One can call ahead and have an ozone generator used in the room before check in. This helps to eliminate lingering odors from the previous guest. Plus it helps to destroy other creepy crawlers, molds, versus etc.

Not all hotels have an ozone generator. Usually the medium to higher end hotel chains have them. It's worth asking.

Caution, the room needs to be aired out for time before staying. K. B.

I want to share about my recent experience with Double Tree Inn in San Antonio. I was sent there for a two week training for a new job. I emailed ahead and was very pleased that the customer service person was willing to work with the housekeeping staff. I rented the room a day ahead, and they did not clean it for that 24 hour period. I mailed linens and towels from home, and had the hotel linens removed. They agreed to only use dilute vinegar to clean during my stay. I was given a room that had a door that opened onto the courtyard, so I could access the open air. I was impressed with the efforts made on my behalf.

However, the room still was very toxic. When I opened the box with my linens, which arrived about a week after I returned home...it was extremely fumous with the odors of the carpeting, curtains, and upholstered furniture. It wasn\'t ideal, but I actually felt pretty good for the two weeks I was there, and only had one migraine, the main presenting symptom of my own MCS.

I must agree that calling ahead and paying for "higher level" residence is completely worth the effort and the money!

I try not to travel much because it takes so much out of me (as it does many of us), but when I do travel I make sure to call the hotel or residence as soon as possible, tell them my needs, and ask my questions. The more expensive places seem almost eager to try to have us as their guests! I was told by one representative that people like us are increasing in numbers and some residences wish to meet our needs.

I ask for a room with a window that opens to the outside. And, of course, I ask for a non-smoking room as far away from smoking areas as possible. I also ask that my room be cleaned with non-toxic cleaners and I offer a list of those. If that service is not available I ask that my room not be cleaned at all and I explain why. When I say that, most all hotels and residences strive to comply by trying the non-toxic products I suggest. I've had one high-end residence clean my linens and towels in steaming hot water only and I could swear they were clean enough for an operating room! I like to think by traveling carefully in this fashion, I have hotel chains thinking about non-toxic alternatives for their guests. I also bring a small air cleaner to the hotel room with me. It's really a size designed for a bathroom but it's helped me in small hotel rooms as well. One hotel provided me with a large air cleaner when they needed to paint some railings down the hall. It was a wonderful surprise and very helpful to my health!

Calling ahead and explaining your needs has been well recieved in my experience. And here I used to think I was so weird and different from most travelers. It's a new world out there friends!

We have had to ask for a "smoking room" on occassion when the motel perfumed cleaner is overwhelming....apparently they don't bother with those "naughty" smokers with their "fine perfumed room spray." I should mention I AM NOT ALLERGIC TO SMOKE EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU AND I AM ALLERGIC TO OTHER CHEMICALS.

Since that is not a fun compromise, we looked for a company that we could trust whereever we went. Residence Inn has never failed us. Alabama, NY, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, etc. DO NOT ASSUME THAT OTHER MARRIOTTS ARE OK....FOR THE MOST PART THEY AREN'T.

RESIDENCE INN IS A LITTLE EXPENSIVE BUT ACTUALLY CHEAP WHEN YOU REALIZE YOU CAN COOK YOUR OWN FOOD AND THEY DO THE DISHES...NO EXPENSIVE RESTAURANTS....AND THEY WILL SHOPP FOR YOU....EVEN AT A HEALTH FOOD STORE FOR ONLY THE PRICE OF THE FOOD!!

Kimpton Hotels features an environmentally friendly policy called Kimpton EarthCare, which may offer us a relatively safer hotel alternative. I learned about Kimpton at a recent stay at Hotel Triton in San Francisco, which is one of the Kimpton hotels. I was able to handle Hotel Triton pretty well- which is saying a lot for me! The only problem I had was that the building was a little old-smelling like many very old building are (perhaps described as slightly musty, which my husband did not notice at all). But it didn't smell of mold or mildew, and it appeared very clean. We were never accosted with any horrible harsh chemical cleaning odors, and I saw the maids cleaning the rooms often. It has been renovated and updated so there may be newer furniture or carpet or other items that could irritate some sensitive people, but probably far less than a typical hotel. The bathroom sink had a nice water filter, the air conditioner had a decent filter, plus the window opened to outside (but if you stay there don't get a room along the alley because loud garbage trucks come at night). The hotel is also pet friendly, but they accomodated me and my pet allergies by placing me on the pet-free 7th Floor Eco-Floor. The entire hotel is non-smoking, too. It was a charming and funky hotel, very fun and unusual, with great service, and I was actually able to enjoy my stay.

I do not know the details of the "environmentally friendly" products they use, or the levels of formaldehyde or other toxins present in the rooms, but I can say that I'm very chemically sensitive and allergic, and always have difficulty in hotels, yet I handled this one quite well. Kimpton has a variety of hotels in their group, so the hotels themselves may be quite different, but from what I read the EarthCare policy applies to all of them. So if you travel to San Francisco or other areas where Kimpton has hotels, it may be worth trying them out.

