Smoking in Spain - Spain - Costa Blanca Discussion Forum, Holiday Forums

Smoking in Spain

Sanji

2006-01-01 13:57:11

The new smoking law came into force this morning.

Here in the Hotel Los Dalmatas, it went overnight into a no smoking hotel, the Hotel Pelicanos/Ocas, the Ambassador and the hotel Calypso have also gone into a TOTALLY no smoking hotel.

The Hotel Rosamar is a little difficult to predict what is going on in there, there are no big signs on the hotel entrance saying " this is a no smoking hotel" and when I asked this morning, they said that you can still smoke in the designated area downstairs....this is confusing

because when they say designated areas, they mean OUTSIDE!
Any establishment over 100 mtres square can provide an area for smokers, but this is basically up to the owner, whether he/she wants to

I went straight to El Director of the Los Dalmatas this morning and asked for clarification on the subject.....and this is straight from the horses mouth

...Quote...

Any bar LESS than 100 mtres square, they have the option to go smoking or non smoking....if they chose to go smoking, then no one under the age of 16 years old is allowed in the bar.
Regarding the rooms in the hotel......what you do in there is private and if you chose to smoke then so be it.!

The Director said that he will by law, from today have to have 30% no-smoking rooms in this hotel, and I should imagine this will be the same in the other hotels.
My only fear

....is that these rooms will be the rubbish ones at the back of the hotels...I cant see a smoking room having a sea view, but this is my opinion only here.

I should imagine that the holiday brochures will also have to be ammended

There are a lot of unhappy Spanish walking around today

and I personally think this will kill the sales of the bars in the hotels...people will go outside and find a smoking bar.
There is a lot of competition in the resort, and it wouldnt suprise me if the hotels are forced into providing areas for smokers in the future, especially when the bar takings go down.

its early days yet, but money talks here in Spain, just like anywhere else in the world, and hotels need mine and your money more than anything

.
time will tell !!!!!

besos xxx
Sanji
PS: Anyone want to buy an ashtray

there are millions of no use this morning

whitewineandsoda

2006-01-01 17:11:16

Smoking in Spain

OMG!

Whatever next? I was just browsing when I came upon your post, does this mean that you won't be able to smoke in the hotel bar? We are thinking of booking to go to Flamingo Benidorm, do you know if that has gone no smoking? I can't imagine this lasting though surely please keep us updated Sanji...........Linda

Sanji

2006-01-01 19:32:05

does this mean that you won't be able to smoke in the hotel bar? We are thinking of booking to go to Flamingo Benidorm,

One word...Yes.!!!! :cry:

It is the law in Spain, as and from this morning and unless there is a designated area in the building......there is NO smoking anywhere in any of the hotels, establishments or public places.

Im sat looking at the salon, and it is suppose to be "happy hour" 8pm-9pm....well, there is nothing happy here tonight...its nearly empty. :wink:

gotta go...the euros are running out, and we are off to find a bar to smoke in for the night :rofl

besos xxx
Sanji

Sanji

2006-01-01 22:10:19

Just another update

We have been in the Dynastic, the Nereo and the Melia hotels tonight.....and they are all totally no smoking hotels....that means anywhere in the hotel, apart from, in the rooms

Good news

the Flamingo Oasis does have designated areas to smoke, but you must stick to these areas....I presume this is because it is an all inclusive hotel :wink:

and no other reason :wink:

there are signs going up everywhere in town tonight outside the bars....some saying this is a smoking bar and no children allowed etc.
we have been walking around spotting the ashtrays :rofl

and looking at the lack of people in the hotels. :shock:

I would anticipate that things may change in the future and designated areas will be created in all the hotels....the waiters in my particular hotel are stood around doing very little, and the bars outside are heaving.

