Hotels With Free Wi-Fi

Tired of paying high fees for Internet? Here are alternatives.

Tired of paying high daily fees for Internet access on the road? You're not alone. Experts say free wireless or high-speed Internet in guest rooms is becoming a service guests expect, like shampoo, telephones and cable TV. Pyramid Research estimates that 6,000 hotels worldwide provide Wi-Fi access, with that number expected to grow to 25,000 by 2007.

For those wishing to avoid paying exorbitant fees for Internet access, here is a sampling of hotels that offer free Wi-Fi and high-speed Internet connections:

• Omni
  This chain also has about 40 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Omni was the first of the upscale chains to introduce free Wi-Fi in all guest rooms in all properties, earning it a top spot in 2005's J.D. Power and Associates survey. Company spokesperson Christine Connelly was recently quoted by CBS MarketWatch as saying they didn't want to "nickel and dime [guests] to death." That happens to be one of my pet peeves with hotels, so kudos to Omni for getting it right.
  
  
• Kimpton
  All Kimpton locations have free Wi-Fi in the lobby, meeting rooms, and most adjacent restaurants, with free wired high-speed Internet in all guest rooms. The boutique hotel chain has about 40 locations, mostly in major cities like San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Chicago, with a few vacation spots like Whistler and Aspen.
  
  
• Hotel Indigo
  This new chain from InterContinental Hotel Group has free Wi-Fi. Locations include Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Sarasota, Florida.
  
  
• Microtel Inns & Suites
  This budget chain started offering free Wi-Fi in all guest rooms in early 2005. The chain is located in smaller cities and in suburbs of larger cities. This chain also ranked highly in the J.D. Power and Associates survey for 'Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Economy/Budget Hotel Chains.'

On the other end of the spectrum, charging a fee for using wireless access in the lobby landed Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton on HotelChatter's list of the worst chains for Wi-Fi. Add Loews to that list as well.