Hotels and similar places can catch fire, and the occupants if asleep are very vulnerable to smoke inhalation.
Effective fire alarm systems and a prompt evacuation procedure are therefore essential.

This however has got me thinking, what happens if the hotel fire alarm sounds in a very cold climate ?
It would seem to me that persons evacuated wearing only nightwear or a bathrobe would be very vulnerable to hypothermia. If somebody was wet all over due to being in the shower rather than sleeping, the risk would be greater.
So what is done in very cold climates ? The guests are presumably equipped with outdoor clothing suited to the climate, so is getting fully dressed the norm ? Hotel fire instructions in the UK invariably state "do not stop to get dressed" But perhaps in cold places the risk of delay whilst dressing is acceptable if compared to freezing to death outdoors.

I am not thinking of staying in a hotel anyplace very cold, but just wondered what happens.

1)Sleep in warm clothes: 2) Grab something warm as you exit - put it on later 30 keep warm by the smouldering coals of the burning building.

This would be a problem in regions that are less than polar. When the temperature drops below 50 F, one is at risk for hypothermia, especially if there is a breeze.

I have recently been tucking myself in at night wearing a fleece jacket with my key ring (car & house keys, flashlight, lighter, spare cash and PS4 multitool) zipped in a pocket. The fleece jacket is quite warm and retains warmth when I get up in the middle of the night, searching for the little room - doesn't show wrinkles, either. If I had to leave my bedroom in the middle of the night, I would be in pretty good shape.

I keep my "go bag" packed and could conceivably toss it out a window before I exit so I can retrieve it when outside. In some hotels this would mean breaking the window though. I am just as likely to just carry it out with me. I sleep in shorts and T-shirt and can throw a jacket on quickly.

Two interesting and valid examples of personal preps given above, but that does not address the question of what if any preps are made by the hotel or TPTB in case of a fire evacuation in severe weather, perhaps in a blizzard.

Most members of these forums have no doubt given the matter some thought, probably considerable thought if they live in or visit cold locations. But what about the ill prepared hotel visitors who sleep in lightweight night wear, or nothing, and could face an evacuation into conditions definitely dangerous to those unsuitably dressed.

There would seem to be some merit in providing a detached and heated building at a safe distance from the main hotel, to provide basic shelter in case of fire.
AFAIK however this is not normally done, nor I am aware of any suggestion that this should be provided.

I really don't care what the hotel management might have done - probably they more or less will comply with whatever ordinances might be in effect - and that can be wildly variable, as can their enforcement.

What I can do in an emergency is under my direct control and is far more predictable than the actions of some random hotel staff.

I would think that most hotels, usually placed in an urban environment, would be close enough to a heated building of some sort.

As for lightly clad hotel guests, they are like those unprepared in any situation - they are more liable to death or serious injury than those who are prepared - nothing remarkable about that.

Last year, I had the questionable good fortune to have a fire alarm wake me up in a hotel while it was about zero Farenheit outside.

As is my practice when staying in a hotel, I had my pants, shirt and shoes from the day before laid out and ready to go. I was dressed, wearing shoes and carrying my jacket within less than a minute. A quick check with the back of my hand against the door, then the doorknob, was followed by a slow crack of the door to sniff for smoke. After that I was out of my room and on my way down the stairs. Despite being on the eighth floor, I was one of the first dozen hotel guests to get outside.

What I heard was that it was a small kitchen fire, with no injuries. We were out of the cold and heading back to our rooms in about 20 min.

My pants already contained critical items like my car keys, wallet, and so forth. The main things that I grabbed after shoes and clothes were my room key and pistol (which is legal for me to carry there).

I have slept in mountain huts. Most of them have expanded to mutliple buildings. In the winter one building is closed and is a emergency shelter when the main building burns down. The emergency shelter is usually the old hut.

"When", not "if"?

"If', when was a poor choice of word. English as a third lauguage...

I don't travel far enough to need hotels these days, but this is something I think about when I go to bed at night. Whether at home, or spending the night with friends and family, house fire is a real threat.

I arrived at the school early to pick up my son a few years ago, and there was a fire drill in progress. Everyone was outside, and most of the kids seemed to be in t-shirts, and some were even in shorts. It was winter and not a particularly nice day. The teachers had nothing for the kids or themselves to protect them from the elements. In the event of a real fire, the plan is to put the kids on buses if they have to wait for parental pick-up, much like they do in hotel and nursing home fires. I asked my son's teacher if he could keep his coat and/or backpack on the back of his chair, for just such an occasion and the answer was no. Classroom clutter and blocking escape routes, yada yada yada.