Final answer:
When faced with a complaint about a non-smoking room having a tobacco odor, a hotel should offer immediate remedies and recognize that measures like air purification are not sufficient to combat the health risks of secondhand smoke from smoking rooms.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Pauline reserved a non-smoking room but found it to have a tobacco odor, it presents a health and service issue. Since there are no other non-smoking rooms available, the hotel staff should take immediate action to rectify the situation by offering alternatives such as a room upgrade or a discount, and possibly suggesting a future stay at no charge, depending on their policy. Providing an air purifier for the room may help reduce the odor, but it is essential to recognize that measures like cleaning the air and airing out the room do not entirely eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Underlying this is the crucial understanding that to fully protect non-smokers, indoor environments must be completely smoke-free. This is because smoking rooms, even with the best separation and ventilation efforts, cannot fully prevent secondhand smoke from infiltrating non-smoking areas, putting guests like Pauline at potential health risk. Therefore, the hotel should also review its policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents, ensuring a truly smoke-free environment for all guests.