Starwood Preferred Guest - Wi-Fi 802.11 access -- free at Omni

Omni Hotels got it right. I'm sure Starwood is watching closely...

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Omni To Roll Out Free Wireless Systemwide

FEBRUARY 03, 2003 -- Omni Hotels today announced it will offer free wireless high-speed Internet access in all of its hotels by year-end. The service will be available in guest rooms as well as select public spaces.

The latest hotel chain to upgrade its Internet accessibility, Omni said guests will be able to log on through a wireless compliant network interface card found in most new laptops. The service currently is operational at four of Omni's 40 hotels. Other properties in the chain presently offer a wired solution.

For such hotel chains as Omni, offering high-speed connectivity, whether in a wired or wireless solution and especially at no daily fee, is a form of competitive advantage in promoting their hotels to travel buyers. Increasingly, requests for proposals ask hotels to spell out precisely what is their Internet capability. Business travelers consistently have told buyers they place a priority on quick Internet access in order to be able to access their e-mail messages while away from the office.

I cannot see this happening at Starwood on a massive scale because of the nature and variety of brands, and various franchise agreements, etc. The scale of Starwood v Omni can't be compared. However, it seems like a prime opportunity for, say, WESTIN, to offer as a brand enhancement. Westin will have the wireless, Four Points will have the wired, and Sheraton will have ... well, a surprise when you get to the hotel.

Just spent a nice time at the St Regis/Aspen over NY's day, but was really disappointed this ultra-high-end property....didn't even offer broadband. And top top of the insult, the hotel managed to nail me for a $20+ single call charge because I used the dial up one time in a 5-day stay and stayed online for around an hour. yes, I should have read the fine print, yes, this property, with rooms at $1200 a night, simply should have offered broadband. period. Then, again, that this hotel feels compelled to nickel guests for...having the audacity to dial up and use the internet for an hour or longer...just really made them look petty IMO.

Since evey concierge desk (there are three at this property) in this property had nice 18" or larger flat screens AND clearly had broadband access to the internet, I therefore know positively broadband was available to this hotel. Why they don't deploy it to all guests rooms...got me. Wireless would be a very quick fix for a property that doesn't have the motivation to run new wiring through walls, etc, which admittedly is a major distraction.

Inexcuseable a hotel of this level doesn't offer broadband in 2002....well, now 2003.

Broadband availability was one of my screens for selecting a [starwood] vacation property in 2002...ths year will be even more critical in my travels to have broadband access.

Please note starwood ===> Omni just came into my view as a potential hotel brand with this announcement. <===

Starwood is doing what I thought was a fair to solid broadband rollout...and then I stay at a St Regis and get nickeled and dimed using unacceptable dial-up. Makes one wonder if starwood understands the criticality of broadband access these days. Even if just a revenue -neutral proposition and deployed to a small subset of rooms so equipped, to be lacking this technology at a business-class or above property these days IMO costs them guests that just manage to find places like this Omni. IOW - business opportunities that never even walk in the door and go down the street. Tough to empirically measure business that never came in the door.

hint - "build it and they will come". "Heavenly bed" promo worked, right ? Don't give us reasons to pass starwood properties by and go to competition. broadband is here to stay - delaying the deployment is not good business.

[This message has been edited by ILUVCITIBANK (edited 02-04-2003).]

Not to rain on anyone's parade but the Heavenly Bed promo did not work as expected.

It was just a case of the right idea at the wrong time.

With the rapidly growing number of people out there with WiFi in their laptops and PDA's it would really be a good marketing move for an upscale chain like Westin or W to invest a few bucks for WiFi access points - even if they charge a fee for that service.

using DSL technology, you dont normally have to upgrade the wiring in the hotel. adding wireless is the easiest way to start. bring in T-Moblie if you dont want to do billing, etc yourself. even STSN can wire up a hotel for wireless.

if I can get wireless at Starbucks, why not a highend hotel from Westin or St. Regis. $10 for a 24 hour period is worth it.

Christian

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Eastbay1K:
However, it seems like a prime opportunity for, say, WESTIN, to offer as a brand enhancement.</font>

Hmm...how about...

Westin Heavenly Internet? No wires, no waiting...just high speed air. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I absolutely LOVE any company that embraces high speed wireless! I'm going to love the day when I can sit in just about any public space and use broadband from my laptop. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by TravelScholar (edited 02-06-2003).]