Besos xxx
Sanji

crystalscan

2006-01-01 23:05:04

I would imagine there are lots of unhappy Spanish around now this law has come into force, i have always noticed that they smoke where they wanted really, like when i was La Marina shopping center last year they would come out of the shop for a ciggie, then go back in to work, that would never be allowed here in our shopping center's, and smoking behind the bar whilst they were serving you! what will they do in somewhere like Pancho's where there are lots of adults and children and its not that big inside where you could have a smoking area? i guess people who smoke will have to find a bar where you can sit outside.
I feel sorry for them now if they are to lose money, becouse even if you are a smoker you don't really want to sit in the smoking corner, i would prefer to go elsewhere and sit outside.

garryb

2006-01-02 11:26:43

i just e-mailed the flamingo benidorm as we are going there in april and they replied that you can still smoke in the rooms and there are designated areas within the hotel where you can also smoke

garry

Sanji

2006-01-02 11:46:46

Hi Garry

We have been into the hotel Regente this morning and there is a large section of the entertainment area designated for smokers.
The manager has sectioned the area off and will be enclosing it with glass....this is to enable the smokers to still be able to watch the entertainment through the glass partitions
Ive come to the conclusion that the decision to go totally non smoking has been taken by either the hotel group, or the individual managers of the various hotels. :roll:

At this time of the year, it is definately too cold to sit outside at night. :cry:

besos xxx
Sanji

garryb

2006-01-02 11:57:34

Sanji i was breaking out in a cold sweat when i read your post this morning, but Mary thought it was hilarious.
I was ready to cancel my holiday.
Why is everyone trying to make us into lepers, i mean i have never been offended when people go outside when i smoke :lol:

.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Garry

whitewineandsoda

2006-01-02 13:30:42

Smoking in Spain

I would imagine the all inclusive hotels will have to provide smoking areas, otherwise no-one who smokes would book AI! I will check with hotel before booking though!...........Linda

Jay Trip

2006-01-02 20:40:00

post subject

I am thrilled at last the hotels in Benidorm are going non smoking.I am one of those evil ex smokers who cant stand the smell of smoke and object to having to put up with it.The last time I was at the Dalmatus we had a couple of rainy days and while it would have been nice to sit in the lounge to read a book/have a cup of coffee I couldnt stand the smoke.There was a blue haze and the non smoking area at the back of the hotel isnt so comfortable.We ended up going out and popping into McDonalds for a coffee.One place in Benidorm that was smoke free.I think people will get used to the idea that smoking is a health hazard and the ban has worked in Ireland.

Sanji

2006-01-02 21:19:07

I dont want to turn this into a smoking debate...but...
we all know that smoking is bad for you, along with excessive drinking and eating.
I object to paying nearly one and a half thousand pounds to come here and be forced to stand outside in the cold having a cigarette.
My point is...that a designated area could and should have been allocated for smokers in this hotel, and this is within the new spanish law...... civil liberties should apply to all. :twisted:

besos xxx
Sanji

Nicolebride

2006-01-02 21:33:36

I agree with you Sanji

We are flying to Benidorm in the morning staying at the Selomar. We do not want to be outside having a cigarette and as for saying it has worked in Ireland I do not agree. That is coming from someone who's husband and family come from Dublin.

paully

2006-01-02 21:46:50

One point to remember,this is Spain where smoking is inbuilt into the culture like france,and unlike Britain there wont be armies of `jobsworths`out at all hours spying on traders (remember those market traders who were persecuted for selling fruit & veg by the pound!!).It will have an immediate impact,the Government will either get bored with it or frightened they are losing votes and it will go by the board.

Money talks and that will dictate what happens.That being said restaurants should be non smoking ...full stop..and I say that as a smoker myself.

Happy travels folks

bellybally

2006-01-02 21:52:07

Hi sanji, hope your having a fab holiday. Haven't spoke to you for a while. This smoking ban lark, - do you know if they have introduced this to the canaries? just that we're off to tenerife this year, and would be totally peed of if I had to go outside the bar for a cig every time, I wanted one. (Might even consider changing destination :wink:

).

