Having just returned from a very welcome holiday in the States, it was interesting to see how many of the large hotel chains still charge for wi-fi access. It was often free of charge provided you were located in a corner of the lobby, but should you wish to have access in your room, lets say to Skype loved ones in privacy or to tackle a tricky work task away from the hustle and bustle of public areas, a fee would be levied for the privilege.
Web magazine Hotel Chatter looked into the issue (focusing on hotels in America), and found that although wi-fi is free of charge in rooms in 64% of hotels, many of the big names still charge.

We found this to be pretty staggering stuff, considering that in a recent survey by Hotels.com, customers ranked free wi-fi to be the most important service offered by a hotel, and many of the main hotel price comparison sites will allow you to filter hotels by free wi-fi availability.

So why are the large chains still charging?
Is it simply holding to ransom those customers who want the security of staying in a hotel from a well know chain, in an age where many people cannot function on a personal or professional level without being connected to the internet? It seems this could indeed be the case – it is easy money,essentially making an extra few percent on each room rate sold. A quick look at Trip Advisor shows that some customers are not happy, especially when they are not informed about this charge when booking… so perhaps we will see the large hotel chains being forced to reconsider?

In the meantime, should you be planning a trip to the States in the near future, the chains still charging for wi-fi in your room include: Marriott, Hyatt, Sheraton, Waldorf Astoria, Ritz-Carlton, InterContinental and Hilton.