Hilton HHonors - Free Internet spreading?

(Usual obligatory disclaimer that I did a search on this and didn't find a similar thread)

I stayed at the Aurora, CO Embassy Suites two weekends ago, and they had free (wi-fi) Internet access. This was available to all, not just Gold/Diamonds, as evidenced by the information printed in the hotel guide.

To the best of my recollection, this is the first free Internet access that I've had at an Embassy Suites. MAYBE the industry is beginning to sense the annoyance (oft discussed) of staying at the low-end chain hotels (Hampton Inn) and getting free Internet, local calls, hot breakfast, etc., while being nickeled and $10'd at the high end hotels.

Last comment: I've been beaten so much into lowered expectations about this at Embassy Suites and Hiltons, that I didn't discover it until the second day of my stay after I'd used my dial-up, fall-back access...at a cost of $1 for the local call! Now that I know this is possible, you can bet I'll start by asking/reading.

:-: This has long been a source of irritation to me, also. I would consider free WiFi in Hilton and SPG property a huge amenity. Low and medium end hotels are offering it as normal as the telephone.
The upper end continues to want to squeeze the last penny possible out of the business traveler who they believe do not care about the "small" charges. :rolleyes:
It would tip the balance when deciding between two properties for me.

I can only hope it spreads to all properties of both Hilton and Marriott (those are the 2 I mostly use). I will try and split up my stay during the week at 2 hotels, one that has free internet and one that doesn't. Then I just plan on using the internet at the free place. I have never paid, and never will pay, for internet usage at a hotel.

Having to pay for the High speed Internet drives me crazy! Luckily free high speed seems to be spreading, although not as fast as I would have hoped, to all hotels.

The only WiFi service that IMHO is worth paying for is the T-Mobile one. For 29.99 I can use it at most Hyatt's and 99% of the Starbucks and Kinko's.

The only WiFi service that IMHO is worth paying for is the T-Mobile one. For 29.99 I can use it at most Hyatt's and 99% of the Starbucks and Kinko's.

If you are already a T-Mobile subscriber, you can add it on for only $19.99, plus it can be cancelled anytime - no contract! ^

With Embassy Suites is seems like the early adopters charge for the service. And now you can't hardly add it AND charge for it. For example the ES Dallas Park Central wants $10/day, but ES-Tampa Airport doesn't charge a fee.

Even the Super-8 in Aberdeen, South Dakota has free wireless internet.

Fortunately at Hilton Garden Inns and Hampton Inns, it appears to to be company policy not to charge for high speed internet access.

I do not like it either when the lower priced places give it away. I have thought about joining hotspot, bu tI am not sure if I can expense it for a month. I do know I can expense it for a night.

With Embassy Suites is seems like the early adopters charge for the service. And now you can't hardly add it AND charge for it. For example the ES Dallas Park Central wants $10/day, but ES-Tampa Airport doesn't charge a fee.


We stayed at the same Embassy Suites in Aurora a bit more than a year ago and I recall that they had high-speed Internet then and I definately recall that it wasn't free (as that would have stuck in my mind). So, I'm holding out hope that this is a change and, perhaps, the start of a trend.

I stay 250+ nights a year a either a Hilton or Marriott property. If Hilton made free high speed access a company policy for next year, I would defiantly switch to 100% Hilton. My company does not reimburse for high speed wireless access.

Free wireless at Hilton Charlotte University Place. I was shocked.

Free high speed internet access at the DT Oak Brook, IL, Knoxville Hilton - Downtown, and Hilton Houston Southwest. I do hope it's spreading among the more expensive places. But now the low cost places have trumped again with a few, none in in the Hilton family, unfortunately, offering free long distance calling. I'll take the quality of a land line over a cell phone anytime. ^

In January of this year, we were told here in FT that Hilton Corporate was pushing Hilton operators to start offering free service. Take a look at the exchange between myself and Hilton Guy (the closest thing this forum has to a Hilton Lurker) in this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=394636

Am at this property tonight and am coming to you live and in person on free internet *smile*

I believe all the HGI, HI and HS offer *FREE* high speed internet connections. Many have a complimentary desktop comuter and printer in case you forget to bring your laptop. Unfortunately they can be very busy, especially in the morning..

