Dear Luxury Hotels… We need to have a little chat. Why, oh why, do you continue to charge for WiFi?

While  other establishments (such basic hotels, coffee shops, public parks, tourist spots…. Do I need to go on?) offer free WiFi to their patrons, I suppose the reason that luxury hotels don't charge for WiFi is simply that they can get away with it. 

Luxury Hotels know they can charge for WiFi, as their guests need it and are willing to pay.  While business travellers simply charge it back to expenses, leisure travellers don’t batter an eyelid at paying extra while they are paying for a luxury suite.

Just last week I checked into a very expensive and well-known luxury hotel, but my mood quickly turned to frustration just minutes after arriving in my Suite. Somewhat unbelievably, but sadly unsurprising, as I went to my phone to connect to WiFi I was met with a screen informing me that I needed to enter my credit card details to access the WiFi charged at $USD25 per day.

Any first impressions of the hotel from curb appeal, to check-in to the wonderful room amenities quickly disappeared. 

I was seriously not impressed  at having to pay $50 for a two night stay just for the basic luxury of communication (keeping in touch with the news, arranging travel plans … or even just keeping up with the latest Hollywood gossip).

But then, almost instantly a message popped up on my phone informing me that for a minimal fee I could use my home Data Plan while abroad. 

And in that lies the problem… WiFi should not be treated as a luxury by luxury hotels. Because no one else treats it like one. In 2020 access to WiFi is a necessity.

All luxury travellers need WiFi, for communication, for work, for social interaction, for research. Therefore, it is no longer acceptable for hotels to charge for an standard amenity as if it’s a luxury. 

After research amongst TLTB team members, it would seem I am not alone in feeling disgruntled at these WiFi Charges. Charging for WiFi was the number one complaint guests have against luxury hotels.

So come on Luxury Hotels, stop charging for WiFi, we are already paying enough for the stunning five-star suite. 

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