HotelChatter’s annual Hotel WiFi Report shows that two thirds of hotels have realized that offering free WiFi is in their best interests. Progress! Furthermore, many of these hotels have doubled down to put in reliable, fast WiFi networks for their older hotels, even if it means a big capital investment.
This need and trend is given by the fact that nowadays, more and more travelers book their hotel stays based on free WiFi, hotels have begun to drop their nickel and diming ways.
One third of hotels out there are still charging for WiFi, including many luxury brands who charge premium internet fees on top of their pricey room rates. But if the nefarious one third don’t start offering free WiFi at a basic level (checking email, surfing the web), potential guests will make a reservation elsewhere.
Click here for the 2013 Hotel WiFi Infographic.
Even when the WiFi is free, there are still some caveats such as requiring guests to join the hotel’s loyalty program, offering it free only in the lobby or having it free for just a limited time (anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours) before a charge is incurred. Furthermore, the WiFi fees can vary wildly from property to property within a hotel brand. These gimmicks are just another reason for guests to join together and demand better standardization for hotel WiFi.