MisterNice

In January of this year, we were told here in FT that Hilton Corporate was pushing Hilton operators to start offering free service. Take a look at the exchange between myself and Hilton Guy (the closest thing this forum has to a Hilton Lurker) in this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=394636

(Wired) high speed internet was free at the Silver Spring MD Hilton this weekend. Of course they were having a convention and perhaps the convention included this as part of their contract. I know that the DT San Jose makes high speed internet free to all of their guests every Memorial Day Weekend because the contract for the convention that weekend calls for it and it is easier to charge no one than figure out who should be charged.

Hilton Hasbrouck Heights/Meadowlands has free Wi-Fi.
Last I stayed there, Hilton Parsippany did not have free service. Staying there tonight so I'll update this if it has changed.

The Embassy Suites at Logan Airport in Boston has free wired hi speed access. That's the only reason I stay there.... :)

To solve the "no wi-fi" issue, I picked up a Netgear WGR101 travel router for about $75 last year. It is roughly the size of a pack of cards, and plugs into any hotel's wired connection. Boom! Instant wireless. As a bonus, it also allows my husband and me to share an Internet connection when we're staying in a room together, rather than have to trade off on who can plug in. It's permanently in my rollaboard now.

I don't care about Internet fees. I just expense 'em. It means more points for me, anyway.

Just completed a weekend stay at the St. Louis Hilton (downtown). Free (and fast) wireless throughout the hotel. This hotel just opened in March (according to the bartender) and was quite nice.

Notwithstanding the free v. fee status between business- and leisure-oriented hotels' wifi internet access, in September I found some free internet PC access at two Hiltons (we were on honeymoon so I left the laptop at work):
- Boston Logan Hilton, at the rear of the lobby in front of the lifts; and
- NY Hilton - no charge access in the business centre, and these were PCs without the swipe slot, so charging *may* be at the employee's discretion.

Millenium Hilton, NYC: free wi/fi in lobby and bar and in (4th fl?) restaurant. Pay high speed in guestrooms.

HGI's (at least, all I have stayed in) have free internet.

I always complain at Hilton's without free access..... Most have remkoved it from bill.

All the 9.95 (or whatever) charge is, is just another way to add 10.00 to room rate.

If Hamptons, Marriott Fairfield Inns, Clubhouse and other lower tier properties can offer free access, why cant the flagship properties????? :mad:

Free Internet is standard at all Hamptons, Garden Inns, and Homewoods. I have yet to stay in a full service Hilton where it was available for free. I really do think it would be a great marketing ploy for Hilton to make it free in the full service hotels, as most Marriotts, Westins, and other similar properties charge for Internet as well.

It really would make a good marketing idea. I would be likely to choose a property with free WiFi if all other things were somewhat equal.

I know that a lot of people just expense it, but many of us do not. It really is an insult to pay $200.-$250. a night and get knicked with the little extra charges that are free in less expensive properties.
I see that some SPG properties is starting to offer free WiFi in lobbies.

One thing I don't like about the free Internet at Hamptons is the annoying code thing. Why do they make you do this? I have never had to do it at a Hilton Garden Inn or Homewood Suites with free Internet, but at every Hampton it's a requirement. It's fine when it works, but in the past three weeks I've had five Hampton stays, and at only two hotels has the code entry worked flawlessly. The others I've had to call tech support and been directed to clear my browser cache (didn't work), clear my cookies (didn't work), and then been told it must be a local issue with the hotel's router. In each case it's been an issue with the code entry page not loading. I did finally get told by one tech support person if I look up the IP address for the hotel's gateway (IPCONFIG or by looking at the configuration screen for my Windows networking connection) and then type the gateway's IP address into my browser's address line manually, it should work. This did fix the problem, but still, why do Hamptons make you go through this annoyance? And more than once on multi-day stays, the housekeeper has thrown out my little card or slip with the access code, and I've had to call down to the front desk to get the code. I just don't get it. If you're giving away the Internet for free, what's the point of this??? If other hotel brands, including other Hilton family brands, don't make you have an access code, why does Hampton?

