hailstorm

It shows as chargeable, just as there is a price on the menu at breakfast. Regardless, both are indeed comped to Golds.

runarbg

I think a clarification from Erin is needed here.......

Smaug

I believe this is the case.

JDiver

Hilton Garden Inn Monterey shows "complimentary" sign-up, but it leads to Basic Internet access for $4.95 (this is what elites are allowed, but of course we can buy up to $9.95 per 24 hours.

Ping: 34 ms
Download: 0.86 Mbps
Upload: 0.47 Mbps



They also began charging $10.00 for parking.

Other properties seem to be going there as well. I'm imagining Blackheart / Hilton is actively consulting / urging properties to "enhance their revenue" with unbundling.

toooldtostayoutlate

I'm imagining Blackheart / Hilton is actively consulting / urging properties to "enhance their revenue" with unbundling.[/QUOTE]

Yep. Seeing this at every almost hilton I go to now.

Kacee

And we are all free to de-enhance their revenue by moving all of our stays to the chains that don't try to screw us on internet.

kesco

Yup. And for me it'll be a significant revenue impact to them. Just tallied up what I spent with Hilton this year... About $12k. Not chomp change.

Wrote earlier in this thread I'm gone mid year if this isn't fixed cross property for at least Diamonds.

Justin7525

Every Hilton property I have stayed at as had this option appear when staying.

-Complimentary
-Premium 4.95

Two properties reimbursed the charges, one did not. I contacted the property (Hilton Garden INN Idaho Falls) and after several email relays involving HHonors I was told this was the hotel property's policy.

If you go to Hilton's elite benefit webpage you will notice that "Premium or High Speed" has disappeared from the description. It now says complimentary lobby/wifi. Interpret that as you will.

I have asked Marriott if they would status match. They said no, but they do fast track to Platinum.

I will be making the move to Marriott for 2015 unless Hilton Honors clarifies what is a perk and what isn't. I don't mind no getting internet free, but what I DO MIND is saying you are offering something free but is dumbed down so much that you are railroaded into picking the premium option.

Good Luck doing VPN, WebEx, file uploads, etc on "complimentary wifi".

hsmall

I am at the Doubletree Berkeley Marina (I like it here; many don't) but the wifi benefits suck.

The choice is either "free" benefits for golds and diamonds or "complimentary" access for all guests or a premium product. The first two are the same. So there is no advantage that I can see for golds and silvers at all. The speed of the basic product is just about acceptable for ordinary browsing - 1.38 Mbsp down and 0.80 Mbps up (with the overload that that is of course going through a wifi router as you are limited otherwise to three devices).

mstan

If you get fed up with hotel wifi charges or speeds and decide to use your own wifi hotspot device or phone hotspot, hotels want to prevent that by spoofing de-auth packets to render your device inoperable. Marriott is driving it but apparently Hilton supports this. See the CNN article: http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/25/tech...marriott-wifi/. See this: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/comment/view?id=60001005951

Points Scrounger

This is what I'm wondering about: why would Hilton issue such an edict, unless they are somehow subsidizing each elite guest's log in? There are Doubletrees that give full breakfast, even though that's supposedly a corporate "violation".

ITravelElite

$18 dollar for paid WIFI at MilleniumHilton Is Hilton Hotels going back to the year 2000? Free WIFI is slow

bldr1k

As a Diamond for the last 10 years, I've found that the benefits have been reduced every year to the point where they don't matter. As a result after I hit 60 nights I switch to another chain and the last three years I've gotten to the top level at 3 or 4 of the chains. With a few exceptions, I get treated better at many hotels where I have no status then I do at Hiltons as a diamond.

The net result of this is that Hilton looses $30-$40K of my spend each year.

The problem is that they don't care about loyalty - just like the airlines.

clarence5ybr

Hyatt is going the exact opposite direction of Hilton—Hyatt will be offering free wifi to all guests chainwide in February 2015. In their news release (short quote and full link below), they mention that “Internet connectivity is no longer an amenity. It has become an integral part of travelers’ daily lives and a basic expectation,” and that they made their decision based on "listening to what [their] guests say."

I find it hard to believe that Hilton listened to any of their frequent guests before implementing their new plan.

Free Wi-Fi will become available to Hyatt guests around the world in February 2015. Travelers will be able to access free Wi-Fi on an unlimited number of mobile devices or laptops in Hyatt-branded hotel guest rooms and social spaces.

“Internet connectivity is no longer an amenity. It has become an integral part of travelers’ daily lives and a basic expectation,” said Kristine Rose, vice president of brands for Hyatt. “Travelers shouldn’t have to remember which brands or locations offer it for free or the strings attached to get it.”

Hyatt hotels across many brands have long offered Wi-Fi at no charge to guests in several of its brands and to elite members of the Hyatt Gold Passport loyalty program. Expanding free Wi-Fi is part of Hyatt’s ongoing focus to make the guest experience more seamless.

“Our colleagues are committed to not just listening to what our guests say, but understanding their real needs...."

Link to news release

jamesteroh

Marriott is providing free basic wifi for all MR members and providing their highest tiers with free highest speed. If MR and Hyatt can offer it, then Hilton should give diamonds the highest speed for free.

Hilton doesn't do much to distinguish diamonds from gold and this would b ea great benefit to do so without costing them anything