Hotels Without Free Internet

[morriss003]

I thought that a thread in General Discussions about the lack of free internet in hotels might be a good idea. what do you think?

In Honolulu, the Pagoda Hotel requires payment for internet access.

[Hellmark]

Last hotel I stayed in required payment for internet. It isn't that uncommon.

What I wonder is, why did you think this needed discussed, and what your stance is on it. By your wording, you only say that the discussion is a good idea.

[CRussel]

I find that the more expensive the hotel, the more likely it is to want to charge for Internet. And yes, I _do_ make decisions about what hotel to stay at based on their Internet policy. I just hate being nickel and dimed to death.

[rdjack21]

Most hotels I've been in WiFi in the lobby/public areas of the hotel is free. But WiFi in your room you pay for. So I just grab a drink and sit in the lobby to do my computing work when traveling. Or even better yet when I stayed at the Out Rigger in Waikiki this summer I just sat in the open air restaurant and did my email and such with the beach about 50 feet away again for free.

[DiapDealer]

When I'm in a hotel, my computer is at home. Purposely.
Couldn't care any less what their internet policy might be.

[CRussel]

Sadly, DiapDealer, just about the only reason I'm in a hotel is WORK. When I travel for pleasure/vacation, that's different. No computer, just a Kindle. But mostly it's for work, and that means a laptop. Or two.

[elemenoP]

isn't this similar to the "get a cheap Kindle, pay for ebooks" business model? With all these comparison sights, hotels have to keep the room price down, and then nickel and dime you for everything once you get there. I'm a lot more annoyed at having to pay to check my bag when I fly.

eP

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Sadly, DiapDealer, just about the only reason I'm in a hotel is WORK. When I travel for pleasure/vacation, that's different. No computer, just a Kindle. But mostly it's for work, and that means a laptop. Or two.

Oh I know. I just couldn't resist, though.
For me... hotel = vacation. For the rare times I had to travel for work, I just told them the hotel's internet was on the fritz and left the laptop in the car.

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

When I'm in a hotel, my computer is at home. Purposely.
Couldn't care any less what their internet policy might be.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

For me... hotel = vacation.

Same here. Hotel = vacation = Oregon coast = state park campground = yurt = no wifi = tablet w/ mSD = lots of videos =

[mrscoach]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

isn't this similar to the "get a cheap Kindle, pay for ebooks" business model? With all these comparison sights, hotels have to keep the room price down, and then nickel and dime you for everything once you get there. I'm a lot more annoyed at having to pay to check my bag when I fly.

eP

But this doesn't hold up, since the cheap hotels tend to have free internet, it is the EXPENSIVE hotels that charge.

I know I've chosen a hotel at least once based on the fact that internet was free. I don't remember why I was traveling, but it was a one night stay and not for business.

[gastan]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I find that the more expensive the hotel, the more likely it is to want to charge for Internet. And yes, I _do_ make decisions about what hotel to stay at based on their Internet policy. I just hate being nickel and dimed to death.

Exactly. The fancier/more expensive it is, the more likely they are to charge.

I retired several years ago but for eight years previous I had a job that required traveling. I was home just two weekends per month. I found it amusing, at first, that a stay at a $60 a night Motel 6 included free internet but the $150-$175 a night Weston charged me for internet access. After having to explain the extra charges on my expense account more than once, I began including free or not-free internet in my decision making when planning my stays.

[Rob Lister]

I've always found the internet service in hotels, whether free service or paid, to be so slow as to make it all but unusable for anything other than looking at email. I always imagine them to have 56k dial-up service with a cheap netgear wifi router attached.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I find that the more expensive the hotel, the more likely it is to want to charge for Internet. And yes, I _do_ make decisions about what hotel to stay at based on their Internet policy. I just hate being nickel and dimed to death.

Me too. It's one of the features I look for when I book a hotel. And as others have noted, it's often the more expensive hotels that charge a fee. Weird.

[Soldim]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Me too. It's one of the features I look for when I book a hotel. And as others have noted, it's often the more expensive hotels that charge a fee. Weird.

True, the last time I was in the Waldorf I had to pay for internet access -- except in the lobby.