Not Sleepless in Seattle:
How to Pick a Hotel if You Have Allergies or Asthma

By Jennifer Priest

If you have allergies, staying in a hotel can sometimes be the ruin of your entire vacation. The dust-mites, pet allergens, and other triggers may leave you sneezing and gasping most of the night. You get up so irritable from lack of sleep that you're the last person your family wants to hang around. If you also have asthma your health can be devastated. By the end of the week you need a vacation just to regain your health.

A little research ahead of time can make your vacation the relaxing, enjoyable event you envisioned.

Here are some basic tips for choosing a hotel:

• Check the Pet Policy: Many people are allergic to pets. Call the hotel to make sure no pets are allowed.
• Choose Hard-wood or Tile Floors: Health professionals recommend hard-wood, tile or other bare flooring to reduce dust and allergen exposure. Furthermore, some people are sensitive to the chemicals used in making wall-to-wall carpeting and the steaming solutions used to clean wall-to-wall carpets.
• Choose lodgings with Dust-Mite covers: Dust-mite allergies are among the most common allergies. Some hotels encase their pillows and mattresses in dust-mite protective coverings. If the hotel doesn’t have special covers, bring your own pillow cover!
• Check for Recent Construction: Some people are made sick by fresh carpet, fresh wallpaper, remodeling or recent construction. Call to check construction status.
• Avoid Air Fresheners: Call the hotel to request that no air fresheners are used to prepare the room for your stay.
• Air Filters: Check for hotels with HEPA or other high-quality air filtration systems.
• Windows that Open: Choose a hotel that has windows that open. That way you can air out the room to get rid of any lingering air fresheners or allergens.
• Consider Bed and Breakfast Lodgings: Many Bed and Breakfast lodgings are a good choice for allergy and asthma sufferers. They are frequently able to handle special requests, like no air freshener, with greater ease than large hotels.

Some hotels offer special "green rooms” These are rooms designed to be healthier for allergy-sufferers. They may have hardwood floors rather than carpets, they may have dust-mite covers on the mattress and pillows, or they may have special air filtration. However, be careful! It is important that you call the lodging facility to find out exactly what makes their green rooms "green". Some facilities use the term "green room" for rooms that help protect the environment, for example, by conserving water. Conserving water is great, but it won't help your allergies.

The bottom line: Always call the lodging facility to find out if your needs will be met.

For More Information:

For a website that offers a list of lodgings for people who suffer from allergies or asthma, check out www.allergyfriendlyhotels.com.