Here's a link if you want more info on Kimpton EarthCare:
www.kimptonhotels.com/cares_earthcare.aspx

The biggest toxic threat in hotel rooms is pesticides. Over 90% of the hotels in the US spray inside guest rooms on a regular basis, some as often as once a month. Even many hotels that claim to be green are continuing this deadly practice.

We have a big, new problem. I have discovered that most major chains and many other smaller lodging choices are spraying all their rooms with Febreeze daily. I have encountered this throughout the nation. Stopping that or having dedicated green rooms which aren't sprayed ever is a big need. Marriott and other chains have "green room" programs, but they are now negated by this long lasting toxin which doesn't just clear out the day they don't spray when a green room is reserved. Can Debra or someone out there take the time to advocate for us and teach the truth that Febreeze is a petrochemical based toxin that shouldn't be used regularly in places of lodging? I'm sure you could educate them on the use of nontoxic alternatives as well. Thank you!

I just found out about a web site that lists less toxic places to stay. www.greenvacationhub.com/index.php

I have not stayed at any of these places yet as I have been too sick, but was glad to learn of it.

Have you ever heard the saying “the squeaky wheel gets the oil”? Debra is so right, we all need to educate hotels and other business.

I have made changes at my local bank, work place and have been talking to management at my favorite store to carry more orgainics and to display them together. I ran into him the other day and he said "we are working on it"!

I have written to many hotels and they always send me a nice thank you note for my e-mail and I never hear from them again. They need to know there is a market out there for these changes.

The more letters they get the better chance of them making changes.

This might be a good place to start.

Green Hotels who are a group of major hotels and have been given the label Green because they are saving water, electric and recycle. green@greenhotels.com Web site Greenhotels.com

For those of you that live in Florida, travel in Florida or would like to travel to Florida you can send the same letter to Green Lodging at GreenLodging@dep.state.fl.us . I spoke to these people at a GLEE (Green Living Energy and Education) event, they had nothing to say when I asked if this problem was going to be addressed.

I have ordered brochures and started sending them when I write snail mail. I also leave them at different businesses including Doctors offices.

The brochures are; Creating Healthy Indoor Environments and Fragrance: A growing Health and Environment Hazard.
Do some squeaking and see if we can get some much needed oil! Preferably organic.

No one else is going to do these for us.

I travel a lot on business. I stay exclusively at Marriott Courtyards. If you make your reservation with their 800 number-ask for a "green room". The reservations person will put you thru to an ADA representative to assist in the process of educating the particular hotel property if they are not familiar with the Marriott companies "green room" guidelines.

They will wash the bedding and towels in hot water , clean the room withoput chemicals, and sometimes they steam clean the carpet with just water. Sometimes they dont sell the room for several days before my stay so it can air out. I email and fax the hotel manager my own additional requirements other than the green room guidelines.(includes opening windows for a day or 2, removing any soaps, shampoos etc, removing bedding -as I bring my own. I do this way ahead of time.I always inquire how recently any remodeling, painting, new carpet etc has been done.What year the building was built.

I always stay in a room on a higher floor that has an opening balcony door that I can leave open all nite if needed. I ask if the A/C filters have been sprayed with Fabreeze.I do bring alcohol wipes in case something like the phone gets overlooked, and has cologne traces.

I have such praise for this chain, as I used to just dread having to stay in hotels. Now much of that stress has been alleviated. But you do have to ask about any worries you may have. Follow up by talking to the manager directly. They often call me back later to ask if there will be a problem with this or that. Once it was just that outside railings had been painted the week before (wasnt a problem) So most of the managers have taken my requests seriously. The good thing is that if you stay in the property again, they will be more familiar with your needs, and it wont take as much communication.

The lower end of the Marriott chain is Fairfield Inns, and I have encountered automatic air freshener units in the hallways, as you would find in a public restroom-this bleeds into the guest rooms, so always ask about this as well. I would never again stay in a property that had these units.

There has been no other hotel chain in the last 25 years that has been consistant in meeting my requests as Courtyard Marriott.

In our experience, we have discovered that the Marriott chain, from the high end resorts to the Fairfield Inns are all always non-smoking rooms. Smoke residue is a big issue for me so we have not stayed anywhere else since they implememted their non-smoking policy a few years ago. Nor do they use Frebreeze. I know I could detect that awful stuff in an instant. Once, we wanted to stay at another chain with a more convenient location for us, but were afraid to try. We have not had any problems with Marriotts. I hope it stays that way.

I found them at my Doctors office. He is an Environmental Allergist (from your Web site). I found out that I have a very bad allergy to Glycerin. I am so glad that I started going to him. Taking the Glycerin drops for 6 weeks and avoiding Glycerin has made a big difference.

The Brochures are by Sandra Redmski and Dr. Jouce R. Young. N.D.
Redemski Design, 344 Gardiner Road, Jerfferson, ME 04348
207-549-3531 www.HealthBrouchures.info

10 $3.75
25 $7.75
50 $15.50
100 $26.00
250 $63.00
This is including postage. She gets them right out once she receives payment.

Some of your books are recommended on them.

We are trying to plan a family trip to Disneyworld; every Orlando Marriott property I called said that they spray their rooms with Febreze. I was so disappointed, because we had previously thought their green room program would work for us.