hotel and hospitality wifi news
Posts tagged Free
Loews to offer free Wi-Fi to all guests at all hotels
9 years ago
by liveport
in Hotel WiFi Stories
Loews Hotels and Resorts is the latest chain to offer free Wi-Fi to all guests in their rooms, bucking the industry norm of charging for it, especially at higher-end properties.
The New York-based luxury hotel chain says every guest room at each of its 18 properties throughout North America will now be equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access.
“We look at it as a service our guests at Loews expect because they are getting it at home,” says Paul Whetsell, president and CEO of Loews. “I don’t think it’s sustainable to keep charging for it.”
Loews properties had been charging from $14.99 to $20 a day for Wi-Fi, depending on the market. Most of their lobbies had complimentary Wi-Fi. Now all of them will in addition to the guest room Internet.
Those guests who use an excessive amount of bandwidth will still incur a charge, however.
Several studies have shown that free Wi-Fi is one of the most coveted amenities among hotel guests. In a Hotels.com survey of 8,600 travelers worldwide, just 11% said they would be willing to pay for Wi-Fi when staying in a hotel.
The article goes on to point out that InterContinental Hotels Group will begin offering free Internet to its Rewards Club members. IHG, parent company of Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, is the largest hotel chain based on room numbers and has 71 million Rewards Club members worldwide.
More here.
Hotels with Free WiFi
10 years ago
by liveport
in Hotel WiFi Stories
More and more hotels are dropping the WiFi charges to get online while you’re out of town. So who’s still charging? Who’s gone free? Here’s a list of hotels with free Wi-Fi in each guest room. Note that some hotels may require guests to sign up for one of their loyalty programs, but a number of them offer unlimited access.
Here’s the list:
Accor Hotels
– Ibis Hotel
– Mercure Hotel
– Pullman Hotels
Best Western Hotels
– Best Western
– Best Western Plus
– Best Western Premier
Choice Hotels
– Ascend Collection
– Cambria Suites
– Clarion Hotels
– Comfort Suites
– Comfort Inns
– Econolodge
– Quality Inns
– Sleep Inn Hotels
Carlson Rezidor Group
– Country Inn and Suites
– Hotel Missoni
– Park Plaza Hotels
– Radisson Blu Hotels
Boutique & Lifestyle Collection
– Ace Hotels
– ALT Hotels
– AKA Hotels
– Andre Balazs Hotels
– B Hotels and Resorts
– Citizen M Hotels
– COMO Hotels
– Desires Hotels
– The Doyle Collection
– Gansevoort Hotel Group
– Greystone Hotels
– Gem Hotels, Ascend Collection
– James Hotels
– Joie De Vivre Hotels
– Kimpton
– Palace Resorts
– Soho House
– Standard Hotels
– Swire Hotels
Hilton Hotels
– Hampton Inn Hotels
– Hilton Garden Inn
– Home2 Suites by Hilton Hotels
– Homewood Suites
Hyatt Hotels
– Hyatt Andaz Hotels
– Hyatt Place
– Hyatt House
– Summerfield Suites
InterContinental Hotels
– Candlewood Suites
– Holiday Inn Hotels, including Holiday Inn Resorts, Express and Club Vacations
– Hotel Indigo
– Staybridge Suites
Marriott Hotels and Resorts
– Edition Hotels
– Fairfield Inn Hotels
– Gaylord Hotels
– Residence Inn Hotels
– SpringHill Suites
– Towneplace Hotels
– Courtyard Hotels by Marriot
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
– Aloft Hotels
– Four Points by Sheraton
– Element Hotels
Wyndham Hotel Group
– Baymont Inn and Suites
– Days Inn
– Hawthorn Suites
– Howard Johnson
– Microtel Inns and Suites by Wyndham Hotels
– Night Hotels
– Ramada Hotels
– Super 8 Hotels
– Travelodge Hotels and Motels
– Wyndham Garden Hotels
– Wingate
Luxury Hotels
– Aman Resorts
– Anatara Hotels
– Four Seasons Hotels
– Montage Hotels
– Langham Hotels
– Peninsula Hotels
– Regent Hotels
– Shangri-La Hotels
– Trump Hotels outside of New York
Thanks to Hotel Chatter’s 2013 WiFi report for the list.