nonsmoking hotels in italy

I too can't tolerate any smoke and I never encountered smoking inside any of our hotels. Not even a hint of it. However, there was lots of smoking out in the streets by locals and tourists and by those sitting outside at sidewalk cafes. We often had to manuver to move away from any smokers.

Very similar to the US. Non-smoking rooms are very available with no evidence of smoking. If smoke is billowing out from under the doors, it is time to leave and worry about the source later.

if i'm not mistaken it's now the law in italy that hotels are non-smoking. Every hotel I stayed in enforced it strictly - I imagine there are some that do not, but it seemed especially the small ones cared very much that people did not smoke in the rooms or indoor common areas. I hate smoke and didn't notice it anywhere except outside, not in restaurants either.

Italy has been doing a much better job of providing non-smoking travel and accomodations. Non-smoking on most train carriages and you will find genuine non-smoking rooms in the hotels. Not sure about the much smaller places. I had a business trip to China a couple of months ago. Talk about smoking. The non-smoking rooms wreaked of smoke. They also had ash trays. More work need there.

We didn't have any problem with smoky rooms either last year. But one thing that might not occur to you. Restaurants no longer have indoor smoking sections. However smoking is allowed in their outdoor seating. So keep that in mind if you were planning on having a lovely dinner at a table outside a restaurant in a piazza. Someone next to you is going to light up.

Natalie, back in 2005 Italy passed a law that bans smoking in all enclosed public establishments. I know that includes restaurants. I'm not sure, but I believe it also includes hotels. I, too, am hypersensitive to cigarette smoke, so I get finicky about my choices.

Natalie,

Although this doesn't specifically mention Hotels, these would seem to fit the same category as described in the non-smoking law. Since January 10, 2005 it is forbidden to smoke in all public indoor spaces, including bars, cafès, restaurants and discos.

Apparently the maximum fine is €2000 so there's a strong incentive for owners to comply, and apparently the law is quite well supported by the population.

I also find the smoke highly annoying and it gives me a headache. I can't recall ever having "smoke" problems with a Hotel room in Italy (restaurants in Austria are an entirely different matter!!!).

Happy travels!

Thanks everybody!! That's what we found in Paris also; good tips about Austria- it's one of my next destinations so good to know. But I feel much better now about choosing a hotel. I didn't know what to expect but I have some first-hand accounts!!

By law all hotels in Italy are non-smoking, and Italians are surprisingly good are respecting the non--smoking rules when indoors. Outdoors, as had already been mentioned, you are free to smoke.

By law PUBLIC indoor spaces are no smoking. This includes hallways, lounges etc. It does not include rooms but many hotels have taken this as an oppurtunity to make their hotel totally non-smoking.

I'm allergic to smoke, too. On our trip last September to Italy, we did not have any problems with smoking in restaurants or hotels. However, I had a horrible, horrible time in Austria. The good news is that Austria now has a smoking ban for larger cafes and restaurants, effective Jan. 1 2009. I haven't been able to figure out the details. It's possible that they will set aside "non-smoking areas", but that may consist of tables without ashtrays - right next to tables with ashtrays. If you have allergy medicine, bring it!!