THE SMOKE ALARM IN A B757-200'S LAV BY DOOR 2L SOUNDED AFTER TKOF. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH A RETURNED TO LAND. AN ELECTRICAL SMELL WAS PRESENT.

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WE DEPARTED ZZZ ON RWY 8 AND THE FO WAS THE PF. AS WE PASSED THROUGH 17000 FT; I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT AT THE MID CABIN. SHE RPTED THAT THE SMOKE ALARM WAS GOING OFF IN THE LAVATORY BY DOOR 2L. I ASKED HER TO CHK AND SEE IF SHE COULD DETERMINE THE CAUSE. SHE CALLED BACK VERY SHORTLY AND SAID THAT SHE COULD SEE NO SMOKE BUT COULD SMELL ELECTRICAL ODOR IN THE LAVATORY AND FOR SEVERAL ROWS AROUND THE LAVATORY. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO ZZZ. I TALKED TO DISPATCH AND REQUESTED TO HAVE THE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY FOR OUR ARR IN ZZZ. WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT ON THE WAY BACK TO ZZZ AND SHE RPTED THAT THE ALARM HAD STOPPED BUT SHE COULD STILL SMELL THE ODOR. WE ADVISED THE PURSER THAT A CABIN PREPARATION WAS NOT NECESSARY BUT TO LET US KNOW IF THE SITUATION DETERIORATED. THE SMOKE ALARM DID COME ON AGAIN PRIOR TO LNDG AND STOPPED BEFORE WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE. THE FO MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. THE EMER EQUIP FOLLOWED US TO THE GATE AND THE FIRE PERSONNEL BOARDED THE ACFT AND FOUND NO APPARENT SIGN OF FIRE BY THE TIME WE LEFT THE ACFT.