Wifi

This is a mini rant. At the time of writing this, I’m not sure whether it will even get posted - I just need to get this off my chest.

I’m away on business this weekend, and staying in a hotel that is part of a chain of rather nice, world famous hotels. The chain and the hotel will remain nameless. The rooms here do not come cheap. Nor, may I add, do they come with wifi. Which is the subject of this rant.

In this day and age, it beggars belief that wifi isn’t standard in hotels. Especially hotels which cater for business travelers, who will, almost without exception, require the use of wifi. Why is it that, if you check into a bed and breakfast, or a cheap motel, you will usually find wifi available with the room. Yet, if you go for a multiple-star hotel, you’re asked to pay extra for it?

What really annoyed me about this weekend’s trip was that we had a choice of two hotels. The first was advertised as ‘wifi as a paid extra’, the second was advertised as ‘free wifi available’. So, naturally, we plumped for the second. When we found out a little later that the ‘free wifi’ was only in the public areas, that was slightly irritating, but not so bad. I have no problem with working in the bar or lobby, if necessary. Which is what I settled down to do yesterday afternoon. I headed down to the hotel bar, I ordered a diet coke, I got the wifi password from reception, I logged in...

...And was promptly told that I was allowed one hour of free wifi and then I would have to pay.

That is what has really annoyed me here. Because they used ‘free wifi’ as a selling point when booking. And it was actually what sold the place to us in the first place.

I am, as a result, feeling rather cheated.

Has anyone else found this kind of thing? Am I the only other person that gets annoyed with this? I know that I can go and buy access to their wifi, but given their advertising, I’m currently being stubborn.

Love to hear your take on this!