Anyone else hate paying for internet??
 

I find it rather ridiculous that the 'low scale' properties (Fairfield, SpringHill, Courtyard, etc) offer free internet, but the ones that charge you more for the room, also charge for internet.

Anyone else find it annoying to pay for internet??

And dont even get me started on parking :mad: Unless it is NYC or somewhere with absolutely no room, just include parking in what you're charging me for the room.

Yes, it is most annoying. :mad:

Free Wi-Fi would be one of the best elite benefits that would put Marriott ahead of its competitors, and would encourage customers to book the more expensive city properties instead of Courtyards/RIs.

As it stands now, many of the Hyatts and Hiltons where I have stayed provide free internet access in the business center, which is more than sufficient to check email and print boarding passes. IMO, Marriott is actually at a competitive disadvantage here. :(

Apparently, some Marriott/Rens are providing free hs internet. The Greenville SC Marriott provides complimentary hs internet. Interestingly, the Ren Paris Vendome advertises free hs internet on its website page, but when I attempted to login while staying at the hotel a few weeks ago, I was required to click on a button listing a ridiculous charge (I thing about 25 Euros per day.) When I complained to the front desk that I thought the internet was free, the clerk acted surprised and asked where I got that information. I said on the hotel's website. The clerk said he had to speak to somebody, then came back to the phone and told me it would be taken off my bill, but the hotel had just instituted the charge. (Then, after I logged on, I visited the hotel's webpage at marriott.com and, sure enough, it still listed free hs internet.) I just checked the website again as I'm posting this, and it says "complimentary hs internet".

To answer your question, for whatever reason I absolutely resent being charged at a full service Marriott or Ren for hs internet.

I don't care about Internet charges. If I'm traveling on business, I just expense it. If I'm traveling for pleasure, I won't be paying for a full-service property (waaaaaaaaaaaaay too expensive), so I'll end up at one of the lower-end properties that does have free Internet.

It is ironic to me that the "high end, high price" properties nickel and dime you with Internet fees and parking charges...i mean, if they charge $179 a night or $249 a night or $329 a night, do they really need to - want to - antagonize the guests with a separate $9.95 internet fee? I just don't understand this...

Also, I stayed in Rochester (I think) at the Marriott, and the high speed internet was free, but they didn't have the all-you-can-use free phone deal...so be careful when you start making unlimited calls from your room.

I don't know...I've never paid for 'Net access out of my own pocket at a hotel before, so this issue doesn't register highly with me.

Most important to me: I want good, reliable access when I'm on a business stay, because I'm usually using it extensively to work in the evening. In most cases, I'd rather have a solid wired access than anything. I don't care if it's ten bucks a day (hey, there's another 150 Marriott points!) as long as I can plug it in and be rolling in seconds.

Parking charges only bug me if it's a suburban/rural hotel that has plenty of parking. If it's an urban hotel with limited onsite parking or valet-only, I kind of understand why they have to charge for it.

The biggest pet peeve of mine is the "energy surcharge". This should be illegal - period. The logical extension of the energy surcharge is that my expectation at booking-time was that of a hotel room that has no electricity. That is nonsensical. If a hotel is faced with higher energy costs, then they should raise the room rates - not attempt to sneak in a dishonest charge after the fact.

Totally agree
 

I am with you totally. Even though I don't pay for internet as I get to expense it to work I find it so frustrating that they charge for it. Especially $10 as the cost of internet is just not this expensive.

Parking is another stupid charge! I stay at the Del Mar Marriott regularly and it's not as if land is an issue here like in NYC or something.

Keep ppl happy since we're paying enough for the rooms as it doesn't actually cost anything to upkeep a car park does it.

I too disagree with the $10 internet charges, just put it in the room rate.

There was a recent story (USA Today I think) that said the charges at properties located downtown were typically older and built before being wired for the internet. Hence the fees were to offset the cost of installing wired networks in the buildings. And I'm sure those $10 fees will be gone as soon as they pay of the network installation costs :p (sarcasm intended).

Had to pay to use the swimming pool or gym at the Ren Vienna. There was no mention of charges on their website.

OK, so I not going with the popular opinion here, just offering an another side.

For me it is just another business expense. Also most Corporate rates include internet access. That said, even if I am travelling for leisure, no I don't mind paying as long as it it reliable and I absolutely need it for that day. I have been at smaller properties where the internet access is free but very unreliable or slow. If you are travelling on leisure you really have to think about why you are staying at a Business hotel rather than a smaller Inn & Suites.

You really cannot compare smaller Inn & Suites type properties with the a Full Service Marriott. Full service hotels are like tiny cities that provide a lot of services and have very high overhead. Adding internet service in every room incurs a substantial investment on their part. It is quite different from a small Inn & Suites type property where they hire a local computer geek to add a DSL line and buy a cheap wireless router.

why not just up the cost of the room by $10? I understand this side, but $10 a night is outrageous. I can have reliable high speed in my home for $50 a month, to have it for $70 a week in a hotel is definitely a rip!

I have a 2000 sq ft house at home with a full kitchen, garage, etc. that only costs me $40 a night. Why pay $80-400 per night for just a BEDROOM and BATHROOM? :D

I also think the internet should be included in the base rate. I usually avoid FS Marriotts because I'm on govt rates and I'm not sure if I get reimbursed for internet and parjing or not (I think not...), and I would feel guilty asking to be paid for these since they are free at other facilities. I would choose FS Marriotts more often if these were included.

This is easily my biggest pet peeve. I HATE having to pay extra for the internet. And I don't ever pay for it out of my own pocket, just think it's a dumb charge. Wireless or not, that aspect doesn't matter.

By the way - has anyone ever tried to use the internet through the TV? I have a couple of times when my laptop was in the shop. That's even a bigger joke, darn near impossible to use. And I think that gets some stupid charge as well.

100% agreement with you there. I was in a pinch about a year ago and absolutely had to check for an email while on a leisure trip where I didn't have my laptop. I was willing to pay the $10 for the email, so I tried logging in to the TV. It was the absolute worst system ever - slow, pages rendered totally wrong (making email almost impossible to use), and difficult to navigate around a page or from page to page. I was eventually able to get the email - after about 15 minutes.

At check-out, I let the front desk know how hard it was to use the system. Since I did get my email, I wasn't pushing for a refund - just letting them know I wasn't real happy with the user experience. The clerk laughed and admitted that the system sucks and that everybody hates it. He took the charge off my bill without my having to ask for it. :)

Count me in with the group that is bugged with hs web charges. I think, however, some of the posters have already answered the "why" quesiton.
I'm sure a high percentage of these charges just get expensed...meaning there are enough guests who don't really care....which is how hotels can get away with having those charges in the first place.

I'm afraid I don't buy the "higher overhead" agument for full-serv hotels having myriad "nickel and dime" charges. The "higher overhead" is already reflected in the higher room rates. I suspect where the higher overhead is coming into play is in published room rates being a bit below what the hotel really needs to make a decent profit. My guess is that the business model is "publish a room rate lower than what we need....then recover profit by nickel-diming the guest. Better to annoy the guest AFTER he/she arrives than scare him/her off when the hotel choice is being made"

Also in my experience, if a charge is really offensive enough, a little polite but loud and firm complaning usually will make it go away.