While many of the lower-cost and mid-cost hotels do not charge for Internet connections, the most expensive still are charging for connections to the Web. But the days of Internet access are numbered. The only question is when will the charges be totally eliminated.
Checking a list of hotel charges for Internet service one can see that most lodging establishments offer Web as a free service. But, Crowne Plaza, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Fairmont*, Four Seasons, Hilton, Hyatt*, Ian Schrager, Intercontinental, Lowes, Marriott, Rennaisance, Ritz-Carleton, Shereton, Sofitel, St. Regis, W Hotels, Westin and Wyndham* all charge around $10 or more per day for access. (* free service for members of their frequent stayer programs)
Conrad by Hilton and Kimpton were the only two upscale hotel brands to offer free high-speed Internet to guests at all of their locations and without restrictions. At the other end of the spectrum, Red Roof Inn, inexplicably, has a deal with T-Mobile that adds $10 a day for web connections unless clients have their own T-Mobile account.
With the falling room rates and occupancy at hotels, business travel negotiators are finding that wrangling free Internet connections as part of their corporate room rate is becoming easier. But normal leisure travelers are discovering that these Web rates are hard to get rid of since they add to to the revenue per room.
Some new upscale properties are bundling the Internet fees into the room rates; others are sticking to maintaining separate charges. However, virtually every hotel expert I find sees Internet fees disappearing in the future. Once occupancy rates rise and business travel begins to grow again, Web access fees will probably become a thing of the past in luxury chains as it is already in most of the budget chains.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