The Hampton Inn code card thingee has gotten better but totally un-needed. I think HI was sold a dumb connection package and they fell for it. I have been occasionally trying to decode it but not worth much effort. A couple ofthe HGI do/did the same code card bit.

MisterNice

One thing I don't like about the free Internet at Hamptons is the annoying code thing. Why do they make you do this?

If this is for the wireless, it's to keep non-guests from hanging out in the parking lot and logging into the wireless. We ran into that at a Courtyard in Council Bluffs, IA.

I suspect the reason Hilton doesn't make the first move in offering free Internet at its Hilton properties is that the other chains will immediately match it- and then they'll all have decreased their revenues. So, no one wants to be first.

An unhappy twist to this whole scam- I checked into the Millenium Knickerbocker in Chicago and couldn't find the cable to connect to their high-speed Internet. It was in the minibar. It cost $6.95 in addition to the daily charge. Well, now I have my own cable.

It really would make a good marketing idea. I would be likely to choose a property with free WiFi if all other things were somewhat equal.

I know that a lot of people just expense it, but many of us do not. It really is an insult to pay $200.-$250. a night and get knicked with the little extra charges that are free in less expensive properties.
I see that some SPG properties is starting to offer free WiFi in lobbies.
Several of the sheratons I stay at offer free internet. Even the Westins offer the $10-15 internet and free phone calls within the USA. Not great, but better then 10 bucks for internet alone.

I asked about the code thing and was told it was to keep people from coming in and using the connections. Believe it or not, there are people who come in for breakfast and stay to use the connections. Not guests.

I think the charge thing comes down to one thing, and one thing only. As long as people are still paying for it, they will charge for it. No use in giving it for free if the hotel is sold out and they get some people to pay the fee. Even if it's only one person paying, that's more money then if they gave it for free, and since the hotel is full, it's not like it's costing them rooms.

I made a call or two and found out at least two Hampton Inns change their code weekly and both do it on a Saturday night. I guess we could do a HI Secret Wi-Fi Code post on FT but that would be a lotta posts.

FWIW the HI Surrey BC Secret Wi-Fi Code for next week (ie it starts late on Oct 22) will be YNJBC8434 and for Oct 18 it was YNJBC1789. I hope the parking lot dont becomes too crowded with the dreaded Wi-Fi leechers.

MisterNice

I can understand the concern about non-guests coming in to rip off wireless Internet, but why only the code at Hamptons and not Homewoods and Hilton Garden Inns, most of which have wireless too? And Homewood has the free breakfast as well -- a much better one than at Hampton.

I kind of agree with MisterNice - Hilton was sold a package for Internet at all Hamptons that included this deal.

And all Hamptons do change the code on the weekends. I've had stays over a Saturday night before where the code mysteriously stopped working on Sunday morning and when I called the front desk I was given a new code. They don't pick the code either. It's generated for them and they look it up on a website. I stumbled into the site last week during my quest to resolve the issue with not getting to the code entry page at the Hampton Greenwood SC, and it has a page that allows each Hampton property to enter it's property code and then see the codes for the current and next weeks.

Anyway, I still find the code annoying, but at least all Hamptons have high speed Internet. There are certain aspects of my job that would be extremely difficult to do if I had to stay in a property with nothing but dialup access.

I stumbled into the site last week during my quest to resolve the issue with not getting to the code entry page at the Hampton Greenwood SC, and it has a page that allows each Hampton property to enter it's property code and then see the codes for the current and next weeks.


And the url is...? ;)

The Hilton Lisle/Naperville is now offering free internet - at least for Diamond's.

We received a nice mini-suite on the 6th floor. We were just about the farthest room from the lounge but it was a nice room. Very business oriented property. Nice pool, exercise room and several computers available for use.

