And now for the worst Wi-Fi hotels
A day after assessing the hotel chains with the best Wi-Fi policies, HotelChatter is back with their list of the worst Wi-Fi hotels. Not in terms of signal quality, but in terms of befuddling Wi-Fi access policies.
The overarching sin here seems to be hotel chains that have inconsistent Wi-Fi policies from property to property, or even within individual locations.
Marriott Hotel's flagship properties head the list. As HotelChatter explains:
Once again, the Marriott Flagship makes the worst list, partly because of inconsistency across the Marriott brands (Residence Inn, Courtyard and others offer free WiFi) and partly because you need a Ph.D to comprehend the Internet policies at some of their flagship hotels. First off, there's no free wifi. You can pay $9.99 for 24 hours in the lobby only. Or you choose to do a T-Mobile Hotspot option but $6.99 a minute roam charges apply. In the rooms, you can pay $9.95 for tethered ethernet access which will include any phone calls, local and long distance, that you make. Or you can head down to the business center and get free WiFi on the few computers offered there but will have to wait your turn and then have the next person in line breathe down your neck while you check your email. Marriott Flagship, you lost us at "No Free Wifi."
The luxury-themed Kor Hotel chain doesn't distinguish themselves, either. Much inconsistency: The Avalon in Beverly Hills offers free Wi-Fi in the lobby, but no wireless in the rooms and a $10.95 a day wired Internet access charge to boot. But other Kor hotels don't offer free lobby Wi-Fi.
In other cases, the main culprit is a convoluted Wi-Fi policy.
The real topper? The WiFi/Internet set up at W Times Square--free WiFi on the 7th floor, and maybe the 50th floor and up. Broadband for $14.95 in rooms for everyone else, and a cyber room on the fifth floor which houses a couple of computers and runs on an "honor system". The system? You write your name and time of entry on a sheet of paper, if you use the Internet for approximately five minutes or less it is gratis, but stay online for thirty minutes and it W will tack on $6.95 to your room bill. Dizzy yet?
Well, yes, I am. How about some consistency, people?