Even worse at some properties
 

I just stayed at the KC Marriott/Westport. I was getting very spoty service on my Cingular cell (I know, Cingular sucks) so I was forced to use the hotel phone. I had paid for the internet access so I was suprised by the LD charge on my bill. When I questioned the charges, the desk clerk informed me that the $9.95/day didn't include long distance.

Needless to say, I'm never staying at that property again. They lost my business over a couple of bucks.

One crack in the FS Marriott HSIA charge facade
 

The Las Vegas Renaissance includes (wired) HSIA in guest rooms in the room rate.

If Hilton FS is beginning to include in the room rate, Marriott will likely follow at some point. Marriott isn't really a leader in innovation (with the possible exception of the creation of the Courtyard brand); they like to watch what everyone else is doing, then adopt it once a tipping point is reached. Examples: the 100% non-smoking rooms; enhanced beds/bedding.

Just a note to be careful with the internet + free long distance. At some hotels (I can speak to the JW Marriott in downtown Miami), that is a separate package from the regular $9.95 internet and needs to be activated by calling the front desk.

There are other things that guide my choice of hotels as well. I do the FS thing if i know i'm going to have a stressful schedule/client, Otherwise, generally i just try to stay close to the customer, usually at a CY or RI if i know i'll be there for a while. I generally don't worry too much about the HS charge. Generally i just think it's annoying.. I'll be glad when Marriott dumps it.

_m

I agree it is annoying. Also, the Sheratons I have been at have been pretty good at not charging me as a SPG Platinum. I think it is a great perk!
I wish Marriott would do something like that. Even if only charging Gold/Platinum's $5.00 a day would be a nice "bone" to throw. But that is just me...

SF Marriott
 

Agreed about the outrageous parking at the San Fran FS Marriott. We do not stay there for that reason and we are Marriott Plat. We had several run-ins with the valet parking there. They are obnoxious and act like they run the hotel (they do not even work for the hotel). It is unfortunately a common phenomenon at hotels and restaurants on the west coast, but these guys take it to a new level.

There is free wi-fi in SF in the FS Hilton lobby and also at the Apple Store.

I've commented about this before. I don't know about anyone else, but I can't say I've seen anything that would lead me to believe Marriott's about to loosen the screws on this one. IMHO it will take major competitive pressure by the competiton to get Marriott to act. As a businessperson, I'm not readily inclined to turn away a major revenue stream....even one that may be getting limited use....if I don't have to. Besides, this give the hotel a nice little bauble they can throw in for free if there's some minor problem with your room. "Low water pressure?....gee sorry about that. Here, we'll take that HSIA charge off your bill."

I don't think ten bucks a day is all that terrible of a deal with unlimited phone thrown in. But the problem with including the phone is that a large percentage of guests are using their own cell phones.

As a Marriott Plat, I have made decisions on where to stay based on free HSIA. Because of that my choices, in priority order are, Residence Inn, Courtyard and then FI. I refuse to pay $9.95 per day for HSIA at a FS Marriott, where the rate can be anywhere from $75 to $100 more per day than at a nearby Courtyard or FI.

There's a pretty big difference between a FI and a FS Marriott tho.. I guess i'm willing just stay at the best hotel with reason and mentally add the HS to the hotel bill. Most of the time this is moot as the CY is usually the best (read closest) hotel.

_m

Major competitive pressures have been in effect for some time now.

As an <imaginary> Marriott executive, though, I would try to wring every last penny out of this declining revenue stream.

Those who feel strongly enough about this should not, IMO, transfer their business to other Marriott properties where the HS internet is "free".

You need to go to a competitor who offers this service for "free" at a property that is competitive with the style and price you desire.

The only way this is going to be changed for good is if we vote with our wallets.

Or we do as we did with cellphones. Get a wireless internet service and use it. If you spend 5-6 nights in a hotel that charges $10+ a night, you can pay for wireless service from Verizon, Cingular, or T-Mobile and just tell the hotel to forget it.

I'm currently on a budget plan for travel, so it's CY, FI or the like right now for me. And they all to have HSIA.

I have ended up in a few hotels (non-Marriott) that advertised internet service - and ended up using dial-out because the HS service was broken. As a result (and a result of international travel where HSIA is not as common or is more expensive), I maintain a prepaid dialup account that has global numbers.

That's the other important thing about "free".
Since it's a not-for-profit thing, the hotel is not going to offer the latest and greatest technology and/or keep the system humming.
But you have to factor this into the decision making process.

At the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, the High Speed Internet Service is $9.95 per day (noon to noon) plus applicable taxes which includes unlimited local and long distance calls. The rooms have a flyer that indicates this. This past weekend, I asked for the High Speed Internet Access. I made some long distance calls on the hotel phone. The next day charges for $44 and $38 showed up. I took the flyer about the High Speed Rate down to the front desk, told him about the charges, and he removed them; he placed the $9.95 charge on the account.

The Atlanta Midtown Suites in Georgia has the same service for $12.95 per day.

I linked this site to an email that I sent to Marriott. I was told in a nut shell that the internet was $12.95 per day. No offers of comp's or discount. I did change hotel reservations mid stay due to the internet service and price of the hotel. I can not rationalize the $$$ per night then pay extra for a normally included service in a lower priced hotel. The first thing that accounting would do on the expense report would question the higher than normal $$ per night and then the extras. If you added the parking, high speed internet and then the price of the room, you could easily be over $200 per night.

The free long distance is basically worthless since 95% of the people in the world have cell phones with free long distance and unlimited minutes.

I suppose Marriott has such a large following of people that they do not need new customers. Be a leader or a follower. Most of the time the followers get swallowed by the leaders.

Well, at least 95% of FT'ers anyway. ;)