Couple Says NYC Hotel Added a $500 Smoking Fee After Checkout. Then Staff Refuse To Explain How They Proved It: ‘I’ve Never Heard of That Before’
They said they were merely using a hairdryer at the time.
A hotel bill can sometimes change even after guests think everything has been paid. Extra fees are common, but the problem starts when guests do not understand why they are being charged.
One couple says they faced that situation during a stay in New York City. They claim they did not damage the room or use any extra services, but the hotel charged them $500 for allegedly smoking in the room, a claim they deny.
TikTok creator Ali Smith (@alismithhhh) says she had heard stories from travelers who claimed they were charged smoking fees even though they did not smoke. However, she says she never expected to experience a similar situation herself.
That’s when the biggest question came up
In a TikTok video with more than 230,000 views, Smith says she and her partner were staying at Row NYC when they were charged $500 for allegedly smoking in their room. “We just got scammed by a hotel in New York City, and we have no idea what to do about it,” Smith says at the beginning of the video.
The couple says neither of them smokes. According to Smith, the hotel accused them of smoking at a specific time on July 4. She claims they were actually blow-drying their hair.
What bothered them most was what happened when they challenged the charge. The couple says they asked whether a hotel employee had gone to their room to investigate after the alleged smoking was detected. They claim they were told no one had.
They also say they asked for other evidence supporting the charge, including photographs. According to the couple, none was provided. Smith says they offered to let staff inspect their room and belongings. She claims an employee told them it would be pointless because the alleged smoking had already happened.
The couple then questioned whether a detector inside the room could have been triggered by something other than cigarette smoke. They pointed to their use of a hair dryer, though the video does not establish what detection system the hotel used or what caused it to register an alleged smoking incident.
Smith says the hotel had a notice warning guests about the $500 smoking fee. However, the couple questioned how the hotel determined they had smoked.
The timing of the charge raised another concern for them. Smith says the alleged smoking occurred on July 4, but the $500 charge appeared on July 7 at around 3 a.m. She claims they received no warning that the hotel was about to charge their card.
When they approached staff about reversing the charge, Smith says they were told to contact their card company. She claims their offer to accept hotel credit was also rejected. The couple says they planned to dispute the charge with their credit card company. Smith also advised travelers to check reviews carefully, including complaints about smoking fees.
Unexpected hotel issues have left other travelers frustrated as well. One New York City guest previously claimed a hotel system glitch caused him to pay much more than expected after a booking problem, while another traveler said a hotel’s response after she found issues in her room did not make the situation better.
Viewers largely encouraged the couple to dispute the charge. “I would just file a chargeback with your bank,” one person wrote. Another viewer suggested keeping credit cards locked while traveling so unexpected transactions require further action before they can go through.
Smith later shared an update saying the hotel contacted them after the video gained attention. She claims the hotel apologized, agreed to reverse the $500 charge, and offered a refund for part of their stay. However, she says she was still waiting for the refund and questioned whether the hotel would take steps to prevent similar issues.
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