Comfort Inn stubs out

Choice Hotels International?s Comfort Inn will join?Comfort Suites?in implementing a 100 percent smoke-free policy beginning?July 1, 2016.

Comfort says it is the largest hotel brand in?the United States?to go smoke-free, with more than 1,700 properties across the country.

?This smoke-free initiative is the latest in a series of bold steps the Comfort brand is taking to enhance the guest experience and deliver the needs of today?s business and leisure travellers,? said?Anne Smith, vice president of brand strategy for?Choice Hotels.

?In weighing this decision, we looked closely at guest feedback and hotel performance after Comfort Suites properties went completely smoke-free in 2007 and contrasted that with findings based on similar research performed this year.

?We learned a lot about attitudes toward non-smoking policies at hotels and found that, not only have preferences for smoke-free environments continued to increase, but smokers themselves are more likely to choose 100 percent smoke-free accommodations.

?These insights could potentially offer hoteliers operational advantages such as better room condition and cleanliness, fewer customer complaints and easier inventory management.?