For Hotels in Legal Recreational Marijuana States

Updated February 25, 2021

Is it legal to smoke marijuana in my hotel room in a state where recreational weed is legal?

Yes. If you’re in a state with legal recreational marijuana (California, Illinois, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Michigan, Arizona, Maine, Alaska), it’s NOT a crime to possess personal amounts of marijuana. In every state to legalize recreational weed, current laws allow all adults over the age of 21 to possess personal amounts in public. “Personal amounts” allowed by law are different in each state, with the lowest being a half ounce (select the state you are in from our homepage to find the possession laws for that state). The laws in all legal recreational cannabis states make it perfectly legal to smoke weed on private property, but not in public.

If you’re smoking cannabis in the privacy of a hotel room, you are not violating the state laws against public consumption. In your hotel room, you are legally in private. Just as you won’t get arrested for smoking a cigarette in a hotel room, you won’t get arrested for smoking marijuana in a hotel room in states that have legalized recreational marijuana. Think of smoking weed in legal recreational cannabis states, the same way you would think of smoking cigarettes in other states.

Do hotels in legal recreational weed states allow smoking in hotel rooms?

Yes, some hotels do allow it. But others don’t. Here’s what you really need to know: most hotels basically look the other way and tolerate it (if not officially) as long as you get the right type of room and do it discreetly. The “right type of room” means getting a smoking room or a room with a private balcony, so you can step out on the balcony and enjoy your weed legally.

While it’s not a legal issue, the last thing you want is to be stuck in a 100% non-smoking hotel, in a room with no private balcony. Having to go all the way downstairs and outside to find a hidden smoking spot (and break the law by smoking in public) sure takes the fun and enjoyment out of being in a state with legal weed!

To help you find the best lodging for weed smoking, please check our directory and map of over 700 hotels with private balconies and smoking rooms in the states with a legal marijuana market. In it, there are links to book rooms through common booking sites like Hotels.com and Booking.com. Just pick a hotel room with “smoking” or “balcony” in the title (sometimes it’s shown in the room details) and you’re good to go.

Booking your room through our links still gets you the same best price as you would otherwise get on Hotels.com or Booking.com, but we do get a small commission to help us maintain the directory. Thanks!

If you’re reading this from a state with legal recreational marijuana, but you don’t yet have your weed, you can find our recommended pot shops here and a map and directory of all recreational pot shops here.

What about using a vaporizer instead of smoking in my hotel room?

Most hotels don’t allow vaporizers in their non-smoking rooms either, so you may need to consider it the same way you do smoking. It’s less likely to be detected, but you may have the same issues if you’re in a non-smoking hotel. Of course, you can do edible marijuana products anywhere. But remember that edible weed is not the same as smoking weed and it’s not for everyone; especially not for those with a lower tolerance. Always be careful with edibles because they last way longer than smoked cannabis, have a much stronger effect, and it’s hard for edible marijuana novices to gauge the dosage.

I really just want to stay in a fully 420-friendly environment. What can I do?

Your best option, if you can get it, is to rent a 420-friendly vacation rental. The owners of these properties cater to cannabis consumers and will designate certain areas of their property or the entire property as marijuana-friendly. Some even provide smoking accessories such as rolling papers, bongs, pipes, and dab rigs! Check our 420-friendly Vacation Rentals directory to book one of these properties in legal recreational marijuana states.

Just be cool about it and you’ll have no worries in a smoking room or on a private balcony.

If you’re discreet and respectful with your legal weed smoking, you won’t have any problems at your hotel in a legal weed state. Again, if you think of weed smoking as you would cigarette smoking, then you understand the norms in legal weed states. Get a smoking room or one with a private balcony / private patio and you’re all set for a great 420-friendly stay.

This is just a general guide and is NOT intended as legal advice. Please refer to state laws and hotel policies for exact laws and regulations.