Just completed a stay at Hilton Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) and Towers. The wireless, in-room internet service was FREE. First time I have encountered this at a Hilton Hotel. It was a nice surprise. I thought it was because we were on the concierge level or was included in the booking package made by my cousin (we were staying in conjunction with a family celebration), but the front desk said, no, it's free in every room. It was good, fast service, too.

I am in the Hilton in Abu Dhabi, and in-room wired and lounge WiFi are free for Golds and above.

It was nice to find free Wi-Fi here at the DoubleTree Savannah's Historic District in Georgia...

...I will try and split up my stay during the week at 2 hotels, one that has free internet and one that doesn't. Then I just plan on using the internet at the free place...


I do the same thing on long trips. I will stay at a HGI mid-week and then move to a different Hilton Brand for Friday and the weekend. That way I have i-net and printing when I need it during business times.

Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter (across from the convention center) is a new Hilton with a W Hotel feel, minus the loud, dark bar in the lobby. It has free high-speed internet-- wired in rooms and wireless in lobby.

Free wireless at Hilton Charlotte University Place. I was shocked.

Hilton Durham, Duke U also

BTW, if not free, I leet manager know that I am leaving to go to low cost property with Free access.......They have ALWAYS removed charges.

Just FYI, the Hilton in Greenville, SC offers free wifi.

Hilton San Antonio offers free hi speed Internet (not wifi) for all Gold and Diamond members ($9.95 a day for everyone else). I was there last week ... this is the first time I'd ever gotten free Internet for my status...

[QUOTE=Flyer23]To solve the "no wi-fi" issue, I picked up a Netgear WGR101 travel router for about $75 last year. It is roughly the size of a pack of cards, and plugs into any hotel's wired connection. Boom! Instant wireless. As a bonus, it also allows my husband and me to share an Internet connection when we're staying in a room together, rather than have to trade off on who can plug in. It's permanently in my rollaboard now.
QUOTE]

For additional discussion of travel routers see this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345358

I also keep one with me when travelling!

I wouldn't call it FREE. I would call in, INTERNET INCLUSIVE IN ROOM RATE. Just like frequent flyer miles, it is not free. You have already paid for it.

Free wi-fi at Hilton Newark-Fremont (CA) just north of San Jose.

Free High Speed Internet at the LA/Rosemead Doubletree.

I'm at the doubletree metropolitan in new york as i write this.

I stayed over the weekend at the comfort inn in times square. it was $89 on thursday and $109 on friday and saturday and came with free internet.

Switched to the Doubletree to get hilton points (and because on Sunday they drop the normal rate to $139 from like $179 and offer double points and miles) and they CHARGE me for internet access.

makes no sense

I'm at the doubletree metropolitan in new york as i write this.

I stayed over the weekend at the comfort inn in times square. it was $89 on thursday and $109 on friday and saturday and came with free internet.

Switched to the Doubletree to get hilton points (and because on Sunday they drop the normal rate to $139 from like $179 and offer double points and miles) and they CHARGE me for internet access.

makes no sense

I thought Free Internet available in all Doubletrees??????????????

1. Hilton Knoxville Airport

2. DT Biltmore Asheville, NC

3. Hilton Charlotte University Place. This was mentioned earlier, but I thought I would bring it up again because we've discussed the poor quality of the wi-fi before. This time, much better. Looks like they have a new provider.

Will be glad when the London Heathrow Hilton offers free internet - stayed there two weeks ago - £15 ($27) for high speed - ouch !

I thought Free Internet available in all Doubletrees??????????????

Definitely not. In talking to the Doubletree Dallas Manager, they are apparently trying to negotiate with their internet provider to let them offer it free. Not sure what the specifics of that really are.

If you are Gold, you can go to the myway preferences and choose free internet at the Embassy Suites as your "bonus"

Just stayed at the Logan Airport Hilton and had free wireless internet access but that was the only perk for this Diamond member. Very ordinary room, no executive lounge access and no free breakfast.

Many of you may already know this, but....

http://www.wififreespot.com/

Just stayed at the Logan Airport Hilton and had free wireless internet access but that was the only perk for this Diamond member. Very ordinary room, no executive lounge access and no free breakfast.

