Hyatt Hotels are using algorithmic Rest “smoking detectors”

The thread discusses Hyatt Hotels' use of Rest-brand algorithmic smoking detectors, which have triggered controversy due to allegations of false positives and automatic fines levied on guests. The broader debate centers on privacy, consumer rights, technological accountability, and the growing use of black-box algorithms in hospitality.

Critics argue that these smoking sensors serve primarily as “revenue stream generators” rather than legitimate tools for maintaining hotel policy. They claim the detection algorithms are opaque, often inaccurate, and designed to favor the hotel’s interests with minimal recourse for guests. Users cite personal anecdotes and patterns, such as sudden, unexplained fines added to bills without warning or smoking incidents ever occurring. One example describes a minibar system that similarly charges guests for simply moving items, regardless of actual consumption, revealing a deeper concern about deceptive business practices masked by automation.

Supporters of such systems, while fewer in number, suggest they help prevent real abuses—such as unauthorized smoking and property misuse. However, most participants seem skeptical, viewing these systems as part of a broader trend of “responsibility laundering,” where algorithms absorb blame while institutions profit. There is significant concern over the lack of consumer protections and avenues to challenge algorithmic determinations. Some propose structural reforms—such as stronger regulation, opt-out arbitration services, or class actions—though others point out that such mechanisms are often weak or co-opted.

The discussion also expands to credit card holds, hotel payment policies, and broader power dynamics in customer-provider relationships. Some users explore chargebacks as a form of recourse, while others warn that disputing charges might result in being blacklisted by hotels. Notably, one comment references Mamdani’s experience with political fundraising as an analogy for entrenched interests resisting disruption, and links to several articles and data on third-party exclusion in U.S. politics.

Overall, the thread paints a picture of shifting norms in customer service and accountability, with technologies like Rest's smoking detectors viewed not as neutral enforcers but as tools for profit. The thread’s most nuanced points stem from those calling for systemic change in consumer protections and algorithmic transparency, drawing parallels between hospitality, finance, and civic structures.

#algorithmicaccountability #hospitalitytech #consumerrights #dataprivacy