Smoker fuming over holiday breakdown

MY husband and I booked a holiday break in a West Cork hotel through the SuperValu voucher scheme from August 18-20.

We booked online and specified a smoking room. The website confirmed our booking. I requested an ash-tray for our room from a member of staff who said “no problem”. Shortly afterwards another staff member knocked on our door and told us there was no smoking in the bedroom.

I told her I had booked a smoking room. I was told I could only smoke outside. So, with some chagrin, we abandoned our break and returned home where I checked the Supervalu breaks website and that of the hotel.

Nowhere on either website did it mention anything about non-smoking policies nor was there any sign in the hotel bedroom.

May I add that at other times I have booked holidays in other hotels and our request for a smoking room has been accommodated.

Before we left I conveyed my displeasure to the hotel manager. All hotels should clearly inform potential customers of their policies regarding non-smoking.

As a SuperValu customer I wish to know what their policy is on this matter as they sell cigarettes. It seems unfair to take our money and then allow us to be treated in this way by their client hotels.

As a smoker like 30% of the citizens of this country, I wish to know in advance those establishments that cater for my requirements so that I can spend my money with them. I do not wish to be humiliated, disappointed and angered by such a situation again.

I am sick of being treated as a social pariah because I like to smoke. Indeed I could have been doing a lot worse in a hotel room than smoking a cigarette (which incidentally is not illegal).

At least we could return home, sadder, wiser and out of pocket, but what if we had been foreign visitors — a disaster for Irish tourism.

Hilary E Fitzgerald

Arcadia

Ballybrassil

Cobh

Co Cork