Travellers want free hotel Wi-Fi: survey

Free wireless internet access is the most sought after amenity for hotel guests, a recent survey has revealed.

A J.D. Power and Associates survey of 53,000 travellers found that no matter what class of hotel, free wireless Internet access ranked above complimentary breakfast and free parking as a hotel “must have”.

“Trending indicates that guests are starting to expect wireless Internet access in their hotel rooms,” J.D. Power and Associates global hospitality and travel practice director Mark Schwartz said.

“In today’s digitally connected world, being able to use mobile devices or computers without interruption is considered a comfort of home that should extend to the hotel experience.”

According to the survey, the more expensive hotels are less likely to offer free Wi-Fi, none of the survey respondents who stayed in luxury hotels saying they got wireless internet connections free of charge.

96 per cent of survey respondents who stayed in mid-scale hotels said they had access to free Wi-Fi, as did 64 per cent of those who stayed in budget hotels.

A J.D. Power and Associates executive, Stuart Greif, told the LA Times that hotels will probably feel the pressure to move with the times and, like Starbucks and McDonalds offer free Wi-Fi to their clientele.

The newspaper reported that the charge for Wi-Fi access at the Ritz-Carlton luxury hotel chain was a top complaint among guests, according to Ritz-Carlton spokeswoman Vivian Deuschl.

"We know that it is an irritant to guests to have to pay for Internet access," Ms Deuschl said.

"It comes up very frequently."

While Ritz-Carlton has no "immediate plans” to introduce free Wi-Fi in their hotel rooms, Ms Deuschl has admitted “it's an ongoing subject of discussion", the newspaper said.