I'm in London, on the eve of Online Information 2006. Had dinner with James Robertson of StepTwo -tonight. I was telling James I had bought wifi access for £10 (24 hours) but it was annoying because if was only available at the bar or in the lobby.
Broadband access is available in the room for £15 per day - apparently from midday to midday - which is frustrating when you arrive at the hotel in the evening.
I felt it was a waste of money to pay the £15 - but ended up doing it. In addition to having wasted the £10 for the lobby wifi because I had a lot of email work to do tonight.
I realised I've come to expect internet to be everywhere - I really see it as a utility - and feel I should not have to pay for it - anymore than I should have to pay to have electricity and running water in my hotel room.
The cheapest I've found as at the San Jose airport in California - something like $9 for 24 hours.
The first time I was in New York for a client (2005), I was at a hotel where internet was free, and when I went back this year for the same client the hotel had decided to charge for it.
That's definitely a move in the wrong direction! I would actually choose my hotel based on having free unlimited access to the internet, but it seems that not many hotels have realised there is a competitive advantage to be had.
Anyone discovered a hotel chain that has realised this?
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