Holiday Inn Express, Keene, NH Becomes 100% Smoke Free

Property offers a "breath of fresh air" for business and leisure travelers

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. October 14, 2008

KEENE, NH, July 20, 2006. The Holiday Inn Express, located at 175 Key Road in Keene, N.H., is pleased to announce that it is Keene's first and only, completely smoke-free hotel. All guestrooms, as well as the hotel's front lobby and all common areas, will follow the same non-smoking policy.

The decision to make the Holiday Inn Express smoke-free reflects Linchris' commitment as a leader in its industry in regards to the health and well-being of its guests and employees. The Holiday Inn Express is at the forefront of the anti-smoking trend that is sweeping the nation. According to the American Lung Association's January 2006 report entitled Trends in Tobacco Use, U.S. cigarette consumption has declined by approximately 100 billion cigarettes over the past decade. The report also states that more individuals are quitting smoking than ever before. In fact, in February 2002, Keene became the first city in New Hampshire to ban smoking in restaurants, with the exception of restaurants with separately ventilated bars.

"The American Lung Association of New Hampshire applauds the Holiday Inn Express for taking a giant step forward in improving the public health of its guests and employees," said Beth D'Ovidio, Director of Public Relations and Communications at the American Lung Association of New Hampshire. "There is no 'safe' level of exposure to secondhand smoke; not only is it a nuisance, it is also deadly. We encourage other hotels to follow the lead of the Holiday Inn Express in Keene."

Despite the changing public perception of smoking, hotels featuring a completely smoke-free environment are still relatively rare. In fact, the Holiday Inn Express is one of the only totally smoke-free hotels in the region, offering an "easy breathing" alternative, which will give the Holiday Inn Express a competitive advantage in the local community.

Approximately 25 percent of the Holiday Inn Express' 80 rooms were designated as smoking rooms. The conversion involved a thorough deep cleaning of all fabric in the guest rooms, including the walls, carpeting and beds. Additionally, all rooms include the Holiday Inn Express' Simply SmartTM Bedding Collection, which features crisp, white linens with a decorative top sheet replacing the traditional bedspread, as well as two pillow types, soft and firm, in order to accommodate guests' preferences. "Traditionally, our smoking rooms are the slowest to sell," said Holiday Inn Express General Manager Frank LaGrande. "The rooms that we converted to 'smoke-free' were thoroughly cleaned, in order to provide the highest quality guest experience."

"We are excited to introduce the Holiday Inn Express in Keene as a non-smoking property," said Linchris Hotel Corporation CEO Christopher Gistis. "Our visitors consider a healthy environment one of the key elements in a positive guest experience." This is Linchris' second smoke-free hotel; the first is the new Hilton Garden Inn in Plymouth, Mass. The company plans to turn more of its existing hotels smoke-free in the future.