gum handy.

What about guests who are sensitive to smoke?

If you have a respiratory condition or allergies, a smoke-free hotel is an easier choice. You will still encounter smoke outside, since smoking is permitted on roads, in private vehicles and at home under the law, so you may smell it at the street level or near tea stalls. Keep that in mind on the walk between the hotel and the metro.

You can also ask reception for a room on a higher floor, if one is free, which may reduce street odours. Keep the windows closed if there is any construction or traffic smoke nearby, and use the air conditioning.

If you have a child with asthma or an elderly relative who coughs easily, ask for a room away from the street if possible, and carry whatever regular medication your doctor has prescribed. Do not rely on a hotel to manage a medical condition; simply choose the environment that makes things easier for you.

How does smoke-free fit with a kitchen stay?

The Deluxe Room with Kitchen at Rs 2,500 has a private kitchenette. Cooking in a smoke-free property means being thoughtful: avoid heavy frying that produces smoke, use the kitchenette's heat source carefully and keep the room ventilated. Ask reception about what is allowed. Smoke from cooking can set off alarms as readily as smoke from a cigarette.

Another consideration is laundry. Strong cooking smells cling to curtains and bedding, and in a smoke-free hotel they stand out. Use the exhaust or open the door briefly while you cook, and wash up the same evening so that the room stays pleasant for the rest of your stay.

What else is worth knowing?

Hospitals and public transport are also smoke-free under COTPA, so the walk to Apollo Hospital or a ride on the metro will be free of smoking indoors. Thousand Lights Metro is a 3 to 10 minute walk from the hotel.

Queen and Twin rooms are Rs 1,800 for one guest and Rs 2,000 for two. Please reconfirm current rates and taxes when you book. Call or WhatsApp +91 72001 09033 or +91 72001 09077 with your dates and number of guests.