May 12 2009
The Economics of Hotel WiFi Fees
WiFi access in this day and age of ubiquitous notebook computers and iPhones and internet enabled devices of all sorts is simply required. When hotels first started offering WiFi or plugged-in internet access most all of them initially charged for it, anywhere from $10 – $25 dollars per 24 hour period typically. But the past few years as the numbers of wireless enabled devices has grown astronomically I have noticed that many mid-tier hotels are simply including WiFi access for free all over hotel grounds, both in the lobby and in the rooms.
However, the higher-end hotels seem to mainly still be charging for this “luxury.”
49 percent of luxury or upscale hotels charge for in-room Internet service compared with just 16 percent of economy or budget properties. Only 5 percent of midprice hotels require payment.
Practical Traveler - The Economics of Hotel Wi-Fi Fees - NYTimes.com.
This jives pretty well with my experience. If you go to a Holiday Inn Express or any of the middle-tier Marriott properties, you can count on WiFi connectivity. But, on a recent trip to Dallas I had to pay for access when staying at the Fairmont. And when we visited Hawaii a few months ago I was initially charged for WiFi access at the Four Seasons on Lanai. They subsequently removed the charge when I expressed my displeasure with getting mugged for something I consider a basic amenity these days. The concierge explained that they were removing the charge because I was registered in the hotel chain’s frequent guest program.
So let’s not make it necessary to make up reasons to take these charges off of bills and just make it a standard, basic amenity everywhere. If I want to stay in a dirt cheap place with a hard bed and bring my own shampoo, well then I won’t expect WiFi access just like I won’t expect free local calls. But if I am staying anywhere, I mean ANYWHERE and paying north of $100 per night, there better be connectivity and it better be included with the lodging. Or else I am done with that hotel or hotel chain for now. I hope you are listening Fairmont… I love you, but this will be an issue of tough love until you ditch the slap-in-the-face WiFi fees.
