Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

How the sensors likely work

• Commenters examining marketing images and similar “vape detectors” conclude these are just multi-sensor air-quality boxes (PM2.5/PM10 particulates, VOCs, CO₂, humidity, temperature, maybe noise/light) feeding a simple threshold-based algorithm.
• Rest appears to be a rebranded NoiseAware device; no public accuracy metrics, only vague “sophisticated algorithm” claims.
• Cheap particulate and VOC sensors are known to spike from dust, humidity, hair products, perfume, cleaning products, cooking, incense, even farts—so they’re inherently noisy and context-blind.

False positives and guest impact

• Multiple anecdotes of false positives (hair dryer, showers/steam, cosmetics, regular room use) causing large smoking fees.
• Marketing claims of an “84x increase” in collected smoking fines are widely read as evidence of rampant false positives or at least aggressive monetization, not suddenly discovered massive hidden smoking.
• In at least one case, the hotel admitted no special cleaning was needed even after charging a “smoking” fee, reinforcing the “pure revenue” perception.

Incentives and “revenue stream” framing

• Rest explicitly sells this as unlocking a “lucrative ancillary revenue stream,” which many equate to institutionalized fraud rather than damage recovery.
• Suspicions of rev-share models akin to red-light camera contracts; incentives favor more triggers, not accuracy.
• Several argue a legitimate use would be real-time alerts with human verification (knock on door), not automatic billing.

Legal and consumer-protection worries

• Concern that black-box algorithms enable “responsibility laundering”: “computer says you smoked, pay $500.”
• Debate over chargebacks: some report banks now resist them; others still see them as essential protection.
• Calls for class actions, stronger false-advertising and consumer laws, and a legal right to audit algorithmic systems used to levy penalties, with comparisons to the UK Post Office Horizon scandal.

Brand, market structure, and reputation

• Many note this is likely a single franchised Hyatt property, but argue the brand still bears responsibility and should ban such systems.
• Others point out similar practices at Marriott and independents; with a few mega-chains dominating, it’s hard for travelers to “vote with their feet.”
• Frequent travelers say a single bogus fee is enough to permanently drop a chain.

Privacy and surveillance creep

• Rest/NoiseAware also sells “privacy-safe” noise/occupancy monitoring for hotels/Airbnbs, which many see as de facto microphones and crowd trackers.
• Broader discomfort with hidden sensors, motion-triggered lights, and constant behavioral monitoring in ostensibly private hotel rooms.