I'm not a technoid, but my understanding is that with wi-fi there is always the remote possibility that your transmission could be "intercepted." My employer, for example, won't allow the use of wi-fi on company laptops because they are concerned that client data might be intercepted.

I have always been a fan of RI, but some are getting outdated and I think Homewood suites is beating them out.

I think that Marriott is realizing that as well. I have noticed a number of RIs being updated. I was in Rochester, NY a couple of weeks ago and the RI there is having a major uplift going on.

Spent the past two nights in the LRD RI and it is very nice! Granted, the lodging choices in LRD aren't that great, but the RI still stands out. One of the nicer RIs I've stayed in.

The only RI I have ever stayed at is the Manhattan Beach one. How does it compare to other RI's?

I was just there in Williamsburg on Monday and Tuesday of this week. I don't if any renovation has been done or not. I found the property to be in excellent shape and the beds seemed fine. Perhaps they are new, I'm not sure how to tell.

Overall, I had no complaints about my stay and I would rate Williamsburg, VA as one of the better Residence Inns.

I just completed a one weeks stay at the Rochester, Mn, Residence Inn. This property is only 2 years old. I was quite pleased with my accommodations. Everything was clean, the bed was comfortable and I liked all of the pillows and the feather duvet. The gym had all new equipment. This property is an excellent choice for those planning to go to the Mayo Clinic. The clinic is only 2 blocks away, however, one also has the option of walking through the subway from the hotel to the clinic. As the weather is normally pretty miserable in RST, this subway option is quite valuable. We were pleasantly surprised to find a LCD hi definition flat-screen TV in the living room. MGR told us that only rooms ending in 02 and 16 have these TV's

I normally stay at the West Des Moines RI a few nights every month. I've tried 4 or 5 others that are close to the office but the RI meets my needs.
1) I prefer wireless internet since I hate to be tied to a desk and I'm careful about where I go in the internet when I'm not on my home network
2) the beds are comfortable
3) the rooms are brighter due to the larger windows

Some of the others seemed "worn" or "dark" .

I always bring a travel candle to take care of any possible hotel smell.

Yes, the 5 pts is a drawback but I consider the other items more important.

I really agree. The Beverly Hills RI will always be at the top of my list when returning to west LA. The free internet conection, wide-screen flat tv's along with the Marriott bed made this property a much better value than anything else in the area.

I choose it after having a great stay at the Newport-Costa Mesa 'traditional' updated RI the night before. I am really glad that the RI brand is getting a much needed update and they are doing a good job of it.

I'm on a long-term stay at the RI - Vermont Ave - DC. They are just about done with the renovation...the new beds are great! About 40% of the rooms have a full stove/oven and I get one of those every time. As one who is out the door by 4:30 a.m. on week-days I do not get breakfast 5 days a week, but that doesn't bother me. The folks are great. If something does go wrong they get it fixed quickly, but one thing the GM has no control over is the 5 points. It has burned me for years and continues to do so as I very slowly work my way toward life-time platinum (3M point - 1M more to go).

If you're referring to the one on Sepulveda Blvd, it is NOT representative of most RIs.

Stayed in Birmingham the other day reserved a studio and ended up opening the door to a 2 bedroom suite.