Take care, and enjoy the rest of your hols. Regards. BBB.

David

2006-01-02 22:04:59

Before this discussion develops any further, I would just like to point out that we do not want a debate on the dangers or pleasures of smoking, the introduction of smoking bans, political issues and decisions, etc. We have been here before in various forums, including Eire and Malta, when smoking bans were introduced. Discussion there turned extremely unfriendly as those on each side of the smoking lobby tried to force their opinions on others. Such topics tend to attract input from members who have no interest in the countries concerned, but who like nothing better than a good heated debate about smoking. But not in this holiday discussion forum please - all that is really relevant to us is that a smoking ban has now been introduced in Spain.

Many thanks.

David :wave

Sanji

2006-01-03 17:59:52

Discussion there turned extremely unfriendly

Oooh not in here David

hope you dont think that is what I wanted :shock:

There really is total confusion in the resort, and this subject is the hot topic of Spain. :shock:

Ive found out today from a reliable source (I will not mention his name, cos he may get the sack) :shock:

that the managers of the individual hotels are the ones who have made the decision, whether to go totally none smoking or smoking within designated areas in their particular hotel. :twisted:

People should be aware that designated areas may mean outside :roll:

in certain hotels. :roll:

You really have to be here to see it, to believe the impact this decision has made on the hotels.....there is hardly anyone in them and the bar takings must have dropped to virtually ziltch :roll:

I personally, cannot see this lasting long :roll:

and by the time I return to Spain, then hopefully some of the issues may have been sorted out.

Regarding the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are part of Spain, and I have just asked behind the reception, and both Senors said....yes!!!! the smoking law applies there too :roll:

100% without any doubt. ....

besos xxx
SanJi

yorkshire*rose

2006-01-03 18:30:22

Reading the posts with interest, being a smoker when you say the hotels have banned smoking does that mean you are not allowed to smoke by the pool area. I am going to Ibiza this year so i presume the law will be there as well. But was hoping to get a week away in Benidorm as well. If i go in the smoking bars i presume my 10 year old will not be allowed in, are we still allowed to smoke while sat outside the bars and would my son be able to sit with us. Confused :roll:

Sanji

2006-01-04 13:31:05

Confused ? :shock:

that makes you, me and thousands of more people at this moment in time. :oops:

Outside is outside :shrug

and if there are ashtrays on the table, then children may be able to sit with you, but they are certainly not allowed to sit with you inside a smoking bar.

I have been into the Flamingo Oasis again this morning....
When I went in the other day, there were a few areas where you could smoke, but now there is only one....this is the veranda that is at the back of the seating area, near the bar as you walk into the hotel, on the left hand side....and of course your rooms.

Apparantly...this hotel went totally no smoking on the 1st Jan, but there was nearly a riot (mainly women

) and the management caved in.!!!!
Something else that I found out.....they (hotels) have 8 months (until August) to get the planning permission approved, for any structural alterations that must be made within the hotel to satisfy the rules....so all is not lost at this early stage.

besos xxx
sanji

Wynn

2006-01-04 19:37:53

I dont think smokers need to panic. The Costa Blanca News said 90% of bars and restaurants are choosing to be smoking places. If a bar or restaurant is smaller then 100 sq metres they can choose to be smoking or non smoking. I would think the figure is much higher than 90% as there are notices everywhere saying This is a Smoking Bar. I have only seen one No Smoking sign and that was on a game arcade/bowling alley.
If a bar opts to be a smoking bar children can go in with parents.
In larger places, and I guess that includes hotels, they have to set up a separate air conditioned area for smokers. Childen cannot go in there. As Sanjii says they have 8 months to get organised.
By the pool Yorkshire Rose will always be 'smoking allowed', as will anywhere outside.

Serena

2006-01-04 20:42:30

Just thought I would let everyone know the Riudor has a designated area for smokers in the bar.

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