Long gone are the days where an arm and leg had to be paid for Wi-Fi.
Pretty much every major hotel group offers free Wi-Fi to all of its guests these days, as long as the guest is a member of the hotel loyalty program. Guess its a good thing there has been so much consolidation in the market?
Most hotel loyalty programs operate similarly to how many car rental loyalty programs also operate: Members get benefits upon signing up, regardless of status. Free Wi-Fi is part of that. (Selling that email was the important part!)
Four Seasons and Hyatt seem to be the only properties that offer it to guests without requiring a sign-up.
The majority of hotels made the change back in 2015. Since then, almost every single brand has caught up to offering it for free; meanwhile, often adding a premium faster level of service for those willing to pay for it.
To understand how widespread free Wi-Fi really is, consider the fact that IHG covers Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo and the Kimpton brands; Marriott includes the St. Regis, Westin and Aloft brands; and Hilton encompasses the Conrad, Embassy Suites and DoubleTree brands.
| Hotel | Free Wi-Fi? |
|---|---|
| Four Seasons | Yes |
| Hilton | Yes |
| Hyatt | Yes |
| InterContinental (IHG) | Yes |
| Mandarin Oriental | Yes |
| Marriott (Starwood) | Yes |
| Wyndham | Yes |
