Guests at Westin Hotels & Resorts in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean will no longer have the option to smoke in guest rooms or public areas. A smoking ban goes into effect this month at 77 properties, allowing guests to light up only in designated outdoor areas.

Westin, a brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, says it based its decision on positive feedback from eight properties in the chain that already operate smoke-free, as well as surveys that found that 92 percent of guests requested a smoke-free room, and 80 percent preferred restaurants and public areas to be smoke-free. The 44 Westin properties outside the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean are not affected by the ban.