What does "no smoking" mean???

[Allison2]

I'm curious what smoking and non-smoking listings actually mean? Is there a definition per Airbnb?

I'd have thought "non-smoking" means no smoking *in the listing* and "smoking" means you can.

But I've seen comments from hosts irritated because a smoker (who smokes off the property) brings the stench back into the house with them. To them "no smoking" actually means "no smokers".

From the guest perspective, I ran into this while planning a trip to Colorado. I was searching for a listing that did allow smoking (erm, not cigarettes) and almost every single "smoking" listing was clearly "no smoking in the house, but it's allowed in the yard/porch".

This made me confused on how to mark my own listing. I definitely don't want people to smoke inside, but wouldn't bother me if they did so outside. (In fact, I have a table at the back of the property for that purpose)

What say you, fellow hosts?

[Willow3]

No smoking - to me - means NO smoking. Not inside. Not outside. 

But I asked this question a few months ago and quickly learned that I was in the minority on this one. So I amended my listing to say no smokers. My property is too small to smoke outdoors and not have it wafting into mine or my nieighbors windows. And as we don’t do AC in my neck of the woods, windows are always open. Come winter, I strongly doubt smokers will go outside anyway. 

I had guests who who smoked outside and yet after three days, I had to pull all the drapery down to launder 

[Willow3]

Hit the mobile limit... to launder them. My space has tall windows and there are ten panels of drapery. That’s a lot of laundry. Not to mention the unwashable bamboo blinds in the windows. 

So yeah, I changed my listing to no smokers. Period. 

[Allison2]

The Airbnb designations really don't do enough to inform. I guess I'll have to spell it out in the listing, too.

I've had relatively few smokers - maybe ~4 groups out of 200? I haven't had any issues with lingering smells carried from outside, but there's a 100' walk from the smoking area (in the back yard) to the front door, so maybe they air out before getting inside. I've had two issues with smokers - one who probably wasn't aware of the designated spot & resorted to using a china mug for her ashtray (found in my garden) and another who was in and out of the house at all hours (3, 4, 5am!) to get their fix.

I can appreciate the extra work that goes into cleaning smoke smell, and especially empathize with hosts who have allergies/asthma who really mean NO SMOKERS. Perhaps they need another category for "Fragrance-free household" and then break smoking into "not allowed" "allowed outdoors" "allowed indoors".

[Willow3]

@Allison2 - I would love a “fragrance free” household! So many of my guests bathe in their fragrance that my nose burns as I turn over the room! One I could smell before I even opened the door. Hard part is that I’m not totally against fragrances - just the abuse of them!

[Tracey96]

I am a non smoker and requested no smoking. But I do let them know that smoking is allowed on the premises just not in the house. I also note where ashtrays are so they do not leave their butts on the ground. 

[Kelly149]

mine says  **NO Smoking/Vaping in the barn at all, ever. Evidence of smoking or residual smoke smell will be charged a remediation fee to remove smoke from barn. You may smoke on the driveway or the covered porch if you do not leave behind ash, butts or smell.

and  **Avoid things that can stain, soil or stink furniture, bedding, rugs, pillows, curtains, towels. This could be food, drink, dirt, makeup, sunscreen, lotion, self-tanner, perfume, smoke or the hand stamp from last night's concert. Best course is to avoid damage, but barring that we expect you to swiftly reimburse us if we have to clean or replace any items from the barn because they have been stained, soiled, damaged, broken or made smelly by your group.

It is hard to smoke in public almost anywhere in Austin and smokers almost never realize that they smell. I've honestly had more trouble with removing the smell of bad breakfast sausage after checkout.

The allergen friendly/fragrance free could be a really great offering.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Allison2

To me "no smoking" means no smoking in the house and I know that people who smoke outside bring the stench with them into the house so I also added to my rules and listing description that "smokers are not welcome" in my home.