I am a non‑smoker.
I was staying here with my two children over Easter Sunday. Didn’t want us to spend it alone, we drove all the way to Montreal to spend it with family and friends.
On that day, I had work. I got off a call, happy, and I had ordered lunch for us, my guests and us.
One friend asked to smoke. As a non‑smoker and first‑time guest in a Canadian hotel, I hadn’t really registered the no‑smoking sign, and I come from Lebanon and Dubai where hotel rules around smoking are different, so I didn’t realise how strict this policy was. I told my friend to open the window and have his cigarette—that was my mistake, and I accept that.
The concierge came to the room several times. Each time I was honest: my friend had smoked, and as soon as the hotel called and told us to stop, we did, and the smoking stopped immediately. Despite this, I was ordered to pack and leave within 30 minutes while alone with two kids, suddenly scrambling to move everything and find another hotel. The manager’s tone felt harsh and completely lacking empathy for our situation.
What should have been a special Easter stay became very stressful and upsetting. I respect strict non‑smoking policies, but the way this was handled—treating a brief, honest mistake that stopped right away as something much worse—felt completely disproportionate, with no flexibility or compassion toward a parent travelling with children. I left feeling relieved to be out of this environment and would not stay here again.