Weird, I have always gotten Executivie Lounge Access at the Boston Logan Hilton. Are you sure they knew you were Diamond? The Hiton T&C say that you are supposed to get lounge access or breakfast at all Hiltons in the US etc. if you are Gold / Diamond.

Hilton Tucson East had signs in the room last week saying that internet was available, but there would be a charge. I do not pay for internet. I went to the desk and asked if there was anywhere in the hotel that I could log on for a short time for free ( thinking lobby, executive lounge, business center ). The desk agent looked at me like I was crazy and said there was no charge for internet anywhere. I went back to the room and it was in fact free. Must be changing.

I was at the Hilton in downtown SF last week and they still charge for the Internet, $9.99 a day if I recall correctly. I could also get a Wifi signal in the room from a local company that charges $8.95 a day.

Free wireless at Embassy Suites in Arcadia, CA. Besides the Doubletree Rosemead mentioned above, does anyone know of other Hilton properties with free access in that area?

Free wireless at Embassy Suites in Arcadia, CA. Besides the Doubletree Rosemead mentioned above, does anyone know of other Hilton properties with free access in that area?

Hampton Inn Arcadia: 311 East Huntington Drive, Arcadia, 91006, 626-574-5600

Remember your Ethernet cable and/or your portable wireless router (I bring my AirPort Express).

Weird, I have always gotten Executivie Lounge Access at the Boston Logan Hilton. Are you sure they knew you were Diamond? The Hiton T&C say that you are supposed to get lounge access or breakfast at all Hiltons in the US etc. if you are Gold / Diamond.

Absolutely!!! They were wrong!

When you guys get access through the executive lounge, is this via a free wireless available there, or via computer workstations belonging to Hilton in the exec lounge? The Hilton at which I often stay does not have any computers in the exec lounge, the wireless is $9.99/day, and the business center has signs stating that access from there is $14.95/day.

... If you are Gold, you can go to the myway preferences and choose free internet at the Embassy Suites as your "bonus"

That option is great, but I hope a "freebie" soon makes it obsolete.

My current stay in the Hoosier state has an Ibahn login for $9.95. The front desk says it will be free based on the corp. discount rate plan....Better be! (Ibahn also upchucks when using the Aventail VPN client on a Dell laptop.)

I'm HH Gold, but have been Marriott Platinum (and 2 other Golds) for 2 years running, and love their totally free internet at RI/CY/FI/TPS/SHS properties...and no free breakfast hassles except at CY for my level. (Same reason I don't do *Wood.)

On some folks' "annoying codes"...I'd just be glad it is free. I would dearly love, however, if they would require and apply such codes in the WEP Key encryption box of the Wireless Network Connection setup, however. Though the Ibahn page trumpets it is using WAP encryption (less secure), I see no indication that the vanilla SSID has this encryption applied to the connection. I saw other SSIDs that included WPA or WPA_CD on the end, but they required a WEP key to access, and the front desk had no clue. I hope I howled enough to get them to chat with Ibahn and a security guru some more.

I REALLY wish that Hilton would have an eye for computer security, especially in this day of hacking and identity theft!!!

Absolutely --NO-- connection setup instructions should have the requirement to uncheck "encryption type" and set it to "Disabled". Shame on you, Hiltons, and any other chain using wireless that lazily does the same thing.

I'll take the certainty of "hard-wired" at Marriott (and the breakfast) until this gets resolved.
(P.S.: Super 8 in Altoona PA even has hi-speed internet, but 1 of 2 in Manassas VA by IAD may not.)

Hilton Tucson East had signs in the room last week saying that internet was available, but there would be a charge. I do not pay for internet. I went to the desk and asked if there was anywhere in the hotel that I could log on for a short time for free ( thinking lobby, executive lounge, business center ). The desk agent looked at me like I was crazy and said there was no charge for internet anywhere. I went back to the room and it was in fact free. Must be changing.

I was in the Tucson Hilton last week as well and the internet was free in the sleeping room and the meeting room